Tropical Teal Sorano Pendant

In my last article on polymer clay I talked about sculpting – of course there so many other things you can do with polymer clay. In this second article I’ll show you some amazing color techniques.

Fimo, Sculpey and Premo (the big names in Polymer Clay) all come in a huge range of colors but artists are certainly not limited by these.  Just like paint you can blend your palette to create any color you can imagine.

You can even get transparent colors that are a little bit see through but still retain their hue.  Smear 2 or 3 colors together and the effect is similar to resin.

Clay - vase medium size red

With a marbling effect I have seen polymer clay made to look exactly like semi-precious stone. You cut up tiny pieces of various colors, think turquoise, brown and black for instance, and push them together (but not too much or the colors end up blending) then cut or roll into the shape you want and bake – voila! Polymer stone.

Have a peek at this incredible ‘opal’

Another color technique is to take some stripes of a few different colors and then roll them together, like these delicious beads.

Maui Sunset Beads Polymer Clay

This amazing effect is created by using gradients of color in a ball of clay then carefully, slowly and ever so evenly, rolling the ball under a flat surface (like a piece of Perspex).  After a while (you have to be patient) the lentil bead forms and the colors simply swirl out from the centre.  Beautiful to watch as it develops!

Large Ocean Nami Pendant (with Top)

One of my very favorite polymer clay artists uses color in a different way. She makes hundreds of tiny balls out of a single clay color then carefully applies them with a quick squish in just he right place to make her exquisite floral designs.

esmeralda - splendorous dangle earrings

I’d love you to share your work with us.  Leave a comment or a link!

Next week I’ll be looking at how polymer clay can be blended with other materials and what marvelous effects that can create.