It Appears To Soak Right In, Rather Than Just Form a Coating:
Included with my recent shipment of Studio Sculpey Clay, was a bottle of their Glossy Glaze product, as well as some of the Studio by Sculpey Satin Glaze too.
I’ve been dying to compare these finishes to the Future Floor Polish, which I normally recommend.
I must say I really like them a lot! Both the Satin and the Gloss are thin and smooth and remind me very much of the expensive varnish I use on the Acrylic canvas paintings I do when I’m not working with polymer clay.
One neat thing about these glaze finishes is that you can apply them to both the baked clay, as well as raw. However, if you sand your pieces, it’s best to wait until after.
These Studio by Sculpey glazes are easy to apply with a brush or a Q-Tip. And once the glaze has dried for a half hour or so, you can pop your beads back into the oven to further harden.
This extra baking step creates an extra smooth finish. The glazes appear to soak right into the surface of the bead, unlike other cheap shellacs which just form a coating.
Both the Studio Gloss and Satin products go on milky and then become crystal clear when cured.
As with any glaze or varnish type product, it is important to stir them before use. But don’t shake the bottle. Shaking will trap bubbles that may end up showing on your finished beads. Brushes clean easily with water.
Although these Studio glazes are not nearly as economical to use as Future Floor Finish, they do go a long way. A 2oz bottle (.59ml) is priced at around four dollars.
Overall, these Studio by Sculpey glazes get a thumbs up from me. Anyone else tried them? What do you think?
I use Studio Glaze a lot, it’s really good coating. For me the good opportunity is also to apply it on the hot beads directly from oven. I do that in workshops when time is limited. Beads are drying very quickly and people could take them home, they are not sticky.
Hi Cindy,
Does this work with just the Sculpey Studio clays or with all PC? Are the methods and results the same?
MJ
Good Question MJ, I am curious about that too!
Cindy,
I cannot seem to find the Future Floor Polish in any stores here. But I have seen the Studio Glaze. Was wondering if you recommend the Glaze instead of Future (or are they equal) or is Future still the “better” option?
Thanks!
Jennifer
Jennifer, look for Pledge with Future Shine…it looks the same as the old Future (large clear bottle filled with clear liquid) but has a new name. Good luck. :-)
Check under the “Pledge” name it was renamed a short while ago.
Ohhhh, I see. Thanks Deborah and Ken!
As long as the Pledge/Future finish is less expensive I will continue to use it. I hardly notice a drop in level in the bottle of future, and I’ve been using it for over a year now. $4 for a 2oz bottle is a bit pricey. I’ve felt Mrs./Ms. Dewberry’s products were on the pricey side to start with (failed attempt to learn the “one stroke” painting technique).
Ken, it’s nice to know that I was not the only one who just couldn’t get her concept…my pictures NEVER looked like hers! lol I too am a huge fan of the Pledge/Future…it’s a great value!
It’s nice to know that I wasn’t the only one, I thought I was dumb or something, I brought the paint on guide cards, “her’ brushes, “her” paints thinking they might be made specially for the technique and her video cassette (now i’m dating myself) and STILL couldn’t get it. You’ve taken a great weight off of me today. Thanks Deborah :)
hehehe…nope you are most definitely not alone…I can go one better, in addition to buying all ‘her’ stuff I even video-taped episodes of her on PBS, cause I couldn’t afford to buy the videos! LOL I owned all ‘her’ stuff…the only things I have left are the brushes and the paint, and ain’t it grand to know I can use ’em with my polymer clay! :-D
@Larrisa: That is an excellent idea for those beads you don’t intend on sanding! The warm beads would dry very quickly. Great solution for classes!
@MJ: You can use the Studio by Sculpey Glazes on any brand of polymer clay. The methods and results will be the same.
@Jennifer: Like the others said, Future is now called Pledge with Future and I too have found it increasingly harder to find. (Maybe not so many people with floors that need to be waxed.) It is an extremely good value though at about $8 for 795ml. It is still an excellent product which I still recommend. However, I do find the Studio Glaze a little easier to use since it is very thin like water and so as long as you wipe off the drips, smooths on very nicely. Plus Future is only in high gloss, so if you want to get a satin finish you will need the Studio Glaze. Personally I like both products. If you see some Future, buy it while you can. If not don’t worry about it, get the Studio by Sculpey Glazes.
@Ken: The nice thing about Donna Dewberry is that she doesn’t put her name on stuff unless it is good quality, so even if you couldn’t get her teaching style, at least the products are good. One Stroke isn’t quite as easy as it looks. You don’t wave your arm like a wand and end up with a mural. It’s more a technique that needs lots of practice. (It’s all in how you hold the brush and the way you pres and lift it that makes it work.) It is a fast and beautiful technique once you get it tough and is a lot easier than many other painting techniques. I am positive that you and Deborah weren’t the only ones to find it hard. I had experience and found it quite tricky to figure out! :-)
@Deborah: Ditto everything I said to Ken and everyone above! You’re right about using the products with polymer clay! Isn’t it great how everything seems to work with pc? That’s what I love about it!!
Cindy, you are so right about Donna products…they ARE top notch…it was fun trying to get her technique…I got close, but thankfully found my niche in polymer clay! I love using her brushes…they are fantastic!
Thanks Cindy, I could not remember her first name to save my life. I didn’t need a mural, I’d have been very happy with a leaf or two. I wanted to learn it because I thought I could have used it when I did ceramics, I was never very good at doing shading and highlights, which is able to be done in PC with your teardrop blends. I have her blade set with the snap on handles, they are nice.
P.S.
Someday (read after retirement) when I have time, I’d like to try and learn the Bob Ross oil painting techniques.
Yeah that Bob Ross can do some nifty things with a brush! (Plus his name is cool, my grandpa’s name was Bob Ross!) It is always good to keep the brain busy with new techniques. That is really why I love polymer clay so much. My brain is always active thinking of new things to try with it!
It shows with all the innovative techniques and advances you come up with. I would love to take a pottery (as opposed to ceramics) class, but with only 24 hrs in a day and one third of them used for sleep, it’s not going to happen. Wait a minute thats eight hours spent with you eyes closed doing nothing, what a waste (sleep is for whimps anyway). ;o)
I love the Pledge/Future for coating my beads. I just stick my beads on a toothpick, dip them in the Future and then stick them in a styrofoam block to dry. Inexpensive, fast and easy. I do cure them in the oven after they dry though at very low heat, per Cindy’s recommendation.
I find Pledge/Future at Home Depot now. It is great if you ever refinish a no wax floor. You really need to make sure it is totally stripped and clean though before you put the stuff on or it will just trap the dirt under it.
Forgot to mention that this works really well for when you use the Pearl Ex powders as they do not bake on solid when you bake your beads so if you try to brush a coating on, you will spread the powder around to areas you don’t want it or mix the colors of the powder. So gently dipping them helps prevent a color catastrophe.
Here’s an Idea I thought of. Right now I use a strainer to hold the toothpicks after I coat the beads, the next time I’m at Michaels/ACMoore/Wal-mart I’m going to get (I think it’s called this) floral clay it’s green like the styrofoam but after your done you could re-knead it and get the holes from the toothpicks out
I like shiny things, so I mostly use Future, but some things I just want a satin finish. Studio glaze is good for that.
I have tried many coatings for the PC pendants I make, and I really like the Sculpey Glazes. The Satin is so nice! And they both go on so much easier than other things I’ve tried. And they seem to be the least ‘tacky’ when dry. The 2oz bottle really lasts a long time, so the $4 didn’t bother me too much.
I dearly love the Studio glazes and have used them on other polyform products (probably not reccommended but I did it any way) it seemed to work well. I haven’t tried it with any other brand though….anxious to see how it does with Prosculpt…the “sinking” quality may just give the right “glow” to some of my character dolls. Keep on clayin’!
Great tips Ken and Laurel!
I love the satin finish too Freda and Roseanne. Future is only high gloss, so if you want satin, the Studio Glaze is the way to go like you both said.
And Rita, I’m sure you can use the Studio Glaze on any of Polyform’s products. It is meant to use on polymer clay, so I can’t see a problem using it on the different lines of clay they carry. I’ve used it on Premo quite wonderfully!
Funny thing I had just picked up the Studio Glossy Glaze this week, I had been using an acrylic varnish to complete my projects… I also tried the Future this week. I wasn’t as pleased with the Future as I was with the sculpy glaze. I think this will be my glaze of choice from this point on… Thanks for all you do… Nancy
Laurel, I tried Future for the first time this week. How do you stop if form pooling and leaving a yellow glob( for lack of a better term)? Thanks, Nancy
Nancy:
I am pretty sure “yellow glob” is an accepted technical term in polymer clay work. :) To avoid the glob here are some tips:
After dipping in the Future. Gently shake off the bead a couple times. This works good for smaller beads.
If your beads are larger or for pendants, you will need to do the shake off right away and then again a couple minute later to shake off any Future that has pooled at the bottom of the bead and/or I sometimes come by and see a yellow glob developing at the bottom of my bead and I will gently touch the glob (not the bead) and it will stick to my finger instead of the bead.
Maybe some others have some better ideas they can share but this works well for me. I hope this helps.
.
@Laurel:
I have found if I put my beads on a wire, put the wax in a quart jar, bend the wire in the middle and dip it into the wax, it works good and fast. As far as yellow blobs, I use a small flat paint brush to wipe the excess off the bottom. I also came up with a fast and easy way to dry the beads. I bought a paint tray from Home Depot, Plastic one. I then took a heated knife and made small notches on each side, big enough for the ends of the wire to hang through. After I dip the beads and shake, I place the wire with beads on it across the paint tray and hook the ends of the wire in the koches I made. I do like to bend the ends of the wire so the weight of the beads doesn’t make the beads touch the plastic bottom. This also comes in handy for multi dipping. Just rebend in the middle, dip, straighten out the wire and hook it in each side of the paint tray. All the drip mess will dray in the paint tray and most of it you can peel off with your fingers. If you ever get too much built up wax in the P. Tray, just let it soak in warm water for a couple hours and scub off the softened wax.
Do you string them and separate them with a another different type of bead (like a seed bead) or do you string them all together? I realize this is REALLY old post, but I still am wondering. :D
I don’t know what Dyan did, but you could use a seperator bead if you like. I find it works quite well if you use a wire that fits in the hole quite tightly. That way they will sit on the wire in one place without sliding up and hitting the beadnext to it. They also don’t spin around on the wire, which is a total pain. Hope that helps!
@Nancy: I’m kinda leaning toward the Sculpey Glaze over the Future too, though Future is still an excellent product.
@Laurel: These are great tips if you are going to dip your beads! Thanks so much for sharing them with Nancy and the rest of us. That is very helpful!
I prefer to brush each bead separately with a Q-Tip rather than dipping them cause I find the drips difficult to avoid and the coating goes on a little too thick for my taste. If I were mass producing beads, I would probably thin the future down a bit and dip them to save time and labor though.
Here is an update I found a much larger strainer (approx. 7 or 8 inches in Dia.)as opposed to a 4in. at of all places, the dollar store, and an independent one at that. I brought two of them for when I’m glazing my beads with future. (I am soooooo a happy camper tonight) ;o)
Laurel, thank you for your post I will try this the next time, I use Future.
I’m a “dipper” too… triple actually…I put my pendants on toothpicks and dip them into a small bowl of Future. Then I stick them on a styrofoam block to dry. I use a small piece of paper towel to soak up the drips at the bottoms of the pendants where they meet with the toothpick. Then about 5-10 min later I dip again, and soak up the drips. The third and final coat comes about 1 hour later. Then I let them dry overnight and they’re done!
.
How does one remove a drip after the coating has dried? I coat the beads with my finger and then stick the toothpicks in a strainer, did this last night, went to bed, and discovered a run on one of the beads and am wondering if it can be smoothed down.
Like many of you I am also a “dipper”, using future to finish my beads. I have found an extra little trick to avoiding end “globs”. This trick was born out of necessity as I found that when I tried to dab away the globs I couldn’t get a smooth finish on the ends. I now do the following: using toothpicks I dip four or five beads at a time and place them in the stand (strainer, styrofoam, whatever is your choice). I then go back to the first one, place a toothpick in the other end (dipped in vaseline to assure easy removal later), turn it over, place it in the stand again and allow to dry. It seems that dipping four or five beads, then going back to the first allows time for just enough excess to run down the toothpick. Then when I turn them over, the remaining finish doesn’t run or glob on the ends. I then let them dry completely, remove the toothpicks and do a final cure in the oven. If for some reason I have turned too quickly and do get a second end glob I just repeat the process before the glob has a chance to set or dry. It’s a little more work but I like the finish I am able to achieve. Just thought I would throw the idea out there for anyone who might benefit (and I had a chance to write using the word “glob” a whole bunch of times). Elizabeth
I am a newby and have very limited funds. Can some kind soul out there in bead land tell me how they sand there beads without a tumbler and how much time do you really need in the oven at 230* do you always need to bake them again after they are polished with glaze or future?
Paula Z:
I don’t re-bake after I put the Future on, but I do allow a full 8 hrs between coats and before I remove the toothpicks and string. Hope this helps.
Oh beaders, it’s me again. Where is the best place to buy and the easiest clay to work with. I have sculpey studio and fimo ( is is hard as a rock), are there softer and easier ones to condition? Can you buy it in bulk to save money?
Thanks so much for the info. Hope to talk with you again
The only thing that I know of is every so often Michaels has a sale at 4 2oz blocks for $5, some folks have been able to score a good hord of clay from ebay but I’ve no been able to find any of this myself. The best thing I can say is to watch for the craft store sales.
thanks again. have a good one
For the “blob” people: I found the best way to get rid of the blobs was to take a small liner paint brush and just go over it when I am finished with the first coat. Then when I put on the second coat, I turn the bead on the opposite side and wipe the drip again. It only takes a little while to check and make sure you have it all before leaving them to dry.
@Ken: Great tips for using the strainer! To remove drips after they have dried, you can use rubbing alcohol, acetone or sand them off.
@Maria and Elizabeth: Great tips from you two as well!
@Paula: Click the link buy my name on how to set up an inexpensive sanding kit. Ken’s right about waiting for a sale or using a 40% off coupon at Michaels or Joannes. It’s the cheapest.
@Klay Kisses: Excellent pointers! Thanks for passing them along!
The only problem I have with putting my beads on toothpicks, dipping them and then sticking them in the styrofoam to dry is when the grandkids come over they think they are really cool lollipops and want to eat them. LOL
Cindy, I hadn’t been brave enough to use the Studio Glaze yet but after your post here and the faux raku video I did. And I love it!!! It goes on thin enough that it doesn’t look plasticy, it just gives a nice shine. I will be using a lot of this from now on. Thanks for the tip!!!
@Laurel: That would be a problem!! LOL
@Carrie: Glad I could help! The Studio Glaze is perfect for protecting the finish on the faux raku beads. They sure look pretty don’t they!
I have some questions about the Studio glazes and sent an email to Polyform. This is the email I sent:
HI,
> I am having trouble finding much information on the Studio by Sculpey glazes.
> Does it have UV protection?
> Will it yellow with time?
> How many coats do you apply? what is optimal for protection?
> Can it be sanded?
> How can you remove it?
> Some say it seems to sink into the surface of the clay. What does this mean? Does it bond with the surface?
> Is it advisable to bake or heat set when used on cured clay?
> Why is it so expensive?
No answer yet.
I had some beads that the Varathane varnish had peeled in very damp weather, so I sanded them and then applied the Studio glossy glaze. They were extremely shiny after the Studio glaze over the Varathane but not as shiny where the Varathane was missing. I applied more Studio to those spots and they were turned out just as shiny as the rest of the bead. Are you using 2 coats of Studio glaze when you use it?
Thanks for such a great blog. You are my best resource for my questions. I frequently look up things from older posts to see if you have already answered my question. What an angel you are for doing all this work so the rest of us won’t have to?
.
Hi Cindy,
Here is the reply from Polyform. She did a pretty good job answering. It is good to have a little direction for the product i.e. how to apply, use a brush, how to remove, etc., which is lacking on the product. I haven’t tried to apply it to unbaked clay yet. Have you?
Bette
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Response from Polyform
———————————————–
Dear Bette,
Thank you for contacting Polyform Products Company and let me apologize for the length of time it has taken me to answer your questions. I will answer them in the order in which you asked them.
Does it have UV protection?
>> No it does not have UV protection. If you plan on using it outside, your project should be placed in a protected area.
[I guess nobody wears their jewelry outside so no UV protection is needed.]
Will it yellow with time?
>> No it will not yellow over time.
How many coats do you apply? what is optimal for protection?
>> One or two coats, applied with a brush allowing the coats to dry in-between applications should do the job.
Can it be sanded?
>> Why would you want to sand it?
[I would want to sand if I got a puddle or drip etc. by accident.]
How can you remove it?
>> It can be removed by using nail polish remover (acetone).
Some say it seems to sink into the surface of the clay. What does this mean? Does it bond with the surface?
>> The glaze is very thin and provides a thin coating of glaze on the surface. The glaze does not show a raised effect like some other thicker glazes do. I think this is what you mean by “sink into the surface?”
Is it advisable to bake or heat set when used on cured clay?
>> This product can be used either before baking or after. The choice is yours.
Why is it so expensive?
>> First of all, we are selling a larger volume bottle (2 oz. vs. 1.2 oz for our former Sculpey Glaze), that’s 2/3 more product in the bottle. Secondly, this formula is by far the BEST glaze on the market. Other products are fairly volatile, often peeling or cracking if not put on perfectly or too thick, etc. We have compared everything available on the market and everyone that has tested this glaze believes it is far superior to anything available.
I hope this answers your questions, Bette. If there is anything else I can help you with, please contact me again.
Regards,
Patricia L. Colella
Polyform Products Company
First of all I want to thank you Bette for including this site in your research process. The information you were able to acquire is very valuable and helpful for every one here.
Also I think it was wonderful that Polyform put in the effort to answer your questions as they did. They are a very large company and I know they must be inundated with requests for information. As a small company myself I sometimes find it very overwhelming to reply to all the questions I get, so their level of response is very impressive!
As far as the two questions you had for me…
Q: Are you using 2 coats of Studio glaze when you use it?
A: I put on a second coat only if I seem to need it or I missed a spot.
Q: I haven’t tried to apply it to unbaked clay yet. Have You?
A: Yes and it works well. But since I generally sand and buff before applying any coating, I usually add the coating after it is baked.
Hi Cindy,
More information on Sculpey glazes compliments of Patricia Colella at Polyform.
Bette Lorman
Bette’s Bangles
———————————————–
Response from Polyform
———————————————–
Dear Bette,
Hello, again. After finding out why you would want to sand the glaze (which makes a lot of sense and something I never thought about), the answer to your question is; Yes, you can sand the glaze and then apply another thin coating of the glaze on top.
It is actually recommended to lightly sand between each coat. The sanding will allow better adhesion of the coating to the surface and reduces peeling. I hope this answers all of you questions now, Bette. I will certainly pass your recommendations on to our production and marketing departments for consideration on labeling the products. We appreciate your input and if there is anything else I can help you with, please contact me again.
Regards,
Patricia L. Colella
Polyform Products Company
Excellent! Thanks Bette (and Patricia) for the additional information about sanding Studio by Sculpey Glaze.
I’m new at polymer clay bead making, and was very early in a fan of the Future polish finish on my beads. What I did to dry the beads was take 4 wine glasses, turn them upside down, and place a regular baking, or cake cooling rack on top of the wine glasses. I then place the baked beads on regular ol’ Christmas ball hooks, dip them in the Future, and hang them on my homemade bead rack. The yellow gobbies are easily controled by tapping a piece of plain white paper under the beads occasionally, during the first several minutes. This has worked great for me as the beads are removed easily after the beads dry and you can reuse the hooks.
Thank for your contribution to this thread Katie. It’s wonderful to read about the different methods everyone uses.
I realized that I put the following posting on the wrong page. So to get more imput I am repeating it on this page with Cindy’s reply and another question underneath that: Hello, I work with bread clay and make jewelry from it. I use basically the same information as for polymer clay. I have some bread jewelry that I have had for 20 years so it holds up well. I have been experimenting with different glazes. I found the Pledge with Future Shine takes many coats to give a good shine. I think the bread clay may be more porous and therefore it absorbs some in the beginning. I can’t use a tumbler as the bread clay will disingrate in the water- it makes the dough soft again. I have been using Triple Thick gloss glaze by DecorArt with success but don’t know the long term results of the product. In the 80’s I was doing something different and used a dullcote finish and one with an acrylic spray that was gloss, but because of my living arrangements now I have no where to spray so I need to brush on or dip, if possible. Just wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions or have worked with bread clay before and have more information. Thanks.
November 19, 2009
Cindy Lietz from PYMII
4:16 pm Reply
Hi Linda, I was hoping someone else here had worked with bread dough beads and could help you, since I haven’t worked with it myself. A new finish that seems to work great with everything, paper, wood, metal, polymer clay etc. might work really well for what you need. It is called Preserve Your Memories II (PYMII). It also comes in a finger pump spray if you don’t like aerosols. If you click the link by my name it will take you to a comment referencing the product. There is a direct link to the company that makes it there. Hope that helps!
Hi, Cindy, just wondering if this PYMII gives the article a gloss look. I looked at the website and demonstration with the newspaper and it doesn’t look like it does. I am just looking for something that is long lasting, has high gloss, dries hard and quickly, (sometimes it takes a long time before you won’t see a fingernail mark in the coating – seems like it is still a little soft), and doesn’t leave brush marks, and etc. I have been experimenting with several things. I want to try to Studio by Sculpey Glaze and see how that does. Thank you for the info you gave.
While it was a LONG time ago, my mother made food for her dollhouse that was made of bread, and something in the back of my mind is saying that she used clear nail polish, if you haven’t tried that, that might work, since it’s not on PC and would have nothing to react to.
Ken, I have heard of the clear nail polish. I was just concerned about chipping, etc. since that is the problem when it is on my nails. I also didn’t know whether it would react with the glue I used and have a problem down the road as it does with the polymer clay. Thanks for your input
Ken, I have a question for you. Earlier you mentioned that you do not bake the finished product when using Future floor finish, but just waited the full 8 hours between coats. After the first coat has dried many hours, can you make an indentation with your fingernail in the coating? I am experimenting with finishings and I have tried again with Future after sanding my pieces more fully so they are very smooth. It is a little more glossy, but I can still make an indentation with my fingernail after more than 24 hours drying time. (I just don’t want to give this as a gift and someone put it in their jewelry box and the other jewelry make indentations in the finished piece.) Wondered if this is just a problem because I am using bread clay? I also tried to bake one that I had put Future finish on last week and the finish crystallized in the oven so I had to resand and start again. It may be my oven, I may have to use a lower setting than stated. I am still experimenting. If anyone else has any info, I would appreciate that also. Thanks
.
I haven’t noticed anything, I keep a “sample” necklace with me in my work bag so needless to say it not treated very well, but I’ll check it when I get home and see if I see any markings on the beads, but something to think on, Future is used on floors and has to withstand furniture, I would think that it should be a strong and durable finish, but I’ll check my beads when I get home and let you know.
@ Linda
I tried my nail on one of my larger focal beads and didn’t see a depression in the finish but like most if not all men my nails are rather short, If someone else (preferably a lady) who uses Future finish and doesn’t re-bake the beads could give this experiment a try I would be as interested to know the results as Linda.
The key to the experiment is to let each coat of the Future dry the full 8hrs (might be less now that it’s late autumn and depending where you live the humity is lower than summer)
Ken, I was wondering about humidity since we live by the bay in San Diego, California. I have used a hair dryer to help dry more thoroughly. Perhaps it will just take longer to get the finish hard. I tried the Studio by Sculpey Gloss Glaze and do like it. I have even tried dipping in it and it comes out very nice. I think it dries harder more quickly than the other. I will keep tabs on each finish I have tried and see what works the best and lasts the best. Thanks. If anyone has any other comments, I would appreciate it.
In reading all these comments again, I have noticed the questions of UV protection. What is the downside if it doesn’t have UV protection? I notice Studio by Sculpey doesn’t have the UV protection and want to know how that will affect my jewelry if I use that glaze?
I may be wrong but I think it has to do with color fading, just like furniture near a window will fade more than peices across the room from the window.
I don’t know whether or not Polymer Clay Is effected by UV or not and whether a UV coating is necessary. That would be a good question for one of the manufacturers. I do know I have pieces that are over 20 years old, that don’t have any coatings on them and they appear to be just fine. But I suppose if you were making Museum quality pieces or pieces that would be meant for outdoors, it would be worth looking into.
Can anyone tell me where I can get gallon sized containers of TRIPLE THICK GLAZE. I coat pieces of bark (very rough) and need lots of this stuff. Will it drip and flow very fast? Thanks!
Hi Paul, have you tried Googling the manufacturer? You should be able to find it that way.
I am not sure if the Triple Thick Glaze is you best choice though. I would consider using an Epoxy Resin either 2 part mixed or an UV Epoxy Resin. The finish would be much more durable and probably way cheaper. Click the link by my name for a post about a UV resin I really like. The company that makes it also sells a 2 part epoxy that would probably work quite well for you and they definitely sell it in large quantities.
Hi, I can’t seem to find an answer anywhere, so thought I would ask in here; is there a way to thin Sculpey satin glaze? How do you clean the brushes? I’ve been washing my brush in water and drying it really well on cloth, but it still ends up a little stiff. I want to thin out the glaze, but I’m afraid to add water to it, what can I use? It’s getting thicker all the time! Thanks for your help!
@Phaedra and Laurel: Most water based glazes and paints can be watered down a bit if they thicken up. Be careful not to add too much water or the binders will become too diluted and the finish won’t be strong. You can clean dried on finishes from your brushes by soaking in rubbing alcohol and then scrubbing clean in your palm with a little dish soap. Rinse well with clean water and form the bristles back to their original shape. Hope that answers your questions!
Phaedra: Great questions! I am having exactly the same problem. I don’t have an answer either. Anyone, anyone?
I did go back and look some more and I did see where it said you CAN add water, so I did add some water to my glaze, and so far it seems to be fine; mixed together! I don’t know why the brush would dry stiff then, but oh well!! Hope this helps.
Thank you Cindy. The reason I wasn’t sure if this glaze was water-based is because I couldn’t find anywhere on the bottle where it was stated. They should put that on their label, I think it would help sell their product if people knew they could add water. I added about a quarter of a teaspoon to mine and it seems to be okay, but I haven’t used it yet, since I added the water. Thanks for the tip about cleaning the brush.
I clean my brushes using a mix that I use for cleaning acrylic paint off of brushes. It works just as well on Future or Sculpey Glazes.
Mix: 1/3 water, 1/3 Murphy’s Oil Soap, 1/3 Rubbing Alcohol (at least 70%).
I put that mix into an empty, liquid soap bottle. Then I pump a squirt into my hand and swish the brush around in it. Rinse it well with plain, COOL water and dry the brush either on it’s side or, better still, with the bristles hanging down.
FYI, I like to use a flat #10 or #12 “glaze” brush for applying my finishes. Glaze brushes usually have very springy, soft, white, bristles. Watch for sales or use a coupon.
HELP!!! i used the sculpey glaze on one of my projects. i used what was at the bottom. it got all cloudy. i read somewhere to put it in the oven. IT DIDNT HELP!!! it just made it hard and whiter. i really want to get it off if possible. without harming the clay. :'(
@anna: I’m wondering if it will soak off with really warm or hot water, maybe with some alcohol mixed in? It will probably take some time: let it soak awhile, then scrub with a brush, scrubby, sandpaper, something to score it so the liquid can get in & under, working to disolve the finish even more. Give it some time, and keep the water warm/hot to penetrate easier. If it doesn’t work, you can probably get it off with pure alcohol or acetone. Good luck, and let us know how it works out!
BTW, is this the Studio by Sculpey Glaze, or the Sculpey Gloss? If it’s the gloss, the water will work eventually — it did for me. I soaked some of the old type gloss off one of my pieces after I messed up the finish (it was globby.) I hadn’t baked it in the oven, though. If you still have trouble, leave another comment and Cindy or someone else can find a way to help.
ok ill have to try that when i get a chance. its the glaze though. gah. never use whats left at the bottom!!
@anna: I’ll heed that advice! Let us know how it works out for you. Good luck!
Hello, mabye I didn’t understand everything ( that’s why because I’m foreigner and I’m just learning English). I’ve made some beads and baked them.I bought Studio by Sculpey – Glossy Glaze so I used it onto the beads like every glaze.( I gave 2 coats)
And now I’ve a problem. The point is if I have to bake them again and how long will it take? On the wrapper we have information: when applied to cured clay, let dry 30 min beetwen coats. When applied to uncured clay, allow glaze to dry completely and then bake at 130 for 30 min.
the second sentence concern uncured clay only?
Please help me because I need to finish my beautiful necklance :)))
@Patricia: Hi Patricia, Yes, the second sentence is talking about the uncured clay (because it has to be baked to get cured.) If you bake your clay first, you do not have to bake it in the oven. Just apply the 2 coats, like you did already, and wait for 30 minutes between coats. You CAN still put your cured beads in the oven for 10-15 minutes or so if you want to, but it is not necessary. Since you have already applied 2 coats and let them dry, your beautiful necklace is perfectly finished!
By the way, your English is perfectly understandable. Where are you from? I hope your necklace turns out lovely&mash;feel free to visit Cindy’s Facebook page and upload a photo! The directions for that are at the following post: Facebook Guidelines
I am very very new to clay works. Please don’t think I’m too stupid. I’m using Sculpey Ultra Light and for me the instructions arn’t in depth enough. It says not to use oil-based or water-based acrylic on the pieces until they are sealed with Stuido glaze…my question is, do the pieces need to be rebaked after the glazing and/or painting, and should I reglaze after painting? Thanks for your time and help.
Hi Brenda, Welcome! First thing, there are no stupid questions! And YOU certainly aren’t stupid, a lot of products have very brief or indecipherable directions. And polymer clay is an exciting medium that is simple to work with, but there’s a lot to learn about it if you want to do it well.
You can find lots of information all over this website, or you can try Cindy’s wonderful video tutorials to teach you how to work with polymer clay (the link to her Polymer Clay Basics Course is at the top of the page.) Once you know the fundamentals and the beginner projects included with the 39 videos of that set, you’re ready to tackle even more wonderful projects and cool techniques, all on video, and quite inexpensive. She offers 3 free videos, and free color recipes each week, if you sign up for her Newsletter. Anyway, to find the information here at the blog, there’s a search box at the top of each page. You can type in words or phrases to find specific things, like “Sculpey Ultra Light” or “acrylic paint” etc.
Cindy has an article on the Sculpey UltraLight Clay, if you want to read it & get some tips on its use.
When you read it, be sure to read the comments under the article, too…quite often there are more tips & tricks found there than in the original article. I just read the post again; I’m going to have to look at my package of Ultralight…haven’t used it yet, so I’m curious about this painting information. I know that you have to be careful when using Ultralight w/other clays (it expands, & will crack an outer layer of a different clay if not baked first.) I’ll read up, and get back to you on this. In the meantime, hopefully someone will notice that this thread has been “bumped” up in the “recent comments list” & help out with more information. Sorry it took so long for someone to reply — I think it’s pretty busy around here lately! So happy you’re here, I think you’ll enjoy Cindy’s videos, this blog, and the wonderful polymer clay community that Cindy has created!
~Kat, Riverside, CA, USA (Where are you from?)
Hi Brenda, one more thing: I guess I should have asked you a little more about your project while I’m waiting til I can get to my clay. Are you planning to paint your clay, and if so, what type of paint do you have? What are you planning to make? This will help us give you the best possible advice. Thanks, and hope to hear from you soon! :D Kat
Ooops, I thought I had already written back. I looked at the directions on my Ultralight clay & my Studio by Sculpey glaze. Neither has anything on them like the directions you mention in your question, so I’m wondering where you got them. You said the instructions were not “in-depth” enough…it would help to know what kind of project you’re talking about…
Thanks, Kat
I’m making Christmas ornaments (mostly baby’s 1st) I have white clay and was needing to add color. I just bought the glaze and like I said the instructions don’t have enough info. I have already baked the pieces and am ready to paint. What I need to know is do I glaze, bake, paint, and glaze and bake again? I have never used the type of clay that has to be baked to harden, and really do not know anything about the process. Thank-you for your time. Sincerely, Brenda.
Hi Brenda, I will be doing a tutorial on a distressed paint finish in an up coming tutorial that should be helpful for you. I don’t really think all those layers are really that necessary. I guess it depends on what you are trying to do. By the sounds of the instructions, they are using the Sculpey Glaze as a primer under the paint. I haven’t needed a primer. As long as the piece is clean, lightly sanded and wiped clean the paint will stick. You can heat set the paint and the glaze if you wish.
As far as working with a polymer clay that needs to be baked, there are many things that you will need to learn, to make things go easier for you. If you would prefer not to have to learn by making mistakes (like I had to), I do have a Beginners Course Video Tutorials of that will teach you all you need to know, so that you have great success with your polymer clay projects.
Click the link by my name for more information on the Polymer Clay Basics Course.
Hey Cindy, Thanks for getting back with me. I have used clay before but it has been a while. I would much enjoy watching the information you mentioned. I’m not sure if i told you what I’m doing. I am making baby ornaments that can be used as Christmas or just decoration in the nurseries. I have a Mom’s Day Out at my church and it can get expensive trying to keep up with all the little occasions that can involve gift giving. So I have been racking my brain for gifts I can make. The main thing I want is for the things I make to last and look good for the long haul. Thanks again for taking time to get back with me. Sincerely, Brenda.
Hello, it has been a while since I wrote. I have been using the Studio by Sculpey Gloss Glaze for my jewelry made from bread and I love it. It dries quickly and stays very nice. Recently, I went to the sculpey website and found the following comment:
“The Studio by Sculpey line of products is being discontinued. Most of tools and accessories have been rebranded as Sculpey Tools and Accessories, however the clay will no longer be available. This is effective 12/31/10 or while supplies last.”
Since that time, I have been buying up the Studio by Sculpey Gloss Glaze, but it says most of the accessories will be rebranded as Sculpey Tools and Accessories. Does this include the Studio by Sculpey Glaze and, if so, how will we be able to tell the difference between the former Studio by Sculpey Glaze and the regular Sculpey Glaze which I heard doesn’t work well. Any information would be helpful. Thanks.
Hi Linda, Oh no! It’s awful to lose a product you love and KNOW works well! I’ve been in the same situation with makeup, hair products, lotions, etc…and yes — craft supplies. I’d see my favorite product start to disappear & I’d go buy up everything I could find. Anyway, I have noticed the rebranding has begun with the Studio by Sculpey (SbyS) tools & Accessories…most are now just “Sculpey” Tools & Accessories. I’ve seem the old type of Sculpey glaze at Michael’s, and the Studio by Sculpey Glossy Glaze at JoAnn — no rebranded glazes for Sculpey…
The best way to find out what they plan to do about Studio by Sculpey Glaze is to ask the manufacturer directly. Email Polyform and ask if they’re going to continue the Studio by Sculpey Glossy Glaze product. Tell them that you love it & don’t want to lose it. Add that the previous Sculpey gloss was not well-liked with most clayers, so you have doubts about it. They are very good about getting back to you, so you should get an answer pretty quickly.
While you’re out there buying up SbyS glaze, if you come across the other type, take a good look at it. Notice how it’s very clear & thick…almost looks like clear nail polish. It’s really different from the milky look of the S by S glaze, and its much thinner consistency. So, it’s easy to tell the difference should the rebranding begin. You’ll be able to tell what you have!
One more thing…Fimo has a new gloss varnish out that I’ve been hearing great things about. It’s under their new STAEDTLER name…vs. the old Eberhard Faber stuff. I bought it at JoAnn for about $4-something (used a 40% coupon.) I haven’t tried it yet, but it is really thin like Studio by Sculpey — maybe even thinner! It doesn’t mention using it on raw clay like Studio by Sculpey glaze does…is that something you need to do? Bake the varnish on the raw bread clay? Otherwise, it works about the same way…and is supposed to be pretty tough.
Well, that’s all I got…I hope this info helps you! You’ll probably want to check with the manufacturer first…get the product “low-down”! If you have a JoAnn’s, you might want to give the Fimo Gloss Varnish a try…who knows, you might like it even better than Studio by Sculpey? Good luck, Kat
Thank you, Kat, for your useful information. It helps to know that the old sculpey glaze was clear. I have seen some sculpey glaze recently that was milky so that is probably the rebranded one. I wasn’t sure what the original looked like and heard bad things about it so didn’t want to buy any of it.
After I posted this message, I e-mailed the company. Will see what they say.
Thanks again, Linda
Hi everyone — the answer to my question may be somewhere in this list, but I’m going to ask it anyway (please don’t yell … LOL) I am trying the Future for the first time, and I’ve been reading that it is NOT a permanent finish, that it can wash off. I realize for jewelry this isn’t a big deal, but if you’re making candleholders or other decorative items that probably will be washed, is Future a good way to go? Does baking it again help make it more permanent? Or should I just go with Studio by Sculpey? Also, as an addendum, what is the difference between the Studio by Sculpey finish and the ‘old’ Sculpey finish? I have a bottle each of the original, and I’d really like to be able to use them up. Thanks for your help!
@Kelly: As far as finishes go, I always prefer to sand and buff my pieces where ever possible, rather than adding anything. This way the piece never runs into any issues of the finish coming off.
But if you like the look of the glossy finish you can still use it on pieces like candle holders and such, but I would just wash lightly, not letting the piece soak in water for any time and it should be fine. Baking a finish does help make is more durable so try that if you wish. As far as the old Sculpey finish, you can use that up on tiny beads where you won’t notice its plasticy look as much. Hope that helps.
** Because the blog is so busy now, it takes me longer to answer questions than it used to. The search box at the top of the page will help you to find articles with most of the answers you will ever need. If the threads are long and it is hard to find what you need, you can use the Find function in your web browser. Just press CTRL+F at the same time and then type the word you are looking for in the box. This should help you to find your answers much quicker than having to wait for me.
Here is the response from Polyform regarding my inquiry into the discontinuation of Studio by Sculpey glaze. Thought you all may be interested.
“Dear Linda,
Thank you for contacting Polyform Products Company and your interest in our products. Yes, Studio glazes are being discontinued. However, in the future next year (we are not sure of the exact date), we will be doing a rolling change with the Sculpey glaze and discontinuing the formulation that is in the bottle currently and replacing it will a new and improved version. It is very similar to the Studio type glaze but better. It will be called Sculpey Glaze.
If there is anything else I can help you with, please contact me again.
Regards,
Pat”
@Linda M: Thank you so much Linda for sharing this information with everyone!! It is exactly that kind of thing that is making this site such a valuable resource for everyone. I really appreciate you going to the extra effort it took to post it for us!
Hi Cindy, I sculpted the head of a raven out of Sculpey today and used their satin glaze on it afterwards. To my chagrin, it turned out much too shiny, as I was under the impression that it would produce a more matte effect. I was wondering if you know of anything I can do to take the gloss off the surface or at least dull the finish without ruining the actual polymer clay itself. I’ve emailed the company but haven’t heard anything back as yet. I’d be very grateful for any assistance you can provide. Thanks in advance for your help and I hope to hear from you soon. Cathy
@Cathy Carside: Hi Cathy! Sorry to hear about this happening…I assumed that that product had a matte appearance, too! I’m pretty sure you can use alcohol to dull, or even remove the glaze. Acetone works even better, but be careful, as it can “melt” the clay a bit if too much is used…or for too long.
I hope that my reply helps…if not, at least it will “bump” your question into the “recent comments” list at the side of the page. Hopefully, someone will have some advice on what you can use to get the matte effect you’re hoping for. You can also try using the search box at the top of the page…there are tons of articles, questions, and comments all over this blog that could hold the key to your predicament! Good luck, Kat
Cindy, I know you really liked the Studio by Sculpey as noted at the top of this page. I also love it and they now are discontinuing it. They say sometime next year they will come out with one like under the Sculpey Glaze brand. In the meantime, is there any other glaze that you would recommend besides the Future Floor Polish which I don’t particularly like. I use it on bread clay and can’t do the same things you do with it. Thanks for any help you can give in this matter.
@Linda M: You could try Varathane Linda. It may work for the bread clay in the same way the Studio Glaze did. Or you could try PYMII which is a spray on acrylic finish that works beautifully for sealing items. It won’t be a high gloss finish. More of a matte finish. but it may be the perfect thing. If you click the link by my name, it will take you to an article about PYMII if you’re interested.
Hi Cindy,
I’m sorry it’s taken so long for me to get back to you and thank you for all the wonderful info. you’ve given me!
I’ve been so busy creating more items for my Etsy store, which I’m still in the process of “building” — tweaking each little thing and reading the reams of pointers and instructions for each section is mind-boggling in itself:-)! My daughter has been taking photos for me and I’m looking through fonts to get just the right look before creating a banner — that will make me feel as if everything is finally going to come together!
Thanks so much for all your help and please keep in touch.
Cathy
I have been using Sculpey glaze for beads since the end of 2010. I love the glossy finish it gives the beads. I always apply two coats. I cured all my beads and glazed them the following day–no rebaking. I did not sand or clean with alcohol the beads, because I didn’t know you were supposed to. I have finished TONS of beads this way. Now I have noticed that a few of the early ones have developed little blisters and begun to peel away. Do you know anything about this? Are all of my beads doomed? How long can I expect this finish to last?
@Cathy Garside: You are so welcome Cathy!
@Tami K: That sounds frustrating Tami. Any time a finish comes away from the surface, it usually is because the surface was contaminated in some way, with fingerprints, dirt, or residue.
Another problem that can cause adhesion issues, is if the product you are using is old, has been frozen or was not properly mixed.
No worries though, it can be fixed. Soak the old beads with the bubbling finish in a bowl of 99% rubbing alcohol, to remove the finish. And start again, making sure the bead is super clean, your finish is in good shape and is properly mixed. A well done finish like this should last for years.
As an alternative you can wax your beads. I have linked to the tutorial by my name. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Cindy,
Thank you so much for responding so quickly! I did not know about the trick to remove old Sculpey glaze. A while back, I was trying to see if a cut or scratch into the glazed surface could be repaired. What I did was wet sanded with a fine sand paper on the damaged portion, cleaned that off well and dried it. Then I re-glazed the whole bead with two fresh coats of Sculpey glaze. The finish was glass smooth, there was no marks on it whatsoever, however where the scratches had been was the faintest opaque spot (like a thin little cloud of color). My beads are multicolored, so unless you knew it was there, you would not have noticed it.
As you mentioned above, the importance of the glaze being properly mixed, now I am wondering if that was part of the problem. The few beads that are blistering were the very first ones I glazed, and I am not certain I mixed that new bottle of glaze.
Thanks again!
How to condition Sculpey Satin Glaze that is no longer pliable? Not sure what happen…after I used it and stored it away from heat as recommended it solidified ;(
Let me ask this: is Sculpey Glaze the same product as Studio Sculpey? The Sculpey glaze that I am using is in a clear glass jar, 1 fl oz, gloss glaze. I notice the Studio Sculpey is in a plastic looking bottle that reminds me of the acrylic paint bottles. Are these the same product in different bottles? Or is one product newer than the other?
Thanks,
Tami K
@Kim M: I am sorry Kim but I don’t think there is any way you can recondition your glaze. It is similar to paint… Once it is hardened, it can’t be liquified again. That is too bad that happened to you. :( Maybe the Sculpey Glaze in the glass bottle will do better for you.
@Tami K: Since I haven’t had the chance to try the new Sculpey Glaze in the glass bottle yet, I asked Iris Weiss of Polyform what the difference was between it and the Studio Glaze in the plastic bottle. Here is what she said, “The new Sculpey Gloss glaze is a similar formula to Studio but one that we feel is much better.” Hope that helps!
@Tami K: Sculpey gloss used to come in glass bottles, then they came out with the Studio by Sculpey Gloss Glaze in the plastic bottles. Now the “Studio” name is no more…Sculpey Gloss Glaze in back in the glass bottle/jar. So it’s confusing…is the consistency of the product super-thin, or is it more like like clear nail polish? (The old Sculpey gloss was like thick, clear polish.) The stuff on the shelf should be the new stuff. If the product’s thin, it’s definitely new!
Thanks Cindy ;(
The glaze that I’m referring to is in the bottle.
Well, better luck on the next jar I hope!
Kim
Did not know that :0…Thanks : )
I’m a little confused….Is this glaze used to add shine to a finished polymer clay charm, pendant, etc.?
Just curious.
@Reyna Castano:
Yes. It gives a beautiful glass-like finish (especially when using more than one coat). It makes the polymer clay look like glass.
Is the Sculpey gloss glaze in the glass bottle the same thing as the Studio by Sculpey gloss glaze (plastic bottle)? Will it give the same effect? I didn’t find the Studio one at any of the arts & crafts stores I went to. Just curious.
@Reyna Castano: Apparently it is. I am still waiting to get my hands on some myself, but from what I hear from the manufacturers, it is the same product with a slight improvement. Just make sure it is the fairly thin and milky glaze and not a thick clear one (the old kind in the glass bottle) and you will be fine.
When they discontinued the Studio By Sculpey line, they renamed some of the Studio tools and accessories with the Sculpey Brand. You can tell all the new products, because they have that red Sculpey name and the pink/purple/green swish on the packaging. Hope that helps!
Hi Cindy,
How long to give extra baking after apply glaze to the bead??.
I tried last evening, and some of them turn to brown. May be I did too long about 15 min. I didn’t watch them. :(
@Dia H: Dia I am so sorry about your results, but, take heart, it’s an experience most of us have at one time or another. Did you bake them on a metal tray or not tent the top?
First try to soak them in bleach, which can remarkably lighten.
Threw in “browning” in the search box in the upper left and came up with several good articles here that might help.” Also googled “does Sculptey glaze cause browning?” and got a couple of pages of interesting suggestions and responses.
Hope this helps.
@ Jocelyn : I baked them on the small aluminum foil container, I put layer of paper and I place my beads. I didn’t cover them.
So, after apply glossy glaze, then soak them in bleach? for how long? , and then after that bake them ? how long to get in good result?? Should I cover them?
Sorry , I have so many question. I am a beginner, I don’t have any experiences before, and start learning new things here.
Thanks for your advices.
@Dia H:
The only beads you need to soak in bleach are
No problem, Dia. I clearly remember my own frustration. The next time, especially if using blues or translucents, I would tent them to protect them. In the foil container, I’d use tile as a base. If object flat, would pop another tile on top to keep it flat and flaw free.
Then I’d fill the bottom and sides of the oven with tile squares, pebbles, or lava rocks, which will keep your heat from spiking terribly.
Then I’d pop in the oven therometer and clock it regularly using a stop watch, so I was sure I had the heat cycle memorized and monitored.
Once confident I have the oven functioning at peak, and under 300 degrees farenheit, I would let them go for an hour, take them out, smother them in ice water, then decide on finish.
Folks have reported over and over, that the more trips through the oven, the harder and longer the bead performs in the finish process. I prefer the natural beat, fluffed and whirred to gloss splendor complements of Cindy’s method with the Dremel.
Thanks Jocelyn .
“This extra baking step creates an extra smooth finish”
By extra baking step, do you mean another 30 minutes?
I’m going to be using Fimo and Premo.
@Reyna Castano: At least an hour. So the finish melds with the bead, and when you buff with dremel and scrap of denim or a Foredom, you get a super hards and delightfully glossy finish.
I’m confused….Which one is correct?
A glossier finish can be achieved by either sanding, buffing, or glazing
OR
A glossier finish can be achieved by sanding, buffing and glazing
Which one is it?
those that are discolored or brown. Search on bleach in the upper left search box for more information on this technique.
A gloss finish can be achieved by sanding then buffing, or by sanding then the application of one or two coats of whichever gloss, semi gloss or wax finish you wish to apply.
I’d still throw them all through another one hour of 265-300 degrees farenheit, then buff again.
Thanks!
@Reyna Castano: No problem, but try and use the search facility too, so much excellent information is offered on the historical blogs and comments.
A batch of mine last nite browned a little last nite, couldn’t wait for the heat wave to end so I could try something. Even though I wear two timers around my neck, I still get distracted, lol.
Think they should add a behavior category to the diagnosis of ADHD in adults….do you burn your clay?
@Reyna and Jocelyn: I have never had any problems with the finish browning on my beads, but I usually don’t put them in for that long. After baking my Premo beads for an hour at 265F – 275F (I use a thermometer to make sure it doesn’t spike), I either plunge into cold water (if translucent) or just let cool in the oven on their own. Than I sand and buff (if possible) and then coat with Sculpey Glossy Glaze if I want some extra shine. Then after drying for a half hour or so I bake them again for about 15 min. This seems to work pretty well for me.
Jocelyn is right, all this info can be found by doing a little reading here at the blog. Go through some of the older posts and you will find, many of your questions will be answered for you there.
Also I would encourage you to purchase the Beginner’s Course. There is no sense going through all the trial and error of learning alone, when you can learn quickly and easily by video. Click the link by my name, for more info on that.
Hello, again, it has been a while since I posted. I have loved Studio by Sculpey and they have discontinued it so I bought up all I could find. Recently, I noticed that the Studio by Sculpey does yellow. I use a white pad under my work that sometimes gets drips. They have turned slightly yellow. I first noticed it on a pendant I just made. It looked whiter than one I had made over a year ago. Then I noticed the drips. Now I am going to try the Varathane Diamond Gloss Finish. I had to order a quart online because all they had in the stores was the gallon size – way too big! Hope this works out well. I notice you have good reviews on it. I make my jewelry out of bread instead of clay, so hope there is no difference with the results.
I glazed my polymer clay creations and set them to dry on the baking pan I used to bake them. The next day, when I removed them from their resting place they were stuck and I had to pull in order to remove them. Once I did this, I noticed that there are missing parts of glaze at the bottom and others look with too much glaze on one side of the piece, as if it concentrated on a specific area when I set them down. How can I avoid this? Because in order to cover the whole charm I had to do the bottom first and then set it down on the pan so I could coat the top without leaving smudges or fingerprints.
Hi Reyna, its not a good idea to put a wet bead/pendant down on a surface. Just do one side at a time, making sure the side you coated is dry before turning it over and glazing the other side.
Hi, again, I mentioned earlier that the Studio by Sculpey glaze had yellowed. I mentioned I saw some drips on my white pad that turned slightly yellow. I now find some drips that have really yellowed. Also, I see some yellowing on some of my pendants. It looks like it takes about a year. I have been experimenting with Varathane. Some sites say you should not dip with it, as it may peel. Other sites say that people do dip with it. I have been experimenting with it. I tried just brushing it on and don’t like the effect. Dipping gives me the effect I want. Am I going to have to be concerned that it is going to peel down the road somewhere? My granddaughter wants to sell some pieces for me and I don’t want to have problems down the road because of the finish. Does anyone have any experience with dipping and Varathane? Thanks a lot
That is weird about the yellowing. I haven’t seen that myself. Are your things stored in the sunshine? Is it hot there? I am wondering if it a UV thing or heat caused. Is it an unpleasant yellow or does it just give your pieces a warm glow. I haven’t been trolling the forums lately, so haven’t seen this talked about anywhere. Would love to hear a little bit more on it.
I don’t like dipping my pieces. I have found it pretty much impossible to avoid drips or globby looking pieces when I have tried dipping. The most professional finish in my opinion is a beautifully sanded and buffed piece. There are several tutorials on this topic if you do a search using the search box on the top of the page.
Hope that helps!
My pieces are stored in a little plastic drawer in a closet. Some are attached to a card. Not exceptionally hot and they are not in direct sunlight. We live in San Diego, CA where the temperatures are pretty temperate.
I have to coat mine as I make my beads out of bread clay. Uncoated, they can rehydrate if they get wet. I sand them, but, because I stamp many pieces, I can’t sand in all the tiny crevices. My jewelry is just made of bread, Aleene’s tacky glue, and acrylic craft paint. Don’t think it could have anything to do with the ingredients because the drips on my white mat are turning and it is just the plain Studio by Sculpey.
I like the high gloss, smooth finish I get with dipping. I don’t get any globs, etc. Only the drip at the bottom which I constantly wipe away till it doesn’t drip any more. I am dipping pendants and earrings. If I stamp a design on the front, I used canned air to force the glaze out of the stamped places. That thins it out on the pendant, also.
Some of the pieces just have a warm glow. (Don’t know how much worse they can get yet.) If the glaze is a little thicker at the bottom edge, etc. the yellow is more noticeable in that spot. The drips on my mat range from light yellow to pretty dark. Of course you can mostly see it on the lighter colors or where there is no background color on the pendants. You can’t notice it on the pendants that have a painted black background. I have now purposely put a drop of Studio by Sculpey on my white mat next to a drip of Varathane and dated each one so I can see how long it takes the Studio by Sculpey to turn yellow and to double check on the Varathane. It says it doesn’t yellow, but I used another glaze one time that said the same thing and everything yellowed so I had to throw the pendants away.
Hope this information helps. If you could give me any further information on dipping with the Varathane, I would appreciate. Don’t want it to peel because the coats are too thick. As I said I tried to brush it and really didn’t like the look. I usually dip two or three times to get the gloss and protection I want.
Thanks
I am sorry Linda, I forgot you were working with bread dough, so of course my sanding and buffing advice would not work for you. (Getting a little overwhelmed with all the stuff flying in at me, I sometimes forget what I’ve read.)
Since I don’t really dip things myself, I can’t be of too much help for you there, but maybe someone else will pop in with some advice?
Thank you for commenting and sharing your information with us!
Just wondering if you know about any yellowing properties of the diamond clear gloss Varathane? I was going to use this to replace my Studio by Sculpey Gloss Glaze that has started to yellow on my pieces. On my can of Varathane, it says not to use on white or light colored paint as it may discolor. Does this mean it yellows with time? It doesn’t say in the advertising or on the can that it is non-yellowing. However, it does say that their Varathane clear floor finish is non-yellowing and their outdoor, water-based gloss called Spar Urethane is non-yellowing. Has anyone tried any of these or do you know anything about these products. Thanks for any help you can give. I am ready to give up making my jewelry if I cannot find something that is a high gloss finish that doesn’t yellow over time.
Does anyone know anything about polyacrylic finishes?
Hi , The bottle of glossy glaze says to bake for 30 min. But it doesn’t tell you what temp to bake at??
Oops sorry Michelle, I missed your question when I popped in here yesterday. Sorry about that. You can bake the glaze at whatever temp that your clay cures at. In the case of Premo, bake at 265F-275F and everything will be just fine. Make sure to let the glaze air dry first for a few minutes before baking though, so that you don’t get any bubbles. Hope that helps. Merry Christmas!
Hello, please help me, I’m completely panicked!
It appears Studio by Scupley gloss glaze has been replaced with a regular looking Sculpey gloss glaze in a little glass jar, there are no bake instructions on it, like the Studio by Sculpey. Has anyone tried the replacement product yet? How is it holding up. I am scared to use it after such a great experience with the Studio by Scupley.
Any help would be so appreciated, I’m trying to finish up my christmas gifts using this stuff! :)
Thanks in advance!
Hi Heather, sorry to hear you are panicked.. not fun at this time of the year! Any way, Sculpey put the old Studio by Sculpey, Glossy Glaze into the glass bottle they used to have and renamed it Sculpey Glossy Glaze. As long as the liquid is that thinner milky stuff like the Studio was, and not the thick gloppy clear stuff, you will be fine.
It sure would be nice if companies wouldn’t change things so much… especially when it is a great product. It causes too much confusion and frustration. Hope that was helpful for you. Have a great Christmas!
I’m trying to brush some flat pieces that I’ve sanded, but I keep getting either streaks from my brush or air bubbles. The air bubbles drive me CRAZY. Any suggestions?
Hi Leslie, yeah I know what you mean about how frustrating it can be to get air bubbles in your finishes. A couple things you can do to prevent or get rid of them are:
– use a very fine, good quality flat art brush. Some brushes are made specifically for varnishes.
– stir bottle to mix, don’t shake.
– set the bottle on something that vibrates (a massager, an electric razor, etc.) that will help the bubbles rise to the surface.
– blow on the bubbles with a straw to pop them.
Hope that helps!
OK i have been working in clay less than a year and am still trying to find what i like working will. i have a large project i need to get glazed and I’m not sure what to use. it its a wooden box that i have covered the top only in PC dragon scales and then painted with acrylic paint. the sides of the box were stained with a standard wood stain, what i was wondering is what would be my best option to glaze the whole thing? i have read that can clear coat sprays can soften PC over time. i have both Scupley glass glaze ( in the glass bottle) and triple thick. i don’t want to use the triple thick if i can help it. it has an amazing finish, but it likes to pool really bad and i don’t want to loose the texture of the scales. can the Scupley glass glaze be used on wood as well?
I would use Varathane Polyurathane Rita. It is meant for wood and works beautifully on Polymer Clay. There is more info in this post: Polymer Clay Finishes
Hello Cindy!! First thank you for such an AMAZING blog with such helpful tutorials! You have achieved rock star status!
About me – Beginner (although have been playing with it for 7 years now)…I don’t do bead work or canes I am just not good at those techniques…I prefer to do little whimsical things like pumpkins, gnomes and bunnies.
Quick question: If I mix very fine irredescent glitter with Sculpy Gloss Glaze will it adhere to the clay…..say like if I wanted to give a fairy a special little accent on the edges of her wings?
Many thanks!!!
Heather
Maryland, USA
Hi Heather, yes that idea should work just fine. You could also press glitter into the raw clay or mix it with some liquid translucent clay. There are lots of ways to go about it. Experiment on a scrap piece and see if you can get the look you want, before adding it to your sculpted piece. Thank you for your kind comment. I am glad you are enjoying what you’re learning here!
I am very new to this hobby. I baked a small pig charm made out of sculpey III and glazed it using the sculpey gloss glaze. My charm fell and the tail broke off. I cannot reuse the tail.
I was hoping to make a new tail, reattach and bake. will this work? if not what is the best way to fix this?
Thank you.
Kshama
Hi Kshama, I am sorry to say, because you used Sculpey III, your piece will always be brittle, even if you are able to fix it. Sculpey III is one of the weakest Polymer Clay Brands on the market. I recommend that you switch to a stronger brand of polymer clay such as Premo, Fimo, Kato or Cernit. You can save your brittle clay though by mixing it into some stronger clay. Premo Translucent is a perfect choice for mixing with the Sculpey III because it’s baking temperatures are close and it won’t effect the color of the Sculpey too much.
Also, I have multiple videos on this site that will teach you more about brands of clay, baking correctly for strength and protecting your piece from scorching, that will be very helpful if you take the time to watch them. Good luck!
You mention that these glazes remind you of the ones you using to finish paintings and I wondered if you had tried these on a painting.
I’ve ordered Liquitex gloss varnish from Amazon but wanted to try the Sculpey on a small painting.
I too have ventured into painting from my clay work and other things I do so it was nice to see a fellow traveler.
I’m loving the painting and now move from one to the other. Each seems to provide ideas to the other.
I guess ouer minds are wired a bit different from other folks.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Joe
I’ve been posting my paintings up to Pinterest and Facebook as I just haven’t had the time to get them on my website. They’re listind under the same name..fairygardens1
Thank you Joe for the kind words! The product in this post is no longer available. The Sculpey Glaze they have now is not my favorite. It tends to peel away from the surface. I wouldn’t bother using it on polymer clay or paintings, the Liquitex Varnish you are referring to could be used on either. Thanks for popping by!
Have you got any tips for varnishing circular beads? I have stuck mine on Needles and used a foam base fo stability but I have some small spacer beads too do and not sure how to do this as they slip over the needle heads I have. Is there a better way. I’m just getting going so everything is trial and error with loads of learning from tutorials on line.
Hi Bobbie, There are a few ways you can varnish small beads with larger holes… you can string them onto cording or thread (doubled up if needed) that is thick enough that the bead doesn’t move around… then pull the cord taught across an open item like a frame or a box… then you can brush on the varnish while the beads are on the cord. Brush lightly so the cord doesn’t get all gummed up with varnish. Or you can skewer the beads on toothpicks or bbq skewers, much like you’re doing with your pins. Always do very thin coats of varnish instead of thick ones. The varnish won’t drip as much and will dry better… therefore adhering tot the bead better and not peeling up later. Hope that helps!