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Crafting Related Questions
How do you keep your clay clean?
Washing my hands, wiping down my work table, wiping my hands with baby wipes, rolling a scrap ball of clay between my palms before starting and then scraping the inevitable particles of dust off my pieces as I work. I also use a piece of tape to remove bits of dust from my hands and from the clay itself. Once baked if I still have dust on my pieces I use acetone (nail polish remover) to remove it. I have a YouTube video of how I keep clay clean here.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i0lcpWw73c&t=4s)
Where do you buy polymer clay from?
If you can't get it locally, I can recommend Fast Penguins (http://www.ebaystores.com/Fast-Penguins)on eBay. If you're based in New Zealand I can recommend Golding Craft (http://www.goldingcraft.com/)for Du-Kit Clay and Gordon Harris (https://www.gordonharris.co.nz/)or Tasart f(https://www.tasart.co.nz/)or Premo.
How do you do the gradients in your pieces?
I use a 'skinner blend' technique which I have a mini tutorial for on my Lagoon Naiad (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA9pQohBxgY)tutorial here. You can also just search 'skinner blend' on YouTube.
What paint do you use?
Windsor & Newton Artist Acrylics, watered down. For the first few years I used student grade acrylic, but have since upgraded to professional artist acrylic for its lightfast qualities. To anyone starting out I would recommend student grade acrylics, they are far easier to use with polymer clay (•ㅅ•)
What chalk pastels do you use?
Originally I used Mungyo pastels from eBay, but have upgraded to Rembrant artist quality pastels once again for lightfastness.
What glaze do you use?
• Gloss- Holloway House Quick Shine Floor Polish
• Matte - Golden Polymer Glaze with UVLS (matte)
Where do you get findings and packaging?
I buy in bulk from eBay and Aliexpress as well as reusing packaging.
What brand of clay do you use/recommend?
Sculpey Premo and NZ brand Du-kit
Can you give me some tips for starting with polymer clay?
I would recommend starting the way I did: by watching copious amounts of lilacsprinkles'(https://www.youtube.com/user/LilacSprinkles) videos on YouTube. A couple of other great YouTubers are Polymomotea a(https://www.youtube.com/user/PolymomoTea)nd Creative Rachy.(https://www.youtube.com/user/creativesculpey)
What camera do you use?
I use a Google Pixel and Canon Rebel T5i for photos and a Canon IXUS 155 for video. I use natural light and a when filming I use a cheap tripod from eBay.
What photo/video editing software do you use?
I use online picture editor Picmonkey. For videos I use Adobe Premiere Pro.
How can I promote myself?
I think Instagram is the most efficient way to start promoting your crafts. Develop genuine relationships with other crafters, collab with your peers, post as frequently as you can, use natural daylight for your pictures and use relevant hashtags to avoid ghost followers. Pictures are the primary way you communicate online so avoid filters and make sure to take them as true to life and well lit as you can.
Once you're comfortable with Instagram start a YouTube channel filming simple charm updates in the best quality you can manage (get a cheap tripod from eBay to film with). Make sure you guilt all your family and closest friends into helping promote you! (◞⁎˃ᆺ˂)◞*✰
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