Video #720: These beautiful powders will take on different looks depending on the background color they are brushed onto.
In this video I am going to talk about how Jacquard Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments can be used as a surface treatment for Polymer Clay.
In a previous video I had showcased an acrylic organizer by Melody Susie, where the middle drawer was filled with Pearl Ex Powders. So I figured that now would be a good time to talk more bout those beautiful powders… specifically about how the different colors look on samples of both white and black polymer clay.
A viewer who saw how I stored the Pearl Ex containers in the previous video, had a great tip I’d like to pass along. She said to turn your Pearl Ex containers upside down so that the colors are more visible at a glance. Seeing all of my 24 jars of sparkly colored powders in the clear acrylic drawer looks very pretty and makes me happy.
I have only two of the sets of Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments made by Jacquard – Series 2 and Series 3. I’ve listed all of the colors from all of the Pearl Ex series, with links to where you can find them on Amazon, just below the video lower down on this page.
The square cutout clay samples that you’ll see in the video, were made by butting two sheets of polymer clay up next to each other, one white one black. Then, right where the two sheets met each other, I used a square cutter on the diagonal, to create the black and and white clay chips.
Each black and white polymer square was rubbed with one color of the Pearl Ex powder and baked… to show you how the same powder will look different on a light vs a dark surface.
Pearl Ex powders will bond very well to raw polymer clay and will be permanent when baked.
Although the baked on powders are quite durable and tough to scratch off, they should be protected if your piece is going to be used in a high abrasion situation (like beads on a bracelet). You can use finishes like PYMII, Renaissance Wax, Golden Varnish or any other polymer clay safe finish you may have on hand. Perhaps the Pearl Ex Vanish will be good too, but I haven’t tested it yet.
If the piece is not going to be exposed to high wear (like a sculpture) than the Pearl Ex powder doesn’t need to be sealed or protected at all.
Pearl Ex can be mixed into liquid polymer clays, solid polymer clay, varnishes, gel mediums, paints and more. I’ll show you more about that in future videos.
- Related Video: Storing Craft Supplies in an Acrylic Cosmetic Organizer
- Related Article: Pearl Ex Powders And Polymer Clay Beads
- Related Article: Stenciling On Polymer Clay Using Pearl Ex Powder
- Related Video: Sealing Polymer Clay Best Practices
- Related Resource: Pearl Ex Series 2 On Amazon
658 Aztec Gold
661 Antique Copper
662 Antique Silver
682 Duo Green-Yellow
683 Bright Yellow
684 Flamingo Pink
685 Spring Green
686 Turquoise
687 True Blue
688 Misty Lavender
689 Blue Russet
690 Sparkling Copper
- Related Resource: Pearl Ex Series 3 On Amazon
640 Carbon Black
641 Pumpkin Orange
642 Salmon Pink
643 Pink Gold
644 Reflex Violet
645 Grey Lavender
646 Mink
665 Sunset Gold (also in Series 1)
692 Duo Green-Purple
- Related Resource: Pearl Ex Ser 1 On Amazon… I Don’t Have This Set Yet
650 Micropearl
652 Macropearl
654 Supper Russet
655 Super Copper
656 Brilliant Gold
657 Sparkle Gold
663 Silver
664 Super Bronze
665 Sunset Gold (also in Series 3)
673 Inference Violet
674 Inference Gold
680 Duo Red-Blue
- Related Resource: Pearl Ex 8 Set On Amazon… I Don’t Have This Set Yet
630 Citrine
631 Scarlet
632 Magenta
633 Shimmer Violet
634 Sapphire Blue
635 Apple Green
636 Emerald
637 Dark Brown
- Related Resource: Pearl Ex 32 Set On Amazon… I Don’t Have This Set Yet
658 Aztec Gold
670 Interference Red
683 Bright Yellow
651 Pearl White
659 Antique Gold
671 Interference Blue
684 Flamingo Pink
652 Macropearl
660 Antique Bronze
672 Interference Green
685 Spring Green
653 Red Russet
661 Antique Copper
673 Interference Violet
686 Turquoise
654 Super Russet
662 Antique Silver
674 Interference Gold
687 True Blue
655 Super Copper
663 Silver
680 Duo Red-Blue
688 Misty Lavender
656 Brilliant Gold
664 Super Bronze
692 Duo Green-Purple
689 Blue Russet
657 Sparkle Gold
665 Sunset Gold
693 Duo Violet-Brass
691 Solar Gold
Do you have any suggestions for videos on tips, techniques or products you would like to learn more about? Let me know in the comments section below!
My goal is to help you to learn 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… Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments On Polymer Clay … the Subscribe Button is right near the top of that YouTube page.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
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Cindy, years ago I became interested in making my own makeup. I found a website, TKB Trading that has tons of glitters and mica powders, including the color shifting interference colors, at prices that can’t be beat. I have a lot of the Pearlex and Perfect Pearls colors, and the mica powders from TKB are just as good. You can even buy 6 gram sample sizes – all the ones I looked at were under $2. That’s a fairly generous amount and will last quite awhile. The powders come in zip lock baggies but they also sell containers at terrific prices.
The year you made the video for the poinsettias I made at least 80 of them, a lot in white or pearl. My son and I decorated them with a lot of different mica colors from Pearlex, Perfect Pearls and the TKB micas. I didn’t seal them with anything and the few I have left have all held their colors so I know the ones from TKB are just as good. And they can do double duty for women – keep some out for eye shadows and use the rest for claying! :)
Thanks for sharing your resource information Tanya! I’ll have to look into that.
Hi Cindy, I want to thank you for showing us the difference between black and white with Pearl-ex. I would never have thought of using it on black, but the results were quite beautiful. I’ve had two packs of Pearl-ex (same two as you I think) for over 10 years. I never knew how to use them really, so never got around to it. But I will now!
You are more than welcome Marion! You should get those Pearl Ex powders out and start playing with them! I have down a few tutorials using the Pearl Ex powders. Just use the search box at the top of the page to find them. They should keep you busy for awhile!
Thanks Cindy. Checked your search box and there’s plenty to keep me busy!
Marion
Cindy, Something people might like to know is that if they get too much mica powder on their clay it can be removed with sticky tape.
Great tip Sharon! You are very correct. Thanks for reminding everyone!
Hi Cindy, I do have a few jars of Pearl-Ex powders. I bought the same series a few years back but didn’t realize they had so many colors. I can see right now I am going to have to go to Amazon and get that 32 pack. Question; If I click on your link and put the item in my wish list and then purchase it later, do you still get a residual from Amazon? or do I have to purchase it right away and put it in my cart? A lot of times I will put it in my wish list until I have enough money or a $35 total for free shipping.
Hi Dixie Ann,
I can address your question.
Amazon only places a short 24 hour “window of opportunity” for us to be able to earn a commission from your purchases. In other words, as long as you complete your order within 24 hours of placing the item(s) in your wish list or shopping cart, then we would benefit.
However, there is a way to extend this window. At any point down the road when you are ready to do some more Amazon shopping or browsing, simple click through to the Amazon site from any Amazon link out our site(s), and this should “re-set” your 24 hour clock back to zero. So… as long as you buy your stuff within the “new” 24 hour period, then your purchases during this new session will get credited to our referral link.
I think the only exception to what I said above is if you already have a “24 hour” timer going from clicking through to Amazon from someone else’s web site. Then they would get the credit. Hopefully that all makes sense.
Thanks for thinking of us like this. Everything helps :-)
Oh Cool, thanks Doug. So when I get ready I will come back here and click on the link and purchase it right away. Once I do, I will delete it from my wish list. That is so doable.
Love your videos! I would love to see some more videos showing the uses for PearlEx powders. I got the 32 set for Christmas. Keep up the great work!
Hi Eden, I will do some more Pearl Ex videos in the future. Thanks for commenting!
Well, you’ve done it again, Cindy!! I have been using the Pearl Ex powders on polymer clay for a couple of years, since I found them at Michaels and fell IN LOVE with the bling power of them! But I forget from one time to the next how the various colours look on different colours of clay. I can’t believe, with my compulsion to make sample chips of recipe results, that I never thought to make chips with the Pearl Ex powders as well! And I really like the idea of the black and white side by side. More samples to store and play with and mix up to see what looks nice together. :)
Glad to have inspired you to play some more making color chips Doreen! Have fun!
I mixed Pearl Ex powder to my polymer clay but the beads exploded in the oven. I saw a DIY bead tutorial and I thought they used the Pearl Ex they did say they were using Mica powders. Are the the same? I love your Your Tube tutorials I don’t think there is any subject that you do not cover. Thanks
Hi Carolyn, what do you mean exploded in the oven. I have never heard of that happening!
When they were done baking it looked like the middle forced out. The surface of the beads were pocked with holes – looked like the moon. I used Sculpey clay. Darn I tossed them all I should have taken pictures. If I have this problem again I’ll send you photos. Thanks so much for responding. I’m just starting and have so much to learn about clay.
Hi.
I love these colours! Do you know if they happen to be suitable for use with cosmetics/nail polish?
Thank you.
Hi Nikki, that I am not sure. Probably the best place to find out would be the Jacquard website. Tanya L. in a comment above talks about using pigments for cosmetics, maybe you should check out her resource suggestion? Good luck!