Diane: letters, lettering, inks
DABlack
(look also in powders file & molds file for gen. techniques . . . .)
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WEBSITES
*Cheryl's alphabet
http://members.aol.com/cmich80220/index.html
micro-mosaics (Coffee & Blue...)
http://www.mdpag.org/maryjo.htm
Delphi polymer page--folded canes & others
http://www.delphi.com/polymerclay/index.html
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TECHNIQUES
transferring (all kinds), etching, caning, Klay Gun ropes or other extrusions,
stamping, Ready Stamps, writing on, carving, backfilling with polymer or
acrylic washes, piping with Liquid Sculpey, cut outs, mosaics & micro-mosaics,
MaryJo's folded canes?, wire, carving erasers,
CANES
-reduce with endcaps for least distortion
-wrap lettering with background color before adding largechunks of it (to avoid
"leaking")
I made a pretty letter cane using the mosaic pixels taught by CityZen Cane. It
turned out so pretty.
Use noodle attachment of pasta machine or Klay Gun extrusions
You might build a cane with your initials in black on a background of
transparent. I made christmas ornaments with "Mexmas 97" this way. I pressed
the cane slices onto and into the design so the letters appeared to float above
the other design elements. I also made a christmas/palm tree with black&
transparent and they seemed to rise up from the beach scene.
To write with clay snakes:. Use letter stamps/whatever on raw clay, fill with
another color and bake; write the letters on the clay first with a
rounded-needle type tool . . .
Another suggestion would be to use two parallel lines for writing *between* to
help keep the letters the same height. You could draw lightly on the item with
something erasable like pencil or chalk, or use two pieces of tape, rubber
bands, etc. to form the lines.
Another way might be to draw the size and shape of lettering (or whatever) you
want on a piece of paper, then lay a piece of patty paper or waxed paper on top
of it. Create the lettering by tracing over the drawn sample with the clay
snakes. Then either lay the xmas ornament on the clay writing, rolling it over
to pick up all the lettering, or press the writing down a bit then pick up the
waxed paper and lay it with the lettering where you want it to be on the
ornament (oops, guess this way would require the writing to be backwards--in
that case, write with dark ink then trace through on the back side of the
paper, or write on waxed paper or a bit of transparency sheet, etc., then turn
over before tracing).
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For a more whimsical look, use alphabet pasta to press your message into the
clay
For making impressed lettering, you can probably tint Liquid Sculpey with an
oil-based paint or Speedball block-printing ink and flow it into the dents,
then wipe it off the surface and bake; but I haven't tried it yet. Jody
You could even make your own set of letters. I rented a bunch of Tory
Hughes' tapes this long weekend and she showed some methods on her "Molds,
Stamps and Tools" tape. Basically you bake a flat piece of clay, write
on it then carve out the letters. Use this as a mold to make the stamps.
Sprinkle unbaked clay with baby powder and press down into a letter.
Remove and bake. The stamp will be properly reversed and ready to add a
handle.
Tandy Leather Company has metal stamps in small sizes designed for stamping
onto leather, including several sizes and styles of alphabets. They are
perfect for what you are describing, and have nice long-ish handles that screw
on so you don't run the risk of damaging your clay by trying to dig out a flat
stamp with your fingertip. I have tried some variations on your idea before,
and all were successful! Tandy has a toll-free number - I don't know their
ordering policy, if they sell only wholesale or retail or both, so you'd have
to call and ask. 1-800-876-5328. They do have a
catalogue
Find an old typewriter and rip out the keys to use as stamps?
printing alphabet from kits. . It does have only four lines but you may be able
to use it or fabricate a larger holder for the letters out of polymer clay!
1 Print initials (reverse!) into clay and bake. This makes a stamp that
produces a raised sig.
#2 Print initials into clay and bake. Then stamp that baked bit into clay, and
bake the clay you just stamped. This makes a stamp that produces a sunken or
"incised" sig. Cathy
stamps/molds. .. .First, draw or print the alphabet you want. Then make a
positive of each
letter by either sculpting/forming the letters out of raw clay and baking(sort
of bas relief), or transferring the design to baked clay and carving the letter
out. Then take a mold of the positive you just made, building up the sides for
a mold or making a handle for a stamp.
> I can't remember the name of it, but there is some kind of stuff in a
container > (paste?) that you can mix with paint and it will become
dimensional.
It's called Acrylic Gel medium. I mentioned it awhile back...though I can't
find the thread now. It comes in all sort of textures, stiffness, and gloss
through flat. You can tint it with acrylic paint or paint pigments, but, since
it looks "milky" before it dries, it often doesn't appear to be the right tint
at first. It dries clear, though, and the color shines through beautifully
(which eliminates the color limitation of the structural paint). It is
produced by both "Golden" and "Liquitex" brands. You can use it on paper,
canvas, or polymer clay (I originally was using it to make scales from my
dragons). You can run it through just about any cake-decorating tip to make
designs. It's available at art supply stores, and I know Michael's has it.
Hope this helps. Barb
--use Liquid Sculpey: paint it on paper, bake, and peel off the shapes.
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WRITING & INKS
Here's what I have found that works, Uniball pens only the micro (they are
silver). I first wipe the clay with denatured alcohol. Then do my printing.
. . .and after several years, it looks *terrible* and works into the
surrounding clay. I switched to using Indian Ink (hope you call it that in the
States - black permanent ink) using a simple dip pen and after 12 years it is
still fine.
I think the problem with the Sharpie pens is that the ink is acitone (sp?)
based. If you notice that it smells like finger nail polish romover. I know
that it has the same 'bleeding' effect on other plastics like Tuperware after
a while. The india ink is a permanant pigment made from lampblack. It might
not be as easy to use as a Sharpie, but the india ink won't react with the
polymer clay.
metallic pens. . . Perhaps these pens would work if you treated the surface
first, to make the paint grip better, and/or put some protective coating over
the paint, but I'm not about to try it
anymore. I use an ultra-fine Sharpie, with no problem
I use Rapidograph pens, aka "technical pens". They come in very fine points
and use a waterproof ink. I use the heavy black "India" type ink, but inks
are also available in white, carmine (pink), red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
violet and brown. I've never had bleeding into clay over a 20 year period.
These pens average $14. (mail order) to about $20. at Michaels. Much cheaper
technical pens are available as disposable ($5.49 for 3) models. Michael's
also carries Rotring Rapidoliner for around $12. They have a refill cartridge
with tip, only in black. I have just started using these cheaper ones as they
do away with the messy job of refilling and cleaning out the pens.
I've been using Pigma Micron pens with no bleeding problems.... as yet.
RtistcTuch experimented with them pretty thoroughly, and with no adverse
reactions, before suggesting the pens to me.
a pen Marie O'dell told us about at ravensdale. She uses a Gelly roll pen. I
couldn't contain my excitement at these things. they write in relief on polymer
in all sorts of bright colours. . . the pens are by Sakura and cost me $1.09
each.
I think Sue Heaser or some others talked about using watered-down acrylics or
india-type inks with a dip pen or fine paintbrush, but don't remember details.
using India ink . . . I find the ink dries in a minute or two - I usually brush
the surface of the clay with a bit of meths (alcohol) first to de-grease
(otherswise the ink can bead). Then, for extra permanency, I coat all with
either matt or gloss varnish.
When I make little English cottage fridge magnets in the shape of
pubs, I use this
method to write the name of the pub - e.g. "King's Head" etc on the sign- the
letters need to be about 3 mm high - but also use it for doll pin faces and
loads of other uses like miniature tiles. Dip pens are very versatile to use
on polyclay - you can mix up thin acrylic paint of any colour you like and drop
it onto the back of the nib with a brush - and draw or write in any colour -
even fading into a new colour. Rapidographs work fine if you find dip pens
hard to use,
Also to "write" on the clay (to create an impression), I like to use fine tip
ball point pen that has run out of ink. The ink dispenser I like are the clear
ones so you can see the ink is really out. I then ( with a syringe), put in
some alcohol to clean the cartridge out well. The pen nib, being a metal ball,
rolls on the clay, thus not scratching it. For thicker lines, use a medium size
pen.. . Beanster
Also, the old tole painting lettering, i.e., having a big dot at the each
intersection and endings in letters, helps with making them all look uniform.
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OTHER "INKS"
>use Future floor pollish and while still wed sprinkle it with embossing
powders or micro glitters. Then let dry.
Glycerin works just as well as the special embossing inks (maybe it's actually
the same thing --thank you, Jody Tice!), so maybe you could dip your pen or
brush (or letter stamp) into glycerin, write, and then melt embossing powder on
the lines??
If you don't want the embossing powder to stick anywhere but on your lines, do
this: Bake the bead. Stamp onto it with Sculpey Diluent. Put the powder on
the Diluent. Bake again.
OK, this is pretty old news to most of you who have tried etching with Gwens
wonderful method. But when I tried to develop new ways to use that, I found a
great thing I want to share with you: Making stamp-sheets for imprinting my
name to beads. I made a photocopy page full of my name. (No reverse printing
this time, kids) I then made a polyclay sheet from it by etching it the Gibson
way. Then I baked it. Now all I have to do is roll some of my beads on top of
that tile, and voilá: my name is on the beads. The "name beads" do not need
paint, light is the only paint needed. As the letters are raised above ground
level they catch the light and show the writing. And if the light is not right,
the bead looks like the other ones.
This same technique can be used to make small scale surface decorating to
beads. I have made some tiles for veins, tiled- wall , lace etc. Really easy
way to make interesting beads !
PoRRo?