There are many types of effects that you can create with Polymer Clay.  Our blog this evening will offer you information on the techniques that are used in order to achieve the following effects:

Wood, Leather, Veined Marble and Bone.

Lets start with: Wood

Materials that you will need to create this effect will be Gold Mica and Dark Brown Polymer Clay.  A roller or Pasta Machine, Tissue Blades, Needle Tool, 400 to 800 grit wet and dry sandpaper and pieces of denim.
 
Our first step will be to roll the clay sheets. Using a tissue blade cut the gold clay into a strip and place on top of the dark brown sheet. Make sure to trim the edges of the clay so that both sheets are the same size.
The second step is to make sure that all the air pockets are removed.  You can do this with a roller. 
Our third step would be to create a jelly roll.  Make sure that the gold clay is facing up when you roll the jelly roll. 
Our fourth step will be to turn the jelly roll into a square cane by using a roller to slightly flatten the sides of the full length of the cane. 
Our  fifth step is to slice the cane.  Stand the cane on one end and use a tissue blade to slice down the length of the cane.  Cut several slices.
We will then roll each slice lengthwise with a roller it will now be time to add backing.  For this you will use scrap brown clay.  Lay the slices next to each other on top of the backing sheet.  Make sure that these sections are touching. Now roll this through the thickest setting on the pasta machine.
We are now ready for step six and cutting out your beads. To accomplish this use a cutter.
You can leave your beads as they are and bake them or you can  create a domed shaped by using an escargot tray. To keep the domed shape place a ball of scrap clay ball  inside the baked domed clay to prevent it form sagging during the next baking.    Your front will be domed and your back will be flat.  Make a tread hole with a needle tool and rebake.  Buff with a piece of denim. 

Our next technique is Leather

Materials that you will need to create this effect will be several brown shades of polymer clay.  Burnt umber acrylic paint, black acrylic paint. A pasta machine, a piece of aluminum foil, a tissue blade, a wooden dowel, and a stiff paintbrush.

Our first step will be to roll out several different sheets of brown clay. 
Our second step will be to scrunch up a piece of aluminum foil and press it into the clay to create texture. 
Our third step would be to place a template of the shape you would like the bead to be on the top of the sheet of clay.  You will then cut out the shape using a tissue blade. 
Our fourth step is to bake the bead.  When it has cooled you will need to apply amix of burnt umber and black acrylic paint with a stiff paintbrush.  Wipe off you paint immediately with a paper towel, leaving some on the edges for definition.

Our next technique will be Veined Marble:

Materials that you will need to create this effect will be white, ecru or beige and translucent polymer clay, sparkling pearl powder  with a built in resin, polymer clay softener, raw umber acrylic paint, tissue blades, a smooth wooden block, a needle tool, a tile, a stiff paintbrush, 240- 800 grit wet and dry sandpaper and denim cloth. 

Our first step is to cut the clay.  Make sure that you chop equal amounts of white and translucent clay. We will then be adding some sparkle by sprinkling some pearl powder over the chopped clay.  You will need to remoisten your clay as the powder tends to dry it out. 
Our second step will be to color the clay by mixing the raw umber and black acrylic paint and applying with a paintbrush to cover all the clay pieces.  Let the painted pieces of clay dry on your clean piece of paper for a minimum of 20 minutes.  Then divide into several bead sized portions.
Our third step would be to create whatever shaped bead you would like  you will then need to make the thread hole in your bead with a needle tool.  Bake the beads on a tile.
Our fourth step is to wet sand with a 240 -800 grit sandpaper after the bead has cooled from the baking process. Finish by hand polishing with a piece of denim.

Our final technique this evening will be Bone:

Materials that you will need to create this effect will be white, ecru or beige and translucent polymer clay, dark brown acrylic paint, a roller or pasta machine, a tissue blade, a sheet of paper, a wooden dowel, a needle towel, 800 grit wet and dry sandpaper, a stiff paintbrush, a paper towel and a cotton cloth for buffing.

Our first step will be to roll the clay sheets.  You will need to mix equal parts of white and ecru polymer clay.  Carefully lay one sheet on top of the other.  Roll your stacked clay using a roller or the pasta machine. 
Our second step is to build up the layers.  With a tissue blade cut the sheet in half and stack one sheet on top of the other so the clay is four layers thick.  Have the stack two more times being careful to expel any air pockets.  Your stack will be a total of 16 layers when you finish this process.
Our third step would be to create a paper sleeve.  Wrap a rectangular sheet of paper around a wooden dowel and glue in place.  The paper sleeve should be wider then the bead for ease of handling. 
We will now use a tissue blade and cut a 3mm thick slice through the layers of the stack. 
Step four is to press the caly slice around the paper sleeve and neatly butt the edges together.  Roll the tube across a clean work surface this will help to smooth out the joint.  To give the bead impact you will need to now take your needle tool and draw lines to mimic cracks and scratches. In order to simulate pores you can make marks with a ball stylus or point of a small knitting needle.  Bake your beads then soak in water to remove the paper sleeve. 
Our fifth step would be to color the bead.  First wet sand with 800 grit sandpaper then using a paintbrush paint the bead with the dark brown acrylic.  Immediately wipe off most of the paint with a paper towel make sure to leave some of the paint in the crevices to give it an antiqued look.  Finish the bead by buffing with a cotton cloth to give a soft sheen. 

Join us next time for Polymer Clay Faux Techniques Coral and Abalone.  Until then, Happy Beading.