The possibilities for patterns expand when you insert a cane into the tube of an extruder. Here are just a few examples from the Mammoth Cave retreat.
Mari O’Dell showed students how to position, control and combine canes. A striped cane started these petals. Slices of the resulting extrusions were shaped into flowers or reinserted into the extruder to create even more complex designs. Nancy Nearing created this lovely lotus.
The retro flower fabric (right) was an experiment with slices from my petal disk impressed on a striped background (see Debbie Crothers free tutorial).
Folded charms are made from slices of a checkerboard cane. Amy Koranek manipulates the slices into a graceful shape by lightly pressing corners together.
Will simple ideas grow into more complex ones in your studio this week?
jan montarsi ,
What a wonderful Wabi Sabi weekend it was. Thank you Mari for your inspiring techniques and tool use. Thank you Cynthia for Desserts and discussions !
ron lehocky ,
The extruder has recently developed a popularity as a valuable tool for polymer artists. Mari has a way of going far beyond the usual uses. If you belong to a guild who wants to learn how valuable a extruder can be to your design and production, contact Mari. She has prepared an excellent 3-4 day presentation that will be a wonderful retreat event. She also has designed many unusual disks available at Polymer Clay Express. After this retreat we all order some so Wilma and Rob are going to be hopping with orders.
Also Lynda Gilcher from Ohio has some fabulous new disks that make caning a rose uber simple.
Ron Lehocky ,
Those lovely flowers were created by Nancy Nearing, Columbus, Ohio
Debbie Crothers ,
This really makes me want to break out the new extruder. It’s so great to see people develop new and interesting techniques. Those teeny flowers are divine – it looks like a little painting, certainly not polymer clay. Great stuff.