Polymer Clay Tutorial | How To Make a Veined Leaf Cane (2 Parts)
Vid #99-100: More Detailed Than Basic Leaf Canes But Still Easy For Beginners:
Making leaf canes is the theme of the month over at the Polymer Clay Members Library. Video 010-1 and 010-2 showed you how to make a basic leaf cane. And the next two videos 010-3 + 010-4 will show you step by step how to create a veined Leaf Cane. It's a little more complex, but still very easy for any beginner to master quickly.
The Basic Leaf Cane Tutorial started with a 2 color teardrop color blend. This blend was then used to created an accordion folded Skinner Blend Plug, which was then shaped and formed to make the cane. Short lengths of the simple cane were then combined to form a more complex leaf cane design… with multiple pieces.
Loved what you did with the multiple pieces. I had wondered how it was done. Thanks. ~Adrienne
I especially liked that you showed how to make a more complicated cane by using the simple one that you made. For some reason this idea seems to escape some beginners who think they can only use the cane in the original form. ~Jamie
To read more feedback about the Basic Leaf Cane Video and to see a preview clip, click here: Polymer Clay Tutorial – Basic Leaf Canes
In the upcoming Veined Leaf Cane Series, I will demonstrate how you can use a 3 colored teardrop blend to make a Skinner Blend Cane (similar to the Skinner Blend Plug but rolled instead of folded).
This Skinner Blend Cane is then sliced into three sections and sheets of black clay are added so that the cane takes on the look of a leaf with veins in it.
You will be able to use leaf canes in many different bead and jewelry making projects. They don't demand perfection as many other cane designs do.
Once you master the basic leaf cane and the veined leaf cane, you'll be ready to tackle some of the more complicated picture design canes I'll be demonstrating over the coming months.
Because it requires a fair number of steps to make polymer clay canes, this Veined Leaf Cane Tutorial will be a 2 part mini series… in the same way that the Basic Leaf Cane Tutorial was.
Part 1 of this two part veined leaf cane series will be posted in the Members Library later this week as Volume 010-03. And Part 2 will be posted next week as Volume 010-4.
But you can watch a preview clip right now if you like, by scrolling down on this page a bit. Or just click here to go straight to the preview video player.
More information about my Polymer Clay Tutor Library and how to become a member, is posted right below the preview video player on this page.
Here's That "Link Below" Referred To at End of the Video
>> Polymer Clay Tutorials <<
The full version of the "Veined Leaf Cane" preview video shown above, is available for purchase at my Polymer Clay Bead Making Videos Library in the Volume-010 Back Issue Package.
In the "Veined Leaf Cane" mini series, I walk you step by step through the process of making a leaf cane with diagonal veins running through it. Here are the specific topics included in Part 1 (Volume 010-3):
- Showing different styles of veined leaf canes and how you might use them with your beads.
- Transforming your teardrop blended sheet of a clay into a rolled up Skinner Blend cane.
- How to section the initial cane and add the first set of black diagonal veins.
Topics covered in Part 2 (Volume 010-4) of this two part mini series include:
- Adding the secondary veins; Plus an artistic core 'accent'; As well as the outer wrap.
- Reducing the cane with emphasis on how to minimize twisting and distortion.
- Final shaping of the cane into the characteristic shape of a leaf.
Filed Under: 07: Cane Work, 15: Promotions by Comment. 
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Comments on Polymer Clay Tutorial | How To Make a Veined Leaf Cane (2 Parts)
5:36 am
canes always mesmerize me! That leaf is beautiful!
5:32 pm
Thanks Lindsay! I think you are really going to like the technique once you see it in the video. Then you can mesmerize your friends!
4:18 am
Where's part 2??
7:58 pm
It will be coming next week Pat.
6:23 am
Nice job on this video. Really shows the student the process quite nicely. Looking forward to the next video.
2:18 pm
Thanks Adrienne! I think you'll like it!
11:54 pm
Hello Cindy! I had a problem this week that I wanted to ask you about. I made a leaf cane using the technique you showed us this last week, and it was awesome! I made it to make a very special necklace for my 3rd anniversary with my fiance. Well, long story short, the beads broke when I was trying to string them with jump rings!!! I couldn't believe it and it dissapointed me so much. I did two things differently on this cane then any of the others: I baked my beads at a slightly higher temp 300F (which is what the kato package says) and I also used 3 drops of clay softener on each 2 0z brick of polyclay because they were incredibly hard (but not partially cured) . Would you happen to know offhand if either of these would cause this problem? I truly appreciate your time and energy, and everything you put into your tutorials and website. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Karrah
10:28 am
And I forgot to mention that I baked the beads in a bed of cornstarch to keep them safe from scorching. Don't know if that is relevant to the situation or not.
6:40 pm
Hi Karrah, Sorry to hear your beads broke. :-(
As far as the reason they broke… It is usually the length of time the beads cure at the correct temp, that determines the strength.
The problem comes in with most ovens, especially toaster ovens, not holding their heat well. They heat up… cool down… heat up and cool down, the whole time they are baking.
The good thing is, unlike regular baking, polymer clay beads don't 'over bake'. They only get burned if the temperature is too high.
So, use a oven thermometer to make sure the temp is right, and then bake for twice as long, so you know they have baked properly. I always bake my Premo Sculpey beads at 265F for 1 hour.
The good news is that if you have any beads that didn't break, you can bake them again. Put them back in the cornstarch and bake for an hour at the right temp for your clay.
Also a little tip on drilling holes for jump rings… don't drill them too small. If they are tight on the jump ring they will be more prone to putting pressure directly on the hole, possibly causing it to break. Also, don't put the hole too close to the edge for the same reason.
I wouldn't worry about the diluent. It usually makes beads stronger since it adds plasticizer and I haven't had problems with baking in cornstarch either. Though I could suppose if you let your beads sit for an extended period of time in the cornstarch before baking them, it could leach out some of the plasticizers and make it weaker, but I'm not sure about that.
Hope the next batch bakes up better for you. For more on baking, click the link by my name.
10:28 am
I have a question about putting sculpey111 on bic round stick ink pens.
About 1 out of every 10 ink pens will begin to leak ink. Do you have any knowledge in that area. Is there a trick to prevent that from happening.
Thank you for your time.
12:38 pm
Are you baking the pens with the ink inside, Angela? Also, if you aren't your may need to drill a tiny hole in the pen so air can escape. It might be air pressure that is forcing the ink out.
3:34 pm
Thank you so much for your reply. I am not baking the pens with ink inside.
Ok drill a hole in the ink pen white cartridge before I put my clay on it and bake or after I put the clay on it and drill thru the clay also.
So confusing. But I love to make clay ink pens and my kids do also. So this is something that I will continue to do for even my great grand kids, so I would really like to get to the bottom of why it happens. Thanks so much.
Angela
4:42 pm
Drill a little hole right through the baked clay and white plastic cartridge, so that the air can escape when you push the ink cartridge back inside the pen. That way it won't put air pressure on the ink and cause it to leak. I hope that is less confusing for you Angela.
7:09 am
Thank you so much. That clears up everything.
I've started something new with SculpeyIII, that's really fun. I take a portion of the white SculpeyIII 1lb block and condition in pasta machine and lay flat and stamp with rubber stamps and color (paint) with eye shadows. It is a real fun process and the kids love coloring with eye shadows and the sparkles (glitter) eye shadows are the best. Usually I take my rectangle cut piece of stamped and colored clay and mount on a painted vegetable or soup can, then I make a ink pen to match. I can send you a pic if you would like.
Lots of fun.
Thanks
Angela Lynch
7:21 am
Angela – I'd love to see pics of your rubber stamped Sculpey and matching polymer clay pen designs. You have me email address which you can use to send me the photos as attachments. In your email please write up a description of your work and let me know if you want me to post work work here at the blog. Talk soon…