Making Polymer Clay Beads

First off - yes, there are LOTS of books available showing all sorts of different projects using polymer clay and no, you won't become an expert overnight with this one or any other one. HOWEVER, Blackburn has provided a book with updated information and the guidelines to get you on your way to make the beads of your dreams - referring to the first section entitled "Materials and Techniques:" espcially, blending-Skinner Tech., Combing, Caning, Molding, Shapes, Drilling, Polishing (very important), Varnishing, Foils, Extrusions, Textures, Transfers Stamping, Mokume Gane, Mica Shift and more. Just remember, she and others making beautiful polymer products do this all the time and so practice, practice, practice. That being said, I have to say that I truly enjoy this book as so many others have mentioned - that being the focus on bead making. My own efforts over many months of work were so so at best. Once I followed her steps, which are given with photos & written info for each step, I am much more pleased with my own beads.My main interest in this book has been section two "Faux Techniques" - wood, marble, ivory/bone, leather, amber, coral bronze, abalone, jade, mother-of-pearl (amazing), silver, malachite, turquoise, lapis, onyx, agate. For the most part, I have been extremely pleased at the outcomes of my efforts, but some of Blackburn's representations of imitating certain things could be better. Lapis - get the book "Polymer-The Chameleon Clay" by V. Hughes in order to get a more realistic lapis stone appeal, same as for jade - but this 2nd book is horrible when it comes to Turquoise (also described in Blackburn's book but still not as realistic as I would like...a difficult stone to mimic). So I use the Hughes book for some faux items. Blackburn does have some outstanding examples (IMHO) of Wood (not the ultimate best, but close); Veined Marble - compared to the real thing, I was amazed; Coral bead work was admirable and worth practicing to get it just right; Abalone - love it - very realistic; Jade was comparable to Hughes work; Mother-of-Pearl - truly striking, especially when making the colored pearls; Malachite - close but before YOU make it examine natural malachite in order to develop a more realistic color pattern but still closely following Blackburn in the color production end; Onyx - MY FAVORITE - actually it is more like a natural agate stone as typically when you think of onyx, it is black. Blackburn's Onyx is highly layered using products that I wish I would have thought of...but now I know...in order to get a REALLY natural looking agate stone bead. Blackburn's section on "Agate" in the "Faux Techniques" applies more to a cut stone of agate and she has produced some interesting pendant type pieces. But again, get an Agate book and try to mimic some of the patterns of real agates following Blackburn's technique. You won't be sorry.Sections to use other books or to keep trying to find better ways to mimic these items are: silver, turquoise, lapis, bronze (this could go either way for some of Blackburn's pieces are admirable - same with her amber pieces), ugh on the leather look, and noooo on the ivory and bone beads. Books with more realistic bone are "The Polymer Clay Techniques Book" by S. Heaser - and pay attention to the antiquing section for bone or "Faux Surfaces in Polymer Clay" by I.S. Dean where the best looking bone look is shown. However, both these books lack the more detailed descriptions and images that Blackburn provides in her book. Yet, Blackburn's work/descriptions are a great way to start from in getting the look you may want using products she recommends.In the 3rd section of the book called "Bringing It All Together" - she does a great job of pulling the necessary items needed to really make the beads - from various jewelry findings, cording, attaching, designing...thus flowing smoothly into the final section "The Gallery." Many of the great polymer bead artists' work is shown here and definitely grab your attention. Yet this section is small as Blackburn focuses upon the other areas mentioned above and thus earning more stars from me as that is the reason I wanted the book...not for the gallery but for the great guidelines and examples to help ME develop my own pieces.With all this being said...or rather written...by me, I guess I have to say there is not just one book for all things in polymer clay. However, I feel the layout, descriptions, images and all around clarity by Blackburn makes her book stand out in my library. I am glad to have the NUMEROUS other books, magazines, etc. on polymer clay plus seeing some of the extraordinary work by many artists focused on this medium - all of which increases my drive to improve my own work with polymer clay...and hopefully your own work as well. This medium is amazing and so available - use Blackburn's book as a great stepping stone and you definitely will not be disappointed.

This is a solid book to keep in your permanent library. Is this redundant of what's out there already? Yes. Are there still good ideas in it? Yes, absolutely. My main complaint is the text is very small on a lot of the step by step pictures and supplies list. If I really had to sum it up, I'm so sick of every single book on polymer clay wasting so many pages on the basic blah blah blahs of polymer clay. It's not 1992 anymore, the basics of handling and safety are out there en masse. This isn't necessarily exclusively a beginners book. I don't need half the book wasted on redundant information. If Sally wants to set raw polymer clay in her grandmother's antique wooden desk without protection then so be it. Common sense needs to be part of this medium. That's what nearly ALL polymer clay books do. It's like obligatory or something.Do I regret my purchase? No? But I'm a book junkie. But come on with the redundant intros on polymer clay and the tiny print. Meh.

Wonderful book! If only there had been a "Look Inside" for it, I would have realized what a treasure it is and snapped it up long ago. As it is, I wasn't particularly attracted by the cover, and since I already had another great book on bead-making, I didn't think of buying this one until someone in the CITY-o-Clay group at Yahoo spoke well of it.It contains an extensive section on faux techniques, including wood, veined marble, leather, jade, silver, turquoise, lapis lazuli, ivory/bone, mother-of-pearl, abalone, bronze, amber, coral (had lots of fun making coral!), and easier ways than I had known up to now for making onyx, agate, and malachite. I especially enjoyed making the coral. There is also a section called "Bringing It All Together" that covers findings and threads, attaching findings, and designing with beads.This book is good even for complete beginners, but also holds inspiration for clayers beyond that stage. Just a few of the headings in the Materials and Techniques section: drilling, sanding, polishing, and varnishing/extrusions/coiled beads/mokume gane/mica shift/molding/color mixing/applique/inlay/transfers/caning/and Natasha beads (called "Rorshach beads" in this book--which is another great name for them)There are pictures of and directions for many unusual beads and although I had already learned most of the techniques described, I found a lot of useful tips and good ideas throughout the book and keep going back to it to remind myself of them and find more.If I were pressed to point out a fault, that is the lack of help in finding sources for tools, findings, and materials. A few "source" companies are mentioned in the credits at the back, but with no information beyond their URLs. Most books in this field have at least a page or two with the names and addresses/URLs of companies that sell the materials mentioned in the book, telling which company sells what. There is, however, a 2-page index to the book's contents; and on the last page you will find URLs for some helpful sites such as Glass Attic, Polymer Clay Central, and Polymer Clay Daily. Some of these contain forums, but Glass Attic is a sort of compendium of forum conversations on all aspects of polymer clay use, almost like an encyclopedia.So--no help finding tools and materials--but, ah well, nothing in life is perfect. This book is definitely worth having.

I don't regret purchasing this 2007 american book. All the how to techniques are described really well - these include conditioning; baking; making logs, strings and sheets; colour mixing; blending including the Skinner technique; combing, feathering, and swirling; cutting and slicing; caning and stacking; moulding; bead shapes drilling sandiing polishing and varnishing; extrusions; using foils, powders and glitters; applique; texturing; inlay; rorschach; transfers; rubber stamping; mokume gane; mokume gane and transclucent clay; mica shift effect; also faux techniques including wood, veined marble, ivory and bone, leather, amber, coral, abalone, jade, motherof pearl, silver, malachite, turquoise, lapis lazuli, onyx and agate.there is alos a chapter on how to 'bring' it all together. At the end is a gallery of designer products. Pictures are clearly laid out and are clear at each step of the process. Included are short comprehensible descriptions. Really can't wait to try..... It really is possible to make the beads shown on the cover. I also bought 'Polymer Clay - Color Inspirations by Lindly Haunanin and Maggie Maggio reference creating successful palettes. These two are a perfect combination the rest is down to my imagination and technique! Happy playing....

This is a fantastic book. Comprehensive description of tools and materials, a comprehensive range of techniques, easy to follow and well explained projects, from the most simple to more involved. A gallery of designs from the best artists to aspire to. The book is crammed with high quality photographs too.I've ordered several other books on my new hobby but I don't really think I'll be needing them; this one does it all!

This book is AMAZING! literally everything you need to know from how to make loads of different shaped beads to how to make faux onyx. Mokume gane, inlays & rorschach methods are in here too. Clear pictures & step by step instructions with a lovely gallery section at the end for inspiration. If you're a beginner or worked with it for 10 years, buy this book. I love it.

A good introduction to making polymer clay beads. A short introduction to equipment, materials and colour mixing techniques.A good basic cover of a variety of bead shape and design. A good investment for the novice crafter.

A great book very easy to read with lots of useful information