The Polymer Clay Techniques Book

It's hard to imagine a material more versatile than polymer clay. What other medium yields perfectly convincing simulations of everything from marble, wood, ivory, and jade to metal, porcelain, mosaic, enamel, and semiprecious stones--not to mention flowers, food, and sculptural forms? With a thoroughness rarely found in other books on the subject, Sue Heaser explains all of these methods and more, supplementing her excellent instructions with good, clear photos. Although she includes a number of full step-by-step projects, this is primarily a techniques-driven presentation. Beginning with the preliminaries of materials, preparation, color mixing, baking, and other basics, Heaser then moves on to clay manipulation (beads, millefiori, molds, vessels, frames, flowers), sculpting (simple animals, faces, armatured figures), embellished treatments (stamping, painting, metallic effects, image transfers), and simulations (stones, antique effects, wood, miniatures). Chapter-opening spreads showcase exquisite works by a variety of polymer clay artists, and a helpful appendix compares the handling properties of all the leading polymer clay brands. Beginners will most likely be more comfortable with a more project-oriented approach, but anyone already bitten by the polymer clay bug will find this an essential idea book. --Amy Handy

• The Complete Book of Polymer Clay
• Art Makers: Polymer Clay for Beginners: Inspiration, techniques, and simple step-by-step projects for making art with polymer clay
• Darice Studio 71 Machine Craft Variety of Projects, 7 Thickness Options, Table Clamp Included, Polymer Clay Press to Flatten and Smooth
• The Art of Polymer Clay Millefiori Techniques: Projects and Inspiration for Creative Canework
• Polyform Sculpey Super Slicer
• Sculpey ABB02 Bake and Bond, 2 fl Oz (59ml) (packaging may vary)
• Creating Lifelike Figures in Polymer Clay: Tools and Techniques for Sculpting Realistic Figures
• Fantasy Creatures in Clay: Techniques for Sculpting Dragons, Griffins and More
• The Polymer Clay Artist's Guide: A Directory of Mixes, Colors, Textures, Faux Finishes, and Surface Effects
• Making Polymer Clay Beads