During our June meeting, Jerry Hunt and Peggy Davis did a demo on
Zentangles. Members were asked to bring white polymer clay, black
Micron pens, and if possible, a heat gun.
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| Zentangle inspired pendants (and a mixed media one!) by Eva Rosado |
Jerry also shared (during the August meeting) some of the zentangle pendants that Betty Wilkinson made. The instructions for making our own zentangle pendants were to condition the clay and cut them into your preferred shape. Smooth on cornstarch to each piece and place them in the oven to bake. After they have cooled, use a micron pen (with pigment ink) to draw your designs. Heat set with a heat gun on a ceramic tile, or put back into the oven for 5 minutes. Seal with fimo glaze. Julie Eakes has an interesting zentangle book out you may want to check out.
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| Micon pigment ink pen - used for drawing Zentangles |
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| Zentangles from Cathie Graeser and her grandkids |
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| Zentangle inspired pieces, by Betty Wilkinson |
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| Zentangle inspired pieces from Betty Wilkinson |
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| More Zentangle inspired pieces from Betty Wilkinson |
Besides all of the lovely Zentangles shared during the August meeting, members were also asked to bring Mold Maker or Bend n Bake clay and various stamps or textures. A few of us created texture sheets. Mold maker is more flexible after baking but Bend & Bake is also fun to make texture sheets with. Tejae likes to make hers thin enough to go through the pasta machine with a sheet of clay.
For my own texture sheets, I've used both Super Elasticlay (Mold Maker) as well as just plain scrap clay. If using regular clay, I just make sure to dust lightly with talcum powder so the clay impression will release easily. I've made texture sheets with rubber stamps...but I enjoy adding additional texture to really make it "my own." It is also fun to create your very own texture sheet using such tools as a ball stylus (they come in different sizes) and various pointy things such as bamboo skewers!
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| Barrettes made from texture sheets - by Jainnie Jenkins. The gold one was made from a texture sheet made with multiple rubber stamp impressions, then adding in little "dots" with a ball stylus. The blue one was made from a texture sheet (seen in the corner) made of dried alphabet pasta. (The top one was not made from a texture sheet.) |
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| Polymer clay pendant -- by Jainnie Jenkins. The background was made from polymer clay and silver leaf. The center was made from a texture plate. I used an oriental fan rubber stamp, impressed other flower beads, then added various lines around those impressions. The possibilities are endless! |
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| Polymer clay pendant by Jainnie Jenkins. This was made from an impression of a plastic texture sheet. After baking the textured clay, I added in liquid polymer clay for a cloisonné effect. |
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| Textured polymer clay beads by Jainnie Jenkins. These were made from texture sheets and/or rubber stamps. |
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| Textured beads by Jainnie Jenkins. These were made from a handmade texture sheet. I used a ball stylus and bamboo skewer to make all the designs. Then I baked it, dusted with talcum powder, and took clay impressions. Pearl Ex was rubbed over the top to highlight the texture design. |
We also gathered around the tv to view Nan Roche's "Special Techniques in polymer clay" video. An oldie but goodie!
At the end of the meeting Jerry collected our names on pieces of paper to do a drawing for a Donna Dewberry Sculpey texture sheet. Bev drew Tejae's name! :)
See you at the next meeting!
