Hello!

So, I got inspired to make my own jewelry... I am anxiously waiting for a mold I ordered to come...

So questions:

• a bought a packet of paperclay for the first time this past weekend. How does it hold up for jewelry? How strong and resilient are items made with this stuff? I think the easiest way to create pendants is with putting them on headpins that go all the way through or stringing on like a bead. I'm not sure how good I will be with wire wrapping... I want to sell items for the holidays, so I want these items to hold up when they are in someone else's hands.

• What is the best paint and sealant to use for paperclay? Suggestions?

• Are there any other air drying clays that would be better for jewelry/bead making? (I don't want any burning, exploding, or chemical smell issues that sculpty has)

Thanks!

I don't make jewelry and don't know anything about paperclay, but some stuff at The Blue Bottle Tree might help. Its a polymer clay website but the owner makes jewelry so there's a lot of posts about it that might be helpful in some way, like different techniques and tools.

I also wanted to clear up a few misconceptions. I use polymer clay and if baked correctly there are NO problems with burning, exploding, or chemicals. Its completely 100% stable and safe to sculpt with, bake, and touch as much as you want. (But its not food/drink safe.) I'm not sure who gave you such a bad opinion of polymer clay but its nothing like that if you buy quality brands (which start at around $1.50 or less a block, which is super cheap). Sculpey III is crap clay that shatters easily but good brands are not like that. Some brands are insanely strong and pieces can withstand getting run over by a truck with no problems. Any clay can give off a smell during baking but turning on vents and/or opening windows gets rid of it almost entirely in most cases, plus it goes away as it cools down.

Its fine if you don't want to use it but bad info hurts the clay community :)

- I actually work for a jewelry manufacture, I'm only a digital artist. But there are other jewelry designers who have baked sculpey at work to create temporary models, they cook it in a designated oven that they take outside or near a door in the warehouse. There are constant complaints about the smell every time. And they sometimes burn their pieces slightly.

I believe it is Super Sculpey. And who knows how accurate the mini oven they use is. They only bake a piece to keep it's shape, not to make it into something. I don't know much about Sculpey/polymer and that has been my poor encounter with it.

If a clay gives off a fumes when baked, I'm not sure if that's something I want to do right now. I have little pets I don't want to expose fumes to.

Honestly it sounds like they don't know what they're doing or the ovens aren't doing a good job keeping the temperature stable if they're constantly burning or toasting pieces. Its very easy not to burn clay unless your oven's temperature reading or cycles are really off or very severe. Toasting is a lot easier to do, and probably what's actually happening if the pieces are still usable. I've used polymer clay in home ovens for eight years and have never burned a piece in any way, even though I started doing this when I was a kid with no experience with ovens.

The smell might be exacerbated by having a poor oven (since it sounds like they might not be working right) but yes, there is a noticeable smell. However its not dangerous in any way unless the clay is being severely burned. Darkening or browning is often called burning even though its technically not burned, just toasted. This is a great article about the safety of polymer clay. This one also addresses some safety concerns.

Obviously if you don't feel comfortable using it, then by all means don't! But its not toxic or dangerous at all. I don't want to force you to use it or anything like that, just explain things. Polymer clay gets an unfairly bad rep.

- no prob, and thanks for the information! I've learned a few things about polymer clay these past few days.

Okay, so my report about paperclay - I got my mold today and have been having trouble getting a good smooth casting. Paperclay has a consistency like dough, and like super fine paper mache. It is not clay like and it dries out fast. (like for example, you can't stretch it out smoothly like moist clay, and rips easily, and has rough edges at the parts it rips...you can even see the paper mache like texture then). It has less elasticity than pottery stone clay I guess. I have to play with it some more tonight.

I might be going to the big craft store tomorrow. See what other clays are there...

Paperclay is more for practice than anything if you have jewelery in mind. I used to play with it to get better with certain shapes, but even time causes rips not only force. Mini to medium statuettes is what it is for. You will have to acquire scupley if you want jewelery.

Also try using a bit of water with the paperclay. Becomes a tad less 'rippable'.

- I have these molds that I am using to make the beads and parts. I did make 3 test pieces with the paperclay. I didn't care for the way they came out after drying. They have gritter surfaces than dry clay, and shrink considerably more than the other stone clay I have been using. I will use the paperclay for another project.

For the past 2 weeks I have been working with an air dry clay called La Doll. I have about a dozen pieces done. (I'm creating a series). I slow dried these (something I remember doing in ceramics class). Painted, and polyurethane varnished. I stayed safe - they are on the thick side, solid pieces, that I will put on headpins. They are kind of like large beads basically with a moon face on them. I'm not going to make any bracelets with these. When I finally settle down I might post a pic of a finished piece. I wore one all day yesterday and it survived. idk :p

For pendants I usually get pins that already have a loop on one end and just make sure they're really tightly placed in the clay before baking. That way I don't have to worry that I'll do a horrible job bending a loop on the headpin after it's already baked. The only downside is it can be hard to wiggle them in securely without distorting or deforming the clay in the process since you can't just push it up from the bottom of the piece.

I use polymer clay quite a bit. I find it comes in various colors and if I want to make a custom color all I need is a small pasta sheeter and/ or Pearl Ex powders with a translucent white clay. The pearl ex is even great to add onto clay for small effects or shading before baking. As far as baking is concerned I actually have a small oven that is designed specifically for polymer clays and not food. Although if baked at the proper temperature there is a slight smell that can be aired out with a window. As long as you are paying attention to what you are doing while baking, the correct temp, correct time, and you don't forget that you're baking something there is no worry of burning. I'm basically just repeating at this point though ha.. I'm not sure if you have a Hobby Lobby in your area or not, but that store is honestly amazing and I got there for everything I need. It's like a super craft store.