Finding your routine is an essential part of being an artist. It is not something that many of us even think about. A routine can help us settle in. Routine can help us to automatically perceive things about our environment. Today, over on the Sculpey blog I am discussing finding your routine. Why? Because find your routine is one way that will help you in your creative process.
Continue reading Finding Your Routine is Essential to the Creative Process
This polymer clay Scrappy Tutorial is by Martin Pottjewijd and is used here with his full permission. Martin is a polymer clay artist from the Netherlands. He makes a wide variety of work including his elaborate and breathtaking castles built on large rocks and his adorable Polly & Mur. You can read Martin’s interview with Polyform here. Martin has graciously agreed to shared this tutorial here with each of you!
Continue reading Polymer Clay Scrappy Tutorial by Martin Pottjewijd
Colors of Spring are those colors that make me feel happy, bouncy, and rejuvenated. Are there certain colors of Spring that you automatically gravitate to? Maybe it’s because of the way that they make you feel? Perhaps it’s because of the clothes you wear? Or maybe it’s because it’s some preconceived notion you already have. Today let’s look at some vibrant colors to liven up your old spring pastel palettes.
WIP Wednesday’s sometimes make me tired. Let me explain. Have you ever looked around at all the pictures you’ve taken throughout the past two weeks and simply been blown away? It’s no secret that I don’t do polymer clay full time, but that I also serve as a minister alongside my hubby. So when I flip back through the last several weeks of pictures and try to pull a few to interest you, my darling readers, sometimes I get tired. These past two weeks have been a flurry of activity, especially with last week being Holy Week. For this WIP Wednesday here’s a smattering of what’s gone on in my polymer clay studio including some helpful tips and tricks you might enjoy.
Spring tutorials for polymer clay are fun, colorful, and will lighten any rainy day! Many of these tutorials can be done in a few short hours, to just a few minutes! I’ve gathered some of the most popular spring tutorials from polymer clay (and Easter too) from here on the site and put them all in one place just for you. I know, I know … you’re welcome. So feel free to click on all the links below and go straight to the tutorials of your choice.
Continue reading Spring Tutorials for Polymer Clay (And Easter too)
Selecting a new project can often be a daunting task. Today I’m going to help you to conquer it! As many of you know I’m a freelance designer and part of the Design Squad for Polyform. I’ve been part of their Design Squad since 2015. It’s hard to believe that it’s been that long! This is my month to write for the blog and I’m inviting YOU to come over and join us!
Continue reading Selecting a New Project Considerations on the Sculpey Blog
Helping the ladies of Samunnat Nepal is an honor. Finding ways to give back to the polymer clay community that I love so much is a joy. In last month’s Polymer Notebook email, I encouraged all of your to look beyond yourselves and see how you could reach out and help others within the polymer clay community. This includes things like purchasing tutorials from other clay artists & teachers, buying products from other artists, adopting designs from other polymer people, and even purchasing for a good cause. For those of you who have chosen to support KatersAcres in any facet, I thank you!
I myself support other artists, by purchasing tutorials, supplies, & art too. Why? Because I believe in helping others, sharing with others, and supporting each other. We need to lift each other up and help in other out! The world is full of things that are not good. Our art should be full of encouragement, support, and love. In that vein, let us therefore also reach out and help others. Most especially when it is for a good and worthy cause.
At the beginning of the year I asked all of you, my darling readers, if you still enjoyed the WIP Wednesday posts. I asked because sometime posts like this are hard to read because there’s no real “theme” to the post itself, because it’s really a collection of random “stuff” gathered over the past 1-2 weeks of what’s been going on here in my studio. I’ve tried to add in polymer clay community news, highlights of other polymer artists, as well as some more information to aide in your polymer joy. So never forget to look at the bottom of the page too!
Acrylics paints for polymer clay? Absolutely! Acrylic paints have been used safely for years with polymer clay. I have written about the use of acrylics with polymer several times here on the site. (See the linked articles at the end of this post.) Today I will share with you my four most used acrylic paints. You may enjoy these acrylic paints for polymer clay sculpting, jewelry making, or many other polymer clay disciplines too.
Do you ever feel you’re surrounded with WIP? Still wondering what WIP is? WIP is “Work in progress” or “Work in progression” or “Work in procrastination” or “work in process” … to be honest it depends on the week as to what the “P” in WIP actually means. Regardless, the past several weeks have been very busy and filled with a ton of creating & busy work here at KatersAcres. And today my WIP Wednesday post is on Thursday because, well, the Eeyore mask will tell you (keep reading). In the meantime, here’s a look at some other WIP that are going on in here in my studio, as well as some notes, tidbits, and some other artist’s work you may have missed. Keep reading…
Here’s a simple easy polymer clay ladybug tutorial to make your own tiny little miniatures for yourself. If you joined me yesterday to read about my Into the Forest submission, then you saw these tiny little caned Lady Bugs parading; and in the magazine too. Now you can make your own with the worksheet!
Continue reading Miniature Caned Polymer Clay LadyBug Tutorial
Into the Forest is an international collaboration of polymer artists and enthusiasts. It is inspired by the high altitude aspen groves in the Rocky Mountains. This project, Into the Forest is an evolving mixed media international installation from Laura Tabakman, Emily Squires Levine and Julie Eakes. The idea was to bring together as many polymer artisans as possible in a wide variety of ways. We were to imagine ourselves in a forest. See it in your mind: On the ground beneath a canopy of branches and leaves, unexpected life exists. We were asked to create pieces which will form its life elements. We will combine them into living colonies of varying shapes, colors and sizes. Here’s a look at what I created for Into the Forest.
When it comes to polymer clay, one of the most frequently asked questions when I teach at workshops, give classes, and receive emails is: “can you give me some polymer clay tips?” It’s no secret that everyone wants tips when starting out on a new hobby. Here’s a few overlooked polymer clay tips to help you in your polymer clay journey.
Continue reading Overlooked Polymer Clay Tips You Might Not Know
One of the things that I am asked the most often is “why should I join a tutorial club anyway?” In all honesty the answers are as varied as the people who join them are. Today I’m going to give you a few reasons to join a tutorial club; and why you may want to consider joining any kind of a tutorial club (regardless of medium) in the first place.
Continue reading Reasons to Join a Tutorial Club with a Special Offer
This WIP Wednesday is jam-packed with stuff you won’t want to miss. This past week has been a very busy one for me here at KatersAcres, not including the busy week behind that one! On Monday we launched our huge Studio Overhaul & Clearance sale [check out the announcement here & better yet, shop here], we spent all night Monday packing orders, Tuesday I sorted through more studio supplies to get ready to add another batch of goodies to my store for you. Here’s a look at some other things that are going on in this incredibly busy week as well as some notes, tidbits, and some other artist’s work you may have missed. Keep reading…
Continue reading WIP Wednesday: Studio Clearance, Grumpy Faces, Artist Finds
Have you ever sat back and wondered if you or your art is going in the right direction? Ever stopped and wondered if you are being true to your inner most self? This past fall as I spent over 30 days (on two separate occasions) hospitalized and I had a few of those inward moments. I spent a lot of time thinking about my sculpting and my art. Was my art true to myself? I had those thoughts and moments of self doubt. Was being true to my heart song? So as 2016 gave way to 2017, I knew the course was going to change, it was inevitable … 2017 was going to be a year of Discovery. My art was going to change, because I was changing. Continue reading The Year of Discovery’s Studio Clearance Sale!
