Tips and Techniques
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#HowDoYouSculpey? with Melissa Piddington
Well hello there again, its me Melissa Piddington, amateur polymer clay artist here to tell you all about what inspires me, how I create and why Sculpey polymer clay is just so darn fun to play with. Now when it comes to inspiration for me, it literally comes from everywhere, I could be visiting a friend and notice that their...
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#HowDoYouSculpey? with Teresa Pandora Salgado.
Behold, the Bowl of Shame. I present it to you with a mix of humor, humility, and, yes, compassion for the poor bowl itself. On New Year’s Day, 2010, I opened my first three blocks of clay. My profound artistic ignorance had led me to believe I could simply roll up some clay and make cane like Jon Stuart Anderson...
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New Color Tuesday! Summer Sea Glass Pt 4
Sea Glass is back! I'm transitioning here to a late Summer/early Fall palette. As a pro photographer for over 40 years, I'm rather responsive to natural lighting and the tracking of the seasons in outdoor light. #1 Oh yes, all 3 of these look so good together. Latte is a great mix color to help bring a diverse group of...
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Using Baby Wipes With Polymer Clay
Baby wipes are a must-have when it comes to working with polymer clay. Baby wipes are incredibly versatile and provide an easy way to keep your work surface, tools and hands clean. You can also use baby wipes to delicately clean unsightly overflow areas of paint on your polymer clay. Let's say you are creating an intricate design and paint a little...
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How to Make Polymer Clay Buttons
Need to find the perfect button for your latest creation? If you knit, sew or crochet and are interested in making your own unique buttons, consider using polymer clay! Polymer clay buttons are easy to make, durable, come in multiple colors and can be made into any shape or texture. Making Polymer Clay Buttons: What You Will Need You'll need...
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Can You Rebake Polymer Clay?
If the piece in question has not been glazed or painted, you absolutely can rebake polymer clay. Depending on the project, baking polymer clay multiple times may be the only way to make sure it turns out correctly. If you do decide to rebake a polymer clay project, be sure to let it cool completely between baking cycles. Also, check that...
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Polymer Clay Repair
Have you spent hours or even days on a polymer clay project only to find that it has suffered small cracks or breakage during baking? Cracking is almost always caused by insufficient curing or by baking a sculpture with uneven thicknesses throughout. To ensure you have a consistent thickness in your piece, we recommend “bulking out” with foil or creating an...
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#HowDoYouSculpey -Pandorafied!
After five years on the Sculpey Design Squad, I’m delighted to say I find it more exciting every year! That’s because of the care and research the Sculpey gang puts into creating new products. It feels like Christmas every time a box arrives. (True Confession: Sometimes I tease myself and I don’t open it for an hour.) What I find...
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Just In Time for Summer! Miniature Lemonade Charms
“Sweet Caroline’s Clay” here! For this project we are going to make a miniature lemonade charm! All you will need is a small amount of Premo Sunshine, Translucent and Black clay, eye pins, some pink chalk for the cheeks and Sculpey Bake and Bond. Start with a ball of yellow clay- you can ultimately decide the size of your cup. Roll...
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New Color Tuesday! Summer Cornflower Pt 3
Okay, I knew that the Premo Silver and Souffle Turnip would most likely be a really good combination, but I was kind of surprised that it was a nice purple mix because I expected more of a pinkish mix. The Premo Gold/Souffle Turnip was exactly what I thought it would be - a rich copper color. But the Souffle Cornflower/Turnip...
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New Color Tuesday! Summer Cornflower Pt 2
Ohhh! Blues and greens with a dash of warm yellow...that's Summer for me. I see so many possible sub-palettes here is was hard to pick just three. #1 Cornflower, Canary and Canary/Sea Glass 1:1 is a great warm mix without being too much in-your-face with bright colors. This is a happy palette for me. #2 Copper, Canary and Canary/Sea Glass...
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Using Liquid Sculpey® - #HowDoYouSculpey (part2)
Today I would like to tell you a little bit about my new clay love: Liquid Sculpey®! It does work a bit different then regular polymer clay and you need to get used to the different way of working with it at first. So, to make it easier for you I thought I share a couple of ideas where you...
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#HowDoYouSculpey with Amy Hucks
As you read in my previous blog post, I am all about sculpting faces. Being able to bring out beings and creatures from inspiring photos or your imagination is a joy. There are a lot of anatomy & expression references sources available. Here are my three favorites: The Artist's Guide by Gary Faigin, FaeMaker by Dawn M. Schiller and Fairies...
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#HowDoYouSculpey-What I Like Most About Sculpey and How I Work With It
“Hungry Fungus", made with Sculpey Premo™ When I was asked what I like best about Sculpey and especially how I use it, at first I did not know what to say. Honestly the answer is not that easy! Thinking about what I use polymer clay for, and specifically Sculpey, I can not give you a straight forward answer. I am...
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#HowDoYouSculpey
This is a great hashtag to answer, as it has really made me look at my clay journey over the last few years. My love of Sculpey and polymer clay began with sculpting silly and super simple zombie fingers for friends. I was enthralled by how the this medium took to form and texture. The colors choices from bright to...
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Mold Making Tips
We get asked all of the time about how to make molds of things that you create. So we are teaming up with our friend Matt Jones of the Plastik Surgery Workshop to give a little advice on the best ways to do this. Tip 1 - One Piece Tool - Mold Making: - We call the 3D design you...
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New Color Tuesday! Time for a Little Latte - Pt 3
Souffle Raspberry is a pretty strong statement color, but it does play wellwith other colors. But first, I have to point out what a great palette thatmaster group of colors makes - Bluestone, Latte, Concrete and Raspberry for a pop of color. Latte lends warmth to the color colors and Raspberry adds the fun-lol. Now the sub-palettes: #1 I like...
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New Color Tuesday! It's Time for a Little Latte Pt 2
Bluestone is one of my very first Souffle color crushes. It does so well on its own, I find it a challenge sometimes to find colors that will stand up to it in a combination. Certainly, Bluestone, Poppy Seed and Igloo is my most favorite combo – so clean and can go casual or more formal. I really, really like...
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Insider Access – Sculpey Newsletter
Whether you’re new to clay or an expert “Clayer”, Sculpey has the newest and best products and information to help you reach your creative potential! Sculpey fans have exclusive access to great ideas, helpful how-to’s and videos via a newsletter sent directly to your inbox. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your...
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New Color Tuesday - Going Back to My Roots Pt 4
Now I have to clarify something. I found a frozen turkey breast in the freezer and cooked it - which *may* have influenced this palette a little. Aren't these lovely late Summer/Autumn colors? #1 These 2:1 mixes just whisper memories of sunshine and summer fun to me. No, it isn't just confinement - my clay talks to me a lot...
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Mica Powder vs. Glitter
If your clay project needs a little bit of shine and sparkle, glitter or mica powder will do the trick. However, though they may look the same, there is a difference between mica powder and glitter. These materials will work differently on polymer clay, so clayers need to know which sparkly material is best for their needs. Read on to learn...
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Adding Curves to Polymer Clay Pieces
For some of your polymer clay projects, you may want to give the piece a curve. The curve may serve a practical purpose, like when making a bracelet. Curves also add a nice aesthetic touch, such as making a leaf look realistic. Baking curves into polymer clay is easy to do and will transform your pieces. Read this guide to learn...
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Baking Polymer Clay in Cornstarch or Baking Soda
You've got your polymer clay creation finally perfected. You smoothed out the edges and got that swirl to sit just right. It's finally time for the oven. You know that if you place it on a pan, you'll have a smooth, shiny spot where it was resting, and you're also worried that it will roll around as it cooks, ruining...
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Creating Armature That Supports Your Sculpts
In my last blog I gave you a method for creating a simple body armature for an art Doll. Today I want to talk about the armature that supports your sculpt. Let’s start with the obvious. Aluminum foil is without a doubt, indispensable as an armature for any polymer clay artist. It has an expansion rate of less than 2...
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Creating Doll Armatures
Happy December! I’m proud to be a Design Squad member and your December blogger. I’m a figurative doll artist and this month I’m going to share a few of my tips and techniques for creating body armatures. Proportion and body armature are important in creating a balanced and realistic figure. There are several methods depending on whether you want to...
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Understanding Liquid Clay: Clear vs. Translucent
If you're wondering what the difference is between clear and translucent polymer clay, you're not alone. First, let's talk about the meaning of liquid clay. Liquid polymer clay is what it sounds like: polymer clay in liquid form. Liquid clay is a slightly sticky, medium-density liquid that does not require softening. While liquid polymer clay bakes the same way as regular...
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Seven Common Polymer Clay Mistakes
Mistakes are a part of life. After all, they're how we learn. But when it comes to working with polymer clay, some mistakes are best avoided. Here are some tips and tricks for how to avoid some of the most common clay mistakes. Using the wrong glue: One common mistake clayers make is using superglue on their product. Because polymer clay...
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Avoiding Fingerprints in Your Polymer Clay
If you've ever been working in your polymer clay studio and realize you've gotten fingerprints on your finished clay, you're not alone. Fingerprints on polymer clay is a common mistake crafters often overlook. The good news is, it can easily be avoided and fixed! How to Keep Fingerprints off Your Polymer Clay Getting fingerprints on your clay creations — whether...
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Overlooked Polymer Clay Tips
Polymer clay is a versatile medium used for anything from jewelry and home decor items to fun crafts and figurines. Whether you're a professional artist or polymer clay newbie, having a few tricks up your sleeve will make the creative process easier and more enjoyable. Top Nine Tips for Working With Polymer Clay Once you understand some essential tips for...
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How to Be Productive in Your Polymer Clay Studio
One of the skills every artist strives to master — and one that takes some practice — is the art of productivity. While the term "productivity" can mean different things to different people, we can all agree that it's important. Being an artist is a rewarding and sometimes challenging job that takes willpower, inspiration and a bit of planning. Top...
