#clay tips

Having trouble removing clay from your hands? This problem is the worst for new polymer clay users - especially when you are working with multiple colors. The best tool you can have at your art table is hand sanitizer. The alcohol in the hand sanitizer will dissolve the clay. Just rub a little in your hands and then follow-up by washing them in the sink, OR if you are like us and don't want to get up constantly then have some baby wipes handy (aka craft wipes in our house). 

Hugs!

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TIPS004: AIR DRY CLAY TO ICING

Here's another tutorial i'd like to share. :) Have you tried Air Dry clay? Do you want icing or whip cream in your creation? I'll help you make it with Air Dry clay. 

Materials/Supplies you will need:

- Air Dry clay                                               - White glue                                                 - Icing/Decorating tool (if you have)           - Mixing tools                                             - Cans / Cup Plastic wear                           - Design/Decorating tools (baked clay  design and mini plastic jar/tin cans

STEP 1: 

Put your Air dry clay to your cans/plastic cup and add white glue.

STEP 2: Mix it with your mixing tools, Just mix until it really looks icing or whip. 

                                                       STEP 3: Put your mix air dry clay / whip cream to your icing or decorating tools.

STEP 4: Now design your icing/whip cream using your icing tools.

STEP 5: If you're having a hard time pushing your icing tools or to make sure that your icing will not be wasted. 

Just open the tip of your icing tools and Push gently with you mixing tools.

Do you know that Diamond Glaze has many used? Yes it is. Adhesive, Coating, Mixable like the instruction on the DG. 

Do you want to know what else you gonna make using Diamond Glaze? Okay, ill share you tips about using Diamond Glaze and give you some intro about my own experience on DG.

On my very first used of Diamond Glaze, I am not so satisfied about it, especially when i am about to varnish/coating my baked clay, because it makes my hand sticky, because of the Adhesive thingy and that's not it, aside from sticky, if you're coating so long, the shiny will gone and plus it begins to have a little white dirt/patches like when you scratchin' a paper, so at first I am not so fond on DG, so i stock DG for a short period of time, but I can't just stock it, my money will be wasted If i just stock and not using it.

So i try to experiment using DG. What I have found out and discover? This is it.

1. Adhesives/Sticky? - for me, it's okay if my hand will stick sometime, but sticky really helps my works. Why? - DG is an adhesive type, Oh yes it really is. It's indicated on the DG instruction right.

I used this DG as an adhesive on my works, like when I used magnets, paper images, or when you are trying to pin your work like the headpin, so it will also really stick on your creation or anything you wanna stick. And do you ever experience when after baking, suddenly your work just fall, like example the hair or the strap of the bag? DG will help you fix it too, well try to stick it with DG, it really works, just be patient to cure it, don't use brush if you stick crack/fallen items, just drop a DG on it. Use brush if you use it to stick the paper images.

This is the sample of my work that I stick with DG. it's effective for me, and none of my items fallen. :)

                                        Paper clip.................................................The baby faces

                                            Ref magnet...............................................Paper Images

Remember this: When you use DG to stick the paper, make sure yo spread the DG well, and.. don't leave a little bubbles on it and don't drop too much, coz the ink on the paper will spread too, it will be a waste. TIPS: drop a little on the clay where you gonna stick the paper, then use brush or finger and spread it thinner and stick right away your paper .

2. Coating/Varnishing - When it comes to coating, DG is really shiny.. and for the tips, if you're coating a small item, especially for the chibi hairs, you really need a brush, well you will always need a brush, (but sometimes I also use my finger to coat haha!) Things to remember when using DG for coating;

Use a Special brush ( i mean the quite expensive brushes) just to make sure it will not stick the hair of your brush on your works/creation.

Drop a DG on your item, then spread it with your brush, when you coat make it a little fast, so it will coat very well.

3. My DG Expirement- This is one of the most i really love on DG, Tired using Resin, because it's a little expensive or it cures a little longer. or don't know how to use TLS to transfer a paper, well, you need a heat transfer paper if you used TLS or any other products and if you want a transfer paper like the most easy way transfer paper of Lisa Pavelka Inkjet. Also Fimo is great on transfer paper. They all really good to use and of course effective as well.

But if you're looking for something new experiment or should i say much cheaper to use, DG will also help you.

Here's my two TIPS for my experimentation about DG:

If you want to have an images on your work/creation. Well, when it comes to TLS & If you know how to use TLS, then of course you knew the steps, like need a heat transfer paper and print an upside down/mirror images, then spread some TLS on your clay, then stick your paper image, bake it after baking, peel of the paper then you will have an image. But for DG, you don't need to print a mirror image. STEP 1: just print your chosen images. STEP 2: Cut your paper images STEP 3: Bake your clay first with the desired shape of your image STEP 4: Put or drop of DG on your clay then spread it well to stick the paper on your clay, then there you have it. but.. you're worry because paper will peel off when wet and it will looks like there's a paper on it. Do not worry, here's my second tips.

TRANSFER IMAGES again? - but worry to peel it off or looks like there's a paper on it. Here's the solution. TRANSFER IMAGES + LOOKS LIKE A GLASS TILE = Perfect. isn't it? How? Same as step #1. PRINT IMAGES & CUT, BAKE YOUR CLAY FIRST (with the desired shape of your image like square or tile). But the difference on the number 1 tips is this; MAKE YOUR PAPER IMAGES THINNER; - FIRST SOLUTION: STEP 1: Drop a DG on your print images (not on the back of your image), make it a little more drop then spread it gently without touching the images, How? Using your finger or any round small thing, or brushes (but not the hair brushes i mean the body of the brushes) or maybe use the tip of the bottled cover of DG. STEP 2: Wait to cure it about 3-7 minutes. STEP 3: After curing, on the back of the image, using your finger, put some water, then put it on the back of the image then gently scratch it to peel off the white paper. Be more careful when you scratch /peelin it off, don't scratch it too much. When you see the white paper is already peelin' off, means enough with the scratching and it's ready to use. 

STEP 4: Now, put some DG on the clay and spread it well, remember don't drop too much when sticking the images on the back so the ink will not spread too. STEP 5: Wait again to cure it, then there you have it, you have a thinner images on your clay. now you can coat it again if you want. - SECOND SOLUTION: If you are having a hard time doing the first solution, Here's what i am gonna share. NO need to scratch the back of your image paper. All you need to do is repeat the #1 Tips step of DG experimentation and we are gonna make a IMAGES + look like a GLASS TILE = Great Perfection. :)  STEP 1: Print your chosen image  STEP 2: Cut your paper image STEP 3: Bake your clay first with the desired shape of your image STEP 4: Put or drop some of DG on your clay then spread it well (no bubbles make it thinner) to stick the paper on your clay STEP 5: Then put your paper images right away STEP 6: Wait to cure STEP 7: After curing, put/drop DG on the center of the image (drop some more), gently spread it using your finger / any round tip material, of course Do not touch the images when you spreading the DG. Make sure it will look like a glass tile 

Here's a basic tips that you must know first. I am not so good on making video so please bear with it hehe.. :) I also want to make a video, as in a live vid tutorial, but sad to say my webcam is not working well. haiz.. so i just demo it with pictures.