Video #487: It takes a bit longer if you only have an acrylic roller, but the end result is the same.
Topics Covered In This Video:
- Making beautiful and easy color blends.
- No pasta machine? No problem. All you need is a roller of some sort.
- Teardrop Blends or Skinner Blends are color gradients using more than one color of polymer clay, where the colors gradually shift from one to the next.
- My Teardrop Blend is an easier and faster version of the Skinner Blend.
- Choose 2 or more colors to that you want to work with.
- Softer clay is definitely easier to blend when you are not using a pasta machine.
- Shape balls of clay into pointy teardrop shapes.
- Lay teardrops next to each other in alternating directions.
- Flatten the teardrops into a thin sheet with your rolling tool.
- Fold or roll the sheet, keeping colors aligned in one direction.
- Pushing in the ends of the rolled up blend will keep it from getting too wide.
- Flatten the folded/rolled piece again, until it becomes a flat thin sheet.
- Repeat process until colors are fully blended.
- Related Video: Lietz Teardrop Blend – Color Gradients Made Easy
- Related Video: Polymer Clay Skinner Blend Instructions
- Related Video: Stepped Graduated Color Blend – Old School Gradients
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.
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Looking forward to hearing from you!
Thanks Cindy for the refresher on the Teardrop Blend. This has been such a time saver for me and a lot others I’m sure. I agree having a pasta machine makes this technique so much easier but unfortunately some just don’t have or can’t afford one. It’s too bad we don’t have a private destash group where members can offer their extra things for sale or donate them just for the price of postage. Thanks so much for your valuable contribution to the Polymer Clay community with the Leitz Teardrop Blend!
Hi to All!
I have an idea for a tutorial. Pave beads or disco ball beads seem to be very popular now especially for shamballa bracelets. I know there are kits using epoxy clay for these beads, but the kits are small and expensive. I know there are shops on Etsy and on JTV that say the beads are made with polymer clay. Can you do a tutorial or give advice on the best way to tackle this project?
I also have a follow up question about polymer clay being outdoors. Last year someone asked about making clay figures for outside gardens. Ren Wax was the preferred finish. I would like to hang some of my flower petal beads from the rearview mirror in the car (sort of like the Greek worry beads). Has anyone tried this? The beads would not be directly in the weather elements, but we do get extreme temperatures here in Chicagoland! I know from my years of collecting Precious Moments and Cherished Teddies that people had problems with their Teddies which were made from resin. The color would fade to almost white when people kept them in lighted curio cabinets or by the windows. Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help.
Mari
Hi Mari, Thanks for the suggestion for the Pave beads. I will put on my thinking cap and see what I can do.
As far as how your flower petal beads will do in the hot sun, that is tricky for me to answer, since I live in a very mild climate and haven’t tested my beads in that harsh environment. It can get hot in the summer here in Van cover Canada, but nowhere near the extremes that you guys do.
We do have many members in the Arizona area that may be able to help you. Other than that, the only thing I can suggest is for you to test some beads that aren’t important to you and see how they do.
Try a couple of different finishes on them as well and see if that makes any difference. Do come back if you get some results. I am sure there would be lots of people who would find your information interesting. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Marianne, just to let you know that I have garden ornaments outside in southern New Zealand where the sun is strong and it gets pretty cold too. I have a ‘no junk mail’ sign on my letterbox and a fairy door in the tree. For the first three years or so I had no finish at all on my letterbox sign, then I sprayed it with an acrylic sealer like PYMII because I thought the colour might fade. Another two years and it still looks fine. I have painted my fairy door with Future floor polish to see how that stands up outside, three months later, over the summer, it looks good.
Experiment with trial pieces and see how they go. Let us know your results, good luck.
Thanks Cindy and Jan.
I ordered some PMYII. It should come in later this week or the beginning of next week. I think I will make three extra bracelets and try one of each finish: Future, Ren Wax and PMYII.
I have all the flowers from three side stands and one casket blanket from my Mom’s funeral. It took me four and a half hours one day to disassemble them all. I have over thirty plastic containers all over the dining room table.
I will be making enough beads for at least twenty-five bracelets for all of the family. I figured out that I would need ten beads and a heart charm/pendant for each. I have over one hundred beads in five different colors made. I would like to mix another five colors and have one of each color in each bracelet. My Mom’s name is Rosalie (Rose for short) and I will be experimenting with scenting the beads with a rose scent. I don’t expect the bracelets to be worn, I just wanted to make a little something of a remembrance for everyone.
Thanks for the info.
Mari
hi Jan, i live in the middle of the North Island, where did you get the PYMII from? I know it can’t be shipped outsided the states. Curious to know so i can get some or it will have to wait until May when I go to the states.
I noticed your black sectioned box storage units on your work surface in the front of you in your PCT videos. Would you suggest where I might find some like them? They look like exactly what I have been shopping for 2 yrs. I live in San Antonio.
Thx!
Sheerly brilliant techique with or without the pasta machine.
Hi Gail!
Cindy did a blog on them: Polymer Clay Storage Plastic Drawer Cabinets
Also use the search in the upper left, lots of comments on types that work if you cannot get these in your area.
Thx for such quick response!
I have a question plzz, i bake my polymer clay earrings at first it didnt broke and was very flexible but it had some distortions after that i used ceramic tiles and it became very clear and no distortions or air bubbles BBUUTT it broke very fast , i baked it at first for 30 mins as usual but it brokes, after seeing your video i baked for 60 mins it broke too , i use premo sculpey , i dont know the reason could u please tell me,, and does packing the clay in plastic bags after opening it and reuse it have any effect on the breaking????
Hi Rehaam, sorry to hear you’re having trouble baking. Sometimes the problem is temperature. Are you using a separate oven thermometer? The clay needs to bake hot enough that the particles will properly fuse. If you do a search on this blog you will find several baking videos that will help you get the results you’re looking for. Good luck!