Polymer in Folded Rainbows
March 31, 2014
Inspirational Art
Folded polymer seems to be a bit of trend lately. From the popularity of Helen Breil’s folded beads and tutorial to Sonya Girodon’s faux folded paper to the folded look pin sent out as a tease for Dan Cormier’s upcoming book, we’re seeing a lot of polymer getting folded these days so this week, we’ll look at what some other artists are doing with the folded approach.
These earrings are by Hanc of the Fler.cz marketplace. First of all, this is some fantastically done gradient color–the smooth and consistent transitions through so many hues take some patience to create. And that white line down the center is a rather genius addition, giving the ruffled folds added complexity and dimension. Overall, it’s a fairly simple centered design but it’s wonderful how the folded polymer gives the piece tactile texture and movement as well as adding to the vibrant feel of the color by the repetition of the folds.
This Czech artist, who goes by the name Hanc, loves gardening and flowers, creating magical worlds full of colorful folder polymer clay. There is a lot more like this to be found in this artist’s fler.cz shop so do pop over and take in more variations on this folded approach as well as other inspired and skillfully completed designs.
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Influencing Polymer in Print
March 30, 2014
Polymer community news, Ponderings, The Polymer Arts magazine news
For those of you who may not have heard through our newsletter and postings on Facebook by others involved, next month in Malta, myself, Marjon Donker and Saskia Veltenaar (From Polymer To Art) and Béa Picq (Polymère & Co) will be conducting a presentation and discussion on polymer art in print–what is available right now and what we as a community might want to see in the future. We would like to make this a chance for you to have your say about what you like, don’t like and want to see more of in books and magazines so we created a survey for that purpose. Not only is it short and fun and will get your voice heard, you can also win one of three magazine packages that will include a $10 gift certificate to anything from The Polymer Arts and a digital magazine issue of your choice from both From Polymer to Art and Polymère & Co.
And yes, if you took the survey through the newsletter, before I heard from the other ladies about wanting to add their magazines to the prize offerings, you will get the whole package if picked.
To help us with this presentation, get yourself heard, and to enter for a chance to win one of 3 magazine packages, click on this link!
If you are unfamiliar with either of the other magazines, they are both complimentary to what we do in The Polymer Arts, focusing more on project tutorials and some basic techniques and information, great for beginning to intermediate artists. From Polymer to Art is in English and Polymere & Co. is in French, but is available in a digital format so you can copy text from it into Google translate to read it.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Libby’s Curious Pin
March 29, 2014
Uncategorized
Color, texture, and shape are hallmarks of Libby Mill‘s work, as so beautifully illustrated in this curious beaded pin. Polymer clay allows her to explore the textured and smooth, patterned and plain surfaces. This pin has a very organic feel to it and the elongated shape and beaded texture brings it to life in a fluid, animated way.
Libby likes to work in polymer clay and sterling silver. See more of her work on her Flickr pages, including lots of bangles, beads, necklaces, earrings, and mixed media pieces, and visit her blog to share in discussions about balancing your creative life with a busy family life.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Outside Inspiration: Getting Lost in Glass
March 28, 2014
Inspirational Art
Of course the 1000 Beads books has many beads that are not polymer but I would say all the beads, no matter what the material, are inspirational for the polymer artist.
I know I completely fell in love with the beads by glass artist Lisa Atchison whose lampwork reminded me of intricate polymer cane layering, only there are a few additions to the traditional all cane layered bead. Can you see the additional micro beads and crystals she’s added not to mention the filigree like lines laid atop the basic layers? This kind of accenting would be easy enough to add to any polymer bead. Its a great example of how the approach in another medium can be transferred to a polymer approach.
Do take a look at the many other beautiful pieces by Lisa on her blog. Just the ones in the header are amazing!
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Leigh’s Depth
March 27, 2014
Inspirational Art
Here is another beautiful bead from one of Lark’s 1000 Beads book artists in polymer. Leigh Ross does a wonderful job layering canes and translucents. Notice the depth her approach gives this pendant. It looks like the space goes back farther than the bead is thick! It’s like there is a little miniature world inside this single bead.
Leigh Ross is probably familiar to many of you. Not only is she the owner of the popular website Polymer Clay Central, she is also a writer, teacher, and silver worker. You can find more of her work and enjoy her projects, lessons, and tutorials on Polymer Clay Central.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Peeli’s Intricate Precision
March 26, 2014
Inspirational Art
Sometimes I feel like I post a bit much on the polymer embroidery technique but it’s hard not to fall in love with the intricate beauty of the work. Peeli Rohini has a lovely set of polymer embroidered beads right at the start of the gallery of beads in the Lark’s 1000 Beads book. There is such a precise and well thought out patterning in Peeli’s application of this technique. It really looks like intricate needlework.
Peeli’s work is inspired by the rich and ethnic cultures all over the world and their rich luxurious fabrics. She has a passion and love for polymer clay and a longing to create miniature wearable pieces of art! Check out some of her photos of her work on her Facebook page also.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Wiwat and His Hidden Beauties
March 25, 2014
Inspirational Art
Wiwat Kamolpornwijit’s work has fascinated me since I first laid eyes on one of his trapped rose necklaces, as I like to call them. A couple new variations on these are in the new 1000 Beads book. I, too, have a fascination with things that are wholly exposed, with caves and crevice, and what is hiding behind the screen, in the box and under the veil. Wiwat’s work presents a lot of these intriguing, partially exposed and trapped elements.
This piece is actually older. I am thinking from around 2007 but you can see that this partly hidden and trapped theme has been an ongoing vein of interest to him.
As he describes his work, “I hand-form every piece of polymer clay jewelry with no use of commercial molds. I use several techniques including caning, engraving, weaving, layering, and many others for which I don’t have names.”
Wiwat, who originally is from Thailand and currently lives in Virginia, is a Niche Awards winner for 2011 and 2013, and Saul Bell Design Award Finalist for 2011. You can be inspired by more of his work on his website.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Lark’s 1000 Beads
March 24, 2014
Inspirational Art
Just got my copy of Lark Craft’s latest in their fantastic photo book series, 1000 Beads. I am always curious, and a bit apprehensive about books that should include plenty of polymer clay because too often there has not been a great representation of our medium among the older and more readily accepted fine craft mediums. But this book is a huge exception. Polymer is found throughout this collection with a rather wide range of talent as well as technique. I would have lost myself for most of the day Saturday when I got it, if I hadn’t been in the midst of office remodeling and in a rush to get things back in workable order. But this morning … wow! A few hours of doing nothing but pouring over this book and looking up the many talented artists was such a fantastic way to start a Monday!
So I thought this week, I’d focus on and congratulate some of the polymer artists that landed their work in this latest Lark book. We only have a week so it will be but a fraction of the artists represented. But let’s look at great beads, and ones not in the book so you have more to look forward to when you get your own copy! (The official publication date is April 1st but it looks like Amazon already has them in stock.)
I was particularly thrilled to see the work of some of my favorite polymer friends including the enthusiastic and dedicated Cara Jane Hayman. She is one of those artists still exploring a wide range of techniques but her focus on refined skill and creating work not directly derivative of the artists she is learning from is inspiring. These beads were created in a Sarah Shriver workshop but they aren’t readily recognized as Shriver-esque. And they are nicely finished with a wide range of visual textures to draw you in.
Cara Jane hails from Bristol in the UK. Her background as a research scientist led her to explore and test polymer and share her findings on her blog. Cara Jane has written for us at The Polymer Arts as well as From Polymer to Art. This year is looking to be a big year for her as well, starting with demonstrating polymer alongside Donna Kato at the Paperworld show in Germany, her appearance in 1000 Beads and her upcoming role as one of our curators for the first Polymer Arts book publication. (What book, you ask? Just stay tuned and we’ll start posting information about this soon!)
You can also see more of Cara Jane’s art on her website and her Flickr pages.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
The Line Between Art and Craft
March 23, 2014
Inspirational Art
I found this video on the TedEd website (TedTalks educational series of lessons rather than talks) fascinating. Because being able to deem certain work as art versus craft gives the creator a frame work through which to price and market their work as well as offering a certain status for those deemed artist, there have been many a long debate on this subject. What most people probably don’t realize is that the idea of being an artist rather than just a skilled craftsperson is a relatively new concept for mankind, and in some parts of the world is still not a widely used concept.
This short 5 minute video goes over the history of the concept of art and how we might define craft versus art. I was not surprised at the conclusion but it does very succinctly illustrate the problem with trying to create a black and white definition. (Click on the image to get to the video.)
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
This set seems to be the first of its kind for Sydney, Australian artist, Rocky Antonio. As we have been looking at bracelets this week, here is a bracelet and necklace set with ornate attention to detail, an Art Nouveau floral feast. Sometimes I find I not only have the patience for such work but find it therapeutic, getting lost in the many little details as I build carefully on each aspect of the very evolving design.
Rocky loves to work not only with polymer clay, but also with filigrees, vintage finds, recyclable materials, paint, metal findings, and mica powders. You can see more of her work on her Flickr site or her blog spot.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Here is something to consider doing with a bracelet–draw on it! And not just on the outside.
I know we so love our polymer because of the colors and textures but a subtle surface can also lend itself well to sketching or image transfers. This is not actually a bracelet but it could be. This straight sided bowl is by ceramicist Helen Beard but when I first saw this, I thought it would have made such a great bracelet. Some of my favorite pieces–in polymer and other mediums–are those with details hidden on the inside or backsides. There is also something particularly intriguing about a piece that tells a story.
According to Helen’s website, “she likes to tell a story, creating whimsical scenes that capture the insignificant yet precious moments that make up our daily lives.” Wouldn’t it be neat to have such simple stories on one’s arm as well?
Take a look at the other precious scenes Helen illustrates on her wheel thrown porcelain pots, cups, bowls and other pottery on her website.
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I found this bracelet awhile back but have yet to find the artist who created it. The pin leads to the www.polymerclayfimo.livejournal.com page but after searching posts for far too long, I couldn’t find it. Can our readers help us out?
I know we are so far from Autumn up here in the Northern Hemisphere but our Southern counterparts are entering the season right about now. And who can resist the beauty of rich rusts and glowing earth tones any time of year? I love the way the edges are treated in both layers, one torn and the other scored and worn looking so the feel from imagery to texture has a very soft and natural feel to it.
Ok … so who can get us some answers? We’ll update the post as soon as we find out who created this lovely piece.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
There is actually a lot of commonality between today’s bracelets and the one’s in yesterday’s post. Like Evgeny, Andrea Zajacová also uses contrast in texture but in a more graphic manner. The concept and approach to design using contrast is similar but with a very different feel. Although obviously handmade and inexact, the bracelet is designed in sections instead of scattering the three-dimensional pieces around the whole of it’s circumference. This gives the bracelet a specific area of focus with that fully tactile texture contrasting the low visual texture of the other areas as well as high contrast in color between the purples and yellows.
Andrea posted variations of this bracelet on this blog post. Great colors palettes. And she has a lot more art to share in her store as well.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
This combination of organic plant and stone texture comes across as rather luscious and graceful. This creative bracelet by Russian artist, Evgeny Alexandrov, is an ode to the vivacity of natural elements. This bracelet design mirrors the feel of the rocks and the velvety moss that covers them. The succulent looking plants are fashioned with smooth surfaces, while the rock and the moss offer an enticing contrast to the tactile nature of the surfaces.
Evgeny’s work is full of luscious organic forms and the tactile textures. You can admire more of her work in her online shop.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
I have avoided doing a week with the theme particular to a type of jewelry but we have a list of really amazing bracelets that I just can’t wait to share with you any longer. The reason I wanted to avoid a single form was because it could end up being a week of pieces that only inspire those that work in that form, but these bracelets I’m bringing you this week have surface treatments and textures that can apply to all kinds of polymer–from other forms of jewelry to decor and even sculpture. Even if you don’t create bracelets, much or not at all, look at what the pieces present in terms of techniques and combinations of characteristics. I think many of you will find exciting inspiration everyday this week.
This first bracelet is actually some of DDee Wilder’s older work but I think her combination of techniques, colors and forms still have lessons for us now. The combination of colors vibrate along with the sliced polymer spots stretching out on the inside of the bracelet emphasizing the spin of the curling, rippling form that makes this such a lively bracelet.
DDee has a whole series of these bracelets you can enjoy on her Flickr pages, but don’t stop there. She has many other lovely forms, textures and palettes to inspire you, no matter what forms you prefer to work in.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
This is one of the newest classes over at Craft Art Edu and I just had to stop and share because, for one, they are really neat beads, and secondly, Anke has such wonderfully innovative and sophisticated designs.
It is called “Big Hollow Bead Necklace” class. Here is the link to Anke’s classes on CraftArtEdu.
German artist Anke Humpert is a true mixed media artist and Renaissance person. To see more of her work, check out her website. She is teaching several classes at Craft Art Edu, including carve your own stamps, polymer clay embellishment, heat embossing techniques, creating your own travel altar, and metallic ATCs. If you haven’t stopped by CraftArtEdu.com, join the fun and take a look and find something you want to learn.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Evgeny Hontor looks to be the artist here although the link on Pinterest goes nowhere. However, I’m pretty sure this is the artist but since there is no longer a posting on Etsy and whoever started pinning them didn’t know the artist, this is an educated guess for now.
The artist lists his materials primarily as “velvet clay.” I found another artist that referred to air-dry polymers as velvet plastic and looking at the one image of his work table would lead me to believe this is painted air-dry similar to Makin’s. But regardless, it’s definitely a direct inspiration for polymer.
Evgeny creates the textures for his fantasy figures by designing and hand carving with a needle on an elastic resin texture mold. Using the mold, he then imprints these textures onto his creatures. He highlights the surface colors using acrylic paint by applying paint to the surface of the piece and then wiping away the excess from the highest points of the surfaces so that the color remains in the crevices of the design. It leaves an antiquing look that gives depth and added texture to the figures.
He sells some of these texture molds on his Etsy site, and you can find more of his work and creations on DeviantArt.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Read More
I don’t remember the actual moment I discovered fractals, just that my mind was blown and I became lost in searching them out on the Internet, in books and even going so far as to look at software that can be used to create these amazing designs. They look so complex but when you get down to it, they have a very simple base. They can be made to appear rather random and intricate but the truth is, everything in the design is a version of a single shape or motif repeated over and over in different sizes and sometimes varying colors.
How is this relevant to the polymer artist? Well, besides often embodying fantastic and inspiring color palettes, what fractal artists do with their design is only a few steps away from concepts used in kaleidoscope and similarly built polymer canes. Starting with a single pattern, immensely complex canes can be created by using multiple stacks and mirrored versions of the same design not unlike how fractal art is designed.
Also, consider the complexity that can be accomplished on a cane covered piece using the same cane design but in a wide range of reduced sizes. Making a pattern of the canes in the same basic design as the base pattern of your cane the way they do with fractals and you could end up with some mind-blowing and very intricate pieces. Look very close at all the tiny detail in this fractal and you’ll see that the ‘lines’ of the larger swirls are actually flowing rows of the same swirl. Amazing!
This fractal graphic is a piece called “Joyous” by a graphic artist named Cyd who lists art on DeviantArt as ShadowedDancer. Heading to her page will only be the start of what could be a very long journey through the world of fractals on the internet. If you want to get lost, let me suggest you start with this amazing fractal artist Cory Ench (my personal favorite) as well as just Googling fractals on Google images. Be careful you don’t lose the whole day doing so!
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
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