Simple Instructions for Combining a Brain Cane with a Rose Cane
An Easy Skinner Blend Cane Project That's Perfect For Beginners:
Sometimes its fun to combine different cane project ideas into something completely new. That's what today's photo shows… a convoluted brain cane design mixed with the more traditional rose cane pattern. This 'Rose Brain Cane' is fun and simple to make, which makes it perfect for beginners.
Start by making a Skinner Blend that goes from Cadmium Red to Zinc Yellow. I used Premo Sculpey Clay for this project. Then lay this blend on top of a thin sheet of Black Clay.
Starting at the yellow end of your Skinner Blend strip, fold the clay back and forth on itself, and also wrap the folds on themselves to produce the effect shown in the photo above. Most brain cane designs have much more random patterns than what you see in my rose brain combination.
What's great about this cane, is how graphic and bold the colors are. It looks good large and unreduced as it is in the photo above at about 1 1/2" across. But because of it simple contrasting design, it also looks good tiny even right down to a Fimo Nail Art size of 1/4".
I would also look great and have a completely different look, if you used softer, less contrasting colors… such as a Soft Pink and Coral combination… or a White and Baby Blue.
So what do you think? Is this a cane you could see yourself using in future bead making projects? Let me know in a comment below!
Filed Under: 07: Cane Work by Comment. 
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Comments on Simple Instructions for Combining a Brain Cane with a Rose Cane
9:15 am
Well, as usual my cane looks nothing like it's supposed to, but in this case I like it anyway. I used turquoise and white as the Skinner and red as the thin layer. I made a copper Nunn pendant from it, baked it, then coated it with Kato Clear. I think it looks like copper enamel.
11:59 am
That is the great thing about handmade beads from polymer clay. It doesn't really matter what it was supposed to look like, only that it looks cool! It's art right?!
Your color combinations sound fabulous! And copper always looks good with polymer clay. I would love to see your creation Monique!
4:04 pm
Everything is real followable until "also wrap the folds on themselves to produce the effect shown in the photo above, to me this is not clear. I am assuming that once you have the Skinner blend strip accordian folded you then crease aat the light shade end and start curving the rest around. This probably doesn't make sense. Being a visual person words just don't make sense to me. I think I could do better with a video of this technique. Sure had fun thinking up colorways for this technique. Also loads of uses for it. Hope a video of this is in your future. Illaya
4:35 pm
I know, it is way harder to explain things in words than it is in video. I will be making this cane into a video if I get enough interest in it, Illaya so hopefully lots of others will ask for it too. It is a very fun cane and you're right, it does have a lot of uses!
7:00 pm
I am still hoping for the Raku Bead Video.
7:23 pm
Hi Cindy,
Would like to see video for both this and the Raku (which was a feast to the eyes) methods. Might I suggest a detailed video on reducing large canes to small without losing detail? Have read how but really need to see "live" demo of at least a couple of methods.
Thanks.
MJ
8:49 am
@Anna: That's great to hear you want to learn how to do the raku technique! I am trying to get the videos done for that as soon as I can.
@MJ: Nice to hear from you again! I will get to both of these techniques soon. As far as a reducing larger cane video, that is a great idea… I'll add it to the list.
8:06 pm
I HAVE MADE THE BRAIN CANE BEFORE USING DIFFERENT COLORS AND THE BRAIN CANE IS ABSOLUTELY BEEEAUTIFUL IN METALLIC COLORS. I LOVE THE COLORS YOU HAVE USED TOO. LYNN WATTS
4:27 pm
Wow! Metallic clays sound like they would make a very pretty brain cane!
8:42 pm
Yes Cindy I'm all the way back to Feb…. When my life took a dramatic turn.. Trying to play catch up again. Love the red cane.It looks exotic. If you cut it thin earrings would be awesome! Hope you see this comment. I know it's late but as they say "better late than never"!
7:04 pm
Hi Mary Ellen, It's not late at all to be posting here! In fact it keeps the posts active which I love!
I hope that everything is alright with you. You worried me a bit when you said "your life took a dramatic turn".
Glad you like the cane. I think it would make a beautiful pair of earrings! Could maybe be baked on a light bulb to give it a lovely cup shape if you wanted to. I wrote about how to do that once. Click the link by my name if you want to read the article.
Take care. Hope to hear lots from you, now that you are back!