Mon 2 Aug 2010
This month our members were challenged to create an entry incorporating paints, foils, leafs or inks into their polymer designs. 21 members took the challenge this month. They had the option of including one or more, or all of the required elements. The only other rule is that their entry must be at least 50% polymer clay.
The entries really showcase the amazing versatility of polymer clay and how it can be enhanced, embellished, and even manipulated into something which looks completely different than what it is.
Please vote for your top three favorites in the pull-down voting box shown at the bottom of this page. Depending on the speed of your internet connection, it may take a few moments to appear. Only one vote per person, please. One (1) vote consists of choosing a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place entry. If you choose an entry for 1st place, please do not also vote for it as your 2nd and/or 3rd place choice. Duplicate votes will not be counted.
Voting is open to the public and to PCAGOE guild members. Voting begins August 1, 2010 and ends at midnight, Eastern U.S. time on August 7, 2010. The winners chosen in each category and the voter prize winners will be announced at here and at www.pcagoechallenge.blogspot.com on August 8, 2010.
Five (5) lucky public voters, chosen at random, will also win a beautiful polymer clay prize created by one of our many talented artists. Please note that winning voters will have one week from the date we contact you and ask for your mailing address so we can send you your prize.
AUGUST CHALLENGE ENTRIES:
1) Big Bites Pendant by BeeTreeByMe
Mary Ellen’s description of her entry: “Life is short, take Big Bites!” Enjoy every moment and stay young at heart! My inspiration for this pendant was the “Very Hungry Caterpillar.” This is my big girl version, a bejeweled caterpillar on a glitzy leaf! I used foil to glam up the leaf. I edged it with a metallic heat set paint. The caterpillar is colored with alcohol inks. I also added a few Swarkies for extra bling! Some Serious Shine on a not too serious pendant. I hope it makes you smile !
2) Brooch B9026 by JanGeisen
Jan’s description of her entry: This brooch was created during a recent, intensive, exploration of crackling paint on polymer clay. Some acrylic paints just don’t crackle, they stretch too much. But that doesn’t mean they don’t create interesting patterns that I can use.
3) Copper and Aqua Gingko Leaves Pendant by SCDiva
Lynda’s description of her entry: I used paints, foil leaf and alcohol ink in my entry. I tinted Pearl Premo metallic clay with Ranger/Adirondack Stream alcohol ink, then burnished a sheet of multi-colored metallic foil leaf onto the surface and stretched it to break up the foil. I stamped the piece with my favorite gingko leaf texture sheet and added a wash of dark copper acrylic paint, cut and shaped the pendant; then cured it, sanded it through 8 grits of wet-dry sandpaper, and dremel-buffed it to a shine.
4) Fairy Floss Bracelet by OneandOnly
Maria’s description of her entry: I have made this piece using Inks to colour the beads,which have been made by using transclucent clay and then adding inks… the cane was also made using this technique. The disks have been painted on the other side using acrylic paints and then finished off using a leafing pen. All strung on silver leather and then finished off with a foiled button! I have called this fairy floss as the colours remind me of a day out at Luna Park with a big Fairy Floss on a stick!
5) Small Dish by ThePleasantPheasant
Jackie’s description of her entry: I used Pinata Inks, texture and Premo Pearl clay to make this small dish, which is perfect as a dish to drop your rings and earrings into after a long day.
6) Brown Flower by DebbieCrothers
Debbie’s description of her entry: I’ve used foils, ink and paint in this piece.
7) Under The Deep Blue by ArrowdaleArtStudio
Cindy’s description of her entry: I painted the canvas with alcohol inks, which gives that terrific, transparent muddled blue/green color. I was very happy with that. I’d made the fish canes for a mobile project I have going, but this idea side tracked me. I embossed the background bushes and coral with embossing powders and my heat gun, then toned out their color with pigment ink pad color. The jewels in the treasure chest are plastic gems I broke into pieces and scattered with the gold-leafed gold clay I’d made the coins from. The clay for the pink coral bush and the Giant Kelp are tinted with alcohol inks, which is especially effective on the kelp. The wee seahorses are also from translucent clay tinted with alcohol inks. The board is wrapped with copper foil tape, which gives it a nice, finished appearance. My piece is more than 50% polymer clay. Each of the elements on the board are dimensional, several of them more than 3/8″ thick - the kelp tree is closer to 5/8″ thick in places, as is the octopus’ body. The board is very thin - it’s a canvas panel, less than 1/8″ thick. The plastic portion is just a few small (half inch) plastic jewels that I broke up because they’d have been out of proportion, and I put a few pieces from each color in and around the treasure chest. So by weight, easily it’s more than 50%, and I’m sure that if I’d placed all the various cane pieces and other clay elements across the board flat before assembling them properly, they’d have covered the board and then some, and thicker than the panel. Just to make sure everyone knows I followed the rules!
Laura’s description of her entry: This is Roe Doubt, a salmon-colored shoulder dragon. His scales are a rich salmon hue modeled with flecks of gold, and shimmering highlights in other colors. He is tall and pround, and sits comfortably on your shoulders. His name is homage to Douglas Adams, I was reading a collection of his last works called Salmon of Doubt, while working on this guy. And this guy is very very salmony colored. On a technical note: His hide was created with translucent clay, gold foil, and lots of inks, and mica pigments. His scales and wings were created with the same materials, only different techniques and no. mica pigments.
9) Gold Leaf Bangle by HiGirlsLisa’s description of her entry: My entry was inspired by the Cleopatra exhibit in Philadelphia. It was made with polymer clay over a wooden base with gold leaf applied over all and partially removed to reveal the color underneath.
10) Rose Copper Silver Enameled Pendant No. 105 by 11BoldStreetSusan’s description of her entry: This all-polymer pendant was stamped and the chambers filled with mica-tinted liquid polymer and silver leaf. The stamped bail is finished with more of the LPC and the edges are tinged with silver paint.
11) Blue Sky Bead by LauraBeeStudiosLaura’s description of her entry: The technique I used is layers of inks and foil and came from a Donna Kato book. It was inspired by the beautiful summer sky and my favorite stamp, the French script shown on the bead.
12) Colorful Watercolor Swirls Necklace by PolymerClayCreationsAngela’s description of her entry: The large beads in this necklace are hollow lentils handmade using silver leaf, mica powders and alcohol inks. They are finished off with a baked on coating of liquid polymer clay. It is strung with colorful faceted crystals, silver spacers and finished with a silver toggle with Swarovki crystals.
13) Foil and Ink Polymer Clay Pendant by MirameCreationsLupe’s description of her entry: The pendant was made with a stamp, foil and adirondack inks. Some silver leaf was added to the pendant.
14) Rocky Path Tutorial Pendant by RiverValleyDesignChristi’s description of her entry: I used lots of alcohol to dilute the colors and not too much pearl ex powders - the leaf really shows through.
15) Stained by IansCafeIan’s description of his entry: This pendant was created using plain polymer clay and then stained using alcohol inks, then coated with a matte sealant to protect it.
16) Fiery Beads by LaurelSteven
Laurel’s description of her entry: Created for the PCAGOE challenge using paints, inks, & foils. A base of white clay, followed by silver leaf, alcohol inks, and rubber stamped images, baked and buffed to a high shine.
17) Inspire Mosaic Pendant by MarciaPalmer
Marcia’s description of her entry: This mosaic pendant was inspired by the PCAGOE August Challenge theme: paints, foils, leafs, and inks. Some segments of the pendant were created with translucent clay colored with alcohol inks. Other segments were created with varigated leaf and acrylic paint on the surface of the clay. The trim and back of the pendant are highlighted with antique gold paint.
18) Elabradorite and Hydra Choker by SageBray
Sage’s description of her entry: Faux labradorite made with silver leaf, alcohol inks and polymer clays on faux antique silver polymer beads, accented with tiny dragon heads.
19) Wheels Within Wheels by BlessedBeadJewelry
Janice’s description of her entry: This entry started with an experiment making molds out of some giant mushroom tops that I found in an art store in the mountains of North Carolina. The inner “wheels” are these pieces, with the clay having been covered in multicolored fabric foil, then molded, then the foil removed from the outer surfaces, the piece stamped with metallic ink and then the wheel shapes cut out. These pieces were cured and then framed in raw clay which was foiled and then impressed with a leaf pattern., the second wheel. The second wheel was then framed with extruded and twisted and brushed with silver pearlex silver clay which made up the third “wheel. Alternating pink and blue jump ring chains were then made into the fourth and final “wheels and impressed deeply into the raw clay for the final look with a spiralled piece of stamped and painted with Pearlex. Matching pink and blue necklace chain.
20) Butterflies in Flight by AshPaints
Arlene’s description of her entry: This pendant uses a layering technique that starts with ecru clay, then adds gold foil and then a combination of several colors of alcohol inks that mix and mingle into a rainbow of glorious color. The pendant is finished with resin both to protect the surface and to give the pendant depth.
21) Rock ‘n Roll Bangle by RenGalSA
Deb’s description of her entry: Fun bangle bracelet with guitars all around in shades of yellow, red, and blue. The guitars are made from layered canes using a combination of metallic and colored clays and ink dyed translucents. The background is mokume gane pattern with gold foil, dyed translucents, metallic and other clays on a black background.
Several of the entries are also available for sale in our members’ etsy shops, so please check them out to see these and more one-of-a-kind works of polymer clay art.
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