To work with polymer clay does require a few tools ,but many of those are already available at home.
1. Work space : I don't have a dedicated work space for my crafting.So wherever that I am planning to use as a temporary work space,I use plastic sheets to cover the area ( cut up the spare plastic covers ).Paper will also do for a short period of time but it is not a good idea if you are working on it for more than a few mins.If you are using news paper,the print gets transferred to clay at times , which does not look very nice ( unless that was an effect you were going for ).If the clay is left on the paper for long the moisture will also get leached out of the clay making it brittle and difficult to work with.
The best option is find some ceramic tiles on which you can flatten or cut clay.
2. Rolling Pin : I use a wooden rolling pin that is easily available. Please do not use this for food. If you have to use this for preparing food , please ensure you use a plastic sheet between the clay &rolling pin , so that clay does not come into direct contact with the wood at all.
Another easier option to flatten smaller pieces of clay is to use a glass bottle , or a metal drinking glass.
3. Dedicated clay blade : While I have had better results from a clay blade such as from Sculpey , a cheaper option can be razor blades. These are not very efficient at cutting through large pieces , but they are very sharp and excellent at cutting small canes & thin sheets of clay.
I have used paper cutters & non striated knife for cutting clay as I started out , and they are not a bad option unless you need to cut canes.To cut canes , make sure the blade is sharp.
Another option is hobby cutters. These blades can be replaced when they break or tarnish.
4. Dedicated Cutters : If you can find some cookie cutters that would be useful.They must not be used for preparing food.Another option is to use the household items that are easily available such as bottle caps.There are some good tutorials on making cutters from soda cans etc also.
5.Oven ( to be used with polymer clay) : You can use the convection oven or a toaster oven. I bought a toaster oven from Croma.
DO NOT USE MICROWAVE.
Curing through boiling water alone will not cure the clay as water evaporates at 100 degree Celsius & clay needs 130+ degree Celsius depending on brands.
Having a dedicated oven for PC is entirely up to you.I have read about the arguments and counter arguments for having a dedicated oven for polymer clay. I dont think polymer clay is toxic as long as it does not get burned.
Ensuring that you bake your items in between two disposable aluminium pans helps in temperature control , and in case your object burns , it controls the amount of toxic smoke released into the oven.
I have a stand up oven thermometer which is placed in the oven. This really helps me with my baking as my oven temperature spikes a lot.
6.Colouring clay : Most brands of acrylic paint can be used with polymer clay without any problem. All brands are different so their properties vary. I commonly use Fevicryl acrylic for painting on clay.While they can be used on unbaked clay , they are more commonly used on baked clay.
You can use old (or new) eyeshadow for a shimmery look.
Soft pastels or pencil colours can also be used for a lighter effect than paint.
7. Sand Paper : This has to be done after curing .This evens out any uneven areas and brings a clear sheen.. Depending on your requirement you can sand from grit 350 to grit 2000. These are available at hardware stores.
It is recommended to sand under water so that the fine powder form of polymer clay does not get inhaled. Adding a bit of dish washing liquid eases out the process.
8. Sealant : I use a water based acrylic varnish from hobby line to seal the effect of eyeshadow / soft pastels or pencil colors. This is not mandatory for polymer clay which is quite strong , however if you use surface treatments ( eyeshadow / foil etc) please use a sealant.
Do not use Modpodge or transparent nail polish as sealant as they sometimes discolor clay or make them melt.
9.Toothpicks : They are always useful and have multiple uses, such as putting holes in beads & buttons , using it to suspend beads while curing ,making patterns , removing particularly sticky clay particles etc.These are just some , you will discover plenty more uses.
10. Hand sanitizers : These are great for cleaning clay off your hands & cleaning your workspace as well.
I have been working with clay around a year now , and this post has been updated today (01.07.2015) with what I have learned during this year.I live in India , so I have not mentioned Varathane as a sealant.
The best source for clearing your doubts is without a doubt The blue bottle tree , which is a blog written by Ginger Davis Allman.
Another great source , which is quite bigger and a little bit difficult to navigate is the glass attic.This is the polymer clay encyclopedia.
I hope this was a clear post.I appreciate your comments and feedback, so feel free to write in.
Have a good day! :)
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| Basic Tools : Rolling pin,dedicated knife,dedicated cutter,sealant,acrylic paint,paint brush,wire,oven thermometer,polymer clay slabs |
1. Work space : I don't have a dedicated work space for my crafting.So wherever that I am planning to use as a temporary work space,I use plastic sheets to cover the area ( cut up the spare plastic covers ).Paper will also do for a short period of time but it is not a good idea if you are working on it for more than a few mins.If you are using news paper,the print gets transferred to clay at times , which does not look very nice ( unless that was an effect you were going for ).If the clay is left on the paper for long the moisture will also get leached out of the clay making it brittle and difficult to work with.
The best option is find some ceramic tiles on which you can flatten or cut clay.
2. Rolling Pin : I use a wooden rolling pin that is easily available. Please do not use this for food. If you have to use this for preparing food , please ensure you use a plastic sheet between the clay &rolling pin , so that clay does not come into direct contact with the wood at all.
Another easier option to flatten smaller pieces of clay is to use a glass bottle , or a metal drinking glass.
3. Dedicated clay blade : While I have had better results from a clay blade such as from Sculpey , a cheaper option can be razor blades. These are not very efficient at cutting through large pieces , but they are very sharp and excellent at cutting small canes & thin sheets of clay.
I have used paper cutters & non striated knife for cutting clay as I started out , and they are not a bad option unless you need to cut canes.To cut canes , make sure the blade is sharp.
Another option is hobby cutters. These blades can be replaced when they break or tarnish.
4. Dedicated Cutters : If you can find some cookie cutters that would be useful.They must not be used for preparing food.Another option is to use the household items that are easily available such as bottle caps.There are some good tutorials on making cutters from soda cans etc also.
5.Oven ( to be used with polymer clay) : You can use the convection oven or a toaster oven. I bought a toaster oven from Croma.
DO NOT USE MICROWAVE.
Curing through boiling water alone will not cure the clay as water evaporates at 100 degree Celsius & clay needs 130+ degree Celsius depending on brands.
Having a dedicated oven for PC is entirely up to you.I have read about the arguments and counter arguments for having a dedicated oven for polymer clay. I dont think polymer clay is toxic as long as it does not get burned.
Ensuring that you bake your items in between two disposable aluminium pans helps in temperature control , and in case your object burns , it controls the amount of toxic smoke released into the oven.
I have a stand up oven thermometer which is placed in the oven. This really helps me with my baking as my oven temperature spikes a lot.
6.Colouring clay : Most brands of acrylic paint can be used with polymer clay without any problem. All brands are different so their properties vary. I commonly use Fevicryl acrylic for painting on clay.While they can be used on unbaked clay , they are more commonly used on baked clay.
You can use old (or new) eyeshadow for a shimmery look.
Soft pastels or pencil colours can also be used for a lighter effect than paint.
7. Sand Paper : This has to be done after curing .This evens out any uneven areas and brings a clear sheen.. Depending on your requirement you can sand from grit 350 to grit 2000. These are available at hardware stores.
It is recommended to sand under water so that the fine powder form of polymer clay does not get inhaled. Adding a bit of dish washing liquid eases out the process.
8. Sealant : I use a water based acrylic varnish from hobby line to seal the effect of eyeshadow / soft pastels or pencil colors. This is not mandatory for polymer clay which is quite strong , however if you use surface treatments ( eyeshadow / foil etc) please use a sealant.
Do not use Modpodge or transparent nail polish as sealant as they sometimes discolor clay or make them melt.
9.Toothpicks : They are always useful and have multiple uses, such as putting holes in beads & buttons , using it to suspend beads while curing ,making patterns , removing particularly sticky clay particles etc.These are just some , you will discover plenty more uses.
10. Hand sanitizers : These are great for cleaning clay off your hands & cleaning your workspace as well.
I have been working with clay around a year now , and this post has been updated today (01.07.2015) with what I have learned during this year.I live in India , so I have not mentioned Varathane as a sealant.
The best source for clearing your doubts is without a doubt The blue bottle tree , which is a blog written by Ginger Davis Allman.
Another great source , which is quite bigger and a little bit difficult to navigate is the glass attic.This is the polymer clay encyclopedia.
I hope this was a clear post.I appreciate your comments and feedback, so feel free to write in.
Have a good day! :)
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