Re: Need tips on polymer clay

Will salt dough hold up well enough to be worn as jewelry? My son is 15 (probably should have mentioned that) so dexterity isn't a problem.

I suggest Irene Semanchuk Dean's book, kids crafts "Polymer Clay". It's wonderful for the 9 yo to the adult child ( like me!). You can look at pictures at her site and order an autographed copy or order through Amazon.

To answer your question; yes he can paint on the polymer clay usingany water-based paints but he'd need to put a finish on it for it tolast.

BTW, I'm not a polymer artist either, just someone who started learning and playing with it.

Margie

Frankly, Caren, if he's 15 and not very interested in making or selling art/jewelry, I think you should let him seek out his own interests. Pushing him into this now would just make him feel like you're pushing him into your agenda at the price of his own and might delay his interest in artist expression.

My mother had a couple illustrated books published by the Oxford Press while she was in high school. (And Tina was artistic too). I always felt those parenthesis. As it happens, my mother's art and mine were in two completely different medium groups (2D and 3D), and our approaches to art were even more dissimilar.

If he's interested enough to enquire for himself, I also think the people here would be better able to help him.

Tina

him. Any tips/suggestions will be appreciated. "Does he like to work with clay?" is the question to have answered. My not so little artist (almost 18) knows HOW to make very nice hemp macrame jewelry... fellow students and teachers have asked him to make it for them... even offered to pay him for it... I've offered to include it with my jewelry at shows, for no charge/commission. He also does pretty well with strung designs, and has known how to do peyote st since at least 5th grade.

However, it's not the kind of "art" he wants to do... so he doesn't, no matter that it could help pay for what he does want (and, he does plan a career in art, so it's not that he objects to selling his creations). The only times he makes any is when his personal chokers/bracelets need replacing, or a GF wants one....

Kaytee "Simplexities" on

Heya Deborah, Thanks for posting that link... it's one I had not found yet while re building my personal links list, (Psst..... I have some polyclay on eBay at the moment! )

Sure, I've made stage jewelry from it before. It got a few knocks. Only one piece broke and we just fixed it with super glue and re-varnished it!

Charlie.

My son makes makes pendants from clay, and they usually sell...but he's not all that motivated to do it. I think there are some of them on my "masks" page.

Polymer Clay is great for use with colored pens or pencils--I use Berol Prismacolors for best results. The flat sheets of clay have a good "tooth" for direct drawing, or you can transfer the drawings on paper onto the clay. Try to get him to use Premo if he wants to make and sell---SculpyIII is not as durable, tho more common in stores.

Salt/cornstarch dough is cool for kids to play with, but does not hold up well through time, it is very sensitive to humidity. Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

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