January Polymer Clay Challenge: Cane Slices
Polymer Clay Central has announced the January 2008 Challenge theme: Cane Slices. Want to participate, but aren't sure where to start? Here's a few resources for making polymer clay canes.
Even though I'm not much of a caner myself, I've still bookmarked quite a few useful & inspirational cane-related sites. But I hope those of you who are caners will leave a comment & let me know where you find cane ideas & tutorials.
Cane Tutorials
- Kathy Weinberg demonstrates how to use a clay extruder to make cane slices for a light switch plate cover.
- Kris Richards shows how to make a kaleidoscope cane.
- Heather Powers uses natural colors to create a beautiful shell cane.
- Lisa Clarke demonstrates how to make a plaid cane using your school's team colors.
- And if you're looking for something a bit more abstract, check out the instructions for Kathi Gose's brain cane.
Tips & Techniques
- TooAquarius shares tips for "mapping" a cane based on a starting photo. (And don't miss these beautiful canes from her Etsy store.)
- Quilted In Clay shares more tips on creating your own cane.
- Kim Korringa shares her process for making a very colorful tropical fish cane.
- And Rebecca Nogy shares her tips for cutting cane slices using a scrap clay trough.
Inspiration
- I love this Celtic cane bracelet, made by Laura Griffin in a Sarah Shriver workshop.
- Izarrak, Nemain_chan & celinda all have great examples of the Matrix Cane Technique by Dan Cormier.
- Still need inspiration? Try searching Flickr for polymer clay canes.
Books
If you want to go into a little more depth on the topic, try these books:
- If you're interested in making quilt canes or other geometric designs, don't miss Adapting Quilt Patterns To Polymer Clay by Judith Skinner and Sarajane Helm.
- Creative Techniques For Polymer Clay Jewelry by Nanetta Bananto has a nice section on canes.
- And if you want to use canes with your beads, check out Carol Blackburn's Making Polymer Clay Beads.
Ideas
So you've got the cane slices, & now you're wondering what to cover...? (Or for some, the question's what NOT to cover!) Check out Glass Attic's Covering Things section for tips on what to cover with canes and how to do it.If you're entering your cane work in PCC's Challenge, mail your entries in by January 15, 2008, for a chance to win one of three prizes.
Comments
I love to do canes as it's fun to combine colors and see what patterns you come up with. it's always a beautiful surprise. Linda
Posted by: Linda Beyries | January 31, 2008 12:16 AM
Thanks for your comment, Linda... although I have to disagree with you on one thing. Canes -- at least mine -- are not always a *beautiful* surprise! :-)
Posted by: Angela Mabray | February 1, 2008 11:37 AM