Color play

I played with color today. I took two pieces of clay cut diagonally like I was going to do a skinner blend. I then cut vertically down through the rectangle each inch and mixed the clays to get a new color. I used yellow and red, fuchsia and blue, and teal and purple. I got some really pretty colors. I know this isn't the way to get the colors I want but it was fun. The next time I will work with squares of the same size so that I can replicate any color I want.

Third side trip to the Shriver strata

Ok, I tried Sarah Shriver's intricate kaleidoscope cane again. Sill I have trouble with color and contrast. I do find that I am learning how to manipulate the clay more easily. I was able to get to the six sided cane X4 difficulty level. Sorry, if you don't know what that means you need to see the DVD, it's great. I will get there. I just need to work on my contrast. In the mean time, it sure is fun, you never know what the results will be.

Thanks Sarah Shriver for a great way to play.

Side Trip on the journey

Had to make a stop on the journey. One of my favorite coworker/friends is adopting a baby and the big day finally came. This couldn't have happened to a nicer person. Lizzie, you will make a great parrent to little Bryce. Can't wait to see him. In the meantime, something to warm him from me.

Little rubber duckies.

The second leaf

Here is my second leaf cane. It is the reverse gradation and I like it much better. A there are a couple of the folded beads I tried this morning and finally some throw aways that I practiced sanding and glazing.

My first Polymer Clay leaf

Yes you are looking at it upright. Ugly little thing isn't it.

Thought you might need a good laugh for today. I watched the video three times and took notes. I also had it playing while I made my first leaf. Needless to say it looks much easier than it actually is. I also had trouble with the black on the outside splitting as I reduced it. I can't use #5 on the my Atlas because it starts chewing up the clay. Not sure what that is all about. Maybe the clay needs to be leached at that point but who wants to stop and do that? Anyway, I have the other gradation to try so maybe I will get it right or at least closer this time. I know what I did wrong but I sware I put the black on with an opening so I would know where the bottom was. I think I got so excited about turning it into a triangle that I forgot to use the registration mark at that point. Geeze......

Deb's hair stick

Deb wanted a hair stick. So, I tried making one using some of the Mokume Gane slices, actually I like how it turned out, I used Kato clay which is much stiffer. Hopefully some of the rough edges will sand out.

More Clay play

I played with the Mokume Gane process of pressing thin layers of clay and then slicing through them to create thin slices of graphics to lay on other plain slabs of clay. I made tons of pins with the little pieces I sliced off. Not sure what else to do with them but for now it's another tool for the bag of tricks.

Today I am going to play with a complex cane that I learned from a DVD by Sarah Shriver. Amazing stuff.