 | Starting Tools and Supplies: $50-$250 |
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| Polymer clay is an extremely inexpensive manmade product. Although it doesn't contain any actual clay material, it can be manipulated just like modeling clay and then hardened by baking it in a standard oven. Brightly colored polymer clay can be molded and shaped, baked and then finished or embellished in a variety of ways to make distinctive jewelry, small sculptures or other products, depending on your imagination and skill. | | |
| Typical costs: | - A 2 ounce package of polymer clay sells for around $1.50 -$3. A simple bracelet or necklace can be made with about $3 -$6 worth of clay. You can impress textures, line or images into raw clay with rubber stamps, sandpaper or other items, or "transfer" photographs or other images onto the clay with transfer paper.
- Few tools are needed to get started with polymer clay, and most can be found around the house -- such as a standard oven or toaster oven, and a work surface of glass, tile, Plexiglas, marble or waxed paper over cardboard. A hobbyist lists various equipment that can be used with polymer clay. It's possible to start by spending nothing on tools, and go on to pay $50 -$250 or more for carving tools, a roller/brayer, an electric buffer or grinder, high-quality adhesives and more. How-to polymer clay books average $10 -$30, and many are available in local libraries.
What should be included: | - Introduced in the last two decades, colorful polymer clay can be sculpted, carved, stamped, textured, sanded, buffed or painted, or used as a base or to embellish a surface. You can use polymer clay to make beads, pendants, bracelets and neckpieces, as well as small sculptures, buttons and similar items. HGTV.com gives step-by-step instructions for making a polymer clay necklace and The Lapidary Journal posts directions for distinctive clay jewelry projects .
- The National Polymer Clay Guilds presents photos of award-winning polymer clay projects.
Shopping for polymer clay jewelry: | |
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Article updated August 2008 |
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