Polymer Clay Daily

Going dotty

Cynthia Tinapple's all-polymer dot necklace on PolymerClayDaily.com

My dotted necklaces are all-polymer and fun to make. They’re so simple that I felt I needed to “up my game” for my Craftcast class this Saturday so I quickly (last night) made a Rex Ray, mid-century modern inspired version with colors I had on hand.

Cynthia Tinapple's all-polymer dot necklace on PolymerClayDaily.com

The design had been rolling around in my head. Do you have a design that needs to be brought to life?

Join us on Craftcast to learn my tricks and create your own look. For 30% off use the code: summer2020

You’ll note that I’m claiming a new hair color thanks to quarantine and mother nature. And I’ve adjusted cynthiatinapple.com to reflect my mentoring and class projects.

For more behind-the-scenes chatter, join us at StudioMojo for a weekly update each Saturday. 

Colorful unraveling

Alessia Bodini explores euphoria and discouragement on PolymerClayDaily.com

This is the final 8″x8″ wood panel in a series of four from Italy’s Alessia Bodini.

The mixed-media grouping is called “The Genesis of Euphoria and Discouragement: Circular Work in Four Squares “.

Alessia Bodini explores euphoria and discouragement on PolymerClayDaily.com

In the final square, the extruded strips come undone, unraveled…but in a joyous, freed way. The surfaces of the extruded strips are shaved to reveal more depth of color.

It’s kinda like our lives right now….coming unraveled in what we hope are interesting ways. If you search Alessia on PCD you can track some of the unusual, quirky ways she plays with clay. Here she is on Instagram.

Strung out

Alice Stroppel offers a free tutorial. Add your portrait to her online gallery. PolymerClayDaily.com

Looking for a free tutorial that will bring you back into the present and give you a stress break? Florida’s Alice Stroppel offers just that. Access the tutorial here.

Squirt polymer through the spaghetti-like disks (the ones with multiple holes) of your extruder and get busy making a portrait from the strings. No, extruder? Roll long snakes by hand or use your medium of choice.

The tutorial is broken into four short steps. It may be just the thing you need to get your hands back on clay.

Alice wants to create an online gallery of “Self Portraits in the Time of Isolation” Add yours via the link. Any media welcome.

Studio Mojo will look at helping you deal with the shockwave of events and keep you looking at  “What is” instead of getting stuck with the less predictable and less helpful “What if”. Join us. 

Hot weather, hot colors

Hot colors are in Monika Busch's forecast on PolymerClayDaily

Our eyes gravitate to hot colors when the temperature rises. These beads from Germany’s Monika Busch (Efmoni) sizzle.

Bits of extruded ovals probably leftover from other projects stand out on a big-hole black tube bead. Nothing fancy here but very effective.

Students at the reformatory said that their large campus was eerily quiet during a recent heatwave. The best way to beat the heat was to remain still in front of a fan. Multiple showers provided a brief respite. Not much clay work got done. 

Monday wake-up call

Jana Lehmann's action-packed pendant starts the week on PolymerClayDaily.com

Germany’s Jana Lehmann is on a roll. Her newest pieces include extruded strings, dots, stripes, textures, gradations, cutouts, dangles. Oh, and did you notice the closure that’s also a design element?

Jana packs this piece with action for your Monday wake-up call. Feast your eyes on other juicy examples on her Instagram.

Unstrung polymer

Florida’s Alice Stroppel follows where extruded strings of polymer lead her in the latest series of drawings.

She starts by laying the strands down to outline the shapes and features of her portraits. Soon the lines take on a life of their own and the picture becomes more complex and less predictable as the lines curl and wander.

Alice plays with wire-like drawing in an unselfconscious way to see where it will take her. Her bold curiosity shows us all the value of playing without fear.

Summertime polka dots

Doing the perfect polka dot on PolymerClayDaily.com

I couldn’t help myself. I spent a perfect summer day claying with friends in the neighborhood (more on that this weekend). I indulged my love of polka dots and paired them with my Matisse obsession. Soon I’ll have some to sell.

Follow Lynda Gilcher’s instructions for precise extruded dots. It requires two passes through the extruder.

Extrude each color through a circle die to get consistently sized round logs. Wrap sections of the extruded logs with your background color (I used white). Then extrude that wrapped log through a square die. Assemble the squares into a cane.

Tomorrow it’s back to looking at your work instead of mine. Sometimes you need a playful diversion.

Shaggy dog story

Joseph Barbaccia paints with extruded strings on PolymerClayDaily.com

Zoom in on this polymer dog portrait to see how Delaware illustrator, Joseph Barbaccia paints with extruded strings of polymer.

His polymer brushstrokes are layered over each other. It looks like he works from corner to corner. Joseph’s subjects are usually people. This fuzzy, furry pet provided a welcome departure from humans.

Joseph Barbaccia paints with extruded strings on PolymerClayDaily.com

His in-progress shots are from Instagram while his finished work appears on Facebook.

Round and round polymer

Jana Lehmann winds up with a winner on PolymerClayDaily.com

Germany’s Jana Lehmann begins your week with cheery circles of extruded strings of polymer that wind up happily next to each other.

Well, at least most of the strands are extruded. I’m scratching my head about the patterned ones. See for yourself on Instagram.

Altogether the mix of geometrics forms an eye-catching abstract pendant or brooch.