I've probably taken more workshops on polymer clay than any other technique.
It fascinates and frustrates me. On the one hand, the materials and
tools are fairly inexpensive. It's also easy to make something with
it. For me, the problem comes in trying to move beyond something to something wonderful. I can make a basic cane, simple sliced beads or tubes, rubber stamped pieces, and that's about it. Every year around this time I take a look at my polymer clay and stash of tools and wonder, Is that it? Can I do anything more?
The Art of Jewelry Polymer Clay by Katherine Duncan Aimone is a truly astonishing book. From the cover project—a lovely flower brooch using the ever popular caning technique—I expected a book that would be fairly traditional and familiar with projects and techniques I'd seen many times before in one form or another. Instead, I found page after page of techniques that I'd never considered and was immediately itching to try. Here are a few ideas by the 14 artists that caught my attention:
- Create your own mold for a bold polymer cuff bracelet or create molds using items from nature like tiny twigs.
- Use gold leaf to highlight a stamped pendant.
- Try liquid clay to create raised patterns that make beads that look like porcelain. (This project by Mari O'Dell is probably the first one I'll try.)
- Use glitter, mica powder, pearlescent clay, and an electric buffing machine to create shiny beads that resemble glass.
- Make a mosaic brooch with a clever technique that doesn't involve cutting millions of tiny pieces of clay!
- Create your own resin-filled bezel. (This project especially intrigues me because I've read elsewhere that it isn't possible to combine polymer clay and resin.)
- Transfer photos onto clay for a personalized project.
- Try a photocopy transfer process to add subtle patterning to beads.
If you're a polymer clay purist, you might not get the same delight from this book that I did. But if you're a mixed media type who loves to mix techniques and come up with something unique, you should definitely put this book on your wish list.
Lark Book Giveaway Reminder
By the way, Lark is giving away a bundle of 21 jewlery books to a lucky U.S. reader. This book I reviewed isn't on the list, but there are plenty of other wonderful books that did make the cut. See their website before the end of December 7, 2011 for your chance to win!