Polymer Clay 01

While searching through the archives I uncovered this snippet from 2016/17. The occasion near my discovery of polymer clay.

After two years of watching tutorials, trawling websites, reading fact sheets, gathering tools and materials, and generally soaking up everything I could find about polymer clay, I've finally reached the point where I have a dedicated workspace set up.
Which means the real learning can begin.
Up until now it's all been preparation. Now I get to make my own mistakes, discover my own solutions, and work my way along a learning curve that, at the moment, doesn't seem to have an end.
Over those two years I've come across some incredible artists, particularly those working in jewellery and biomorphic design. One artist who has consistently kept me inspired is Melanie West. Her work has captivated me from the beginning and continues to do so.
The incredible work of Melanie West
One of the things that immediately drew me to polymer clay was how many boxes it seemed to tick for me. The more I learned about it, the more it revealed itself as a remarkably versatile material. Durability, texture, colour mixing, sculptural possibilities, it's all there.
For years I've had a mental list of projects and ideas that never seemed to find the right material. Polymer clay has steadily moved to the front of the queue as the material most likely to bring many of those ideas into reality.
Just for fun
For me, one of the biggest attractions is that polymer clay may finally provide the finishing surface I've been searching for on my biomorphic sculptures. Even with my earliest experiments I can already see glimpses of what I had hoped for when imagining these forms coming to life.
I've always approached new materials in a similar way. I dive in, learn as much as I can, then push the material as far as my abilities will take me while trying to maintain enthusiasm and improve my skills. If I'm honest, I'm always secretly hoping I've found "the one" that keeps me engaged for years.
In the past, something has always got in the way. A limitation appears, interest fades, or the process simply stops exciting me.
Polymer clay has been different.
After more than two years of reading, researching and learning, my enthusiasm hasn't faded at all. If anything, it has grown stronger. That's why I'm stepping into the practical side of things with a great deal of optimism.
From the hundreds of tutorials, articles, fact sheets and social media snippets I've absorbed, I've chosen to work primarily with FIMO, one of the many brands available. So far I've found it consistent to work with, reliable after baking, and impressive in its colour stability.
The mica clays, in particular, have really caught my attention.
My first project is the continuation of one of my simplest, yet most stubborn, sculptures. It's a piece that has gone through several incarnations over the years but has never quite reached the point I wanted it to.
This time I'm focusing on gold mica clay as the final surface. The subtle shifts in colour and light become surprisingly dramatic when used across larger areas, and I'm keen to start experimenting with mica-shift and mica-mixing techniques.
At the end of the day, there really is no better way to learn than to get your hands dirty and start .

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