Curlie

Polymer Clay

This category contains resources, instructions and non commercial artist's exhibits pertaining to polymer clay. Polymer Clay originated in Germany in the late 1930's. Mrs.Rehbinder accidentally discovered this chemical by-product during WWII. Her mother, Kathe Kruse, was a famous doll-maker. During the war, Mrs.Rehbinder could not obtain proper raw materials to fashion dolls' heads. During her experiments with other materials, looking for something suitable, she found this clay-like by-product and called it Fifi Mosaik. This combined her nickname, Fifi, and the fact that she also found it useful to make mosaic-type designs with the product. Suitable to modeling and easily hardened in the home oven, she marketed this product on her own until 1964, when she consulted with Eberhard Faber, and the product FIMO was created and marketed in the U.S., primarily for children. In the late 1960's a company in Illinois called Polyform started to produce Sculpey, the American equivalent of FIMO. Other brands on the market, mostly coming from Germany, are Formello, Modello and Cernit. Each brand of clay has its own unique characteristics and full range of colors. Starting in the eighties, new techniques such as caning and covering things with layers of clay advanced this "hobby" far beyond sculpting little figures and dolls. Serious artists discovered its versatile properties and polymer clay moved from hobby to craft. The discovery of using steel manual pasta machines as a way to condition, mix colors and roll out thin sheets of clay, advanced the art at a tremendous rate. Polymer clay can be molded, sculpted, rolled, cut out, carved, glittered, lacquered, sanded, tied, caned, stamped, built, flattened, painted, rubber stamped, squished, twisted embellished with powders and paint. In addition to jewelry and dolls it can be made into books, paintings, boxes, purses, vessels, and frames. It can cover anything that can withstand baking just under 275 degrees such as, pens, bottles, eggs, pots and rocks - whatever the imagination allows. Susan Lamb Polymer Clay Editor

This category contains resources, instructions, and non commercial artist''s exhibits pertaining to items made from polymer clay.

Please do not list sites in this category that offer goods for sale.

Various sub-categories exist for dolls, miniatures, jewelry, and figurines made from polymer clay. Please be sure you submit to the category that best fits your site for quicker placement in the directory.

Sites that offer polymer clay articles for sale should submit to Shopping/Crafts/Polymer_Clay.

Shopping/Crafts/Supplies/Polymer_Clay/

Shopping/Jewelry/Handcrafted/Polymer_Clay/.

Artists

Meet some of the artists working with polymer clay. The big variety of techniques and design styles can be great inspiration for others.

Most of these artists are working with polymer clay for the sheer love of it. Many of them admit to "a passion" or "an obsession" for polymer clay. A lot of them also sell their work.

For sites that are set up to sell polymer clay art, go to Shopping/Crafts/Polymer_Clay.

Sites listed here contain mainly personal artist pages and image galleries of specific artists'' work.

If your site pertains to ONE type of polymer clay work (i.e. Figurines, miniatures, jewelry, or dolls) please submit it to the appropriate sub-category.

Sites that offer a variety of information regarding polymer clay and the techniques used in working with it should be submitted to Arts/Crafts/Polymer_Clay or a related subcat.

For sites that are set up only for selling polymer clay art, go to Shopping/Crafts/Polymer_Clay.

Associations

Associations of people working with polymer clay, generally called guilds. Their most common objectives are to educate the public about, and to study and promote an interest in, the use of polymer clay as an artistic medium.

Chats and Forums

Chat rooms, bulletin boards, discussion groups, and message boards for polymer clay topics.

Classes and Projects

These sites can help to get you started with polymer clay art or demonstrate a new technique. Some are explicit how-to's, while others are general ideas.

For projects, ideas, how-to''s, and instructions on working with Polymer Clay.

Dolls

This category contains resources, instructions and non- commercial artist exhibits pertaining to polymer clay dolls.

Sites that offer polymer clay dolls for sale should be submitted to Shopping/Crafts/Dolls.

Figures and Creatures

This category contains resources, instructions and non- commercial artist exhibits pertaining to polymer clay figurines.

Please be sure and view the various sub-categories under Polymer Clay to find the best category to place your site.

Jewelry

This category contains resources, instructions and non- commercial artist exhibits pertaining to polymer clay jewelry.

Sites that offer polymer clay jewelry for sale should be submitted to Shopping/Jewelry/Handcrafted/Polymer_Clay.

Miniatures

This category contains resources, instructions and non- commercial artist's exhibits pertaining to miniatures made of polymer clay.

This category contains resources, instructions and non commercial artist''s exhibits pertaining to miniatures made of polymer clay.

Sites that offer miniature polymer clay items for sale should be submitted to Shopping/Miniatures_and_Dollhouses.

Sites featuring polymer clay miniature dolls should be submitted to Miniature Dolls.

Publications

Polymer Clay magazines and e-zines are informational publications that feature artistic and journalistic content regarding techniques, finished projects, swaps, guilds, and any general information regarding polymer clay.

Swaps

Swaps happen when a group of polyclay artists get together in order to trade their work for that of others. One person volunteers to be swapmeister to co-ordinate the procedure. First a theme is decided on, type of object, and/or color scheme. Each artist makes as many pieces as there are people in the swap. The artwork is packaged and sent to the swapmeister with proper return postage. The swapmeister then divides up each collection and sends the participant a package with one of each piece. This is a good way to obtain a number of items for a collection or to make up a necklace with related beads from many artists. These swaps are posted here to get an idea of the kinds of swaps that have been held and to show a wide range of participant's work.