Make Your Own Steampunk Heart Pendant

This is a great introductory project for Christi’s awesome “Steampunkery” book. If you do not have this book yet, I am giving a copy away direct from Christi Friesen! There’s only 2 days left, be sure to enter to win it now. Now let’s get started with our polymer clay heart mini-tutorial! This tutorial is in Christi’s “Steampunkery” book and begins on page 7.

Materials:

• Christi Friesen’s Steampunkery (begins page 7)
• Your choice of polymer clay in metallics (golds, bronzes, coppers, etc.)
• Steampunk gears, gadgets, & gizmos and lots of them!
• Mica Powders (Several Options – My preference is Perfect Pearl Set as they are permanent & do not require a finish due to the resin )
• Acrylic paint in a dark color to use to add an “antique” effect – my preference is brown or sienna
• Acrylic paint brush (please use a different brush for mica powders, chalks, paint, & gloss finishes)
• Baby wipes or soft sponge
• Tiny-medium sized beads and/or gemstones for eyes and embellishments
• Varnish
• Metal Craft Wire (I prefer 24-28gauge but any flexible soft wire will do)
• Sculpting tools

Polymer Clay Heart Tutorial

Sculpting the Heart

In order to do this tutorial, you will need to make a heart. Here’s a sample of how to make a heart from polymer clay. While the heart you see at the left is not the heart you will see later, it is a perfect demonstration of how to make it a quick, simple, and easy way. I make most of my hearts this way as it’s the easiest for me to do. This heart tutorial is adapted from the tutorial on PCPolyzine.

• First start with a ball of clay (I used scrap clay from leftover leaf parts).
• Then roll that ball into a log.
• Now here’s where I vary my heart.  Make the center of the log slightly indented and narrower than the rest of the log.  I do this so that my heart has an eye-catching shape when it is finished.
• Then very carefully eyeball the center of your log and cut it an a diagonal, leaving equal portions on both sides of the blade.
• Cut through the log.
• Then take one side of the log and invert it (turn it over).
• Place the two sides together and wah-la … a perfect heart, every time!
• To finish your heart, use a knitting needle to close the seams.
• Then you can shape or reshape your heart as you would like.  Give it a pointy end, make it swirl, the decision is yours!

Adding Steampunk-ish Details

After you’ve made your heart as shown above. It’s time to add the “punkishness” that your heart desires!

• Start with the end. You can curl the end or twist the end or smoosh it … whatever you’d like! It’s your heart!
• Then take all your steampunk gadget, gizmos, cogs, and gears and add them to your heart in any kind of a way you’d like.
• Note: You can also use preformed watch parts, brads, small screws, hex nuts, and more! Scour your local department store for the smallest parts you can muster!
• Don’t forget to add screws, belts, and oodles of dots!

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS:

• Depending on the type of clay used (Premo, Sculpey, Cernit, Kato, or Pardo): bake in the oven at 265 degrees, covered in foil, for approximately 45-60 minutes.
  • NOTE: Check your clay package instructions for appropriate baking times & temperatures.
• Add an antique finish to pick up the details of your gorgeous piece!
  • NOTES:
    • I used a dark brown, “Dark Umber.” It is not as harsh as black but still adds the “punch” that my piece needed.
    • You do NOT have to varnish this piece if you choose not to. However, if you have used Pearl-FX powders, they will rub off over time, so varnishing your piece would help. If you have used Perfect Pearls (my favorites) they contain a built-in resin and are permanent after baking. In other words, they will NEVER rub off.

The Friesen Project was done in conjunction with Christi Friesen in 2013. All tutorials were retaught here with her expressed permission. The project has come to an end, but many tutorials have been left on the site with her permission. Please make sure to read about the project here, get answers to the most common FAQS here, and visit Christi’s website here.

Sculpt Your Dreams,

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