Comments on: Polymer Clay Tutorial | Alcohol Ink Effects on Crackled Gold Leaf

By: carolyn

carolyn — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:58:38 +0000

@Ken H.: Ken, This is exactly what I did after my rollers got 'stuff' all over them. Only rubbing alcohol would clean the rollers. I didn't want to have to do that again, so I did the parchment paper thing – hadn't read your idea yet – great minds and all that! This worked really well.

By: Cindy Lietz@Sanding Polymer Clay

Cindy Lietz@Sanding Polymer Clay — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:15:53 +0000

Oh sorry Ifama, I meant 'sand it thinner' not 'stand it thinner. Silly me!

By: Cindy Lietz@Basic Leaf Cane

Cindy Lietz@Basic Leaf Cane — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:14:08 +0000

Hi Ifama.

We'll get this figured out. First of all, don't use liquid leaf with this technique. It will not work. Second, make sure to let the ink dry before trying to crackle it. Next if the leaf and ink is sticking to your rollers, put it between two sheets of parchment before running through the pasta machine.

As far as getting the translucent thin enough, are you using a sheet of card stock like it shows in the video? That will be important to getting the translucent as thin as you want it. Don't forget, you can still stand it thinner after baking so that should help.

Try those things and let me know how it goes. Good luck!

By: Ifama

Ifama — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:32:18 +0000

Hi Cindy,
You know I am a beginner but I tried to do the crackled pieces. I just couldn't get the trans thin enough and I think I used to much ink, LOL. Still, I think the set i did looks okay, for the first time. However, the problem I have is that when I baked them using the sandwich method (or any method for that matter) my pieces come out of the toaster oven rubbery. I use a thermometer and the oven has one too. I am using Premo. How do I get them to be hard? And I discovered that liquid leaf does not crackle (or I didn't do something right, again, LOL), thank God I used my acrylic roller instead of my pasta machine, I took note from when I used the regular gold leave and it stuck to the rollers, LOL. Thanks so much for your time.

By: Cindy Lietz@Polymer Clay Techniques

Cindy Lietz@Polymer Clay Techniques — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:40:55 +0000

**PHOTOS ADDED: More project pictures have been added to a Spotlight Feature showcasing Kriss Johnson, a member who is very much appreciated here at this supportive polymer clay community. Click on the "Polymer Clay Techniques" link by my name to have a look.

By: Cindy@Crackled Gold Leaf Polymer Clay Techniques

Cindy@Crackled Gold Leaf Polymer Clay Techniques — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:24:43 +0000

**PHOTO ADDED: A project picture has just been added to a Spotlight Feature showcasing Silverleaf, a member who is very much appreciated here at this supportive polymer clay community. Click on the "Crackled Gold Leaf Polymer Clay Techniques" link by my name to have a look.

By: nancy reddick

nancy reddick — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:02:57 +0000

Cindy you are amazing… thank you for replying back. I did use Premo.. I will try the leaching technique… I do use the technique you talked about when sanding a piece… I will try this again… thanks again… Nancy

By: Cindy Lietz@Sanding Polymer Clay Beads

Cindy Lietz@Sanding Polymer Clay Beads — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:50:50 +0000

Oh Nancy, that sounds frustrating! Maybe I can help…

First of all, which brand of translucent did you use? The fact that it was super sticky sounds like you may have used Sculpey III. I used Premo in the video which is usually much firmer than that. Fimo or Kato will work as well, just don't use Sculpey III it is too sticky and is also not as translucent when baked.

Next, if it was one of the brands I recommend, than the clay may need to be leached out a bit by putting it between two sheets of office paper and running through the pasta machine. The clay will stick to the paper and you will have to scrape it off, but it will absorb some of the extra plasticizer and make it less sticky. You will see an oily spot on the paper if you are removing it properly.

Next, are you making sure the translucent sheet is thin enough? Follow the steps using the card stock and parchment paper. As far as using cornstarch on the translucent, the problem with that is that then the sheet won't stick to the base clay with the crackle. Also any air pockets between the translucent and the crackled clay will look whitish and opaque.

Next, are you sanding the piece through several grits of wet/dry sandpaper? You should be starting at 400 grit, then 600, 800, and 1200 then onto buffing, to get a nice shine. To get that glitz, you're talking about, you will probably need to coat with Future Floor finish or Studio by Sculpey Glaze.

I put a link by my name that will take you to a post about proper sanding, if you haven't read that yet.

I hope this helps. Don't give up. Once you learn more about the clay and how it behaves you will find you have lots of successes. If you need any more help, don't hesitate to ask.

By: nancy reddick

nancy reddick — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:38:37 +0000

Well I had to add my 2 cents worth. I was so excited after the video… got all my things together and away I went. Cindy you make this look so easy girl…(lol) Well the translucent clay stuck to everything ( total disaster). When I finally got to the black clay, foil and ink… I was so excited… it was beautiful ( high hopes) I was talking on the phone to mom, and was telling her how beautiful this was turning out, ( she told me later she almost jumped in her car to come over and see what I was talking about). Well added the translucent clay, cut out my pendants. Carefully placed it in my oven and waited… Oh was I ever disappointed when they were done… they were a blob of black and ghostly white clay… no shine no glitz… I sanded until 4:00am in the morning my fingers were raw… and still no sparkle and I had worked through the translucent and down to the black… but I will not give up… like the idea of using corn starch on the paper with the translucent… Yours were beautiful… but I'll keep trying… Thank you for the inspiration…
.

By: Cindy Lietz@Finishing Polymer Clay Beads with Future

Cindy Lietz@Finishing Polymer Clay Beads with Future — Thu, 21 May 2009 01:18:30 +0000

What a sweet, sweet thing you are Jocelyn! You made my day!