Video #360: So many colors to work with… Red Tulip, Damson, German Silver and many more.
Topics Covered In This Video:
- Explanation of what Gilder’s Paste is and what it is used for.
- How to open the tin container. Not all of them are labeled like they should be.
- Samples of the different colors I have and how I use them on my polymer clay projects several of which were from past tutorials:
– Large Calla Lily Pendant and Stick Pin.
– Etched Polymer Clay (technique used on inside of both calla lily projects).
– Rubber Stamped Faux Tooled Leather.
– Embossed Metal Charms.
– String Beads (Texture, Texture, Texture Tutorial).
– Faux Bone - Different colors of Gilder’s Paste rubbed onto both Black and White baked samples to show how they look on dark and light clays. Colors shown include:
– Patina
– Red Tulip
– Damson
– Sandalwood
– Black
– German Silver - Buffed section of color swatches to show the comparison in color and shine.
- Quick demo on how to apply Gilder’s Paste to Polymer Clay.
- Tips for easy clean-up and removal of excess paste on projects and hands.
Question of the Day:
Have you ever tried Gilder’s Paste on polymer clay before?
I look forward to hearing from you.
By the way, if you have a polymer clay question or challenge you’d like me to address in an upcoming video vlog, do post it in the comments below. I’d love to help you find quicker and easier ways to bring up the professionalism in your polymer clay art.
Oh and don’t forget to give these videos a Thumbs Up click at YouTube if you are enjoying them. The more Likes a video gets, the higher it rises in the searches. And that means even more people will be able to join in on this polymer clay journey of a lifetime.
Also, by subscribing to our YouTube Channel directly, you will receive notifications as soon as new videos are uploaded. To subscribe, click here… Gilders Paste Color Finishes For Polymer Clay. The Subscribe Button is right near the top of that YouTube page.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
  |
Great timing with this video, Cindy! I haven’t tried Gilders Paste yet, but it’s worked its way to near the top of my shopping list and I was planning on getting some soon.
Have you tried it on raw clay as well? I’m curious about what effects might be possible, and also whether there’s any difference in how permanent the finish is.
No Sue I haven’t tried Gilder’s Paste on raw polymer clay yet. Will have to try that. I am thinking it might not work so great since it is so waxy and oily before it dries, but you never know until you try it right? So many experiments… so little time! lol
Great technique! I have bought some Gilders Paste but have not used them yet.
Hi Cindy great tutorial, as always. I have purchase different colours of guilders? paste in hopes of doing some cool stuff, but so much to play with and … I am all over the map with my creative endeavors, I must start organizing my thoughts and plans, lol. You are such a treasure of inspiration. I think all polymer clayers should join your site, you are amazing.
Thank you Melodie! You have made this rainy day, sunny for me!
I’ve never tried it, but now I think? I’m hooked! Thank you.
Cool! I think you are going to love it!
I bought gilders paste last year at the Gem and Mineral Show, it works great on polymer clay.
I have tried only the virdigris and you video completed the info I needed. Thank you!
I’ve used it, Cindy. I have only three or four Metal-type colors, but am now interested in having some of the other colors, thanks to this video!
Hi Cindy, have used Gilders Paste for almost a year now and really like it especially for the antique look. It doesn’t work well on unbaked clay after experimenting with it but just about everything else. I really recommend wearing some rubber gloves when using it though as it takes a lot of scrubbing to get it off the hands. Some of my colors cracked and got really dry so I added a few drops of paint thinner and let them set overnight. Once mixed in it’s back like new again. Besides using alcohol to remove the waxy color, I found good old Lava Soap to work best on cleanup. I purchased 7 color choices, many of them the same as yours. I would have to say the German Silver is one of my favorites.
Thanks for letting us know about your experiments with Gilders paste on raw clay Dixie Ann! I thought it may not work. Will still try it myself, but no big rush now that I know it doesn’t do well. Thanks for adding your tips. That’s great!
Hi, Dixie Ann!
Thanks for the paint thinner tip. Mine came cracked but I had no problem as they were fresh when I used the German Silver. Maybe they got cracked from the trauma of UPS shipping? LOL I agree, the German Silver is gorgeous. I didn’t think to try it on unbaked as it didn’t seem to me that it would work. So thanks for doing it and verifying that.
Your welcome Andrea, some of mine came cracked too but were very easy to use. Only when they dried out to the point where I could barely get any on my cloth did I take action and add the paint thinner as a last resort. Now I keep each can in a sealed plastic bag along with the rag I use and it seems to help alot.
Hi Dixie Ann,
What kind of paint thinner did you use on your Gilders Paste? There are a whole heap of different solvents/thinners for different types of paint…
I got quite a variety of colours, and there’s a lot of variation in the consistency and also in how they cover things. That doesn’t seem to be related to consistency, interestingly, as I’ve had both really dry and quite soft colours that I could apply pretty well any way I liked, and I’ve also had really dry and quite soft colours that had to be patted on for decent coverage. Fun to play with though, and the metallics are lovely!
Anyway, a few of my colours are too dry for really convenient use so I’d like to reconstitute them.
By the way, Viva Decor’s Inka-Gold pastes have a similar feel if you like Gilders Paste but want different colours. They have some lovely vivid pearlescents, and their metallics are great too. (Since the Gilders Paste colour German Silver has been mentioned frequently in this thread — and it’s one of my favourites too — the Inka-Gold colour Old Silver is very close, just a bit lighter and very slightly yellower.)
Hi Sue, I just used regular paint thinner I got at Lowes. It worked great. I got a couple of jars of Gilders that were really dry. I don’t think it makes any difference what brand you use. It says right on the jar to use a solvent. Inka Gold is a water based product so I only add water to them and let them set overnight. Next day I give them a good stir. I found if you take the inner seal out and leave it out, they dry out faster.
I’ve had Inka Gold now for over a year and used it again last night painted on black clay in the lava green, copper and indian yellow, cracked it and made some dome earrings. I think I like the Gilders better but who knows what might come along where I will use the Inka Gold again. Nice to have both.
I love Gilders Paste, some colours more than others. German Silver is definitely my favourite of the ones I’ve tried.
I have never tried? Gilders Paste but I probably will in the near future. I have been doing a bit of stamping (very little in fact). Do you have any tips on what kind of paint/media to use with stamping? And today I finally managed to make a lentil shaped bead with a bit of a swirl to it. Wohoo. I also improved tremendously with metalfoiling.
Hi Cecilia – there is tons of info her at the blog about rubber stamping and paints etc. Just type what you’re looking for into the search box at the? top of the page and you should be able to find what you need. BTW congrats on your success on rolling a lentil bead and your metal foiling. Feels good doesn’t it?
Awesome Cindy, I love this video on Gilders Paste!!! I have not ever used it but will definitely be buying lots of colors now!!! I really love the German Silver color =) Great Job Again Cindy!! =)
Have never tried it, but after watching how many uses there are I will now! Thank you for sharing this!
I love my gilders paste but couldn’t get any German Silver last time, so on my shopping list next .
I bought a whole heap of cheap picture frames before Christmas and some “kiddie” molds that looked very “Baroque”. I will make and bake the molds from PC. using scrap clay. Stick them on the frames, probably use red acrylic paint as a base then experiment with the GS when I can get some. Should look unusual.
Or will spray some frames gold using left over spray from Christmas, then use the tulip red to high lite them.
Working towards getting fit enough to do a two day craft event in June. Ordered a motor for my pasta machine (really need this) Get so much inspiration from your videos CINDY so I have pages of designs just waiting till I can to start claying again……………..cheers xx…………………………
Hi, Elaine!
You will love the German Silver when you get it. It gives so many different looks. On the red acrylic paint I am sure it will look smashing. And I can imagine the red will look great on the sprayed gold. You must be super excited to have gotten a motor. I never thought of it til I was working on a larger than usual sculpt the other day. Silly me…I never made one this large (which isn’t that large at all, really) and all of a sudden I was spending a lot of time sheeting clay. I thought “What the heck? This is a pain!”. I’ve always had the experience that I condition or sheet more than I ever need. This time…no way! So a motor may need to come to me, too. Have a wonderful, fabulous, profitable time at the craft event and tell us all about it!
Cheers back to you!
Thanks Andrea (love that name) my motor has been dispatched but not arrived yet. I usually get my DH to turn the handle of pasta machine so it was his suggestion to get a motor! Now going through my stash to see what I have to order. Living here in the UK it amazes me that most people think I paint the designs on my beads. I’ve yet to meet anyone local that uses PC or Silver clay, which is my other passion.
Just written a short story for a prize of £2000 plus a week at a writers retreat so wish me luck. There are other lesser prizes but I am aiming high. But as soon as my motor arrives I will be able to play again…cheers xx…….
Great demo, Cindy.
I am wondering does the Gilders Paste need to be sealed with anything to prevent it rubbing off? If it’s unsealed will it rub off on clothing/skin if used in jewelry?
I am a total newbie to PC and still learning :)
Thanks
Hi Karma K, I haven’t found any need to seal Gilder’s Paste, but I have heard of others that were worried about it rubbing off. One member had success sealing it with PYMII spray. Type pymii into the search box at the top of the page to learn more about that.
Hi Cindy,
Thank you for your reply, that is very helpful :) I really like the patina green one and the German silver is to die for. I like metals :)
Thanking you,
Karma
While checking some of my usual beading sources for ones who carry Gilders Paste I found some info on the Lima Beads page for it. They recommend letting it dry for at least 12 hours before buffing or sanding, which suggests though it feels dry fairly soon after applying it becomes more permanent over time. They also suggest using one of the sealers they carry for extra protection, but as they focus more on metals rather than clay I don’t know if their suggestion is good, or as necessary, for polymer clay.
That is sooo neat Cindy. PS cute cute hair do.
Hi, Cindy and All!
Bought the Gilder’s Paste a few months ago in the German Silver and Damson Plum. Used the German Silver on a couple experimental miniature serving platters and it looked beautiful. The dishes were mostly Premo translucent with a little pearl added in and I did some bas relief flowers and curly-ques around the edges. I was trying to get them to look like alabaster with gold leaf—something in my head kept saying Roman banquet (I wonder WHICH part of my head said THAT?). Anyway, the paste worked fabulously on the bas relief. However, on some of the flat parts of other dishes where I tried it, it rubbed off when buffed. I suspect I buffed too hard. It was harder to fix this of course, because the old paste would not blend very well with the new and I got pesky lines were they were fighting each other. So..I am wondering whether this needs to have a finish on it or not to keep it from coming of since it is obviously not absorbing INTO the clay, just laying on the surface? I had no chance to experiment further. Thanks for showing the red. I am definitely NOT a red person, except for SOME values, and this is definitely one of them! Wow! I know it’s the added gold that makes it for me—it always is (I guess I’m a bling girl). When I got them, I tried to open them up as you show (I am old enough to remember using shoe polish!) but had no such luck. Had to use the tip of a knife. Unsafe, of course, but that’s me all over. It worked and I just didn’t put the lid back on so tightly when I was done.
The first thing that came to my head when I saw you in the video was my mother teaching me how to cook when I was very little and her voice saying to me…”Roll up your long sleeves when you’re cooking or baking. That way they don’t get all messy and food stained!” And then…I realized it was a LAB JACKET you were wearing and it’s SUPPOSED to get stained and dirty! LOL I also agree your hair looks so much nicer short. And I always love your handmade tags. I am dreaming about getting one of those machines if I can justify it. I’ve never used one so it would be a new adventure.
Thanks for everything, as always, and love to the family!
Andrea, maybe the answer is to clean off the old finish with alcohol, then apply a new coating of gilders paste? Glad you mentioned your results, because I could sure see a lot of folks trying to reapply coatings over time, and those little imperfections between the old and new wax would drive me nuts.
i have not tried Gilders paste, but will be looking for it and give it a try… Thanks for all your great info…
Catherine
I love this! But a question…where do you buy this at? Thank you for any answers in advance.
A good Google search should bring up places where you can buy Gilder’s Paste Theresa. I have bought it at ArtBeads and FireMountainGems, but you can also buy it at Amazon
, Rings&Things, Rio Grande, PolymerClayExpress and a gazzilion other places. Do check prices since they seem to be all over the map.
Cindy u r the best!
My only time using gilder’s paste was at a class where we put the paste on a copper leaf. Right away it left scratch marks. One week later, I was able to rub the paste off the metal.?
Now that you have explained the product in more detail, I’m anxious to give it a try. Maybe I can order it at the same time I order the Renaissance Wax.
Thanks, Cindy
Hi Cindy, it’s me again. . . I watched Beadaholique’s tutorial on using Guilder’s Paste and they mention that they put three coats of clear acrylic sealer after applying the paste. Would you recommend this or could Renaissance Wax be used instead?
Hi Sylvia, Although I haven’t personally ran into any problems with the Gilders Paste rubbing off, I have heard of others that have. This would be where it differs from the Renaissance Wax (in addition to the color), which does not rub off. Ren Wax won’t work to seal the Gilders Paste unfortunately, it just lifts the paste off. Some of the other members have? had success with PYMII Spray for sealing Gilders Paste. You can do a search to learn more about that.
Hi Cindy, I’m trying my hand at polymer clay again. I can’t find PYMII anywhere. I understand that the company that makes it is not making it anymore. Is there any other product that will successfully seal Gilders Paste?
Hi Kristen, an excellent replacement for PYMII is Helmar Crystal Kote Matte. Here is my Amazon Affiliate Link to that product if you want to check it out.
Cindy, this is not available anymore and Amazon has no idea if it will ever be in stock. I tried ordering it several months ago and no success.
Thanks Dixie Ann for letting us know! That’s a shame… probably all the clayers bought it up after Ginger reviewed it as the only other “best option” for polymer clay? Perhaps a Google search will turn up another source for the stuff? I’ll keep my eyes peeled!
Glad you ran these tests Cindy because I have thought about purchasing some. Now I think this will be my next purchase. I’m excited to try this out thanks to you inspiring information here. Thanks so much, we all love anything that goes with polymer clay and you are a pro at that.
I only bought my guilders paste this Friday and needed more info, this has been perfect, thank you so much and to everyone else who has commented with tips!
I had made a “Raku” heart and rubbed in some African Bronze, I love it and I love using Guliders paste. Cant wait to try it on some charms too.
Thanks again. x
I purchased Guilder’s Paste about 4 months ago, and I absolutely love it! I have the German Silver, Patina, Bronse and Copper and use it to accent cracks and bumps, and it just makes things pop. It’s so much fun. I would not have known about except I have seen it in previous PCT videos. So, thanks Cindy!
I just bought some from the Synergy 3 event and tulip red and patina were the two I bought. By the way I am so glad I went and I met Kim from our group. There is a pic at my FB page of the two of us.
Thanks for this vid Cindy, it was very helpful on deciding wither to purchase this product. I’ve seen it at Bead shows but not demonstrated for PC. Thanks again
I’m jumping in a little late, but I have a question. Does anyone know if liquid polymer clay would make a good sealant for gilders paste? In other words, is it safe for the gilders paste to be heated after it’s applied?
Thank you! The videos are very illustrative and clear!
Hi EP! Just rewatched the video, and Cindy did not note if gilders paste held up in the oven. Being that it is wax-based, I am not sure it would. But, easy enough for you to run a test at home to see if you like the result.
As for sealing a wax finish, to do so kind of defeats the purpose of it as it’s own sealant and I think it would change the surface effect. But, if I were to try anything, I would recommend a couple quick coats of Preserve Your Memories II spray over the wax if you were concerned about skin contact rubbing it off.
The polyclay sealants are thick, and you would need to resand and refinish the piece after baking again to get enough translucency. Again, though, easy enough to test at home to see how you like it.
A quick google and I found this link talking about another brand of beeswax based gilders paste, they say it is safe in the oven!
gilderspaste.com/tips.htm
Please come back and share your results, as many of us would sure be interested in them. All best.
Thanks for the response!
My concern with putting the gilders paste in the oven is that it contains solvents that are potentially combustible. I don’t know if the beeswax ones have the same solvents or not? My feeling is that it’s probably safe at these relatively low temperatures, but the fumes might be more of an issue than fire. I’m reluctant to heat the gilders paste without knowing first if it’s safe. I didn’t notice anything in the link that says it’s safe in the oven?
And I don’t know if you’ve tried Kato Polyclay, but I’ve had a lot of success with it. It’s thin enough that I can brush it on in a thin layer, and after curing in the oven, I zap it with a heat gun and get a crystal clear, shiny coat. I actually have started using it regularly because the sanding/buffing of my pieces wasn’t the greatest thrill for me, and it kept me from finishing anything for a long time. I find that if I’m careful to make my pieces smooth before I bake, then minimal sanding is needed before applying the Kato Polyclay, and none is needed afterwards.
I just thought it might make a nice, smooth sealant for the gilders paste as well, as an alternative to other finishes. I like to try all kinds of things!
Thanks again! I’ll post a link with pictures of some of my work once they’re photographed if anyone is interested.
hi EP, try this link, it should be able to answer your questions in regard to Gilders Paste.
Thank you! Reading carefully, it seems to imply that it’s safe to heat gilders paste to “polymer clay curing” temperatures. Good to know. Gives me a little more confidence to continue with my experimenting!
EP, my apologies. I did search several links and found one that said it was safe in a low oven, but, apparently I chose the note the link here that had the most info. Easy enough to do one test, you could use the heat gun or move the toaster oven outside for the test if you are concerned about fumes. I’d be especially worried about fumes in the house if you had birds, they seem to be very sensitive.
Love Kato products, and have some of the liquid. Am so thrilled that you shared your method. Wow. Sounds like it works a treat if you can get it that clear and smooth.
We’d all love to see pics of the results, this paste finish is the new rage, and so beautiful. Also would love to see the effect that Kato Liquid gives as well. You can upload them at Cindy’s Facebook site.
Thanks!
Glad that the tip was helpful! I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a shiny finish. In my opinion, it’s better than the many varnishes/sealants that I’ve already tried.
I will post some images once I have the pieces strung and photographed!
Here is another area that I think a private discussion board could prove really helpful. Folks could go there and share pics or videos of work in progress with the paste, or someone like EP could give a short demo on how she covers her artwork with Kato liquid and then heat sets the finish, etc.
I’ve tried gilder’s paste- a metallic gold, but it’s so dry and? crumbly! It came right out of the package that way… maybe it’s just old. I’ll check out the brand you demo’d here. Thanks, your video tutorials are such a delight.
Hi Geaux, sometimes Gilder’s Paste can dry out and crack, but that is easily remedied by adding a few drops of paint thinner, turpentine or mineral spirits (be careful not to add too much or your paste will get runny). Just stir it up and smooth it out and you’re good to go.
Hello our Clayville California Polymer Clay Guild of Northern CA.received a wonderful donation of Gilders Paste tins for all attendees at our Polypalooza ’13 Retreat this summer in Reno. NV. Two of us have the same problem…. it rubs off the clay. The clay was cured at the proper temp… she uses Premo, I think and I use Fimo Classic. It’s rested for hours and also days…. I even tried baking it at 235 d., the Fimo Classic rec. temp, for 45 min…nothing worked. I am not using a texture sheet… as the tutes show, mine are smoothish surface medallion size Halloween characters. I want them to look the way it does on metal, applied in a rustic fashion. If nothing else works, I plan to use Magic Glaze or Magic Gloss… I have them on order plus the UV Lamp. Will this work…. and is this paste compatible with these resins?
Thank you for your time…
Marylu
Hi Marylu, when adding gilder’s paste to polymer clay, you need to take the excess paste off by buffing your piece after the paste is dry. If your piece will get excessive wear (like on a bracelet or the back of a pendant) then sealing it would be a good idea. Liquid clay works well. So does a spray called PYMII (do a search on this site for more info). I have not tried any of the UV Resins on Gilder’s Paste yet, so I can’t guarantee that t is compatible. If you do test the Magic Glos on Gilder’s Paste, let us know how it goes!
When do you use guilders paste and when do you use laytex paint for adding surface effects to polymer clay? I’m planning to do a large wall mosaic that will be framed and that will have stamped tesserae. I want the impressions to be black and was wondering if laytex paint was a good choice or if guilders paste would be better. Any advice?
Thanks!
Hi Christine, you really could use either product for your project… both would look great. If it is a large project though, you may find it easier and cheaper to use acrylic paint, over using the Gilder’s paste. Mixing it into an acrylic glazing liquid like the one from Golden, is a great option that makes it even easier to get into the crevices and remove from the top surface, with more open working time. But whatever you choose, they are both great options!
Cindy…how does this compare to Inkagold? I think I have every color of that but no gilders paste. I love the Inkagold and wonder if there is enough of a difference to warrant buying it. I am going to Rings n Things tomorrow and may pick up a can just to check it out.?
Hi Peg,
Another clayer here. :-) If you do a search in the search box on Cindy’s site, she has done some comparisons on Inkagold and Gilders paste and has some tips and info on the pros and cons.
I’m glad to hear that you’ve had success with the Inkagold brand….I have not. I LOVE the red color and used my finger to wipe it onto a piece I did, then came back a few months later to use that same red on something else and there was mold ALL over the inside of the container. I scraped it out thinking it wouldn’t grow back but it did. I’ve read that you’re not supposed to use bare fingers to dip into the paste as the moisture causes the mold? :-/ *sigh*
Hmm, that is strange… I haven’t noticed that on my inkagold. Will have to look into that.
Peg is right about there being some good info on each product here on the blog. I haven’t decided which I like best though I tend to pull out the Gilders paste more often. Maybe get one or two of each and see what you think?
Hi friends,
Does anyone ever have problems getting their gilders paste to stick? I am trying to apply it to the back of a piece and I can’t get it to appear smooth. I’ve had trouble in the past getting the paste to be permanent (can scrape it off with my finger sometimes, even when buffed really well), and when I emailed the company about it they said that the clay needs to have some “tooth” to it in order for it to stick.
So….I’ve sanded the back of my piece only with 320 grit (to get rough edges off so it would be smooth(er) to the skin) and have tried to put the paste on in different ways. I’ve used my bare finger, a gloved finger, and a paint brush. I’ve both dabbed it on and spread it on. I’ve applied it on the more dry side, the medium dry side, and more like a paint. I’ve let it dry in between applications and have buffed it each time before applying another one. It still doesn’t look even, however, and when I apply more it sometimes “grabs” what has already dried and pulls it leaving the clay underneath exposed completely. I know it won’t have a completely smooth texture like it would if I sanded it to 8000 grit and buffed it but it feels smooth enough to take the paste.
Anyone have any pointers for me? :-)
Hi Karen, thanks for your comments! I have recently done a test sample with some InkaGold put wet onto raw clay and then baked. The sample seems really tough so far but it needs to sit a while longer before I can be sure of the results. Have you tried baking yours to heat set it? It might help with the adhesion.
Thank Cindy, that’s good to know! The piece I was working on was a bracelet and the intended place for the paste was on the underside where the form is when it’s baking (I use thick clay and then break the form off, and sand the undersides smooth along with the top). So putting the paste on first wouldn’t have worked. I did get several layers of paste on one of my pieces and coated it with 4 thin layers of varathane (because my God, getting that paste on there was a lot of effort) but that didn’t seal it (as in I could still scape it off with my nail). I can’t recall if I used PYMII, but I finally just gave up on trying to achieve that particular effect.
Hi there- I have been a full-time polymer artist for 4 years now but recently began using gilders paste to highlight areas on my carved collections. Though it claims not to rub off I have found that after wearing my pieces I have lost much of the paste. What is the proper sealer to use with this medium? I don’t use any varnishes on my work as I don’t care for the yellow and sticky substance that forms after a year or so. Is Renassaince Wax a solution?
Hi Shannon, no unfortunately Renaissance Wax just removes Gilders Paste when you try and rub it onto it as a sealer. I believe some people use PYMII (type that into the search box to learn more) to seal Gilders Paste, but I haven’t gotten around to testing that yet. Whenever I have used GP I always just use it in recessed areas rather then raised areas, so the rubbing off is not an issue, but I really should do some more testing, since many people have asked the same question and I don’t have the best answer yet.
FYI:
Fire Mountain Gems has Gilders Paste 30% off today 06/03/15 and tomorrow 06/04/15. The sale price is $6.51 per container. US shipping is $5.00 flat rate. I’m not sure about the cost of shipping for Canada and other countries. Fire Mountain Gems has also expanded its line of polymer clay, molds and tools. Time to stock up!
Mari
How do find that this compares to Rub n Buff?
I haven’t tried Rub n Buff on polymer clay yet Vanessa. Maybe someone else here has?
Hey Cindy,
So I somehow am late to the party and just found out about Swellegant metal coating and the patinas that come with it. It looked like the greatest thing since sliced bread so I quickly ordered it and am in the PROCESS of making my first batch of clay with it. I see you have no product testing videos that I can see on it. But I would really like to know your personal thoughts on it. I haven’t finished the WHOLE PROCESS yet but from the get go, it seems to me to be A LOT of work and I’m not sure my results are going to be any better than if I had used guilders paste or acrylic paint. What do you think about the product? By the way I have been a member for years and depend on you as the utmost authority on P.C. Love you to pieces!
Hi Leah, thank you so much for your kind comments! I love you to pieces too! :) In regards to the Swellagant, I have yet to try it specifically, though I do have a similar patina product in my studio, so I am familiar with how they work. The Swellagant brand is being promoted by Christi Freisen who is a wonderful polymer clay artist and very well known in our community (which you probably already know) so as far as being a good, compatible product to use with polymer clay, I definitely trust her on that.
As far as testing it myself, I haven’t gotten around to asking Christi to send some samples for review. (Just so many plates spinning right now that I just haven’t gone ahead and contacted her, nor has she reached out to me yet. I suspect she too has a lot of spinning plates!!)
Anyway… I haven’t even gotten around to trying the brand that I already have here, on polymer clay. So there’s that.
Because I haven’t worked with it on polymer clay, I don’t really have much of an opinion on it yet, though because I trust Christi, I trust that the product is a good one for polymer clay.
So whether or not it is something you feel is worth adding to your pieces, that is going to be up to you. Do pass along your opinion of it though. I am curious as to what you think about it. And hopefully (when we get this darn website upgraded) I will get around to testing Swellagant officially! ;)
I am using gilder’s wax with Kato polymer clay. In one of your videos you mentioned sealing with PYM II. I have read that PCM is no longer manufactured for use in the USA. If I apply the guilders wax prior to baking, will it hold up over time? I will just be apply it to the surface, not mixing it with the polymer clay. If it needs to be sealed, what other spray is available? Thanks for your help.
Hi Cynthia, thank you for your question! Gilder’s Paste is a little tricky to seal because it is wax based and it either repels finishes or gets dissolved by it. PYMII worked well because it was in spray form so it didn’t smear it but it wasn’t water based so it didn’t bead up. Sadly now that it is no longer available, I don’t have a perfect answer for you right now because I need to do some more testing.
To be honest, I only use Gilder’s Paste in areas that don’t need to be sealed like the crevices of a textured piece or a light highlight along the edges of pieces because of this very issue. But if I needed to seal it and I didn’t have any PYMII I would first try Helmar Crystal Kote Matte spray (the gloss doesn’t stick as well as the matte), and then test a polyurethane in an airbrush or try out a UV Resin and see how it works with it.
The thing about polymer clay… especially now that there are so many different formulations of clay and so many varieties of products to combine it with, that it has become impossible to test every possible combination… though I do try. This Gilder’s Paste issue is yet another thing on the list to get testing. You’re not the only one to ask!