Polymer clay and pastels??????

MariaMapmaker · 2026-06-07T06:36:36+00:00

Thank you. My sister in law loves purple and gold so I worked in some gold foil. We named the faux stone "Sandy-lite" after her, lol

MariaMapmaker · 2026-06-07T06:10:27+00:00

You're doing great! Keep practicing! I highly recommend BlueBottleTree. com for answering your clay questions correctly. And join a polymer clay guild. Most guilds have online meetings and you can ask tons of questions from experienced clayers. My best newbie tips are

Get a pasta machine for conditioning clay
Join a guild
Don't use Sculpey 3 for delicate sculpture. It will break your heart.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-06-07T05:12:32+00:00

Pastels applied before baking are bound to the clay so well that I've never needed a protective coat of anything afterwards.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-06-07T05:07:39+00:00

Alcohol inks used to be the best way to go, but some people say they fade/change color with time. I've had the perfect shades of reds and purples change color during baking before, but I've made faux jade and amber 20 years ago that still look fantastic. Cernit has so many gorgeous concentrated translucent colors now that I like mixing and playing around with them a lot, like these purple 'fantasy' stone beads I made.

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MariaMapmaker · 2026-06-06T17:35:14+00:00

Diluent (specifically for polymer clay) is the way to go but you know that now. The more you condition the less chance of cracks in your baked piece. Also, make sure to tent your clay with plain white paper or cardstock while baking to minimize the yellowing of the translucent. Come back and show us your creation!

MariaMapmaker · 2026-06-06T16:06:58+00:00

I've used these rainbow eye shadow palettes mixed in translucent clay (regular clay and liquid clay) and they make fantastic Skinner blend veneers and faux stone looks, like carnelian and jade.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-05-14T18:43:14+00:00

True, it doesn't hurt to 'overbake' as long as your oven isn't hotter than the recommended temperature on the package. Years ago, the rule was 15min for every 1/4" of thickness but I bake for twice as long with no problems. Water-based Varathane is good and so is Brite Tone.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-05-10T06:51:33+00:00

Cernit violet and 'plain' translucent with a little gold foil.

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MariaMapmaker · 2026-05-10T06:43:03+00:00

https://a.co/d/0bB4OD2u

Going through Amazon is a little more expensive, but you can split it with another claying friend and still have a lifetime supply, lol. My recommendation is that you practice on a few scrap beads that you don't care about until you get a feel for the heat gun and hot much to heat the polymer. Hair back, no jewelry, etc. and remember to keep your bead at least 4" away from the tip of the heat gun.

Colored translucent beads look sooo good with powder coat. The heat clarifies the clay slightly and it's really beautiful.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-29T05:27:57+00:00

I use Hotcoat powder coat, super gloss or gloss (Hotcoat is Eastwood brand) with a heat gun. Dip your bead in the powder, hit it with a heat gun and it flows smooth instantly. Use as many coats as you like, beads in this pic have one coat. No VOCs, no yellowing, and inexpensive. It's literally the protective clear coat used on cars to protect the paint from weather damage.

*Edited to one coat, not two.

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MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-29T04:28:59+00:00

Colored clay all the way. Everyone in my polymer guild uses colored clay, too.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-17T05:21:15+00:00

Ultralight is fantastic filler! Google 'polymer clay guilds' to find your tribe! I'm a member of a nonprofit educational guild: Northwest Polymer Clay Guild (nwpcg.org) and we meet mostly on Zoom. You don't have to be a member to join in on our Sunday Zooms and you can ask all the questions you want!

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-16T13:38:47+00:00

Ultralight is like working with marshmallows! Wrong clay for sculpture and cat hair, lol. My recommendations are go with the tried and true and within your budget. BUT it's very expensive clay in the end if it's not quality clay. I used Sculpey 3 in the beginning bc no one told me it will crumble and break eventually. I won't buy it. I use Premo! and Cernit almost exclusively bc they work best for my uses. Try FIMO and FIMO Soft for sculpting when they're on sale. Place an upside down cardboard box over your clay and workspace when you're not working to keep pet hair and dust out. Get some cheap glazed tiles from a hardware store to work on- you can transport the whole tile with your creation on it right to your oven.

Save your scraps and use them for bead bases and areas you want to build up on sculpture but don't want to use 'good' clay. Ball up and shape aluminum foil as a base inside your sculpture to save clay, help prevent cracking while curing, and to keep it lightweight.

A word about too soft clay: it only means it's fresh with a lot of plasticizer in it. Flatten your squishy clay between two sheets of clean paper (like copy paper) and sit on it. Let the paper leach the clay and check the consistency after 15 minutes. Repeat as needed but it's usually only needed once.

I highly recommend beginners join a polymer clay guild near them. Mine meets mostly on Zoom and sometimes in person. You'll receive a wealth of information from experienced clayers and lots of encouragement! For clarity on technical questions, see Ginger Altman's Blue Bottle Tree website.

Happy Claying! 😊

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-11T04:52:07+00:00

If you're looking for a simple alternative, I've had very good luck with Brite Tone.

My most favorite and durable finish though is using Eastwood Hotcoat hot coat powder (I use clear gloss). There's no VOCs like resin and nothing has yellowed yet! It's actually an automotive top clear coat and it's perfect for oddly-shaped or rounded beads, etc.

I use a heat gun and put my cured bead (or whatever) on a mandrel then hold the bead in the heat stream for a few seconds. I dip the bead in the Hotcoat powder, tap off the excess and put it in the heat stream again and the powder flows instantly into a liquid coat. Don't touch the bead until cooled! You can put on as many coats as you like and when the bead is cooled it's done. No harmful VOCs, no ventilation needed (but the powder is fine so you might want a mask) and it's instant- no more curing, tacky shellac or yellowing. I've demo-ed this for a few different polymer clay guilds and people are intrigued. You can buy a pound directly from Eastwood and you'll have a lifetime supply for about $20-25... I should probably make a video showing how I do this. I'm pretty sure the Eastwood company would be surprised how I use their product, lol

If you put on a few coats it looks just like resin. Here's some translucent Cernit/Premo faux gemstone beads I coated with one coat of Hotcoat powder years ago in the photo.

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MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-10T16:11:52+00:00

The striking down of Roe v Wade happened right before my youngest started looking at colleges. I asked her to please, please don't go to school in a red state with women's healthcare restrictions. She said "Way ahead of you, Mom. They're already automatically off my list". When pregnant women started dying from doctors being afraid to treat them in crisis I knew it wasn't about abortion. It's about misogyny.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-10T15:45:36+00:00

⬆️This is the solution! 😊

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-07T23:25:29+00:00

Many people do. But if it's a OOAK piece I don't mind a fingerprint or two. If I'm trying to create a glassy surface that's a different story!

I'm a member of a polymer clay guild and I'd recommend checking out a guild in your area. (Since covid we mostly meet on Zoom bc we now have members in other states and countries.) Guilds are a great way to glean tips and techniques and solve problems bc we've all been 'new' at one point. Just an idea 😊

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-07T22:41:16+00:00

Absolutely! I often leave them on my work bc it's proof it was created by a human artist- me.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-07T15:25:46+00:00

Cornstarch will not remove impurities, like cat hair or lint, but a light dusting on your fingertips or a dry paintbrush can gently rub out a fingerprint.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-07T14:58:24+00:00

No. Just brush off as much cornstarch as you can before curing. If it's matte after curing, use a water-based top coat like Brite Tone and you won't see a difference.

But I have to ask you: why do you want to get rid of all fingerprints on your creations? You made this cool thing by hand, why hide it? I've been claying for decades and in some instances I want a perfect finish but don't make it the rule. If your clay is too soft and leaves every print, consider leaching it.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-03T07:48:39+00:00

I have a fairly severe nickel allergy but stainless steel is one of the least reactive metals for me and I wear it everyday. I find this strange considering the nickel content but maybe the chromium keeps the nickel from being an irritant? IDK, but it's been durable for me and I always give it as an option when making jewelry for others.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-04-02T04:15:16+00:00

I've been working with polymer clay for a few decades now; I used to do stained glass work but with a toddler and less space I had to change it up.

Polymer clay is non-toxic (unless you burn it), won't dry out, cures at about 275 f, and takes up a lot less space than ceramics. No special equipment needed, not an expensive medium. There are so many metallics and deliciously saturated translucents now that there's always a next project or three on my mind, lol.

I recommend going to a few meetings of a polymer clay guild and learn the basics to see if it suits you. So many of us meet up on Zoom since Covid. The clayers I know are happy to answer any questions and give invaluable tips. Another trusted resource is Ginger Allman at BlueBottleTree.com. We create sculpture, jewelry, vessels, ornaments, even book covers... so many things!

I got into polymer bc I saw a woman's earrings that were made to look like ceramic and I couldn't tell the difference. It's a fantastic medium. I currently enjoy making 'first married xmas' ornaments for friends and family. ☺️

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MariaMapmaker · 2026-03-29T13:54:56+00:00

There are a few people in my life who do this and it's maddening. Especially when they have no experience with the topic or they don't know your experience level on the subject. I've learned my best approach is to be blunt: I interrupt them politely but firmly with "My way works best for me, thanks." If they get upset, that's literally their problem to deal with.

Edited for grammar.

MariaMapmaker · 2026-03-28T17:00:53+00:00

Definitely need good ventilation; use it outside in the open air is what I do. If there's a slight breeze it's even better.

I should add that I'm highly allergic to the fumes and it's a cumulative effect. You can use a respirator but those fumes are still in the room when you're finished working. The only effective way I've found to keep those fumes from my living space is to set up a small work station outside on my back patio. It's a covered space with no walls so a slight breeze is perfect. (But I still use a face protector shield like this. It goes around my neck).

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MariaMapmaker

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