Clay modeling is a fun and easy hobby that even a child can learn. It makes it possible to create a variety of things: from well-aimed jewelry to impressive sculptures, creating interesting decorative design premises or giving them as a gift.
Children engaged in such an activity can not only recreate their favorite cartoon characters and delight them with entertaining crafts, but also develop spatial thinking and the ability to work with their hands.
For children, clay crafts are one of the best hobbies, and for adults it is an option to relax, calm down and enjoy the work done.
Where to get or how to prepare clay
Polymer clay is a material whose structure and characteristics resemble plasticine, known to everyone since childhood, but is capable of hardening, making crafts durable. There are several types of clay: those that harden only after baking or firing, and others that do not need to be used. high temperatures.
Clay can be bought at any stationery store or made at home with your own hands. Such a material cannot be called polymer, since when creating it at home, the composition will include completely different components. However, the properties of such a material will be similar to purchased polymer clay.
To obtain such a mixture you need:
- 250 ml of PVA glue and the same amount of corn starch;
- 2 tbsp. spoons of lemon juice;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of Vaseline and the same amount of any cream;
- Polyethylene film;
- Surface for kneading;
- Bowl and spoon for preparing the mixture.
These ingredients are enough to prepare 350 grams finished material. All ingredients, except the cream, must be mixed in a prepared container and placed in the microwave for half a minute at maximum speed. The cream is needed to lubricate the surface on which the clay will be kneaded.
After microwave, you need to mix everything again and place it on a surface greased with cream and knead intensively, like regular dough, for 5 minutes. Subsequently, an elastic plastic material should form. Next you need to give it a shape and wrap it in a cloth to remove any remaining water. When the clay has cooled, it is ready for use.
Crafts made from polymer clay
If you are new to clay making, don’t be fooled by salespeople’s advice to buy a variety of tools to create masterpieces. Many of them may not be in demand. At the initial stages, a hard surface, a stationery knife, toothpicks, contours for forming figures, a rolling pin for rolling out material, gloves and wet napkins will be enough.
If you pay attention to the photos of clay crafts, you will notice that there are many modeling techniques. Before starting work, you can watch several master classes to become better acquainted with the nuances of the upcoming work.
Among the most original methods we can highlight: the “cane technique”: rolled out plates of different shades are laid out on top of each other and rolled into a roll, and then cut into circles. The cut shows a colorful unusual pattern.
The “salt technique” involves rolling the product in salt and baking it. After this, the salt is washed away from the inputs and an interesting surface structure remains.
When using the kaleidoscope technique, different clays are rolled into a roll and cut out with molds various figures. There is also a transition technique: using pieces of different colors, they form a smooth transition from one shade to another.
Self-hardening clay after drying is similar to plaster, and the one that needs to be baked becomes denser and resembles a plastic product.
It is better to make clay crafts for beginners in the form of a flower, bouquets or simple jewelry. It is better to paint with acrylic paints, but to save money, you can also purchase gouache, but it should be covered with several layers of varnish to fix it.
What is better to sculpt first?
The easiest way to make a rose. To do this, you need to make a ball and give it the shape of a drop - this will be the base. Then make several smaller balls and flatten them with your fingers - these are thin petals that need to be attached around the base until you get a full-fledged flower.
To make beads or earrings, just take a square shape and cut out the required number of shapes - this will help make each one the same size. After the shape, roll into balls, and then use needles or toothpicks to make holes for the lace.
Modeling from ordinary natural clay
Clay is formed when rocks break down. Due to the difference in the minerals included in its composition, it can be different shades: yellow, green, white and even blue.
Professionals prefer red and white clay for sculpting. Therefore, if for some reason making from polymer clay does not bring pleasure, you can try to sculpt from ordinary clay, obtaining it yourself or buying it in a store.
Before starting work, you should sign up for several lessons or watch video tutorials on the Internet in order to become familiar with the features of clay and understand what it should be like for use.
Before shaping the product, you need to thoroughly shake it out and beat it with your hands to eliminate air, otherwise the voids will tear the product during baking.
You can use various tools for the job; a spatula is the most convenient. After completing the work, wipe the finished figure with a sponge or soft brush. Then it is left to dry for 10 days and then fired.
The finished product is decorated using various techniques: painting with glaze, decoration with colored clay, coating with acrylic paints and more.
conclusions
The more you sculpt, the easier this task will be. Having become familiar with the features and properties of clay, you can create real masterpieces - baskets, boxes, vases, figurines and even sculptures of people. Crafts made from polymer and ordinary clay for beginners will become a real home decoration, created with your own hands.
Photos of clay crafts
Products self made(hand-made) have always been especially valued. This is a way to get something unique, creative and something that no one else has. The most popular material for creating unique handmade products is polymer clay. We have already written how to make such clay yourself at home.
However, you can not only make polymer clay and sell it as a separate product, but also create various things yourself from this material. You can make it from polymer clay decorative ornaments(jewelry), key chains, photo frames, Christmas tree decorations, dolls, figurines and in general any things that may be useful for home decor.
Polymer clay (plastic) is soft material based on polyvinyl chloride. Polymer clay is initially plastic and soft; it can be used to sculpt like plasticine. When the product has been given the desired shape, it is heated, as a result of which it hardens and becomes hard. Some types of polymer clay harden without heating, simply by exposure to air. When creating a product, you can immediately use colored polymer clay, or you can paint a ready-made solid product. Any acrylic paint will easily apply to it. If products made from polymer clay are not subjected to frequent impacts and other damage, then they can retain their “marketable appearance” for a very long time.
How to sculpt from polymer clay
Let us immediately warn you that artistic modeling is a creative process and requires certain talents. At a minimum, the arms should grow from the “right” place. If you were always praised in kindergarten for the fact that you sculpted a man out of plasticine well, this does not mean that you will be great at sculpting with polymer clay.
If you want to do sculpting purely for yourself, then, of course, you can do it however you like. But if you want to create your own business in the production and sale of plastic products, and make money from it, then your products must be at least competitive, and at maximum, stand out from the rest in better side. To achieve significant success, it takes practice. Therefore, if you feel that you are gaining skill by practicing, then continue in the same spirit. Otherwise, it is better to think about another type of income.
Modeling
The very first step that you must take is to carefully knead in your hands the piece of polymer clay that you are going to work with next. This will make the plastic softer, and it will be much easier to give it the desired shape. Start training from the very beginning simple elements, gradually moving on to more complex ones.
For example, the first thing you can try to do is a flower and a leaf. To make the leaf, use your fingers to shape a small piece of clay into an oval, then press it lightly onto your work surface until it flattens. Make a sharper edge on one side of the oval, and leave a rounded edge on the other side. Using a toothpick, using a pressing motion, draw veins on the leaf. You will end up with something like this:
Let's move on to the next element of the flower - the petals. Roll out five small balls of polymer clay and use your fingers to roll them out onto your work surface. Try to keep the edges as round as possible. Now you need to form these petals into a flower. Since each petal sticks slightly to the surface due to pressure, you may disturb its shape when you remove them.
Therefore, it is better to do this not with your fingers, but with a blade or other flat object. Place the petals in a circle, one on top of the other, overlapping one edge with the next. Then place a leaf under the finished petals - and your flower is ready:
Baking
Next, you need to heat the product to harden it. You can use a regular oven for this. However, if you are using an oven in which, in addition to baking polymer clay, you also cook food, then it is better to place the product in a container or food sleeve before putting it in the oven. When baking, plastic can release fumes that will settle on the oven walls and adversely affect the quality of your food.
Despite the fact that the required temperature and baking time for a specific type of plastic are always indicated on the packaging, it is better to try it first on a small test piece. Try not to overcook the product in the oven - otherwise it will burn (turn black) and emit a lot of smoke. In this case, it is necessary to urgently ventilate the room.
Degreasing
You can remove excess fat from the product using any detergent. Apply a small amount of product to cotton wool and wipe the product immediately after baking.
Grinding
Not every product will require sanding. This procedure should be performed only if there are fingerprints on the product, any irregularities or lumps on the surface. If you are just starting to create with polymer clay, then it is unlikely that you will be able to immediately create products with ideal surface. In addition, if you plan to coat the product with varnish or paint, then you cannot do without polishing - the varnish will lie much better on a perfectly flat surface. Therefore, the ability to sand and polish will be useful to you.
You will need sandpaper and a small piece of cloth. Denim (necessarily old fabric, since new fabric can leave traces of paint on the product), corduroy or suede is best suited. Fill a bowl with water at room temperature and mix just a little detergent with it.
Next, you need to dip the product in water and slightly wet the sandpaper. Start sanding the piece from the edges and back side (that is, not the front side) with coarser sandpaper. Using water, wash away dust and small pieces that form from sandpaper. When you have completed the work with coarse sandpaper, change the water and start sanding with fine sandpaper. Sand the front side as carefully as possible so as not to spoil the presentation of the product.
After finishing sanding, rinse the product again to remove any remaining detergent and grains of sandpaper, and dry it. Next, polish the product using a piece of cloth - simply rub the product on all sides with vigorous movements.
Varnishing
To coat a product with varnish, it is best to use special varnishes that are designed specifically for polymer clay. Some "masters" use nail polishes or decoupage varnishes on acrylic base, but that's not really correct solution. Such products can only be made for oneself, but they are unlikely to be suitable for sale. Some products, after thorough polishing with a cloth, no longer require varnish.
In direct contact with skin, polymer clay may cause allergies or other unpleasant reactions. This doesn't happen very often, but it's not worth the risk. Therefore, when performing your first work, it is better to use disposable medical gloves. It is also better not to use dishes that have direct contact with polymer clay when eating food.
Tools for working with polymer clay
Each master has in his arsenal the following tools, which are very useful when working with polymer clay:
1. Surfaces for modeling. These are flat surfaces made of glass or plastic, preferably big size. Working on stone or wood surfaces is not recommended.
2. Blades, knives. They are needed different sizes and thickness of the cutting part. All blades and knives must be as sharp as possible so that the product does not become deformed when cutting.
3. Sandpaper. It is used for polishing or, conversely, to give the product an uneven shape (for example, imitation orange peel).
4. Fabric (denim, corduroy, suede). Used to polish the product and give a shiny shine to the surface.
5. Knitting needles and needles. Need different sizes and thicknesses. They are used for making through holes (for example, in beads) or for making small dents on a product.
6. Glue. Necessary for gluing together individual elements products.
7. Extruder. This is a special tool that looks like a large syringe from which polymer clay is squeezed out. There are various attachments for extruders, with which you can get an element of the future product of the shape you need.
What can be made from polymer clay?
Real plastic modeling professionals offer a wide range of products. Among the assortment you can find:
- Earrings;
- Rings;
- Pendants, pendants;
- Beads;
- Bracelets;
- Hair clips and decorations;
- Brooches;
- Keychains;
- Photo frame;
- Figurines, figurines;
- Christmas decorations;
- Dolls;
- Paintings.
To work, you will need not only different polymer clay, but also additional elements. For example, chains for pendants and pendants, metal bases for rings and hairpins, clasps for bracelets and earrings, hooks for Christmas decorations, threads (for example, for doll hair), various sparkles, beads and so on. All this can be purchased at any craft store.
How and to whom to sell polymer clay products?
Your clients will be people who want to purchase jewelry and crafts made from polymer clay for themselves or as gifts for loved ones. As practice shows, a significant percentage of clients are young girls. Nowadays communities in in social networks, which are created by plastic sculpting masters. There they post catalogs of their products, and each community member can choose the product they like and place an order. The main difficulty in this type of product sales is to attract and retain social network users in the community.
Another way to sell your product is to participate in fairs and exhibitions of hand-made products. Such events are now quite in demand and are periodically organized in almost every big city. Find out how and where similar fairs and exhibitions are organized in your city, and keep track of the dates of their organization. Offer your products to the organizers as goods. If your products are of high quality, then most likely they will not refuse you.
Also, in every city you can find shops that sell various souvenirs, jewelry, and home decor items. Try to negotiate with such stores to sell your product on mutual terms. In this case, you will act as a supplier of goods.
Since the main advantage of hand-made products is their uniqueness, be sure to offer your customers the opportunity to create a unique product to order. Of course, it will be more reasonable if you introduce such a service when you become a real master. The client describes his wishes to you, perhaps shows approximate sketches of the work, and you make the product especially for him. Such work usually costs slightly more than work done in advance, however, there is a risk that the client will not like the product and he will refuse to pay for it. This is, of course, an unpleasant moment, but you can always sell such a product through a general catalog.
Video of modeling from polymer clay
On the Internet you can find many videos that can become good helpers in learning to sculpt from polymer clay. At first, you can’t do without such videos. We offer you several useful training videos in which the masters clearly and clearly explain each step. If you have the inclination to be creative, then even a child can learn how to beautifully sculpt clay using these videos!
To inspire you to be creative, we offer you amazing works made from polymer clay by real craftsmen!
How much can you earn from polymer clay products?
It depends entirely on you. A package of imported polymer clay (for example, from the manufacturers “Premo”, “Sculpey”, “Kato”, “Pardo”, “Fimo”) costs approximately from 2 to 6 dollars, depending on the volume. Polymer clay from domestic producers(for example, “Flower”, “Sonnet”) is even cheaper.
The costs of additional materials will also be insignificant, especially since they are not required for all products (for example, for a simple figurine you do not need anything except the polymer clay itself). But the cost of finished products can be completely different. Exclusive items that are made to order can cost up to $15 each. Various earrings, pendants, rings are sold for an average of 4-5 dollars. If you learn to work quickly and create high-quality products, you can make pretty good money in this business.
Polymers are relatively new materials that have steadily entered our lives. We use polymer products as decorations, dishes, glue, and varnishes.
The rapid conquest of the market by polymers is observed due to their technical properties. High elasticity, water resistance, lightness. The material is capable, under certain conditions, of changing its physical fitness. In addition, the material is quite strong and lightweight.
Basic properties
The first mention of plastic was recorded in the early 30s. The German Fifi Rehbinder developed clay for doll heads. Soft, pliable material for production of products. Very similar to plasticine in all properties. Has a specific smell. Retains its shape, hardens and loses its plastic qualities after treatment at high temperatures (up to 130° C). When working with the material at home, an oven is a good choice to achieve this result. When the temperature rises, an inconvertible process occurs. Subsequently, various paints and varnishes can be applied to the frozen work, and the parts can be joined together with glue.
Manufacturers immediately paint polymer clay in certain colors. There are sets of palettes with interesting effects: glitter, metallic, stone and even glowing.
For your product, you can easily choose exactly the type of color and additional effect that matches your idea of it - just class.
FIMO is a world-famous company for the production of polymer clay. On this moment plastic is produced in several types with different properties, different colors, serially in blocks or individually.
Gallery: polymer clay products (25 photos)
Classification:
- FIMO classic. Color block of 24 shades. Available in 56 g and 350 g. Beautiful products from this brand are made using the kaleidoscope or kane technique. Initially it is hard, but after kneading it becomes more flexible. Experts advise starting kneading with a small piece. You can also use Fimo MixQuik softener. It does not change the color or structure. Direct sunlight destroys the structure and turns clay into stone.
- FIMO soft. Ideal for children's modeling. Soft, does not require special effort. Very popular material. Available in the same configuration as the classic one. Suitable for mixing with FIMO classic, thereby improving its properties.
- FIMO effect. Improved soft. Set of 37 shades. The series is filled with color special effects. Effect natural stone, luminous, transparency, shimmer, metallic and many other color effects allow you to work and use this type of plastic in many techniques.
- FIMO puppen. The name itself speaks volumes about its purpose. Translated from German it means doll. It has 4 main types of flesh tones. Packaging 500 grams. The material holds the shape of small parts well. Additional colors can be achieved by mixing previous brands.
- Gel. Allows you to imitate glass and other translucent parts. Gluing parts.
There are also less popular companies on the market that produce polymer clay.
What can be made from polymer clay:
- Christmas tree toys.
- Decorative items for the home.
- Jewelry, jewelry, hairpins.
- Author's works of designers (mini-sculptures, flower arrangements, etc.).
How to make and using what technology?
There are technologies for making various kinds of crafts and decorations. And I must say that the ability of clay to convey all the grace of color and texture of the figures is simply surprising in its naturalness. Show the highest class when manipulating polymer clay within your capabilities with the purchase great experience. The material can be stored for a long time without losing its qualities. Due to its availability and ease of use, clay has become a source of additional income for many people. By making goods in a simple way and putting them up for sale. There are no limits to your imagination. Almost every person would want to make a pendant, photo frame, toy or other item with their own hands.
Needlewomen themselves choose the style and technique of how to make plastic jewelry with their own hands. Experiment with color and texture.
- the most common technique and very interesting topic that the pattern is achieved on the cut. The technique is called Sausage or Cane. Thanks to it, identical blanks for bracelets and beads are made. Ready-made blanks are available in stores that will make the work easier for young craftsmen. This technique allows you to make earrings, bracelets, and rings as a set. Depending on the experience of the master, you can make a simple or complex drawing.
A simple lesson in making sausages from polymer clay and creating fruit canes will help you achieve the desired result. Watching videos of master classes from various experts on making jewelry from polymer clay with your own hands will help improve your skill level.
Color mixing technique(smooth transition). Same or different proportions pieces by color and weight during subsequent mixing give a unique design to the product. Therefore, the products are purely individual.
Salty technique. The finished product is well coated with salt. After drying, the salt is simply washed away. The indentations that appear give it an interesting look.
Filigree. Modeling requires accuracy and attentiveness from the master. Very painstaking work with small details.
When making beads, the technique is great watercolor. Making a wide bracelet using the kaleidoscope method - great idea. Use your imagination and use your hands.
A beginner, wanting to gain experience in making plastic jewelry with his own hands, can follow the advice of experts in this matter.
Masters are happy to share their work through master classes on the Internet. In the video tutorials on creating jewelry from polymer clay, the master class is taught by people who themselves started by modeling sausages and simple beads. It is possible to enroll in jewelry making courses, if they exist in your city. On the Internet, you can take a whole course of learning how to make various kinds of objects with your own hands from polymer clay, which are in good demand on the costume jewelry market because of their uniqueness.
Every fashionista needs an accessory to complete her look. Top class when done by yourself. You can not only brag new thing, but also to show your taste and style.
Expert advice on how to make jewelry from polymer clay. Be guided step by step instructions masters View the master class “Polymer clay. Jewelry pendant." Turn on your imagination and get started.
To get started, a beginner just needs to have:
- clay (at least 2-3 colors);
- knife (blade);
- smooth surface for processing (plastic board, oilcloth, sheet of paper);
- a pin with a loop;
- a piece of wire 5-10 cm;
- varnish or transparent gel;
- thin rubber gloves;
- oven to complete the process.
Bend the wire into any shape you like, giving it the appearance of a frame. Take clay of two colors and combine it randomly. Roll up the sausage. Mash this sausage with a 2.5 mm flat cake. Use a rolling pin to press the wire into the clay. Trim the edges along the contour of the iron. Make a ball or droplet and attach it to the top of the product. Poke with a pin. You will now have the fastener attached. Place in the oven at the temperature indicated on the clay packaging. Cover the completely cooled pendant with varnish. You have created an elegant decoration.
Useful tips
Polymer clay - a relatively new and very popular material, which is very malleable and allows you to make unique products. We have already talked about what interesting flowers are made from polymer clay, and today I would like to talk about another very popular product: jewelry.
DIY polymer clay decorations. Sausages made of polymer clay
Sausages made of polymer clay- these are blanks for future jewelry, including beads, from which thin pieces are cut plates-drawings. "Sausages" also called "canes" or "kanes"(English) cane).
We offer you a master class on how to make a very beautiful black and white sausage, which can be used to create stylish and very original jewelry.
What you will need:
- White and black polymer clay
- Knife or metal plate with blade
- Ruler
- Extrusion press
Let's get started:
Take two identical pieces of white and black clay and roll them into two squares 8 by 8 centimeters thickness approximately 0.5 centimeters.
Place one layer on top of the other and then divide them into two equal parts. Do this procedure again. You should end up with something like this striped "sandwich".
Squeeze the resulting rectangle so that you get elongated round sausage.
Then twist the sausage with your palm to get spiral. Simply press the sausage onto the table with your palm and roll it in one direction. Do this very carefully so as not to damage the drawing.
If you cut the resulting product in half, there should be here's a drawing:
Place the sausage inside clay extrusion press and squeeze out a thin long sausage.
In cross section it will look like this:
Thinly slice the sausage drawing up a drawing:
As a result, you can use the drawing for a variety of original decorations:
The simplest sausages made from polymer clay master class (video lesson):
Polymer clay beads
Multi-colored beads, which can be used to make a wide variety of jewelry, can be made from multi-colored polymer clay. If you don’t know the specifics of their manufacture, it seems as if the design was applied to these products using paint, but only multi-colored clay was used.
See for yourself.
What you will need:
- Self-hardening polymer clay of 5 colors (in this case white, gray, green, brown and yellow, but any others are possible)
- Knife or metal ruler with blade
- Rolling pin and board for clay
- Rubber gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints
Let's get started:
In order to get a design in the form of a daisy, first you need to “make it up” from clay of different colors. Take white clay and roll it into a sausage about 8 centimeters and diameter 4 centimeters.
Roll out a plate of gray clay about 2 millimeters.
Wrap the gray platinum about halfway around the white cylinder, cut off the excess knife or ruler.
Take green clay, roll it into a plate and also wrap the first piece on top of the gray layer. Trim the resulting sausage, remove excess from the sides.
Using a ruler, make cuts on the white part of the piece as shown in the picture. First in the middle, then two more cuts on the sides, so that between them there is approximately same distance.
Then insert the cut out rectangular pieces of the gray plate into the cuts.
Squeeze the resulting sausage, but not too hard, so that all the parts stick together and between them the air layer has disappeared. With your hands you can form the shape of the future petal. The photo shows a petal in the form truncated triangle. The entire sausage reached a length of approximately 30 centimeters.
The length of the sausage depends on how many petals you wish to receive. For example, for this flower the author of the master class is going to make 9 petals, so the length is 32 centimeters, that is 3.5 centimeters for one petal. Divide the sausage into 9 parts.
Let's start making the center of the chamomile. Take yellow clay and roll it out into a sausage length 5 centimeters and diameter 2 centimeters.
From brown clay, roll out a plate with a width of approximately 6 millimeters and completely wrap it around the yellow sausage.
You should get something like this chamomile:
Fill in the empty spaces between the petals pieces of green clay:
Wrap the chamomile completely in the rolled out green plate.
Squeeze chamomile sausage so as to release all the air between the parts.
Then you can start slicing. If you have some of the chamomile sausage left over, save it for future products. wrapped in film without air access. Cover the clay ball with daisies cut from the sausage, then smooth it out.
You can make several options beads:
Polymer clay decoration master class. Beads (video lesson):
Hairpins made of polymer clay
Very simple hairpins can be made using invisible and polymer clay. Here's one option:
What you will need:
- Polymer clay of the desired color
- Invisibility pin
- Glue
Let's get to work
Roll from a piece of clay small ball, and then crush it into a round disc with your fingers.
Pinch the edges to get petal. Make as many petals as you wish.
Connect all the petals together. If you have fire clay, bake the flower to harden the clay. Then you can stick it on a bobby pin with using a piece of thick fabric.
With this simple technique you can make a variety of bobby pins:
By the way, hairpins can be made using ready-made flowers and base accessories. You can take advantage of the master classes from the article Flowers made of polymer clay.
Here are some examples:
Polymer clay earrings
Very simple earrings can be made from clay, foil and wire. They are ideal for winter outfits.
What you will need:
- Self-hardening polymer clay (white and pearlescent)
- Knife
- Accessories for earrings (wire, rings, hooks)
- Foil
- Molds
- Sequins
- Needle nose pliers
Let's get to work
Roll out the clay to the desired thickness (approx. 3 millimeters). Divide the white piece into three parts. The fourth will be pearlescent color. From them you will cut mugs for details. Place foil on one sheet.
Using round molds with a diameter of approx. 5 millimeters cut circles from each sheet.
Cut the wire into lengths of approximately 7 centimeters. Place each circle on a wire. Do this very carefully so as not to make a hole in the circle in an unnecessary place.
Wrap the shiny circle again foil.
Roll some of the white circles in glitter.
Make as many details as you wish. The author of this master class used 13 parts for each earring. Allow the clay to dry and harden.
Wire tip on each piece bend it into a loop using needle nose pliers.
Shorten some parts wire.
Connect the parts in pairs different colors and different lengths(one part remains without a pair).
Connect the parts of one earring using wire ring.
Attach accessories for earrings.
Original earrings made of polymer clay (video tutorial):
Polymer clay pendant
What you will need:
- Self-hardening polymer clay (black)
- 2 sheets of aluminum foil (gold and silver)
- Drop shape
- Cutting blade for working with clay
- Shiloh
- Pasta machine or rolling pin with a board for rolling out a thin layer
Let's get to work
Roll the foil into tight ball. This will be the central element of our pendant. This core will allow the product not to be too heavy. You can make the center out of clay, but if you wear such a pendant for a long time, it will remain on your neck. imprint from the chain.
Roll out using a pasta machine or by hand thin layer of clay and cut out an even circle. Wrap it around a ball of foil. Remove excess clay.
Once the ball is ready, pierce it pin for jewelry through.
Roll out a sheet of black clay to a thickness of approximately 3 millimeters, cover it with a very thin layer gold foil and squeeze out drop parts using a mold.
Then start attaching the drops one by one to round base future big shot. Don't worry if the thin layer of gold cracks, it will give a special stylish look to your product.
Cover with drops all over bump until the very end.
If you are using baked clay, bake the product at recommended temperature. Once it has cooled, attach the chain.
Modeling from polymer clay. Pendant (video lesson):
Polymer clay beads
We invite you to get acquainted with unusual technique creating jewelry using polymer clay, balls and wire on following example creating beads. You can make entire sets in the same way: beads, earrings, bracelets, pendants.
What you will need:
- Self-hardening translucent polymer clay (several shades)
- Small rubber balls
- Thin wire
- Scissors
- Accessories for jewelry (pin with loop, chain)
- Pasta machine or rolling pin with a board for rolling out a thin layer
- Pin
Let's get to work
1. Inflate rubber balloons desired size. You can make balls of different sizes, as shown in this master class, or the same ones. The number of balls will determine the size of the product.
2. Twist several segments wire as shown in the photo to make a loop.
3. Place a loop on the ball where it is tied knot.
4. Wrap the ball with wire to make it net.
5. You should end up with a covered ball wire mesh.
6. 7. Remove excess wire ends using scissors.
8. Roll out very thin sheet made of translucent polymer clay.
9. Completely wrap the clay sheet around the ball. wire mesh.
10. 11. Pop the ball inside with a pin and pull it out out through a small hole.
12. Press the clay inward to make a little dented sphere. Do this very carefully so as not to damage the thin layer of clay.
Let the clay harden thoroughly, and then use special paints to apply desired drawing.
Polymer clay video. Beads
Polymer clay bracelet
This original bracelet is made using an old glass dish with floral relief pattern. Perhaps there is something similar in your kitchen.
What you will need:
- Baked polymer clay (desired color)
- Metal forms for bracelet
- Glass saucer with relief
- Nail polish of different colors
- Satin wide ribbon
- Scissors
- Pasta machine or rolling pin with a board for rolling out a thin layer
- Glue
Let's get to work
1. Roll out the clay into a long strip approximately 0.5 centimeters. Use a saucer to draw a design. You can use any molds that you have in stock.
2. Using scissors or a clay blade, cut out an even rectangular strip width, which is slightly larger than the width of the metal bracelet mold.
3. Wrap clay around a metal mold.
4. Fold edges of clay inward. Then bake the product until the clay completely hardens.
5. If desired, you can paint the product nail polish. To hide the metal shape inside, you can glue satin ribbon.
DIY polymer clay. Bracelet (video tutorial)
Polymer clay ring
We offer you a master class on making very simple but original polymer clay rings in the shape of a bow.
What you will need:
- Polymer clay (desired color)
- Blade
- Pasta machine or rolling pin with a board for rolling out a thin layer
- Sequins
Let's get to work
Knead the clay in your hands so that it becomes more pliable, and roll out a plate with a thickness of approximately 0.5 centimeters.
Use a blade or knife to cut details for the bow: two rectangles (one wider, the other narrower). Fold the edges of the longer one inward, and wrap the other rectangle around the first piece.
You should end up with something like this bow:
Make it out of clay ring, then attach a bow to it. In order for the ring to fit you, you need to wrap it first around own finger and adjust to the desired size. Don't worry if there are fingerprints or imperfections on the ring. By using sequin this problem will be masked.
Cover the ring glitter and let it harden.
Polymer clay for beginners. Ring (video lesson):
Polymer clay rings photo
* The calculations use average data for Russia
The production of jewelry and various decorative products from polymer clay, which is also called plastic, is quite profitable, promising and profitable business. Its most important advantage is that there is no need for large investments at the initial stage of work. All you need to do this business is certain work skills, perseverance, attentiveness and, most importantly, limitless fantasy(along with good taste, of course).Polymer clay is a plastic mass, which in its own way appearance and its basic properties resemble ordinary plasticine. But unlike the latter, polymer clay, when exposed to air or high temperatures, hardens and gains strength. Clay, which hardens when exposed to high temperatures, contains special plasticizers, which not only give it plasticity, but are also completely absorbed into the base material when the mass is heated at a temperature of 100 to 130 ° C, creating conditions for stable polymerization. Moreover, you can “bake” polymer clay products even at home – in a regular oven. Under the influence of high temperature, the material loses its plasticity and retains its given shape.
Finished products can be subsequently processed and decorated in various ways: painted with acrylic paints, covered with matte or glossy varnish, decorated using the decoupage technique (decoration using paper napkins with a pattern or special paper with prints), glued together, etc. There is also self-hardening clay, which does not require baking and When dried at room temperature, it looks like wood or plaster. However, this material has less strength, so it is more suitable for creativity rather than for making decorative items for sale.
The range of polymer clays on the Russian market is very wide, both in terms of manufacturers and in various colors and effects. There are both bleached and colored clays on sale, including those with special effects - glitter and fluorescent substances.
As mentioned above, polymer clay consists of two main components - a base and a plasticizer, which gives it the appropriate plastic properties. The basis of polymer clay is polyvinyl chloride. PVC particles have good absorbent properties, which manifest themselves when heated. Phthalic acid derivatives – phthalates – are used as plasticizers in this material. When a mixture of phthalates and PVC powder is heated, a gelatinization process occurs, during which the plasticizers are absorbed into the particles of the base powder. The latter, in turn, swell and tightly adhere to each other. Moreover, the higher the content of plasticizers in the initial mass, the softer the finished product will be. When hardened after firing, the so-called plasticized PVC is obtained. This material is widely used in modern industry. It is used to produce plastic windows, medical instruments, toys, household items, dishes, insulation for electrical wires etc.
Polymer clay also contains various pigments, including phthalocyanine powder dyes that are well compatible with PVC. Talc, kaolin or chalk can also be used as fillers and surface modifiers. The material may also contain stabilizers that prevent it from gelling during storage at normal temperatures. Ordinary polymer clay begins to slowly harden already at 60 °C; in the presence of stabilizers, this process slows down significantly, which can significantly increase the shelf life of the material.
So, polymer clay is an excellent material for creativity and more. Thanks to her unique properties, completely unusual things can be made from such clay - decorative jewelry, souvenirs, interior items, toys, designer dolls, etc. Polymer clay allows you to convey fine sculptural details (such as good plasticine), and effectively imitate various materials and texture, which is why it is often used to create designer miniatures and decorative items (for example, artificial flowers).
Thanks to the ease of work and accessibility of technology, making handicrafts from polymer clay has become a source of additional and main income for many people. Products made from polymer clay are in great demand among young people. And first of all, these are handmade jewelry. The plasticity of the material, its ability to harden under the influence of high temperatures, a wide selection color range– all this opens up great opportunities for creating exclusive designer products.
Polymer clay different manufacturers differs both in its characteristics, properties, and in the final result. For example, domestically produced material is usually harder than imported clay. It does not differ in a large number of shades and effects and has some peculiarities when baking. Many beginners use Russian polymer clay (“Tsvetik”, “Sonnet”) for training and training in order to save on material, since it costs much less than its foreign counterparts. The savings are truly noticeable. After all, packaging in six colors will cost up to 150 rubles. However, it has a number of disadvantages. This clay is too hard and doesn’t knead well in your hands. It takes a lot of time to knead a piece of material. At the same time, in a solid state, the clay crumbles, and after kneading it turns out to be too soft - clearly visible fingerprints remain on it, and it is quite difficult to sculpt small thin parts from it. At the same time, it quickly returns to a solid state, which makes it difficult to fasten parts of different colors together. After baking, it becomes brittle, and if the recommended firing time is exceeded, cracks appear on its surface. The properties of domestically produced polymer clay very much depend on the duration and storage conditions (and the latter are not so easy to control).
Polymer clay of foreign brands has great advantages, although it has its own characteristics, depending on the manufacturer. To the most famous brands In addition to “Tsvetik”, the following can be included: “Cernit”, “Fimo”, “Scalpey”, “Kato”. Experts consider Fimo clay to be the best in terms of its characteristics. Plastic surgery happens various types softness. However, it is impossible to say which material is better. It all depends on the product that is made from clay, the techniques used, the desired effects and, finally, the personal preferences of the artist. The color of the plastic can be either uniform or with various inclusions that imitate natural materials (for example, marble), with metallic or mother-of-pearl effects. However, you can create various effects yourself by mixing ordinary plastic with pearlescent powder or small particles of another material. Decorations made from translucent types of plastic look very impressive. True, the degree of transparency may differ between different polymer clay manufacturers, so before choosing a material it is best to read reviews and tests different types clay on the Internet - on specialized sites and forums. There is also a so-called liquid plastic. It is less known than hard, but it is used to create various effects (for example, imitation enamel) or acts as an adhesive. Also on sale you can find fluorescent and luminescent colors of plastic, which glow in ultraviolet light or in complete darkness, respectively.
As a rule, all this variety of polymer clay from various manufacturers can be found in art supply stores and specialized retail networks, which are found in almost every major city. The cost of a bar of Fimo brand polymer clay will cost about 100 rubles per piece. In addition, you can order material of any manufacturer and name, both in individual bars and in ready set with a wide range of colors and with a minimum of tools and auxiliary equipment in various online stores that send orders throughout the country, as well as on joint purchasing sites (in the latter case, the price of materials will be wholesale plus a small percentage of the purchase organizer).
You can also purchase various tools for work there. An ordinary table covered with plastic or glass is suitable as a working surface. You can also cover the countertop with wax paper. But stone or wood are undesirable for working with such material: plastic hardens quickly on cold stone, but on wooden surface– acquires a rough texture and foreign inclusions. To work with polymer clay you will need various knives(you can get by at the first stage with a stationery knife with a very sharp blade), stacks, extruders, various machines (special for working with clay or their substitutes - noodle cutters, Food processors etc.), cutters, texture sheets, stamps, etc. At first, you can do without these devices, which are used to give products various textures and textures, unusual effects and for surface treatment. But in the future, as new techniques are mastered and the range expands, experts recommend thinking about purchasing them. You can buy them both in Russian online and regular stores, and in foreign ones. A set of cutters will cost, for example, 250 rubles, and a set of plastic stacks can be purchased for 100 rubles. A texture sheet will cost 150 rubles apiece. A noodle cutter can be found at a price of 600 rubles. In addition, to smooth out irregularities, seams, fingerprints on the finished product, as well as to add texture to the workpiece, you will need sandpaper of various grain sizes. Suede is used to polish the finished product, and a regular long needle or knitting needle can be used to make holes in the beads. For gluing products, special compounds or ordinary PVA glue are used, and for processing the finished product, special matte and transparent varnishes are used (about 150 rubles per bottle).
If you decide to start making jewelry, then you will also need bases for brooches and rings, connecting rings, pins, pins, cabochons, cords and chains, clasps, eyelets, ends, decorative elements (separator beads, pendants) and other accessories for jewelry . It is most profitable to purchase them wholesale from domestic suppliers or retail - in foreign online stores (if we're talking about about exclusive expensive products).
The technology for producing polymer clay products is relatively simple. It includes three main stages: creating the product itself (shaping the clay), firing and/or drying, and assembling individual components into a finished piece. For firing, you will need a regular oven, which, as a rule, is found in every home. However, although the production of products from baked material itself is considered relatively simple, it is still impossible to do without observing basic safety rules. Exceeding the recommended baking temperature for polymer clay leads to the decomposition of PVC with the release of toxic gas - hydrogen chloride.
Thus, firstly, when making jewelry, you must follow all the recommendations of the material manufacturers. And, secondly, it would be useful to equip the room where you work with a good hood or at least constantly ventilate it. After each baking of clay products, the oven must be thoroughly washed. Under no circumstances should polymer clay products be baked in microwave oven. This material also requires special storage conditions - away from sun rays, under the influence of which it loses its properties, begins to crumble and hardens.
You can sell finished products through online stores, groups on social networks, fairs, sites like Crafts Fairs and Etsy, offline jewelry and souvenir stores, and markets. Although the best advertising in this case (as, in general, in the segment of handmade products) is “word of mouth”, when your regular customers recommend you to their friends, acquaintances and even strangers, nevertheless, you should not forget about traditional methods of advertising and promotion. At first, you can get by using low-budget methods by placing advertisements for the sale of your products on the Internet - on bulletin boards, on local forums, etc., distributing leaflets and business cards with your contacts and the address of your website or blog.
Pricing for handmade products is usually determined by the following formula: the amount spent on purchasing materials is multiplied by two. The average cost of one plastic bar of the same color and weighing 30 grams is about 100 rubles (wholesale prices will be lower). To get started, you can purchase plastic in 3-5 basic colors. Taking into account the purchase of a minimum amount of materials and accessories, the initial investment will be about 2,000 rubles. This amount of materials is enough to make about ten types of products (pendants, bracelets, earrings, brooches, etc.). In a month, one person can produce about 60 products of average complexity. The cost of one simple polymer clay product starts from 250 rubles. The cost of purchasing an initial batch of materials for work in the amount of 2000 rubles can be recouped within the first 2-3 weeks of work. When fully loaded, this period will be half as long. Thus, the minimum net profit will be from 15 thousand rubles (in the manufacture simple products). In the future, as your skill and speed of work grow, your income will increase.
An additional (and in some cases, the main) source of income can be conducting master classes and courses on working with polymer clay. This will require large investments. Moreover, part of them will be used to rent premises for conducting classes. You can agree on cooperation with a craft store or an art school. They can provide you with premises at a favorable price or completely free of charge (for a certain percentage of the proceeds). You, in turn, will attract the attention of potential buyers and clients to them.
Not only adults, but also children are interested in making crafts from polymer clay. However, limit yourself to a certain age group not worth it. It is best to invite mothers with children to classes. While adults are learning the basics of making plastic jewelry, preschool and school age They can make their own crafts under the guidance of another adult, which they then take home. The cost of attending one master class on working with plastic starts from 500 rubles (depending on the topic and duration). A mini-course for one to three days will cost from 2,500 rubles per person. The class leader receives about 60% of this amount. The remaining part goes to pay for the rental of premises, advertising, as well as for the purchase necessary materials and tools. The recommended number of participants in such events should not exceed 5-6 people, otherwise you simply will not be able to pay attention to everyone present.
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