{"id":1763,"date":"2008-12-11T18:45:48","date_gmt":"2008-12-12T01:45:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beadsandbeading.com\/blog\/?p=1763"},"modified":"2009-10-08T08:01:28","modified_gmt":"2009-10-08T15:01:28","slug":"polymer-clay-tutorial-jones-tones-foil-mona-lisa-gold-leaf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beadsandbeading.com\/blog\/polymer-clay-tutorial-jones-tones-foil-mona-lisa-gold-leaf\/1763\/","title":{"rendered":"Polymer Clay Tutorial | Jones Tones Foil and Mona Lisa Gold Leaf"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Polymer<\/p>\n

Understanding The Differences Between Metal Foils and Metal Leafs:
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Would you like to add the sparkle of metal leaf or metal foil to your polymer clay beads… but are not sure of how to use these unique products? Well this article<\/span> will help to point you in the right direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Metal Leaf:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Metal leaf is a product made with real metals rolled into very thin sheets, about the thickness of tissue paper. Traditionally, metal leaf was made from actual gold and applied with adhesive to ornate frames in a process called gilding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pure gold or silver leaf is cost prohibitive for most crafting or polymer clay projects. However there are a few companies manufacturing imitation metal leaf that looks very much like the real thing, and at a reasonable cost.<\/span><\/p>\n

These companies use metal alloys that simulate the more precious metals. For example aluminum is used instead of silver to bring the price down considerably!<\/span><\/p>\n

The imitation metal leafs I have used, come from a company called Mona Lisa Products. When I bought the variegated red gold leaf it was in a kit with some adhesive, antiquing solution and sealer, for about $20. The kit included 6 sheets of metal leaf.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doing a quick search on Amazon, I found the Variegated Gold Leaf<\/a>\"\" – Red 6 leaves (5.5″ x 5.5″) per pack with out the extra stuff for $5.99 which is a better deal, since you don’t need the adhesive and sealer supplies for your polymer clay projects.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Metal Foil:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Metal foils such as Jones Tones Foils are a completely different product. They are plastic based rather than metal based. The shiny foil is attached to a clear plastic backing sheet which gets removed after burnishing the foil onto your polymer clay.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is normally used with an adhesive when used in other crafts. But with polymer clay, the adhesive is unnecessary. It does however, need to be rubbed or burnished onto the clay in order to stick. Metal foils are cheaper than the metal leaf, and they come in a number of varieties such as: Variegated; Rainbow; Holographic; Glitter; and Solid Metal Tones.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Jones Tones Foils<\/a>\"\" 4 Color Set in 6″ x 12″ sheets, sells for $5.59 at Amazon. This is approximately half the price of the metal leaf product, based on the amount of metal foil you get in the package.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Crackle Effects:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

After adding metal leaf OR metal foil to a conditioned sheet of polymer clay, you can create a crackled effect by rolling the polymer clay sheet even thinner. The crackling lets some of the background clay color show through for a very cool look.<\/span><\/p>\n

Metal leaf, since it is less flexible than the foil, will crackle with larger patterns. Whereas the metal foil cracks are much finer. Both look great, depending on the look you want.<\/span><\/p>\n

I have created a couple of tutorial videos on the differences between metal leaf and metal foil products… and how to use them to make beautiful polymer clay beads. Check out Volume-004 at the Polymer Clay Tutor Members Library. The specific titles in the Volume-004 order form are referenced as:<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n