Perfect to make whipped cream that doesn't smell and dries rather soft.
First one is made with air dry clay or paper clay and white craft glue
Have a look
Next one is made with paper clay, cold porcelain, ... and lotion
donderdag 23 februari 2012
Making your own whipped cream
I stumbled upon a few recipes to make your own whipped cream!
Perfect to make whipped cream that doesn't smell and dries rather soft.
First one is made with air dry clay or paper clay and white craft glue
Perfect to make whipped cream that doesn't smell and dries rather soft.
First one is made with air dry clay or paper clay and white craft glue
zaterdag 18 februari 2012
Paper Clay
Paper clay is any clay body which has had processed cellulose (usually paper) added to it. There are a few differences from paper clay to normal air dry clay such as the presence of paper fibers, the thickness and stodginess of it and the colour. “White” paper clay is usually a light grey in colour and lightens as it dries. Even when it is fully dry, the colour of the “whiteness” can be questionable.
Price
Paper clay is usually bought in big blocks as opposed to polymer clay, which is usually bought in small quantities. As paper clay is bought in larger blocks, it is considered more cost effective – a 1kg block of paper clay can be bought for around £3 in the UK.
Availability
Paper clay is marketed as “air dry clay” in the UK and therefore is one of the only available types of air drying clay in the UK. One brand is only available in the UK, which is DAS, and can be found in most craft, art and hobby shops as well as stores like The Works and WH Smiths. The same can be said for American and Asian types of paper clay, with the exception of The Works and WH Smiths (as the stores haven’t branched out to the US and Asia, as far as my knowledge goes) and popular brands include Creative Paperclay and Pearl Paperclay.
Uses
Paper clay has many of the same uses as polymer and air dry clay, such as jewellery making, charms, cabochons, beads, creating vessels and sculpting. It can be used in moulds and also to create moulds but the clay will need to be varnished upon drying and some form of release agent (such as baby powder) will be needed. Deco artists tend to use paper clay to make sweets and other cabochons. The texture of paper clay is also useful for sweet deco items such as bread, cake, biscuits, ice cream and cookies.
Texture & Workability
In the UK, air dry clay is surprisingly hard to find, and because of this, a brand of paper clay called DAS is marketed wrongly as air dry clay. Therefore this article may be a little biased due to my lack of experience with other paper and air dry clays as well as troubles with availability. I believe real air drying clay is light, slightly sticking, flexible and workable and bright white in colour. The “air dry clay” available in the UK is a dirty, unbleached grey in colour (even though it is marketed as white) and lightens to a questionable “white” colour as it dries. It is thick and stodgy to pull apart and fibrous and mushy for the texture. You can colour paper clay with the regular substances used for other clays, such as chalk, ink, paint, foil, embossing powder, etc., but it takes a considerable amount of chalk shavings or paint to get a strongish colour. Because the original colour of the clay is a dirty colour to begin with, you get a dirty version of the colour you are aiming for. The clay is quite hard to work with too, with a texture and feel comparable to dumpling dough. It is cold and wet to the touch and has a fibrous, uneven texture and feel to it. It is hard to mould and create even simple shapes and does not take detail very well. Because of the paper fibres, the surface tends to rip, tear and stress when details are applied. As such, this is not a very popular choice to use among jewellers and artists as it also cracks more easily and is uneven in colour compared to other clays. Paper clay doesn’t shrink much, however, and is very light in weight compared to polymer and normal air dry clay.
Curing & Aftercare
Speaking from my experience, when the paper clay fully dried, it had visibly cracked and had a chalky feel to it. It was very hard to the touch and lightweight compared to other clays, however. The “white” colour is more like a very, very, very light grey and can be questioned. Paper clay is usually air dry and dries pretty fast, most items taking around 24-48 hours to completely dry. As with most air dry clays, paper clay dries from the outside in, so you need to leave it a little longer than when it looks completely dry on the outside. In order to dry pieces faster and more consistently, I turned pieces over once a day. You can paint, sand, buff, file, varnish and otherwise treat the clay once used but sometimes the clay absorbs water based substances, causing it to have that wet look again. You can also rubber stamp or use marker pens on this clay whilst dry, but make sure to seal your work afterwards. You can also rework and mould paper clay by adding more water to it before varnishing, allowing it to return to a soft, wet state again. This is a quality that gives it advantage over polymer clay.
dinsdag 14 februari 2012
Cold Porcelain Clay
Second one is Cold Porcelain Clay, a clay which isn't that known but interesting to have a look into.
Cold porcelain is an inexpensive, non-toxic, easy to work with type of air dry clay. It gets its name from the fact that, when dry, the texture and feel of it feels like porcelain or china. It does not require baking or firing but instead is dried by exposure to the air. Originally from Argentina, its main components are corn starch and white glue, also having low quantities of oil and/or glycerine which gives its porcelain-like texture. Lemon juice and/or sodium benzoate is also sometimes added to the mixture to prevent mould, bacteria and fungi, as most of the ingredients are biodegradable. It can be either bought from shops or made at home quite easily. It dissolves in heat and water if not properly sealed with varnish or gloss so it is not suitable for items such as jugs or crockery. A basic recipe for cold porcelain can be found here.
Price
Cold porcelain is very inexpensive to make at home, but surprisingly expensive if bought in stores or online. It seems many places do not stock cold porcelain except for online, so this may cause high demand of mass produced cold porcelain. A 500g block of imported Argentinian cold porcelain will set you back approximately £10.
Availability
As stated above, not many places IRL or online stock cold porcelain. Most of the mass produced cold porcelain found online is imported directly from its place of origin, Argentina, and is therefore quite expensive. The basic components to make it yourself, however, are next to nothing price wise. You can find many of the components of cold porcelain, such as corn starch and white glue, at supermarkets, cake stores, DIY stores and pound shops.
Uses
Cold porcelain has many similar uses to other air dry and polymer clays, such as model making, sculpting, mould making, being used in moulds, jewellery, beads, charms, cabochons and other uses. Cold porcelain is a value material for deco artists looking for inexpensive, easy to work with and make clay in large quantities and is great for wholesale and retail deco artists (those who sell their work). Cold porcelain is very useful in moulds as it shrinks as drying, so is easy to pop out. You can also moisten the mould with either two of the clay’s main components – cold cream or cornstarch.
Texture & Workability
Cold porcelain, when wet and malleable, has a texture and workability similar or the same to normal air dry clay after slight conditioning. Soft, flexible, slightly sticky and elastic, it is easy to work and create shapes with. Cold porcelain’s original colour is a translucent, off-white colour. It can be coloured using acrylic, oil and watercolour paints, chalk, coloured pencil, embossing powder, foil, etc., but it is advised to colour the clay white before adding any other colour. Only colour the amount of clay needed, as coloured clay dries out faster than uncoloured clay.
Curing & Aftercare
Cold porcelain, when fully dry, is slightly flexible to the touch, similar to polymer clay. Cold porcelain is an inexpensive alternative to polymer clay that doesn’t need baking or firing, yet has the same qualities as polymer clay. If sealed with a waterproof varnish or gloss, items become quite durable. This makes it perfect for thin, delicate creations such as flower petals that would otherwise be fragile if made from other materials. Sculpting artists making finely detailed items prefer cold porcelain to other clay-based mediums. If not properly sealed, cold porcelain will be damaged or dissolved if exposed to heat and/or water. When cured, you can paint, sand, buff, file, work over the top of and varnish the clay items. You can also rubber stamp or use marker pens on this clay whilst dry, but make sure to seal your work with Mod Podge or any other water based varnish. You can also rework and mould cold porcelain by adding more water to it before varnishing, allowing it to return to a soft, wet state again. This is a quality that gives it advantage over polymer clay.
Cold porcelain is an inexpensive, non-toxic, easy to work with type of air dry clay. It gets its name from the fact that, when dry, the texture and feel of it feels like porcelain or china. It does not require baking or firing but instead is dried by exposure to the air. Originally from Argentina, its main components are corn starch and white glue, also having low quantities of oil and/or glycerine which gives its porcelain-like texture. Lemon juice and/or sodium benzoate is also sometimes added to the mixture to prevent mould, bacteria and fungi, as most of the ingredients are biodegradable. It can be either bought from shops or made at home quite easily. It dissolves in heat and water if not properly sealed with varnish or gloss so it is not suitable for items such as jugs or crockery. A basic recipe for cold porcelain can be found here.
Price
Cold porcelain is very inexpensive to make at home, but surprisingly expensive if bought in stores or online. It seems many places do not stock cold porcelain except for online, so this may cause high demand of mass produced cold porcelain. A 500g block of imported Argentinian cold porcelain will set you back approximately £10.
Availability
As stated above, not many places IRL or online stock cold porcelain. Most of the mass produced cold porcelain found online is imported directly from its place of origin, Argentina, and is therefore quite expensive. The basic components to make it yourself, however, are next to nothing price wise. You can find many of the components of cold porcelain, such as corn starch and white glue, at supermarkets, cake stores, DIY stores and pound shops.
Uses
Cold porcelain has many similar uses to other air dry and polymer clays, such as model making, sculpting, mould making, being used in moulds, jewellery, beads, charms, cabochons and other uses. Cold porcelain is a value material for deco artists looking for inexpensive, easy to work with and make clay in large quantities and is great for wholesale and retail deco artists (those who sell their work). Cold porcelain is very useful in moulds as it shrinks as drying, so is easy to pop out. You can also moisten the mould with either two of the clay’s main components – cold cream or cornstarch.
Texture & Workability
Cold porcelain, when wet and malleable, has a texture and workability similar or the same to normal air dry clay after slight conditioning. Soft, flexible, slightly sticky and elastic, it is easy to work and create shapes with. Cold porcelain’s original colour is a translucent, off-white colour. It can be coloured using acrylic, oil and watercolour paints, chalk, coloured pencil, embossing powder, foil, etc., but it is advised to colour the clay white before adding any other colour. Only colour the amount of clay needed, as coloured clay dries out faster than uncoloured clay.
Curing & Aftercare
Cold porcelain, when fully dry, is slightly flexible to the touch, similar to polymer clay. Cold porcelain is an inexpensive alternative to polymer clay that doesn’t need baking or firing, yet has the same qualities as polymer clay. If sealed with a waterproof varnish or gloss, items become quite durable. This makes it perfect for thin, delicate creations such as flower petals that would otherwise be fragile if made from other materials. Sculpting artists making finely detailed items prefer cold porcelain to other clay-based mediums. If not properly sealed, cold porcelain will be damaged or dissolved if exposed to heat and/or water. When cured, you can paint, sand, buff, file, work over the top of and varnish the clay items. You can also rubber stamp or use marker pens on this clay whilst dry, but make sure to seal your work with Mod Podge or any other water based varnish. You can also rework and mould cold porcelain by adding more water to it before varnishing, allowing it to return to a soft, wet state again. This is a quality that gives it advantage over polymer clay.
Sweet deco items made using cold porcelain
Sources:
http://www.squidoo.com/cold_porcelainhttp://coldporcelainflorals.wordpress.com/2010/05/08/cold-porcelain-whats-that/
http://deco-den.livejournal.com/388507.html
http://deco-den.livejournal.com/388507.html
zondag 12 februari 2012
Air Dry Clay
Like I said in the last feature, there are following updates about our clay pages. This is the first one.
Air dry clay is a modelling substance, usually made of or partly comprised of earthen “clay” materials. Sometimes reinforcing nylon fibres are added in order to reduce brittleness, shrinking and cracking as well as eradicating the need for the clay to be fired in order to dry in order to make this type of clay and separate it from other earthen clays. Because of this, and if any other synthetic components are added, it is sometimes referred to as “semi artificial clay”.
Air dry clay is a popular modelling substance used by jewellers and deco artists as it is much easier to dry than polymer clay, does not shrink much and can be coloured whilst wet, painted and varnished when dry, worked on top of and is soft and manageable. Air dry clay is perhaps the second most popular clay used by deco artists; the first being polymer clay.
Price
Air dry clay is bought in large blocks, similar to paper clay, and is therefore considered more cost effective than polymer clay. You can usually buy 500g or 1kg blocks and the prices range from £3 - £5 (3 - 6 €) Air dry clay uses inexpensive components such as earthen clay materials that are in large supply, so is a popular choice for artists, jewellers and deco artists.
Availability
Air dry clay is usually only available in the colours white, terracotta or natural (unbleached). Air dry clay is surprisingly hard to find in the UK; the only brands available are DAS and even this clay is considered to be “paper clay” rather than earthen based. Air dry clay is more widely available in the US and Asian countries, popular brands including Model Magic, Crayola, Staedtler, Fimo, Delight and Hearty. Air dry clay can be found in most craft, hobby and art stores including Michael’s and Joanne’s as well as online.
Uses
Air dry clay is used by jewellers, artists, sculptors and for other art-based hobbies. It is also perhaps the second most popular type of clay to use among deco artists – polymer clay being the first. It is soft and elastic, therefore being very pleasurable and workable. It can be used to make jewellery, beads, cabochons, cameos, moulds (with some form of release agent being needed), be used in moulds, sculpting and all the other uses most clay can be used for.
Texture & Workability
The texture of air dry clay is soft, slightly sticky and flexible. If pulled, it will stretch before snapping, similar to chewing gum. Because of this, air dry clay is very workable and popular among crafters and deco artists to make charms, jewellery and cabochons. It does not need very much conditioning, only a few minutes or so. You can colour air dry clay using most mediums to colour other clays – chalk, oil, acrylic or watercolour paints, coloured pencil, etc. It is not advisable to mix air dry clay and polymer clay together.
Curing & Aftercare
Air dry clay, as the name suggests, does not require baking or firing to dry. It normally takes about 24-48 hours for pieces to dry thoroughly and dries from the outside in – because of this, it is advised to wait a little longer for it to dry; just because it is totally dry on the outside doesn’t mean it will be the same on the inside. The texture of cured air dry clay is totally smooth and there is some shrinkage – up to 20%-30% in some cases, such as cold porcelain. Semi artificial clays may have components added to them to prevent shrinkage, however. There is little to no cracking if conditioned and left to dry correctly. You can paint, buff, file, sand, varnish and gloss air dry clay once it is dry, the same as other clays. You can also rubber stamp or use marker pens on this clay whilst dry, but make sure to seal your work afterwards. You can also rework and mould air dry clay by adding more water to it before varnishing, allowing it to return to a soft, wet state again. This is a quality that gives it advantage over polymer clay.
All you need to know about Air Dry Clay!
Air dry clay is a popular modelling substance used by jewellers and deco artists as it is much easier to dry than polymer clay, does not shrink much and can be coloured whilst wet, painted and varnished when dry, worked on top of and is soft and manageable. Air dry clay is perhaps the second most popular clay used by deco artists; the first being polymer clay.
Price
Air dry clay is bought in large blocks, similar to paper clay, and is therefore considered more cost effective than polymer clay. You can usually buy 500g or 1kg blocks and the prices range from £3 - £5 (3 - 6 €) Air dry clay uses inexpensive components such as earthen clay materials that are in large supply, so is a popular choice for artists, jewellers and deco artists.
Availability
Air dry clay is usually only available in the colours white, terracotta or natural (unbleached). Air dry clay is surprisingly hard to find in the UK; the only brands available are DAS and even this clay is considered to be “paper clay” rather than earthen based. Air dry clay is more widely available in the US and Asian countries, popular brands including Model Magic, Crayola, Staedtler, Fimo, Delight and Hearty. Air dry clay can be found in most craft, hobby and art stores including Michael’s and Joanne’s as well as online.
Uses
Air dry clay is used by jewellers, artists, sculptors and for other art-based hobbies. It is also perhaps the second most popular type of clay to use among deco artists – polymer clay being the first. It is soft and elastic, therefore being very pleasurable and workable. It can be used to make jewellery, beads, cabochons, cameos, moulds (with some form of release agent being needed), be used in moulds, sculpting and all the other uses most clay can be used for.
Texture & Workability
The texture of air dry clay is soft, slightly sticky and flexible. If pulled, it will stretch before snapping, similar to chewing gum. Because of this, air dry clay is very workable and popular among crafters and deco artists to make charms, jewellery and cabochons. It does not need very much conditioning, only a few minutes or so. You can colour air dry clay using most mediums to colour other clays – chalk, oil, acrylic or watercolour paints, coloured pencil, etc. It is not advisable to mix air dry clay and polymer clay together.
Curing & Aftercare
Air dry clay, as the name suggests, does not require baking or firing to dry. It normally takes about 24-48 hours for pieces to dry thoroughly and dries from the outside in – because of this, it is advised to wait a little longer for it to dry; just because it is totally dry on the outside doesn’t mean it will be the same on the inside. The texture of cured air dry clay is totally smooth and there is some shrinkage – up to 20%-30% in some cases, such as cold porcelain. Semi artificial clays may have components added to them to prevent shrinkage, however. There is little to no cracking if conditioned and left to dry correctly. You can paint, buff, file, sand, varnish and gloss air dry clay once it is dry, the same as other clays. You can also rubber stamp or use marker pens on this clay whilst dry, but make sure to seal your work afterwards. You can also rework and mould air dry clay by adding more water to it before varnishing, allowing it to return to a soft, wet state again. This is a quality that gives it advantage over polymer clay.
donderdag 2 februari 2012
Featured: Laura from 8th Sin Creations and The Heian Princess
Announcement!
We have another contributor for All About Deco! Please meet Laura from The Heian Princess blog.
She will help us in the future with writing articles and tutorials! One of her first articles will discuss the different types of clay and their best uses! Please look forward to these posts ^^
Now as sort of getting to know her, here is she as our third Featured person!
We have another contributor for All About Deco! Please meet Laura from The Heian Princess blog.
She will help us in the future with writing articles and tutorials! One of her first articles will discuss the different types of clay and their best uses! Please look forward to these posts ^^
Now as sort of getting to know her, here is she as our third Featured person!
1. Who are you and what do you do (decowise)?
Hi there! I’m Laura and I’m the owner of 8th Sin Creations, an online store dedicated to handmade jewellery, accessories and clothing. Accessories include deco items, of course and I offer pre-made and custom orders. ^^
Hi there! I’m Laura and I’m the owner of 8th Sin Creations, an online store dedicated to handmade jewellery, accessories and clothing. Accessories include deco items, of course and I offer pre-made and custom orders. ^^
2. When and how did you discovere deco and started decoing yourself?
I first discovered deco not too long ago, actually, about a year and a half ago. I am obsessed with Japanese street fashion and culture and stumbled upon decoden images on Google Images. After the initial head explosion after seeing all the cuteness, I joined Deco_Den, a community on LiveJournal, read up on materials and started up! I first started the learning curve of decoden by deco-ing my own personal items rather than selling them; I made a compact mirror, earphones, phone case and then moved on from there!
I first discovered deco not too long ago, actually, about a year and a half ago. I am obsessed with Japanese street fashion and culture and stumbled upon decoden images on Google Images. After the initial head explosion after seeing all the cuteness, I joined Deco_Den, a community on LiveJournal, read up on materials and started up! I first started the learning curve of decoden by deco-ing my own personal items rather than selling them; I made a compact mirror, earphones, phone case and then moved on from there!
3. Where do you get your inspiration?
I stumble on Firefox a lot and also check out Google Images and decoden communities and groups. I have a huge folder on my laptop of Decoden Inspiration and whenever I’m feeling a little uninspired, go through and and am up for the task again! I have to say most of my inspiration and images come from blogs, Japanese websites, magazine scans and online communities and forums for the topics – some of the professional images I see, like ones from Rainbow Cream and Candy Colour Ticket, makes my head spin at how amazing and realistic they are.
I stumble on Firefox a lot and also check out Google Images and decoden communities and groups. I have a huge folder on my laptop of Decoden Inspiration and whenever I’m feeling a little uninspired, go through and and am up for the task again! I have to say most of my inspiration and images come from blogs, Japanese websites, magazine scans and online communities and forums for the topics – some of the professional images I see, like ones from Rainbow Cream and Candy Colour Ticket, makes my head spin at how amazing and realistic they are.
4. What are the favourite things you do?
Deco or otherwise? My hobbies include reading, writing, music, anime & manga, fashion, Japanese culture and video games. Deco things I like to do are custom orders for clients as I love tailoring items to their individual tastes and specifications. I also love doing my own deco items as I love thinking of what I want and showing them off!
Deco or otherwise? My hobbies include reading, writing, music, anime & manga, fashion, Japanese culture and video games. Deco things I like to do are custom orders for clients as I love tailoring items to their individual tastes and specifications. I also love doing my own deco items as I love thinking of what I want and showing them off!
5. And lastly, do you have any tips/tricks that you want to share with our readers?
I think I would have to say stay inspired by looking at other peoples’ creations and practice, practice, practice! My biggest tip would be to first make things for yourself; then you’re not stressing out as much about whether it will turn out good or not.
You can follow Laura on her The Heian Princess blog and her shop 8th Sin's Creations
Do you also do deco and you want to be featured on All About deco? Drop me an email with some photos :)
Or maybe you're also interested in helping All About Deco become best resource for Deco on the internet? Sent me an email with your application! ^^
I think I would have to say stay inspired by looking at other peoples’ creations and practice, practice, practice! My biggest tip would be to first make things for yourself; then you’re not stressing out as much about whether it will turn out good or not.
You can follow Laura on her The Heian Princess blog and her shop 8th Sin's Creations
Do you also do deco and you want to be featured on All About deco? Drop me an email with some photos :)
Or maybe you're also interested in helping All About Deco become best resource for Deco on the internet? Sent me an email with your application! ^^
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