{"id":13005,"date":"2011-04-14T03:21:53","date_gmt":"2011-04-14T10:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beadsandbeading.com\/blog\/?p=13005"},"modified":"2013-08-15T07:16:19","modified_gmt":"2013-08-15T14:16:19","slug":"lietz-teardrop-blend-color-shifts-polymer-clay-tutorial-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beadsandbeading.com\/blog\/lietz-teardrop-blend-color-shifts-polymer-clay-tutorial-video\/13005\/","title":{"rendered":"Lietz Teardrop Blend Color Shifts | Polymer Clay Tutorial"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Lietz<\/a>Vid #200:<\/span> <\/strong>“Cindy, your Teardrop technique has brought a wonderful and sudden change in my way of working with color blends.” ~Debbie-G<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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I’ve got something very exciting to share today… about a quick and easy way to shift the colors in your Teardrop Blends<\/a> (or Skinner Blends)<\/em>, like you’ve probably never seen before.<\/span><\/p>\n

It will have more than a few of you doing that forehead smack<\/em> thing… just like what happened when I first announced my super simple Teardrop Method<\/a> way back in February 2009.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Cindy, you are a genius! It’s like one of those “why didn’t I think of that”<\/em> moments when you smack your head and say “duh.”<\/em> As soon as I saw the pictures<\/a> in your article of the teardrops is was so clear! You rock! <\/span><\/span>~Lindsay-W<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes! Quick and Easy Skinner blends! And small Skinner Blend trial sizes!! Brilliant! My hands have been in polymer clay for 8 years. Your Teardrop technique has brought a wonderful and sudden change in my way of working with color blends. Thank you so much for sharing! <\/span><\/span>~Debbie-G<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hi Cindy, Have really been impressed with many of your new techniques… THE LIETZ TEARDROP BLEND IS AWESOME! Believe you should refer to the method as such. YOU HAVE EARNED THE RECOGNITION!!! <\/span><\/span>~MJ<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I’ve come to realize over the years of working with different art mediums, that sometimes the most revolutionary ideas come in the simplest forms. In fact some ideas are so simple, the only reason they were not discovered<\/em> earlier, is that us humans tend to over complicate things. Especially artists!<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you ever tried to read one of those color theory text<\/em> books with the templates and the formulas… only to have your eyes glaze over in confusion? I know I have… and I’m absolutely passionate about color.<\/span><\/p>\n

As most of you know by now, my personal approach is to always keep things as simple as possible. Judith Skinner did that when she invented the Skinner Blend in the first place. Up until she came along, artists had been separately mixing up increments of color, and then placing those mixes side by side to create gradient sheets of clay. It was painstakingly tedious work. Judith tapped into her scientific brain to simplify the process by using triangles of clay that resulted in smoother, faster blends. Simply Brilliant!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The Lietz Teardrop Method for blending colors, is still based on the triangle principles that Judith originally identified and built upon. But my approach simplifies the process even more by eliminating all of the measuring and cutting that is required when making traditional Skinner Blends.<\/span><\/p>\n

I actually came up with the Teardrop Blend, purely by accident<\/a>. It was one of those head slapping<\/em> moments like Lindsay-W<\/a> described above, when you say Duh<\/em> and can’t believe it was that easy. (The phrase “Duh… Winning!”<\/em> comes to mind right now, but that’s a whole ‘nother story! LOL)
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Anyway, the thing is, I recently had another one of those ‘Aha Moments’<\/em> with another technique that I’ll refer to as a Teardrop Blend Shift. It is so simple that I didn’t even realize the value of it at first. I mean, shouldn’t making an unlimited number of shades and color ways from a single color blend, be a complicated process? The end result sure looks complicated. <\/span><\/p>\n

And heck, if it really is that simple, then surely someone else would have already thought of it!? Who knows, maybe they already have. But I’ve certainly not seen anyone talking about it. I guess it takes a simple mind to come up with such simple ideas. Aren’t you glad I am so simple minded!? :-)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

With a polymer clay idea this versatile… this cool… and this easy… every polymer clay artist and crafter really should know how to do it. In fact, for many of my upcoming cane making videos, it will be a prerequisite technique you’ll need to know how to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

So… <\/em>coming up tomorrow (Friday April 15th, 2011) in the Vol-035-3 Teardrop Blend Shift video at the Polymer Clay Library<\/a>, I will share with you all my tips and tricks for creating this amazingly simple and beautiful color shift technique… which takes blending to a whole new level!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Please Note:<\/strong><\/span> A general prerequisite for all of my weekly tutorials is that you have a good understanding of the polymer clay basics, including: conditioning clay, using a pasta machine, clay blade and other simple tools, making Skinner Blends or Teardrop Blends, baking clay, as well as sanding and finishing. If you need help in these areas, my Polymer Clay Beginners Course<\/a> will get you up to speed quickly. There is also plenty of free information on this blog. Use the search box at the top of the page to find articles on specific topics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Supplies & Tools: Video-035-3 Teardrop Blend Shift:
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