Advice Letter #2

Dear Ella,

I hope you can help me. I just started working with polymer clay, and I just can’t figure out why I can’t seem to shape my clay easily and effectively. I am especially frustrated because I watch videos of people working with polymer clay, and I don’t understand why it is so easy for them, but so hard for me.

Sincerely,

Frustrated

Dear Frustrated,

Don’t worry, I know what your problem is, and I think it will be a breeze to solve.

The easiest way to fix this problem is to condition your clay more thoroughly and for a longer amount of time. This makes it much softer and easier to shape. If this doesn’t solve your problem, try these solutions instead.

There are many different brands of polymer clay out there, and they all have different levels of hardness. If you think that conditioning longer won’t do anything because the clay is too stiff for your liking, try buying brands like Premo or Sculpey Soft, and see if you like their texture better.

There are also clay softeners out there, but I have never tried them before, so I can’t tell you much about them. If you are interested in trying this method, check on YouTube for videos reviewing and or demonstrating how to use these softeners.

Hopefully this has been of some use to you, and if you have questions or concerns please let me know!

Happy crafting!

Ella Tiny

Advice Letter

Dear Ella,

Help! Every single time I make a painted charm, I run into the same problem. The paint won’t stick to the clay! I am getting extremely annoyed, and I just can’t seem to find anyone who knows what to do.

 I am optimistic that you will be able to help, seeing that your blog has been extremely helpful so far. Thank you for making this blog, I have never seen a blog like it before, and I am finding it to be very interesting.

Anyway, I just wanted your opinion on what I should do, and I would really appreciate it if you took the time to reply to this letter.

Sincerely,

Pop-off Painter

Dear Pop-off Painter,

I am so sorry to hear that your crafts are fighting you! I know from personal experience how frustrating it is when something like this happens. Fortunately, I think I know what your problem may be, and what you can do to fix it.

From your description of what is happening, I think there might be one of three things happening.

The most common mistake that artists make when working with clay is when they paint their creations. The only time the paint will stick to the clay is after it has been baked. If you try to paint the piece before it has been baked, the paint won’t adhere properly to the clay.

Another thing that could be causing you problems is the thickness of your paint. Some paints are thinner than others, and so won’t stick to surfaces like clay. In contrast, some paints will be too thick for such detailed things as clay miniatures, and cause other problems. You can buy both paint thinners and thickeners, if you think your paint is the problem.

Something you can do to increase the durability of your creations and help the paint stay on is to glaze your pieces.

There are many glazes on the market today, but my favorite is Triple Thick. Glazing is something I strongly encourage, even if you are not having problems with your paint staying on, because it also makes your pieces water-proof. This comes in handy if you like to wear your creations, or attach them to your bag or phone.

I hope this helps you, and if you have any other questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Happy crafting!

Ella Tiny

Interview with Nancy Vidalia

The other day I got a chance to meet and interview a very accomplished crafter. Her name is Nancy Vidalia. Nancy has run a successful Etsy shop since 2003, and currently lives in New York City, where she says she feels is the best place in the world to get inspiration. Her favorite places to get ideas for new projects are china town and fancy bakeries.

Question: What is your favorite craft store to shop at and why?

Answer: Well, I have to say that’s an easy question to start out with. My favorite craft store is without a doubt Michael’s. Why? Because I think they have the best selection when it comes to clay. I also like it because I can often find a coupon for 40% off, and an added bonus is that there is a location within walking distance from my apartment. 

Question: Do you like cold porcelain, polymer clay, or air-dry clay the best, and why?

Answer: Each medium you mentioned is good for its own purpose in my opinion. I like cold porcelain for making things that will be doll-house miniatures, but not for charms because it is too fragile. I like polymer clay best for charms, because I think it is the best at picking up little details, and because it is quite durable and can withstand being bumped around while being used. Air-dry clay is great for making larger pieces, because it keeps them light weight.

Question: What is your favorite thing about what you do?

Answer: I love being an artist for lots of reasons, but a few big ones are that I can get up whenever I want, I don’t have to spend all day boxed into a cubicle, and, most importantly, I get to create anything and everything that I can imagine with nobody telling me what I can and can’t do.

Question: What advice would you give to others who are considering quitting their day jobs and becoming full-time artists to support themselves?

Answer: I whole-heartedly urge them to go for it! It’s a big leap for many, and you may have to sacrifice some of the creature-comforts you can afford now. Ask yourself, and be totally honest in your answers, these three questions. 1. Is this something that will make you truly happy and that you will enjoy for a long time? 2. Could you sell your art in order to make a living to support yourself? 3. Are you completely positive you can handle people criticizing your work? If you think the answer is “yes” to all these questions, go for it!

Question: Do you support the use of moulds when crafting? Why or why not?

Answer: I have mixed feelings about moulds. On the one hand, if you worked really hard to make an original piece and you want to be able to re-create it exactly to sell, than yes, I do think mould-making can be a good thing. On the other hand, it seems like as artists everything we make is one-of-a-kind, and it seems like hand-made and hand-made using a mould do not quite go hand in hand. I guess it depends on the artist and what they personally think. I myself think it is okay to use a mould, as long as you don’t become lazy and make everything with moulds.    

Question: What is your favorite thing to make and why?

Answer: I have always had a special place in my heart for making ice cream scopes. I love that the possibilities are endless as far as flavors and toppings go. I also love to go to the ice cream shops around the city to get new ideas from the wacky flavors they are always coming up with!

A Story

I learned early on in my clay career that patience is an important attribute for artists who work with polymer clay. I was super excited to try to make my very first cake, and I had just seen a video on You Tube in which a highly talented person from Sweden had made the most dainty little cake you can imagine. She had used a light green for the fondant and the cake was a creamy vanilla color with a vibrant strawberry filling. She had even crafted a tiny pink rose and a leaf to go on top.

            I thought I would make one that was my level of difficulty by leaving off the rose and leaf, and instead of hand-rolling the clay as she had done, opting to roll my clay through the pasta machine so that it would be a uniform thickness. I had a fair amount of confidence going into my project, all of which turned out to be completely artificial.

            It was all going quite smoothly. I had rolled out the clay and cut it into three circles, one for the filling, and two for the cake to go on either sides of it. I had decided to do a vanilla-colored cake too, but use a pastel purple for the fondant and a light pink for the filling. I stacked up the cake layers, and rolled out a sheet of clay for the fondant. This was where I encountered my first challenge.

            The clay I rolled out was too thick, so instead of effortlessly laying it over the top of the cake and letting fall smoothly around the cake as the You Tube person had done, my clay stuck out at odd angles like a duckling whose feathers are just coming in. As I tried to smooth it down, my excited fingers began to squash the cake in different places so that my cake went from an ugly duckling to the moon with its many craters. At any rate, it did not look like a cake.

            I finally managed to get the clay back into a cylindrical cake shape. Then I got tried to cut it, which was mistake number two. In addition to my blade being dirty, the clay was really warm from all my fiddling with it. This set up the perfect storm. As I tried to slice the cake, the combination of the warm, soft clay and the dirty blade made the cake smeared and deformed.

            I learned three things that day. One is that you should always make sure you have the right thickness of clay rolled out before you try to put on. Two is to always make sure your blade is kept clean. And three is that you should never try to cut clay while it is too warm.