Learn how to make your own polymer clay beads and turn them into colorful accessories and decorations. Making Polymer Clay Beads offers beginning and veteran artists a comprehensive resource for crafting unique beads of all colors and shapes at home. From selecting the right equipment and working with raw clay to making dozens of different shapes and adding colorful effects, this all-in-one guide will aid you at every stage of your artistic journey. Step-by-step instructions and full-color photographs enable the reader to craft a wide variety of beads to be used in making handmade jewelry and decorations.

A guide to making clay beads and designing jewelry from them.

HANDICRAFTS. Polymer clay is the material of choice and you will learn how to use free-form techniques and bead rolling tools to create several styles. Unusual shapes, sculpted effects, simulations of semi-precious stones, photo-image transfers, and use of glitter and organic material mean the beads you make will be unique. And with practice, they will look professionally hand-crafted. Various brands of clay are discussed, how to condition it, basic colour mixing, and baking temperatures. All the tools you will need are listed, and finishing techniques, such as sanding, buffing, and sealing, are described. Basic jewellery making techniques, including stringing and fixing clasps, lead on to assembling all the components in designs and styles ranging from contemporary and elegant to simple and just plain fun.

With her unmatched eye for color, color mixing and layering, well-known artist and fan favorite Julie Picarello helps beginners and advanced polymer artisans design, texture and finish gorgeous art beads using relatively simple techniques. In-depth introduction sections cover basics, color inspiration and recipes, and needed tools and materials. The book includes 7 mini projects and 10 finished jewelry projects, while callouts at the beginning of each project let the readers know exactly what specialized techniques will be learned. It’s the color that makes polymer clay truly exciting, and this book uses color like you’ve never seen it before.

Work bead magic by rolling wool into hard balls, or adding metallic fiber. Coil polymer clay for a real impact. You'll find that the simplest techniques yield incredibly lovely, one-of-a-kind jewels. "Public libraries...will find this potpourri of projects a distinctive addition to crafts collections."--"Library Journal."

Katherine Dewey's expressive and elegantly detailed sculptures enchant all who see them. With the magical medium of polymer clay and this book, you can follow in her footsteps. Thorough instructions supported by more than 400 step-by-step color photos and 200 detailed drawings cover the entire process of sculpting realistic figures, from selecting clay and gathering essential tools to the basics of modeling the human figure, to incorporating poses, facial expressions, ethnic and gender subtleties, costumes, and painted finishing touches. Easy-to-read maps of the figure illustrate the landmarks of the body, while scale diagrams indicate the simple shapes hidden within the human form, as well as how to combine and model those shapes. For anyone who loves fantasy, romance, nature—or sophisticated crafting—this book is a must-have.

Polymer clay is probably the most versatile, most enjoyable craft medium of them all. It can be sculpted, carved, molded, stamped, textured, sanded, and then baked in a regular oven. How easy is that? Now Polymer Pizzazz makes working with polymer clay even more fun and rewarding--by introducing beginners to basic tools and techniques, then presenting 25 beautiful jewelry projects. With clear step-by-step instructions and helpful color photography, anyone can learn to make bold, bright beads, playful fish-shaped pendants, elegant faux stone necklaces, and much more!

This is not your ordinary how-to book! Austin TX based authors and polymer clay artists Kim Schlinke and Randee M. Ketzel artfully mix a clever mystery with 20 how-to projects that show step-by step photographs and instructions to create your own "ancient artifacts." These polymer clay masterpieces are beautiful enough to grace a museum collection-or yours! At 206 pages, this lavishly photographed book is stuffed with a multitude of projects that can be done just as presented with highly detailed step-by-step instruction, or used as starting points to make faux gems for use in all sorts of designs. Priced retail at $30, the hefty book's how-to projects weigh in at the mere cost of $1.50 each. Animal lovers will be pleased to note that our authors also give us the secrets of making replicas of ivory and tiger claw that involve no cruelty towards elephants or wild cats whatsoever! Projects featured in this compendium include: Celtic Bronze Fibula, Navajo Silver Pendant, Art Nouveau Golden Gingko Brooch, Carnelian Choker of Ancient Rome, Amethyst Cabochons and Nugget Beads, Amethyst Silver Art Nouveau Pendant, Black Opal Cabochons, Barbarian Bracelet, Chrysoprase Cabochons (A and B Grade), Hammered Cuff Bracelet, Ancient Limestone Fossil Pebbles, Cycladic Goddess, Leopardskin Jasper, Primitive Pebble Bracelet, Faux Twigs, Fantastical Forgeries Bracelet, Blue Lace Agate Tile Bracelet, Copper & Rhodochrosite Tiered Necklace, Snowflake Jades, Qin Dynasty Bangles, Amber Caravan Necklace, Primeval Coral Rock Hound Necklace, Ammolite Cabochons, Gothic Revival Pendant, Victorian Mourning Brooch, Faux Tiger Claw, Victorian Raj Brooch, Faux Tiffany Glass Scarabs, Faux Ivory Cuff Bracelet Find out how it is all done-and "who done it"-along with our intrepid protagonists, Parker and Peele. "What is this stuff?" wondered Parker, and her companion pointed her umbrella to the drawings that plastered the walls. "The raw materials for the best forgeries ever seen" replied her friend. "This is where they were created." Together they examined the drawings, exclaiming softly as they recognized several objects from the Museum. Parker picked up one of the colorful lumps and frowned. "What is this, Peele? It's soft like clay, but I've never seen these colors before." "No," said her friend, "nor have I-at least in this form. I suspect it requires a catalyst of some type to render it into the false gems-ah, here!" Peele uncovered an array of electric ovens. "Heat-how charming. This must be some type of polymer, which, when brought to the proper temperature, then hardens. I have heard rumors. Could become just about anything, in skilled hands."

Renowned for their courses and workshops on color, the authors offer instruction and inspiration that focuses on polymer clay as a learning tool that crafters can use to explore their own color instincts and preferences. Each chapter investigates a color principle supported by a jewelry project.

Twist, curl and wrap wire into one-of-a-kind jewelry! Follow along with author Gayle Bird as she teaches you everything you need to know to create her signature jewelry designs. First learn the basics of color and design, then move into essential wire tutorials. From there, you'll work your way through 20 step-by-step jewelry projects, including earrings, rings and necklaces. By the time you finish the book, you'll be ready to design your own statement jewelry, complete with swirling wire and dazzling gems. Features: • Tutorials on the essential wire techniques, including spirals, curls and more. • Chapter on design gives the foundation for creating unique pieces. • Step-by-step directions for 20 projects.