Utah Polymer Clay Guild

Thursday, January 18, 2001 Meeting Instructions

We will be making canes using white and/or black and translucent and each cane will be shared amongst the group. You will need to use enough clay to give a ½" to 1" length of the cane to each person at the meeting. The canes need to be assigned by Laurie so we get a variety of canes.

NOTE: If there is one cane you are particularly interested in, but do not know how to make it, please contact Laurie at turkey.mama@usa.net or Sharon at mailto:sharohl@cc.usu.edu There are several books in print you can use as tutorials, AND there are tutorials (our list isn't all-inclusive...) on the internet. We'll guide you or teach you...*G*

All canes not assigned at the December 28, 2000 meeting will be assigned by the first week of January so that you can get them made ahead of time. We do not HAVE to have all the canes listed below made for the meeting. We want a variety and then you can make the others at home with all your new-found skills! *G*

Sharon's notes to us:

Upper right - blue/white lattice - one piece is a straight cut, the other is at a slant - can produce interesting results.

Examples of black and white flowers and leaves along top.

The red triangle is an example of a "petal" - I made them in a variety of colors and used them individually (i.e. I didn't make a flower cane)

The "dot" cane and the lace cane were both among the most useful -- they make really good background -- since the whole item has to have at least one layer of translucent.

Spirals and strips are also good -- the stripes are really striking.

The triangle thingy is really fun -- I didn't make it and can't really tell what the colors are - some of the squares have black around them, others white - I suspect the colors are pink, purple, blue and translucent.

Most of these colors were made by mixing a tiny pinch of color with the translucent

If you use FIMO Classic, the cane will be ready to use immediately. If you use FIMO Soft or Premo (no Sculpey, please) - the cane needs to rest, so it should be made at least a day in advance. Wrap the cane in a piece of Saran Wrap (no colors and no off-brand names can be used, since they all leach into the clay or the clay will soften the wrap) to bring it to the meeting. Also bring enough Saran Wrap to take home, with you, the leftover bits of canes you will receive at the meeting.

1. use a thick setting #1 translucent (doubled where required)

2. white at #5, or black at #6.

Note: If the core color is white or black (as in the polka dots), make sure the "wrap" of translucent is double thick so that when used, the design "underneath" the translucent portion of the cane will show thru. This undercolor will be painted (at home) or applied in clay by you (in the meeting).

You can prepare an egg; work on a scrap piece of white; cover a rockpurse; or any other desired project at this meeting. We are teaching a "technique", so what you wish to apply the cane slices to is your decision. Eggs and purses need to have the first layer baked - we can add the under layer at the meeting.

Underlayers should consist of a very bright color. Skinner blends in the brightest colors possible. A FIMO Soft Skinner Blend in rainbow colors works well (mixed after blending with an equal sized strip of translucent it becomes more vibrant when baked)...but a bright color (not black or the VERY dark colors, such as Bordeaux or Midnight Blue) will show best. Painted bright colors work well. You can also use any of the flourescent colors for this "first" project. We will share ideas of color bases at the meeting. Come to the meeting with clay and we'll give you pointers! *G*

Canes need to be made before the meeting, and will be shared at the meeting:

Translucent color formula:

½ part dark color - magenta, navy blue - any highly saturated color (do not use pastels as the color in this formula - you'll not get the "ice" color.

64 to 72 parts transparent

NOTE: This translates to: a minuscule amount of color to a whole block of transparent.

Reminder: All members should each plan to make one cane using one full block of transparent and a portion of another color. This should allow enough for all of us to get a portion of each cane and the "maker" may have a little left-over of their cane.

I have one egg that I was covering in my demo Thurs and showed you at the class - it wasn't "touchable"...well...when I baked it, I didn't put the hole in the bottom (but I'd put the patch on the hole and IT had a hole over it - to keep the "itty bitty noise makers" in the egg). Well...I now have a bump on my egg...

Since I don't have prejudices - my cute little "imperfect" egg is beautiful to me and it got the same treatment as any "perfect" egg. It's my "handicapped" egg and is VERY precious to me! Do you think I'd be a good mother to a handicapped child...maybe...don't know about my patience level...but an "egg"...no problem! :o) I COULD patch it...but I think it's beautiful "as is". :o)

I've made canes in the following styles: (NOTE: Only ONE of these canes has black in it. All of them have art translucent in them - all made with FIMO Classic.)

1 - stripped with thin white lines
1 - stripped with same size white and translucent lines
1 - square lace
1 - bullseye
1 - polka dots in black and one in white
3 - jelly roll (yellow, white, turquoise)
1 - nautilus (actually described to ME as a tapered striped jellyroll)
1 - pink teardrop that is used as a flower or alone
1 - square outlined bullseye
1 - windowpane
1 - flower

Seems like a lot, but I've been making them over a two month period...so nothing was done in a day...just like "Rome"! *G*

One thing to point out: I am using FIMO Art Translucent in my canes. With the thinness that I'm using, I get very little plaqueing, which is one of the BIG features of Art Translucent. So thickness plays a part. I know that at level #6 you DO get quite a bit of plaqueing. The size of the canes COULD have something to do with it too.

Also, in my experiments - I find that FIMO white and translucent are "whiter" than Premo - but when they are sliced as thinly as I'm using them, the color difference doesn't show. Premo is yellower and looks more "antique". A great look, by the way! :o)

Yes, I love FIMO Classic...but I also use Premo, FIMO Soft and old FIMO. Equal opportunity for turkeymama! *G*

Another tip: If you use a translucent color as your base, you get a more vibrant color when baked.

Steps:
1. Roll out a 1"x5" length of Skinner Blend.
2. Cut it off one end of the Skinner Blend slab.
3. Roll out a 1"x5" slab of translucent.
4. Stack slabs together back to back.
5. Run these two slabs thru the pasta maker, creating a translucent shade of the Skinner Blend.

I can show you the steps at a Thursday "Clay Nite" it you are not sure exactly how to accomplish this.

I wanna hear what your joys and frustrations are with our technique. We need to share these with the "world" in the PolyZine for the March issue and the deadline is Feb 15 - so if you have a digital camera or a scanner, please share your joys and triumphs and we'll put pictures in the magazine - let the world learn from us! *G*

3^rd Thursday of each month, except November and December, which we will move each year according to the best scheduled date.
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
at the building on 4500 South.
Addresses are available privately from Laurie at turkey.mama@usa.net