Thursday Feature: Reviews & Interviews - Polymer Clay Mixed Media Jewelry

Today's review is of Polymer Clay Mixed Media Jewelry: Fresh Techniques, Projects and Inspiration by Shirley Rufener.

This book provides a wealth of information about working with Polymer Clay - from tools, to mixing colors (section 1), to 18 step by step projects (section 2), as well as a design gallery featuring beautiful clay designs by various artists (section 3). There are also sections on the use of Liquid Polymer Clay and Metal Clay, as well as how to do basic jewelry assembly, including how to make and use fabricated bails made with metal clay.

What I liked most about this book is the clear descriptions of techniques with illustrations and photographs - even things as simple as how to pierce clay beads to make holes in them and then how to arrange them on a baking rack - no assumptions are made that would cause one to need to look things up in other books or online if one didn't already know even these basics.

As for the mixed media, as promised in the title, she shows how to use chalk-scraping, decoupage and layering images made with a printer and special transfer paper, a faux dichroic glass technique incorporating resin, and using embossing powder. She also describes the final jewelry assembly using a variety of beads, crystals and metals.

I'm very happy to have found this book in my local bookstore - there are answers to a number of questions I had and it will be a great reference book for when I finally start working with polymer clay in earnest. You can click on the Amazon illustrated link above to get your copy and a couple pennies go into my polyclay materials fund.

Tomorrow I'll be doing a Friday Picks post featuring D&I beads!