It seems there has been a recent explosion in DA users who are now using polymer clay as a medium for their deviations.

To help out curious users who might be interested in what this medium is, how it works, or where they can get it I thought a NEWS article should be made. I shall also showcase some
deviations made with polymer clay. The data below is compiled from ~HanaClayWorks polymer clay FAQ and my own FAQ

What is polymer clay?
-Polymer clay is actually not clay at all. It is a form of plastic. (Specifically fine particles of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) suspended in plasticizer) The only reason it is called "clay" is because of it's clay like properties. It is a mold-able substance that can be cured in a normal oven (or toaster oven) and will retain it's shape and remain strong after baking.

Where can I buy Polymer clay?
-You can buy Polymer clay at craft stores like Michaels, AC Moore, Jo Ann Fabrics, or online. Places like eBay and etsy sell polymer clay as well as formal sculpey and fimo websites. Sometimes even Target brand stores carry small amount of polymer clay.

What are the different brands of polymer clay?
-There are a few brands:
Sculpey (Sculpey III)
Fimo
Kato
Cernit
Premo (a stronger form of Sculpey)

What are the differences between brands?
Scupley III
Pros: inexpensive, wide color range, good for beginners, readily available in many craft stores, (often goes on sale for .99 - 1.00 a brick)
Cons: When baked it is not as hard as other brands. So thinner pieces break easily. It can sometimes be too soft to work with, colors sometimes turn darker after baking (this goes for the white and translucent Sculpey), not available worldwide
Fimo
Pros: much sturdier than Sculpey brand so it won't break as easily, not as soft to begin with (Which can be a good thing since it will retain it's shape better before baking), colors won't change after baking as much as Sculpey.
Cons: more expensive, not as readily available as Sculpey in the US, harder to work with for beginners since the clay may need more conditioning.
Kato
Pros: inexpensive, great value for your money, colors are steadfast so they won't change so much as Sculpey or Fimo after baking, sturdy, easy to work with, good for jewelry-making
Cons: not easy to find
Cernit
Pros: Very strong, easily conditioned,flexible when cured,often used in doll making due to it's porcelain-like finish.
Cons: Cernit is less widely available in the U.S. and can mainly be ordered on-line.
Premo
Pros: Designed to mix colors the same way an artist mixes paint, Firmer than Sculpey III but softer than Fimo.
Cons:Store only carry a few colors, the rest need to be bought on-line

How do you bake polymer clay?
-Polymer clay is traditionally baked in an oven or toaster oven to be cured. All brands of polymer clay have a slightly different recommended oven temperature and duration. So, READ THE WRAPPER CAREFULLY! You don't want to burn your clay. Sculpey III (which I use) recommends being baked at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.

What is TLS
-TLS stands for Translucent Liquid Sculpey. Is translucent polymer clay in a liquid form. (A limited amount of colored clays are also available in liquid form) It is not necessarily the consistency of water but more like soft cake frosting. It is also very sticky and messy. Brands other than Sculpey make liquid versions of clay but Sculpey brand translucent liquid clay is more widely available and can be found in craft stores like Michael's and AC Moore. Uses for TLS range from a polymer clay-to-polymer clay adhesion (must be baked to function properly), a image transfer medium, or even to soften other colors of solid clay. Often used in faux frostings and other food items. TLS can also be purchased on-line.

Are the fumes toxic?
-No, the fumes are not toxic. They're only toxic if you breathe a whole lot of it after you've burned your clay. Keep the windows open and cover your items with tin foil when baking and you should be fine. If you want to be very cautious you can bake your clays in an open area like a garage (inside a toaster oven).  

What are glazes and How do you use them?
-Glazes are a clear protective finish you can put on the outside of a charm. One can use a variety of glazes.
You can buy a small bottle of Sculpey brand glaze at craft stores like Michaels or AC Moore which is very strong and durable. The downside is it is very over priced. It comes in Gloss and Satin varieties.
A small can of acrylic based floor varnish is very efficient and cost effective. It is much cheaper and there is enough to glaze your charms for years. You might already have some in your basement. Plus it comes in varying degrees of shine/gloss.
You can also buy a clear enamel spray to coat your charms.  Which can be very fast and efficient, but if charms are mildly flexible it can crack and flake. (according to ~HanaClayWorks My new opinion of the Krylon glaze: it sucks! Don't use it! The glaze gets sticky after a while and it will ruin your clay!)

Is it okay to rebake polymer clay items
-Yup it's entirely safe to re-bake clay. (although within reason. You can't bake something 100 times). Some even say re-baking makes the clay stronger. You can check out [link] for more information. That site is the polymer clay encyclopedia. It has everything you need to know about polymer clay.

My clay is really soft I am having trouble making ____
-Polymer clay is very temperature sensitive. The warmth of your hands is what makes it soft and moldable. So if you are experiencing a warm climate polymer clay can be very soft and difficult to work with.
To fix this you can try a few things:
You can turn on an air conditioner
Or even have so cold ice water on hand to help you. You can give the items a little dunk and the cold water will cause them to stiffen up a bit.
For some items where the clay is warm and it is difficult for it to retain it's shape you can pop them in the freezer for a few minutes. This will cool the clay down and make it easier to manage. (I use this one a lot especially during summer)

What types of glue can you use with polymer clay?
-You can use a variety of glues. Some are:
a 2 part epoxy resin
E6000
even TLS (translucent liquid scupley) can be used as a glue for clay to clay adhesion. (but you have to re-bake it)

How do you store your clay? Will it dry out?
-Polymer clay should be stored in plastic bags or Tupperware containers. Somewhere air tight. Polymer clay does not dry out overnight but if left out for several year it will become hard and more difficult to condition and work with. You can buy a clay softener (made by most brands) to soften overly hard and old clays.  

Can Polymer clay be painted?
-Yes, polymer clay can be painted after baking with different types of paints. Such as acrylic, watercolor, and oil. (though Oil is not recommended due to it's long drying time) Cheap acrylic craft paints are commonly used to decorate charms after baking. Although the Sculpey glaze does have a reaction to some colors of acrylic paint changing them orange or brown. So beware. White clay can also be colored using chalk pastels. You shave some chalk pastels into white clay and mix/condition it with your hands.

What about making clay colors with chalk pastels?
-~HanaClayWorks "For the purposes of coloring clay, you really should get just the regular sets and try to stay away from the lighter "pastel" sets. This is because you can always mix less pastels into white clay to get a lighter color, but you cannot mix more light-colored pastels into the clay to make it darker! Also, I have not tried coloring the clay with either hard or oil pastels, but from what I've read,it is best to use chalk pastels. Oil pastels and the hard pastels tend to come off as chunks and shavings rather than powder pigments."

What are mica powders?
-~HanaClayWorks "Mica pigments are very, very fine powders that they have manufactured for cosmetic or craft purposes. They are water-soluble and can be mixed into paints and/or clays to add to the finished effect. The most popular brand is Jacquard PearlEx pigments, which can be found in most craft stores. They are a bit expensive, so be careful if you plan to invest in them! You can get a kit with 12 or so colors for about $30."

Are there polymer clay tutorials available here on DA?
      - YES There are.  
Halloween Jack-o-lantern Charm [link]
Fortune Cookie Charm [link]
Candy Apple Charm [link]
5 Petal Flower Cane [link]
Strawberry Charm [link]
Lolli Pop Charm [link]
Crisp Apple Charm [link]
Bowl of ice cream [link]
Octopus Charm [link]
Deviant Art Fella [link]
Filigree Technique [link]
Sushi Cane [link]
Sushi Charms [link]
Plate of Breakfast [link]
Panda Charm [link]
and many many more. Just look around.

Below are some lovely deviations made with polymer clay








I hope you enjoyed my first article ^_^
*chat-noir
A special thank you goes out to all the wonderful polymer clay artists who let me feature their works today.

With winter almost upon us, and the convention season slowing down, many people are starting to plan next-year's cosplay costumes (myself included!)

So, to aid you all in your planning phases, I've put together an article with all of the various tutorials I've bookmarked for personal reference, that deal with cosplay! Maybe, within, you'll find some inspiration for your next costume, or help you get through a stumbling block that you may have hit!

As always, check out Artisan Crafts for works done by other people here on dA, take some time to browse through "Resources -> Tutorials -> Artisan Crafts" for some tutorials of cool stuff to make!

I tried to break these up by general category, but if a tutorial applies to something in particular, I'll put the series name before it



Sewing/Costume

[NARUTO] Akatsuki Cloud Tutorial by *Malindachan
This is a great tutorial for the Akatsuki clouds, especially if you're newer to sewing but don't want to paint them on!



[NARUTO] Anbu Vest Tutorial by ~Cristophine
I personally haven't used this, but it seems like it will work perfectly (especially if you take a look at the mask tutorial a little further down )



[SAILOR MOON] :Sailor Moon Pigtail Tutorial: by ~GarnetFlight
I love this tutorial, and am awaiting the chance to get to make something using this technique. Plus, I think her pony tails don't look so stringy when done like this, which is the other reason I love it!



making hand-bound eyelet holes by ~Kathelyne
This is especially useful if you hate those eyelets you buy in the store as much as I do XP



Tutorial: Draft a Kimono Pattern & Pre-Tied Obi Bow by `taeliac
Okay, so I'm sorry for putting my own tutorials up here, but the sewing section was looking a little lame >.> And, I hope they're helpful, so... yeah...



Props

*chioky's Sword Making Guide (currently 5 parts)
This is one of the most comprehensive guides (with great step-by-step pictures and explanations) on how to make swords. I've sat in awe of these swords from the first time I saw them.



[BLEACH] This tutorial (also by *chioky) walks you through one sword, from start to finish - a Tensa Zangetsu from Bleach!



Wrap How-To by ~piratecaptain
Add a nice touch to your sword props with this tutorial - seems like it would work especially well with a pre-boughten bokken to have a great prop weapon quickly!



Cosplay:Metal Texture Tutorial by *Risachantag
And now, to finish off that sword... with some paint!



Accessories

Cosplay wing tutorial by ~etaru
See, wings aren't as hard as you thought they'd be! It just takes a little patients...



[NARUTO] Naruto ANBU maksmakingTUTORIAL by ~MSkyDragons
A new tutorial that looks to be really, really helpful for those of you wanting an ANBU cosplay!



Leather Mask Making Tutorial by ~Ranasp
A great guide on how to make masks out of leather, and also on painting and detailing them. Take a look thru ~Ranasp's gallery for inspiration!



Mermaid latex ears tutorial by ~Lluhnij ((man, I hope I typed that right!))
For those of you who are very adventurous, try making your own ears for your cosplay - especially if you need something very distinct *coughWoWNightElves* that you just can't seem to find. (and, if that doesn't work, ~Lluhnij does make these for sale )



[xxxHOLIC] Pipe Fox Tutorial by ~rallamajoop
To remind myself to get off my butt and make myself one, but this is just too cute not to have up here, and a good example of how an accessory can really make an outfit fantastic!



How to Make Your Own Cat Ears by ~SedatedArtist
If you have a convention to go to tomorrow, and you don't have time to make a costume... this always works!





Well, there you have it! I tried to dig through all of the tutorials posted, and pull out those that relate to cosplay or costuming in general - now, if you have a special way of doing something, or something to add, how about you make a tutorial of it, and upload it! Share the knowledge, and many people will be grateful for the help!

If you are specifically stuck on something, consider asking for help on #ArtisanCraft, otherwise, there are tons of people out there who can help you - just dig around the Artisan Crafts Gallery and look around! I can even see what I can do help, and if I can't answer it, I can probably point you to someone who can

A large sampling of art from the Artisan Crafts gallery that shows how several artisans have interpreted Celtic and Norse knotwork using many different media.  There are a few bits of miscellany and also a few spirals and even triskele included.  I would love to have any one of these fine examples in my home!

JEWELRY:











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SCULPTURE & GLASS:
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WOODWORKING:



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KNOTTINGS & WEAVINGS:




MISCELLANEOUS:






LEATHER:
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TEXTILES: (Clothing, Costumes, Quilting, Accessories, Fiber Art):
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FOLDING & PAPERCRAFT:



METALWORK:








CULINARY ARTS:



CUSTOM DOLLS:

There are many colors of winter, including pink snow even, but the one most think of is simply the color white.  White ... in soft woolens and cashmeres, pearls, pastillage, the furs of polar bears and ermine, beveled glass caught in just the right light, the cold glint of silver and white gold, and those little silver dragées used in cake decorating.  Here, from the Artisan Crafts gallery, is a selection highlighting artisan works in white and off-white, but also in the delicately golden color of champagne, the drink many raise to bring in the New Year.  Be forewarned though - this feature starts out very heavy on the bling!


JEWELRY:










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CUSTOM DOLLS:


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CULINARY ARTS:





LEATHERWORK:




METALWORKING:






WOODWORKING:




CLOTHING/COSTUMES/ACCESSORIES:
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ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN:
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PLUSHIES:




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SCULPTURE & GLASS:











KNOTTINGS & WEAVINGS:



FIBER ART:





MISCELLANEOUS:


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FOLDING & PAPERCRAFT:

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Polymer Clay: More tips, tricks, and tutes

^{Other installments of this article POLYMER CLAY ARTICLE 1       ARTICLE 2} </sup></b>

Hello, and welcome to my third DA Polymer Clay Article. For information on what polymer clay is please visit the first article here [link] _{(It is a great place for beginners)}

Index:
-Reviews
-Tips + Tricks
-Tutorials
-Features

Reviews

Liquid CLEAR Kato

I recently got my hands on a big bottle of liquid Kato brand clay and it is said to bake clear. I tried out a few things and I am glad to report it does bake clear.

At first glance: This product is much more liquid like than either Fimo or Sculpey's translucent liquid clays. If you aren't careful it will run all over the place. It has the consistency of 2% milk. It smells like rubber and easily pours out of the bottle.



Although you must keep coats thin. The thicker the layer of liquid clay the less clear it will be.  
I have noticed that the "moon" marks occur when placed over black or painted on too thick. This occurs in some translucent solid clays as well.
It creates a rounded and smooth finish. Great for pendants.

Liquid Fimo vs Liquid Sculpey

I got my hands on some liquid Fimo and compared it to liquid Sculpey. Up until this point I have only been using liquid Sculpey, mostly because it is readily available in my area, and I thought both products were the same. I was HUGELY wrong.

Appearance

Liquid Fimo

Before baking: It is similar to liquid Sculpey although a little thinner (not very much thinner) and is white in appearance. It is more like the consistency of white glue.

After Baking: The Liquid Fimo is almost perfectly clear! When placing it on writing or an object you can clearly read through it and it slightly magnifies. It is not very hard at all but rubber like. I can bend it multiple times and crease it and no lines, breaking, or cracking occurs. You are unable to see through it like a lens, everything is blurred, but when directly on a paper it is perfectly clear.

Liquid Sculpey

Before baking: White in appearance, slightly thicker than liquid Fimo. This is much stiffer and is more like soft cake frosting.

After Baking: Very stiff in comparison to the liquid Fimo and not nearly as transparent. The baked puddle has a frosted glass look to it but I can still clearly see the tiny "S" I placed in the puddle before baking. Lots of little :moon" marks

Both are very different and I prefer to use them for different reasons. I like the Fimo for faux sauces and light coats of varnish. I like Sculpey for frosting and thicker items. Both are not 100% clear or see through but Fimo is much for transparent than Sculpey.

Sculpey Mold Maker

I just bought some Sculpey mold maker and tried it out today.
At first glance: The clay is very soft to the touch and almost a bit sticky. The box says that you should refrigerate the clay before making a mold due to it being so soft. I plopped it in front of my air conditioner for a bit and it worked just fine.

:thumb66385145:

Making the Mold: At first the mold making clay kept getting stuck to my original item. The instructions say to rub mineral oil or power on the item first to prevent sticking and boy are they correct. I grabbed a bit of oil and it came out much easier although part of the mold was still sticking in small crevices.

Baking the mold: After baking be sure to let it cool completely before removing it from it's baking surface. It is very soft right after baking I touched it and the slight brush of my nail cut it. After cooling it is very flexible but not as flexible as the plastic used in the pre-made molds you can buy. It made a great duplication of my original item but it isn't 100% perfect. That might be due to my playing around with it.  

  
- The box says that the mold maker clay can be used to soften other clays if they become to hard.

Tips and Tricks

How can we prevent eyepins/loops from falling out?

This is a very common problem that a lot of clay users have.
Headpins are a very simple solution. I use these a lot. Instead of an eyepin you insert this one from the bottom of your charm up. There is a little foot, or "head", to the pin that will grip the charm from the bottom. Here is an image of one [link]
Also squirting some liquid clay onto the eyepin before inserting the pin and baking can make it sturdier.
Placing the eyepin further into the clay so the eye is halfway covered is also a good way of getting a better grip. The downside is that you will no longer be able to open the "eye" of the eyepin.

What are some uses for liquid clay?

There are a very wide array of uses and this is just some of them.
Used as a glue for clay-to-clay adhesion. Although you must bake the liquid to cure it. It will not cure on it's own like typical glue.
Window Clings- Liquid Fimo is the perfect choice for these. You can take an image (cut from paper) and coat it front and back in liquid fimo. Bake according to instructions and the rubbery surface will allow you to stick your item to a window.
Faux sauces and frostings are also made with liquid clays seen in the Cupcake Tutorial below.
A bakeable varnish, very thin coats of liquid fimo or Clear Kato can be used in place of a paint on varnish. Again, you would have to re-bake the object because the liquid clays do not cure on their own.
All three can be used to transfer images onto clay and they come with instructions to do so. The instructions vary by brand so you'll have to be careful.

  Tutorials  

Mokume Gane Tutorial - [link] (_{Find out what Mokume-Gane is here [link]})
Rose Tutorial - [link]
Ribbon Tutorial - [link]
Veggie Tutorial - [link]
Happy Berry Tutorial - [link]
Kiwi Tutorial - [link]
Cupcake Tutorial - [link]
Burger Tutorial - [link]
Pencil Topper Tutorial - [link]
Goomba Tutorial (Mario) - [link]

  Features  

_{All these lovely works are made using various forms of polymer clay.}

  

I hope you have enjoyed this article. If you are looking for more information please visit my 2 previous Articles: POLYMER CLAY ARTICLE 1       ARTICLE 2

Until next time - *chat-noir

once given never forgotten, never let it disappear ~John Lennon

</b>


I remember my first day in freshman English and our assignment was to define love.  I don't remember what I wrote, but my definition through the years since then has broadened to encompass much more than what an eighteen-year-old's conception could ever possibly be.  Our understanding of such an elusive thing grows and broadens with age and maturity... but only if we allow it and many don't.  One simple way is to simply hold back with our opinions and not feel compelled to place a damper on how someone else expresses themselves with their art, and more broadly, the very way they choose how to thrive.  How you define it might, and probably does, differ from mine, but true love to me is the unconditional act of allowing ourselves and others to thrive, a small yet difficult act, but with huge rewards.

Valentine's Day shouldn't be just a day for lovers; it should be a day to show kindness towards and acceptance of one another... the world would be a better place for it.  A simple smile or a kind word can be the greatest gift of love if given sincerely and can be a lasting souvenir, never to be forgotten.   On the tangible side of Valentine's Day, here is a large sampling of art from the Artisan Crafts gallery that shows how several artisans have expressed themselves. Some are cute, some are charming, others are quite masterfully done, but all give the impression that there was joy in their creation.

Oh, and that freshman English assignment... every single one of us failed.

Plushies:

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Textiles:






Jewelry:
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Metal:




Fiber Art:


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Woodworking:







Culinary Arts:





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Sculpture & Glass:









Leatherwork:



Custom Dolls:



Folding & Papercraft:



Miscellaneous:
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The ultimate guide for Costume vs. Cosplay

Please click this link to get to the guide, and make all comments and questions on that journal.


"My intention with this guide is to inform you of the differences between the Artisan Crafts > Textiles > Costumes gallery and the newly added Photography > People & Portraits > Cosplay gallery."



Some of what the guide addresses:
• What is cosplay?!?
• Costume vs. Cosplay
• The "rules" of submitting to Artisan Crafts > Textile > Costume
• Useful tips
• Suggesting cosplay and costumes for DD:s
• Links