Molding of polymer clay

Polymer clay can be found under differentnames - plastic, thermoplastic, thermoplastic. Sometimes the names of producers are used as nominal names for polymer clay - fimo, cernite, sonnet, etc. This synthetic material is very similar to ordinary clay, but it hardens when baked or just in the air. Accordingly, the polymer clay is divided into baked and self-curing.

The modeling of polymer clay is an uncomplicated hobby, available to almost everyone. Buy polymer clay you can in art or handicraft shops. Sometimes it occurs in stationery stores, children's shops or hypermarkets. Also, to cover the finished product you will need a varnish. Acrylic lacquer can dry badly, therefore it is better to choose the polyurethane parquet varnish.

For modeling of polymer clay, you may need special tools. Not superfluous will be a collet knife with a set of blades,an awl, a knife, a roller (but not a wooden one - it will stick to the clay), tweezers for small parts, various patterns for making parts. Although with the modeling of polymer clay, you can use any improvised means that will only come to your mind.

There are different techniques for working with polymer clay. Most of them are based on mixing two or more colors. For example, when modeling from polymer clay in saline technology balls of plastic are dropped into a large salt, its grains are pressed into the product, and after baking, the salt is washed out with water. This allows you to achieve an unusual texture of the finished product.

Equipment smooth color transition is achieved by mixing two or morecolors of clay in different proportions. You can, for example, make beads from beads of different shades - from dark red to soft pink, using a different ratio of red and white clay in each bead.

Sausage machines (also known as sane, cane,millefiori, sausage) molding from polymer clay is quite common. From the pieces of plastic, laid out in layers in different combinations, rolled roll. When cutting it into pieces on a cut, you get a drawing composed of different elements. With due skill in this technique, you can get quite complex patterns from a large number of elements. Similar to this technique and technique "Kaleidoscope". When molding in this technique, the finished roulet from plastic is given a different geometric shape by pressing it.

Watercolor technique allows you to achieve a smooth color transition. When molding from polymer clay in this technique, you need to roll out three sheets of plastic - colored, black and white. These sheets are superimposed on each other and slightly rolled up. When the plastic cools down, it should be hand-picked into small pieces. These pieces are covered with beads of beads.

When working in technique filigree On the workpiece are pasted the smallest pieces of polymer clay, forming an openwork pattern. For modeling of polymer clay in this technique, you need patience and accuracy.

Of course, these are not all techniques - there are a lot of them. We described only the most common. Polymer clay is very pliable and allows Simulate almost any material and surface - wood, stone, bone, etc. Before you start working with clay, mash it in your hands so that it warms up and fills better.

Blinded out your first product, you can proceed baking. The polymer clay is baked in the oven at 130 ° C. If the temperature rises above 175 ° C, the clay will begin to burn with the release of acrid smoke. Therefore, when baking products from plastic you need to carefully monitor the temperature! Beads are convenient to bake with toothpicks inside, then you do not have to drill holes.

After baking, be sure to allow the clay to cool down, and only then finish the work on the product. Finished products can be grinded, washed, drilled to drill holes, etc. Polymer clay is liable to be painted. Can be used for painting tempera,acrylic paints, gouache, nitro-enamel. After painting with gouache, it is necessary to cover the product with waterproof varnish. A nitro-enamel is put on a product primed with a thin layer of epoxy glue.

Molding of polymer clay requires compliance with safety regulations. To work with plastic you need to useseparate knives with special blades, observing caution when cutting. After working with polymer clay, hands must be washed with warm water and soap. You can not bake clay in a microwave and at too high temperatures. If the product is still burned, you need to turn off the oven and carefully ventilate the kitchen. Do not enter the room until full ventilation! If the kitchen was open food, it should be thrown away. After baking polymer clay it is necessary to wash the oven before cooking it.

The modeling of polymer clay is an interesting hobby that allows achieving impressive results. See next: how to make beads from polymer clay with your own hands.