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Polymer Clay And Mixed Media
Reviewer: Alyice Edrich
Art Book
Polymer Clay and Mixed Media: Together at last
Author
Christi Friesen
Review
I still cannot believe it’s been ten months since I interviewed Christi about her magical polymer clay creations and she shared parts of her studio with us. At that time, I had agreed to review her book, Polymer Clay and Mixed Media, but decided to wait until I bought all the supplies necessary to create a few of the projects and give a more hands-on review. Unfortunately one financial crisis after another has hit our household and a “new hobby” just hasn’t been in the cards—and the book soon became a forgotten memory.
That is, until today.
As I was cleaning off a shelf, I ran across the book and began flipping through it. Just like the first time I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. I was mesmerized by the complexity of her pieces and so desperately wanted to start creating some of the projects—unfortunately, I still don’t own a single polymer clay material.
That being said, I found the instructions easy to follow. Each project starts with a materials list, followed by a clay recipe, then an introductory paragraph, and finally a numbered, step-by-step tutorial—complete with step-by-step photographs and a scan of the sketch that inspired the creation. And when I mean a step-by-step tutorial, I mean step-by-step! Depending on the complexity of the piece, projects range from 12 to 31 steps, and each step has a detailed explanation of what needs to be done; not just a few short sentences.
In 160 pages you’ll discover:
- The basics of using polymer clay,
- The best way to store unused polymer clay,
- Why conditioning the clay is vital to a successful project,
- How to blend and mix colors,
- How to attach objects using liquid clay,
- How to wire beads to create various effects and/or looks,
- The fun of using surface treatments like embossing powder and foils,
- A near-full proof method of baking polymer clay,
- How to age pieces with patina, and
- When sealing your pieces with a high gloss is a good idea and when it isn’t.
You’ll also have fun with 18 detailed projects, like:
- Thistle pin
- Grapevine mirror
- Holly berry cluster gift tag
- Glass-centered flower beads
- Leaf and flower designs
- Peek-a-boo panda wrist cuff
- Flying bird focal bead
- Porcupine mini sculpture
- Gecko sculpture
- Sea turtle sculpture
- Tide pool vessel
- Ocean Sunset wall piece
- Ammonite fossil pin
- Thor’s dragon-serpent picture frame
- Petroglyph pebbles
- Aztec head focal bead
- Embellished transfer mini flower vase
- Face heart pendant
And the best part is that you can take all the techniques you learn in this book and create your own polymer clay/mixed media creations! All it takes is a little imagination, a few tools, and loads of polymer clay.
If you’re ready to give polymer clay a try, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Polymer Clay and Mixed Media: Together at last, today!
Order Polymer Clay and Mixed Media: together at last Today!
Disclosure: The reviewer received a complimentary copy of the book to review.
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