Polymer clay was invented relatively recently. Masters know about such material no more than half a century. To sculpt from it today is a very popular hobby for lovers and a professional lesson for experienced designers.
Buying polymer clay a couple of years ago was very problematic. Residents of various cities of Russia ordered it from the capital or from other countries. Now, such plastic is offered by almost all art salons or needlework stores, where it lies next to knitting yarn, dyes and floss familiar to us. From this amazing material you can make a lot of interesting crafts. These are not only souvenirs, but also a huge number of other things that will decorate our lives. You can also decorate the mug with polymer clay, the master class of which is described in this article.
Principle of operation
Today, polymer clay is one of the most common materials used for needlework. Masters are attracted by its elasticity and non-toxicity. In addition, the crafts obtained from such material look simply fantastic.
Have you decided to decorate the mugs with polymer clay yourself? Then you should learn to work with this material. Half the success of your event will depend on the right polymer choice. It should be borne in mind that for the decor of mugs and other utensils, you can use ordinary self-hardening clay. However, this material freezes in the air after a certain time, which is not enough for beginners to give the product the necessary shape.
What is the best thing to buy in order to make the decor of the mug with polymer clay? The material can be of any kind. The main thing is to study the instructions and learn the rules for handling it.
Polymer clay grades
Today, art salons and needlework stores offer their customers many varieties of material. Which one to buy to decorate the mug with polymer clay? Consider the brands of this material in more detail:
- Domestic manufacturer offers St. Petersburg plastic called "Flower". This is the cheapest option, but working with it is somewhat difficult. Products brand "Flower" is quite solid and easily soiled. However, a person who has patience and skill can make wonderful things out of them.
- In order to decorate the mug with polymer clay, you can buy material from the German manufacturer Cernit. For some, it may seem, on the contrary, too soft at work. However, many masters are attracted by the quality and color scheme of this plastic.
- The most popular brand in our country is the Fimo brand. It is produced by the German company Eberhard Fabe. There are several varieties of this polymer. So, Fimo Classic is more solid. The Fimo Soft brand is soft and easily warming up. Both types of material are available in a wide range of colors. The manufacturer offers polymer clay with sparkles, transparent, as well as glowing in ultraviolet light. All these types are perfect for those who decide to decorate the mug with polymer clay.
- Some craftsmen use material brought from America. This is polymer clay of two grades - “Kato” and “Scalpi”. They are not offered in Russian stores, but those who were able to purchase it should be prepared for a sufficiently strong smell of material similar to that of Soviet gouache. In its other qualities, this polymer is similar to other brands.
- The whole line of polymer is offered by Polyform Products. But this material is usually chosen by sculptors.
In addition to solid, all of the above firms produce liquid plastic, which is a gel. This is a viscous transparent material that hardens after heat treatment. Decor mugs and spoons with polymer clay can be made using a gel, the possibilities of which are also unlimited.
Before you buy this amazing material, you should choose a product that will be decorated. Based on its color, you will need to determine the tone of the plastic. Let them start with two or three. Among them there should be a white block with which it will be possible to dilute more saturated paints.
Lacquer
If you are decorating a mug with polymer clay, how to make the finished thing the most attractive? To do this, it should be varnished. This will give the mug a gloss and more expressive colors. In addition, varnish is necessary to enhance the durability of things. In addition, he fixes tinting paint on it.
What are the varnishes for plastic clay? The manufacturer offers matte, semi-gloss and glossy coating material. Such varnishes are sold in hardware stores. What can I do to make the mug with polymer clay decor look most attractive? Experienced craftsmen advise to purchase acrylic water-soluble varnishes having a polyurethane base. Such material is practically odorless, dries quickly and is easily washed off the brush. In a day, a mug with a decor made of polymer clay, covered with a similar varnish, will become resistant to mechanical damage and moisture.
Those who are engaged in such work for the first time should remember that before applying varnish, the surface should be washed with a dishwashing detergent or degreased with alcohol, and the coating process itself is best done with a synthetic brush.
Working surface
How to prepare for polymer clay modeling? To work with this material you will need the most smooth surface. It can be glass or ceramic tile, as well as a simple sheet of white paper. The main condition for such a surface is the absence of pores into which plastic can be eaten.
Knives
A block of polymer clay should be cut into pieces of the required size. To do this, the master performing the decor of the mug with polymer clay (see photo below) will need knives.
They should be sharp enough. This will allow not to deform the product during cutting. To carry out the decor of the mug, a regular stationery knife or blade can be used.
Rolling pins and stacks
These tools do not have to be purchased in art salons. Stacks when working with plastic can be knitting needles or toothpicks.
In order to roll the plastic, many fans take a glass bottle. Suitable for these purposes and other improvised material, which may be, for example, a bottle of hairspray or deodorant.
Gloves
After heat treatment of polymer clay, fingerprints of the master may remain on it. To ensure that the product is neat and does not spend too much time polishing it, it is necessary to wear latex gloves. You can buy them at any pharmacy. Sometimes they are not very convenient for sculpting, but they repeatedly increase the quality of the work done.
Gloves should be selected according to the size of the hand. After all, the denser the latex is adjacent to the fingers, the more convenient it is for the master to decorate the mug.
Other
What other materials will be needed to carry out the planned work? In general, in order to make a thing from thermoplastics, you can use:
- special forms (boats) with which figures are easily cut out;
- special syringe (extruder) equipped with various nozzles;
- paste machine;
- texture sheets;
- powders, etc.
However, all this can be bought after you understand that sculpting products from polymer clay is your vocation.
What a beginner needs
As a rule, the mug is decorated with polymer clay girls. A master class in conducting such work begins with an explanation of what newcomers to this business should prepare:
- the mug itself;
- nail polish remover or wiper;
- polymer baked clay;
- wooden skewer or toothpick;
- clean wet cloth;
- epoxy adhesive;
- stationery knife;
- plastic clay varnish.
Preparatory stage
So, you decided to decorate the mug with polymer clay. How to do such a job with your own hands? To begin with, you should take some boring mug, which should become bright and original.
It should be laid on the surface in such a way as to work as convenient as possible. For this, for example, a baby blanket can be used.
Beginning of work
If your idea is to decorate a mug with polymer clay, how to make this work? To begin with, a piece of plastic of the right size is cut. Then it should be kneading well. Only in this case the clay will become soft and plastic. To improve the working properties of the material, you can use a special tool. It is called a plasticizer. Experienced needlewomen recommend purchasing Moldmaker brand products. A few peas of this product are enough to soften a whole pack of clay. Alternative materials include petroleum jelly or creams. Suitable for softening and warming procedure.
It happens that clay, especially fresh, very sticky to the hands. In such cases, experienced craftsmen mix it with a harder mark or leave it on a piece of paper for several hours. However, it should be borne in mind that all the above manipulations will not help the material in which the paint has already got.
It is very important that no air bubbles remain in the clay. In the future, this will ruin your product. When heated, the air will expand, which will distort the plastic.
After this, you should take a cotton swab and, having moistened it in a nail polish remover or in a wiper, wipe the surface of the mug. After that, we make an application on it.
Roasting
A mug with an application made of polymer clay should not be afraid of water, fade and lose its original appearance over time. To preserve all these qualities, the product must undergo heat treatment. Which device is suitable for this? For baking polymer clay using a gas or electric oven, as well as an electric mini-oven. Microwaves are not suitable for this purpose. The hardening process of polymer clay occurs only when exposed to high temperature. The principle of heating food in the microwave is to create waves. However, exceptions to the rules are possible here. Some models of modern microwave ovens are equipped with a function that allows you to set the desired baking temperature. If this is possible, then clay can be placed in this household appliance.
What else should be considered when decorating a mug with polymer clay? MK (master class) involves accurate tracking of the temperature indicated on the clay packaging. Exceeding this will cause the material to burn and release toxic substances. As a rule, this temperature is in the range from 110 to 130 degrees. That is why it will be very convenient for the master if the furnace he uses has a built-in thermometer. Clay is not baked for long. The curing time of the application printed on the mug is ten minutes.
Process end
After heat treatment, the mug should be removed from the oven. From it you need to carefully separate the baked applique. Next we need epoxy glue. It is made independently, adhering to all the requirements of the instructions. A thin layer of glue should be applied to the back of the completed application, as well as to the mug, which we wipe again with nail polish remover or a wiper. After this, the application is firmly pressed to the mug and then holds on to it very well.
At the next stage of work you will need a matte or glossy varnish. They cover the finished application. Varnish will protect the surface of the product from damage.
How does the application behave in operation? A cup made in this way can be safely washed. But do not put it in the dishwasher or apply abrasive products to the decor.