Playing with shapes

Conni Filip’s unpainted polymer brooches present a blank canvas, a clean slate for a new week. Without having to consider color, she is free to explore shape. The results sprout in unusual ways and explode in unpredictable directions. These exercises in composition are both playful and productive.

Once a strong design is established, Conni adds paints and other surface treatments to give the brooches color and interest. You can see her finished work on Flickr and on her Facebook photo page. Could your work benefit from this approach?

  • reply Debi Scott ,

    i used to use paper mache in high school, to make jewelry baubles, and then paint them… but since PC I don’t do that anymore….this is a nice thought…to start with blank canvas

    • reply Kathi ,

      I love Conni’s work. I am blessed to be the proud owner of one of her pieces

      • reply Marlene Brady ,

        Bisque is such a classic, I would be tempted to leave them as is. They are gorgeous. I enjoy highly textured shell pendants made from Sculpey Light (because of their size). I leave them white and seal with a matte varnish and hang them on black ribbon. Other than those, it’s all about color.

        • reply Sherry Bailey ,

          I like to work in all white sometimes for the textural effect, but for me polymer clay is mainly exciting for the verious surface effects the clay itself can produce — so colorizing with paint or other materials, not clay, is kind of beside the point for me. (Not criticizing, it’s fine for those who like to work that way — just not an approach that I’d use.)

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