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beginner

polymer clay

Bull’s-eye-patterned beads are
buffed and sealed to mimic
lampworked glass.

Add a lustrous finish to translucent color blends to give polymer clay the look of glass.

by Nancy Pollack

C

olorful slices of extruded clay can be layered on any bead shape to add pattern

and visual interest. By including slices of translucent clay, these patterns achieve

more visual depth. For a subtle effect, combine closely related colors; for more

contrast, mix complementary colors. You can find inspiration by looking at the color

palettes and patterns in lampworked glass.

To make colorful clay slices like the ones in this project, a hand-crank pasta machine

and a clay extruder are well worth the investment. Instead of using the large, trigger-

style extruder shown with the project, you can purchase a smaller, twist-action version.

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Condition the polymer clay.
Separately condition each clay color,
starting with the translucent and
progressing to the white, the pearl,
and the opaque colors. For tips on
using a pasta machine to condition
clay, see “Well Conditioned,” above.
Set the sheet of pearl aside.

Divide the translucent clay. Use a
tissue blade to cut the sheet of

translucent clay in half, and set

one half aside to use in steps 3 and

7. Cut the remaining half-sheet into
four equal-sized sheets.

[1–2] Make colored translucent
sheets. To color translucent sheets
so that they complement your
opaque colors, add a small amount
of opaque clay to one of the
translucent sheets [1], and run it
through the pasta machine.

You can also add color with

alcohol-based inks. Add a few drops

of ink to a translucent sheet [2], and
then allow it to dry before running it
through the pasta machine to
achieve a solid translucent color.

Prepare the colored translucent
sheets. Cut each colored translu-
cent sheet into two or three equal-
sized sheets. Then, run the sheets
through the pasta machine, using
various settings to make them
various thicknesses.

[3] Cut clay disks. Select a circle
cutter with a diameter that is slightly
smaller than the diameter of the clay
extruder’s barrel. Using the circle
cutter, cut disks from the opaque
and colored translucent sheets, the
reserved translucent half-sheet, and
the white sheet.

[4] Stack the disks to create a
variegated pattern. Stack the disks,
starting with a white disk. Randomly
add a few opaque and colored
translucent disks, and end with a
translucent disk. Repeat until you’ve
used all the disks.

Using a pasta machine to condition
clay is an efficient and effective
method for making pliable sheets of
clay that are free from air bubbles.
Follow the steps below for easy clay
conditioning.

• Roll the clay into a ball, flatten it, and
roll it into a snake. Fold the snake in
half, and twist it.

• Flatten the twist into a slab, and run it through the
pasta machine on the thickest setting.

• Fold the sheet of clay in half, and run it through the
pasta machine again, fold-side first. Continue to fold and
run the clay through the pasta machine at progressively
thinner settings for approximately ten passes.

• After you’ve conditioned a color, clean the pasta
machine’s rollers by running a folded baby wipe or
paper towel through the machine. This step
removes excess clay stuck to the rollers and
prevents unwanted color contamination.
Another way to minimize color contamination
is to condition the light colors first and then
progress to darker colors.

well

conditioned

1

2

3

4

opaque clay

alcohol-based ink

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[5] Extrude the stack. Insert the
stack into the barrel of a clay
extruder. Extrude the clay according
to the manufacturer’s instructions.
This will create a compressed rope
that reveals bull’s-eye patterns when
it’s cut crosswise.

Form a bead with scrap clay. Roll
some scrap clay into a ball that is
approximately

3

⁄

8

in. (9.5mm) smaller

in diameter than the diameter you’ve
chosen for the finished bead.

[6–7] Cover the bead with pearl
and translucent clay. Run the
conditioned pearl clay through the
pasta machine on the third thinnest
setting. Wrap the pearl clay around
the bead [6], trim the excess pearl
clay, and smooth the edges. Run the

remaining translucent clay through
the pasta machine on the second
thinnest setting, and then layer the
translucent clay over the bead [7].
Trim the excess translucent clay, and
smooth the edges.

[8] Cut the extruded clay. Use a
tissue blade to cut the extruded clay
into approximately ½-in. (13mm)
pieces to reveal the bull’s-eye
patterns. Using a tissue blade, cut
very thin slices from the pieces.

[9] Add the bull’s-eye slices to the
bead, and shape it. Arrange a few
of the slices on the bead, and roll the
bead smooth [9]. Continue to add
slices until you have a pattern you
like. Smooth the bead and roll it into
a ball or any other shape.

[10] Make a hole in the bead, and
bake it. With one hand, place the
tip of a needle tool against the bead
where you want to make a hole.
Place the index finger of your other
hand where you estimate the needle
tool will poke through the clay [10].
Use a twisting motion with as little
pressure as possible to push the
needle tool through the clay. Once
the tip of the needle tool pokes a
tiny hole through the bead, stop
pushing, and gently remove the tool.
Insert the needle tool into the tiny
exit hole, and gently twist the needle
tool through the bead. Remove the
tool, and bake the bead according to
the clay manufacturer’s instructions.

5

6

7

8

9

10

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[11] Sand the bead. Using 320-grit
wet/dry sandpaper, sand the bead
under water. Further refine the
surface by using progressively finer
grits of sandpaper.

[12–13] Buff the bead. Use a soft
cloth to buff the bead by hand. Or,
use a buffing machine with a
stitched cloth buff [12]. Another
option is to use a Dremel tool or flex
shaft with a buff on a screw mandrel
attachment. Regardless of the
method you use, use light pressure
for a short amount of time to
prevent the clay from being
overheated or damaged. The buffed
bead will have a slight sheen [13].

Seal the bead. Adding a coat or
two of water-based polyurethane
sealer to the bead will give it a shiny,
glasslike surface. Place the bead on a
bamboo skewer, and use a flat-tip
paintbrush to apply a coat of sealer.
Allow the sealer to dry completely,
and then add a second coat.

materials

Polymer clay:

4 oz. (112 g), translucent
2 oz. (56g), white
2 oz. (56g), pearl
2 oz. (56g) each, three
opaque colors

Alcohol-based inks (optional)

tools & supplies

Pasta machine*
Nonstick work surface
Baby wipes or paper towels
Tissue blade
Circle cutter
Clay extruder
Needle tool
Oven*
Sandpaper, wet/dry: 320, 400,
600 grit
Finishing items (choose from):

Soft cloth
Buffing machine and
stitched cloth buff
Dremel tool or flex shaft
with buffing attachment

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Sealer: water-based
polyurethane
Bamboo skewer
Flat-tip paintbrush

*Dedicated to nonfood use.

Suppliers

Jacquard Piñata Colors,
alcohol-based inks (Sax Arts &
Crafts, 800.558.6696, saxarts
.com)
Clay extruder and tools
(polymerclayexpress.com),
Makin’s clay extruder
(theclaystore.com)
Varathane Diamond Wood
finish (local hardware stores or
flecto.com)

Contact Nancy Pollack through
her Web site at npolyclay.home
.comcast.net.

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