Polymer Clay Tips for Beginners. Polymer clay is an extremely versatile medium which is perfect for beginners and professional artists alike. It can be a challenging and complex medium for those who want to push the limits. But it is also very easy for beginners and newbies to get good results, once you know a few tips and tricks. Transcription of book, Nimrod of the Sea or the American Whaleman. The Great Depression was a time of hunger for many families and even today, many Americans remember great depression meals. Here are some helpful polymer clay tips for beginners. If youre interested in a more in depth discussion of these topics, several of them link to longer articles. Waiting For The Barbarians Free Ebook' title='Waiting For The Barbarians Free Ebook' />Sealing Polymer Clay. Because polymer clay is a durable, water resistant plastic after baking, it is plenty strong and does not need to be sealed for protection. In fact, polymer clay itself will withstand water, weather, and wear better than any sealer. The sealer will break down before the clay will. Sealers, glazes, and varnishes can very often become sticky, peel, become cloudy, or suffer from annoying brush strokes. The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most. Only use them if you really, truly need to, and always test your chosen varnish before using it on a large or important project. But there are times when you do want to seal your polymer clay creations, however. If you use surface embellishments with your polymer clay such as mica powders, foil, or metal leaf, then you will need to use a sealer to protect them. Acrylic paint used to decorate your polymer clay will only need to be sealed if there is risk of it being scraped or rubbed off. You may also want to use a sealer to change the gloss level of your polymer clay creation. Depending on your desired result, you might want to make a bead more glossy or a figurine more matte. Sealer can be used to create the result. You can use most water based varnishes to seal your polymer clay. Many people like to use the acrylic varnishes that are sold to protect fine art paintings. They come in gloss, satin, and matte finishes. But be aware that some varnishes may never fully dry on some brands of polymer clay. And putting varnish over acrylic paint can cause even more stickiness issues. Learn more, including which sealers to trust, in Do You Have to Seal Polymer ClayDo you want to check out other clear coat options besides varnish Read my article comparing the various glazes, sealers, varnishes, resins, and clear coats. Hard, Crumbly Clay. Polymer clay sometimes gets crumbly as it gets old. Although it can be more difficult to work with, the clay itself is not damaged and can almost always be softened with a little work. If you warm the clay slightly, but not enough to cause it to cure, the clay will soften and become easier to work. Download Born To Be Wild 1995 World. Try placing the package of clay in your pocket for 3. Some people like to place the clay in a ziploc bag and then submerge the bag in hot tap water. Polymer clay can also be softened by mixing in a few drops of mineral oil or liquid clay. Many clayers report excellent results by adding in small amounts of Fimo Mix Quick, Sculpey Mold Maker, or a very soft translucent polymer clay. You can find more solutions for working with crumbly clay in Can I Soften Hard Polymer Clay Proper Baking. If you dont follow any of these polymer clay tips for beginners, make sure you follow this one. I cant stress that enough Polymer clay must be properly baked to ensure your project will be strong, durable, and attractive. Underbaking leads to breakage, and improper baking can cause color changes. All ovens need to be checked with a separate thermometer to verify that the temperature you set is, indeed, the temperature thats being reached. Always bake your project at the temperature recommended by the manufacturer, never lower. Lower temperature causes incomplete curing. Once your oven is preheated, begin timing and bake for at least as long as the manufacturer recommends. Its okay to bake longer. In fact, most artists agree that longer baking leads to a stronger finished product. To protect your project against browning and color changes during baking, make sure to cover your project inside the oven. I like to use two aluminum foil pans, one inverted as a lid, and clamped shut with a binder clip. This will prevent the ovens heating element from toasting your project. Read much more, including advice on ovens, temperature, and baking tips in Baking Polymer Clay. Paints to Avoid. Never use nail polish to color or add gloss to any polymer clay project. The chemicals in the nail polish can dissolve the polymer clay andor cause it to turn sticky over time. Most acrylic paints work very well for painting the surface of polymer clay, but some of them do get remain a bit sticky. Always test your paint with the clay brand that youre using. Fimo is known for having a lot of paint incompatibility, whereas Sculpey III can often work better. Polymer Clay is Non toxic. Polymer clay has been tested and is certified as being non toxic and safe to be used as a normal crafting material. Touching polymer clay, working with it, and even baking it in your home oven is not dangerous. Polymer clay is not a food, so you dont want to eat it, of course. And its not the right material for using to make food safe items such as plates or bowls. But dont be worried about any scary stories you might read on the internet about toxic fumes. There are no toxic fumes. Be logical when working with polymer clay, though. Use dedicated crafting tools, wash your hands when youre done, and dont eat snacks while youre working with clay. And have fun with it Polymer clay can burn at temperatures over 3. F 1. 70C. If this ever happens, turn off the oven, open all the windows, and leave the room until the air clears. The acidic gases produced smell awful and are irritating to your lungs and you dont want to breathe them. For more thorough discussion on this subject, make sure to check out Is Polymer Clay Safe Use a Quality Clay. There are many brands of polymer clay and they all have their good and bad features. Some clays are better for caning, others are better for sculpting. Some are completely unsuitable for jewelry making, others work very well. Its best to use a major name brand clay such as Fimo, Premo, Kato, Pardo, Cernit, and Filani. There are some no brand clays available on the internet and sold as childrens craft clays. Many of these clays will give inconsistent or even disappointing results. Its best to avoid using them and stick with the main brands, even if their price tag seems appealing. Are you curious about the differences between the brands of clay and which you should use, dont miss Whats the Best Brand of Polymer Clay. Sculpey III and Craft. Smart brands are soft, weak brands of clay that are known for breaking and cracking after baking. They have their purpose, perhaps for making childrens figurines. But they are best to be avoided if youre needing strength in your finished piece. If you are using a quality clay brand and are experiencing breakage, then its most likely due to underbaking or incomplete curing. Read the section on Baking Polymer Clay to make sure youre covering the bases there. Storing Polymer Clay. When storing polymer clay its very important that you keep it away from sources of heat that can lead to it being cured or hardened. Avoid storing near radiators and heaters, in cabinets above a lamp, or in a hot sunny window. Its also best to keep dust and pet hair from settling on your polymer clay. Many artists keep their clay in partitioned plastic boxes, like is sold for embroidery floss. Sandwich bags also work great to keep your colors separated. But be careful to only use clay safe plastic boxes with polymer clay. How will you know if its clay safeJust look on the bottom for the recycle number 5. This is a slightly cloudy plastic called polypropylene and works very well with polymer clay. Avoid the brittle, clear plastic with the recycle number 6. That is polystyrene and unfortunately polymer clay will dissolve and melt polystyrene. Polymer clay will also melt styrofoam in the form of packing peanuts and packing foam, so be careful to keep uncured clay from those materials.