Pretty Up your Polymer Clay
Polymer clay comes in a rainbow of colors but some projects can be greatly improved by a little paint or other surface treatment.
Popular techniques for painting sculpture include brushing on acrylic, airbrushing, and using powdered pigments to create faux surfaces and textures. Read on to learn about different techniques and materials to paint your clay creations.
Just Getting Started?
If you need a general overview of sculpting with polymer clay and how to get started check out this lens.-
Introduction to Sculpting in Polymer Clay
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I have many lenses here on Squidoo about sculpting in polymer clay but none that really give a good overview of what you need to get started. This lens is about the essential information you need to get started sculpting in polymer clay, then you can...
Test Your Paints
Some paints don't react well with polymer clay. These are mainly lacquer, enamel, and traditional oil paints will not dry on polymer clay. If you have one of these paints try it on a test piece. Acrylics, heat set paints, and water mixable oils are always safe to use.
Basic Painting Tools
Pallete. You can buy one or make it yourself using any smooth, flat plastic or glass dish.
Rinse water cup. Use something you have no intention of drinking from ever again, clean yogurt and butter tubs work well.
Paper Towels.
Newspaper. To protect your work surface, if you don't care about getting paint on it you can skip the newspaper.
Brushes. A good basic set is made up of synthetic acrylic brushes in the following shapes and sizes: size 0 round, size 5 round, size 10/0 round detail brush (for really tiny details), 3/8 inch flat brush, 3/8 inch angle brush, and size 1 fan brush. Also one or two stiff natural bristle brushes (1/2 inch flat, and size 5 round are good choices) for painting textures.
Sponges. Have a few natural sea sponges and synthetic makeup sponges around for painting texture effects.
Resources about Painting Tools
- How to Make Your Own Moisture-Retaining Palette for Acrylic Painting
- How to Make Your Own a Moisture-Retaining Palette for Acrylic Painting
- Brush Basics: Artists Studio Education
- When you learn these brush basics, choosing the right brush for each purpose will be easy
- Caring For Your Paintbrushes -
- You've invested a good deal of money into your paintbrushes, it only makes sense to take proper care of them in order to make them last and get the most out of your investment. Follow these tips to extend the life of your paintbrushes.
Painting Polymer Clay with Acrylics
Painting a primed sculpture.
The simplest way to paint a polymer clay piece is using acrylic paints over a primed base.Priming
There are two basic types of primer to use on polymer clay, spray primer and gesso.
Acrylic Spray Primer is very easy to use, simply aim the can at your sculpture and spray taking care to make an even coat. Make sure you use spray primer in a well ventilated area, spray paint fumes are hazardous to breath. Krylon acrylic primer works quite well, it comes in 4 colors white, black, gray, and rust brown. Pick the color closest to what you want your finished piece to be. For example light skin tones white is best, rust brown can work for dark skin tones, black works well for dark colored vehicles or monsters, and gray for anything in between.
Acrylic Gesso is a thick textured paint used to prime surfaces for painting. It comes in two basic colors, white and black, but the white version can be tinted using acrylic paints. Gesso is very thick and gives a beautiful surface to paint on, however it will fill in fine details so it wouldn't be used on textured areas. You can even use gesso to paint on details like veins.
Painting
I recommend using artist acrylics rather than craft acrylic which are lower in quality than artist acrylics. Student Artist Acrylics are in the middle when it comes to quality but at a reasonable price and a good place to start if on a budget. Tube acrylics are very thick and need to be thinned with acrylic medium or water. I prefer Golden Fluid Acrylics which have a smooth consistency a little thicker than heavy cream (there are also other brands with the same consistency try them out until you find one you like).
Acrylic paint dries very fast so you have three options if you aren't a speed painter.
1: Squeeze only a small amount of paint onto your palette at a time.
2: Use a stay wet palette (any art store and most craft stores carry them or you can make one)>
3: Use acrylic retarding medium which keeps the paint from drying as quickly (buy where ever you get your acrylic paints)
I find it best to gradually build up color in layers using a barely damp brush or makeup sponge. If you've never painted before you should check out some Basic Painting Skills or the links below.
When finished I seal my sculptures with Testor's dull coat for a matter finish, Krylon crystal clear for gloss, and krylon workable fixative for satin. Small glossy areas like eyes I use Delta gloss varnish.
My Lionfish Mermaid sculpture was painted this way.
Painting Polymer Clay with Washes
Letting the color of the clay show through your paint.
Some polymer clays like Super Sculpey, Puppen Fimo, and Prosculpt are translucent. This works beautifully for skin tones but it often needs touches of color to enhance the effect. This is achieves by thinning the paint down and using light washes over the clay and blotting off the excess with paper towel or makeup sponge.My Baby Rat sculpture was painted this way.
Polymer Clay Painting Links
- Mysticalis Sculpting Forum - Painting tutorial
- Thought I would go ahead and give everyone the heads up on a new small tutorial. This will be on making realistic skin tones.
- Glass Attic Painting Polymer Clay
- Tips for using just about every kind of paint and surface effect.
- How to paint eyes and face for miniature dolls and fairies
- Learn To Paint Eyes & Face for miniature dolls and fairies by Artisan Eneida Onofre Rosa aka Eneida Rosa, a step by step picture tutorial
- Build Layers
- All my kit builds typically follow this layering concept. Starting with the bare plastic to spraying color to applying the final clear coat follow these steps. Depending on the final finish, some of the last optional steps may be ignored.
- Face Painting I
- In this issue I will show basic painting techniques. These can be done with acrylic or china paints. The point is how to do it in layers and the colors used.
- Face Painting II
- In this issue I will show shadowed painting techniques. These can be done with acrylic or china paints. The point is how to do it in layers and the colors used.
- March's Classroom thread- Basic Acrylic Painting Techniques - WetCanvas!
- March's Classroom thread- Basic Acrylic Painting Techniques The Information Kiosk
- Fluid Acrylics -- How to Make Your Own Fluid Acrylics
- A step-by-step explanation of how to make your own fluid acrylics from your 'normal' acrylics.
- Basic Painting Guide
- This is intended to be a pretty thorough look at both basic and advanced painting techniques. I'll begin with the easy stuff and go on to the more advanced techniques, so if you just want the basics you can skip the later painting steps, such as blending. But whether you're learning to paint for the first time, or would like some more challenge, I hope this'll help all of you.
- Warhammer Painting and Modeling Section
- Miniature painting techniques.
- Polymer Clay Project Tutorials - » Doll Painting with Genesis Paints
- Doll Painting with Genesis Paints
- Guide to Using Acrylic Mediums
- There are so many additives and acrylic mediums available, it can get confusing as to what does what
- Caring For Your Paintbrushes
- You've invested a good deal of money into your paintbrushes, it only makes sense to take proper care of them in order to make them last and get the most out of your investment. Follow these tips to extend the life of your paintbrushes.
Polymer Clay Painting and Surface Effects Books
Or check out Noadi's Art Sculpting Book aStore for the full list of polymer clay books I recommend.
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Acrylic Paints from Dick Blick
*I am an affiliate of Dick Blick Art Materials. I promote their products on my pages because I'm also a customer who appreciates their customer service.
Airbrushing Polymer Clay
Airbrushes allow you to create soft blended paint with practice. This makes an airbrush the ideal tool for larger sculptures where paint covers the whole surface.The downside of an airbrush though it that they are expensive, you can expect to invest at least $150 to start out with.
The prepare a polymer clay sculpture for airbrushing ir should be sanded as needed and primed with an acrylic spray primer. Krylon acrylic primer works quite well, it comes in 4 colors white, black, gray, and rust brown. Pick the color closest to what you want your finished piece to be. For example light skin tones white is best, rust brown can work for dark skin tones, black works well for dark colored vehicles or monsters, and gray for anything in between.
There are two basic types of airbrush. Single action and double action. Double action is more expensive but gives you finer control. I use a single action and it serves me well but I still do all my fine detailing with a regular paint brush.
Much of Odin's Runesong was painted using an airbrush.
Airbrush Links
- Garage Kit Figure Modeling - Skintones Explained
- Skintones! Man, I can remember the times when I thought skintones would be impossible to achieve. I mean all that I had painted up until that time were dinosaur models and a few creature kits.
- Pearl Powders Tutorial
- This tutorial will discuss the techniques for using pearl powders with model building. The applications of pearls are endless, and they can be applied to any painted surface to create a pearlized look. The technique I'm using is to mix the pearl powders with a clear carrier and then spray the mixture over an already painted part. The pearl powders can be mixed with paint to create pearlized paints as well.
- Getting Started with Painting Basics
- So you have your kit primed and ready for painting? OK, lets go! There are three basic steps in painting your kit: base coating, shading, and detailing.
- Paint Freehand with a Double-Action Airbrush.
- How to Airbrush Tutorial - Paint Freehand with a Double-Action Airbrush. You are on your way to successful mastery of the double action airbrush by learning to manipulate three basic control elements..
- Basic Airbrush Info for Beginners
- Basic Airbrush Info for Beginners
- Hobbyist Guides
- Testor's Model Master Technical Guide was created to provide modelers of all skill levels, information to enhance their model building experience by providing useful tips, techniques and reference information. Testors is pleased to make each separate chapter of the Model Master Technical Guide, and the Testors Product Guide available to visitors of the Testors.com at no charge
- AIRBRUSH SURVEY by Terry Miesle
- Several months ago I asked for people's comments and opinions about the airbrushes they use. A fair number of people responded to the survey. The results of this survey are presented in a document, without any editorial manipulation beyond some grammar changes. Users have presented their honest opinions about various airbrushes, and you will notice that some airbrushes will receive good and bad reviews from different people. Some people own multiple airbrushes, and have provided comments on each of them, which provides a useful comparison between makes and types. You can read each person's comments and use that information to help you make a decision.
- Building a Spray Booth
- I am fortunate in that I have had a basement area to work on models. Now I am confined to the garage, but this isn't so bad. While this gives me real estate to set up my workbench, there is one serious flaw: this (though large) enclosed area has no airflow. Any time I wanted to spray primer or any paint from a can I had to don a respirator mask, spray and then leave the basement. If I did some serious spraying, such as with a primer, I would stink the whole house up?the furnace and A/C are also in the basement, and invariably sucked up the smell. I have wanted to build a spray booth for some time, and finally got off my duff to do it.
Airbrush Books
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Airbrush Supplies from Dick Blick
Other Surface Techniques
PastelsUsing soft pastels (the chalky kind not oil pastels) is quite popular for painting model horses and weathering models. It translates just as well to polymer clay as to resin. Make sure you use a good quality pastel, fine artists pastels are very expensive but there are very good quality student grade pastels available. Anything painted with pastels must be coated with a spray sealer such as Testor's Dull Coat or Krylon Workable Fixative.
Mica Powders
Mica powders (the most well known and widely available are Jaquard Pearl Ex powders) are fine shimmery powders that come in dozens of metallic, pearlized, iridescent, and special effects colors. Mica powders can be mixed with clear acrylic medium, clear acrylic varnish, airbrush medium, liquid polymer clay, or directly into raw polymer clay (works best with the translucent clays).
Use mica powders to imitate metallic details like brass buckles or gold jewelry, pearls and sea shells, and many other special effects. Just remember that a little goes a long way. I bought a sample set of twelve 3 gram jars of pearl ex a year ago in some lovely colors and I have yet to empty any jar even halfway. They seem pricey but the powders last a very long time.
If used loose like pastels mica powders must be coated with a spray sealer such as Testor's Dull Coat or Krylon Workable Fixative.
Liquid Polymer Clay
Liquid polymer clays can be used as a sealer either by itself or over acrylic paint.
Image Transfer
Liquid clay and some PVA glues can be used to transfer images from paper to clay.
My Trilobite jewelry was painted by brushing silver pearl ex over black clay before baking.
Other Techniques Links
- Technique and Tutorial: How to create liquid polymer clay paints using it to create realistic miniature cake.
- In this two-part tutorial in making realistic looking miniature cake, you will first learn to create polymer clay paint and then use this to bake the cake.
- Missing-lynx.com - Rarities World - The Secrets of Pigments
- Many modellers use pigments (coloured powders) and pastels, but they also have a lot of difficulty in knowing how to use them correctly: they remain a bit of an enigma. With this article I will try not only to explain how to use them, but also what they are and where they come from. So let's discover the secrets of pigments.
- How to Pastel Model Horses
- How to Pastel a Model Horse How to Pastel Your Model HorseOk, now you have all your supplies together and are rarin' to go, so lets get started!
- The Model Citizen - weathering with Pastels
- Weathering Your Models with PastelsChalk up another finished model -- literally. One of the quickest ways to get a good weathering job on a model is to use artist's
pastels. - Polymer Clay Project Tutorials - » Making Pearl Ex Paint
- Making Pearl Ex Paint with sculpey glaze.
- Jacquard Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments - An incredibly versatile faux finishing miracle!
- Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments are our most versatile product! They can be mixed into any media and applied to any surface! And the variety of finishes Pearl Ex can produce is nearly endless-from metallic sheens to pearlescent shimmers to all manner of faux finishes.
- Image Transfer
- A collection of image transfer methods. Check out the new "Image Transfer of the Day" module! Image transfer techniques have become a popular among artists, artisans and crafters, especially for collages and many types of altered art, as well as on fabric for quilts and t-shirts.
- Using Liquid Polymer Clay
- Liquid Polymer Clay is a fairly new medium, only being around for a few years now. However in a few short years artists and crafters have found hundreds of ways to use this new medium.
- Sculpey 201 - Sculpey Clay Projects
- Sculpey 201 - Translucent Liquid Sculpey
- The polymer clay: Comparison Test between Translucent Liquid Sculpey, Kato Liquid Polyclay And Fimo Deko Gel. Which is the clearest?
- Finally, I am able to test all three types of polymer clay liquid medium.
- Creating Your Own Colored Polymer Liquid Clay, Using Fimo, Kato and Sculpey Liquid
- Oil Paints : Best Medium For Creating Colored Liquid Polymer Clay
- Cynthia Blanton's Blog: Playing with Liquid Clays
- I've been experimenting with liquid clays recently, trying different brands and mixing different substances into them.
- Sweetbriar Equestrian: Customs: Tobiano Filly: Tutorial
- Painting a model horse using pastels. Works just as well on polymer clay.
- Spiderling Art's Stuff: Using Liquid Polymer Clay To Seal Acrylic Paint
- Using Liquid Polymer Clay To Seal Acrylic Paint
Pastels and Powders from Dick Blick
Painting Poll
Paint Mixing and Color Theory Links
Help with choosing and mixing the right colors.
- Ron Lemen: Skin Tones Part 1 - GFXartist.com - Served over 20,000,000 artworks
- GFXartist.com the best place to be a digital artist and to become one. Digital art resource. Digital art community
- Color Mixing Guide
- Throughout history, painters and authors have recommended various palettes of color. While some give insight to the painter's working style, others offer a simple palette for mixing, but typically limit color possibilities. GOLDEN has created a palette of eight professional acrylic colors to provide you with the potential to mix the widest range of colors.
- WetCanvas: ArtsSchool Online: Color Theory & Mixing: 16 Lessons in Color Theory
- Color Theory & Mixing: 16 Lessons in Color Theory
- Figure Painting and Portraiture Pallet (Caucasian)
- Skin Tone Pallet: (caucasian)
Mixing Your pallet for your figure painting or portrait
The Figure Painting Pallet:
Most people who paint the figure have their own unique pallet. Usually it's a pallet that has evolved over years and is always in flux, but everyone must start s
Color Theory Videos
Painting Tips: Basic Color Theory : Basics of Paint Mixing & Color Theory
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Color Theory and Paint Mixing Books
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- An Online Community of Model Builders, Sculptors and Collectors. The best sculpting forum online.
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Polymer Clay Photos on Flickr
Sculpture
Dachshund pack
Baby Rat in Altoid T...
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Baby Rat - Seashell...
Dachshund pack above
squares
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Paint Splatters
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- Flynn_the_Cat Flynn_the_Cat Oct 31, 2009 @ 6:39 pm
- Fascinating! Not an area I've ever tried, but it looks very useful. Blessed by an angel!
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- Sep 15, 2008 @ 1:25 am
- Great lens! Your lens is stuffed with a very good content.And poly clay painting is a bit tougher then the normal one, and it involves lots of creativity.
Checkout my thefauxpaintingsource blog
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- gods_grace_notes gods_grace_notes Jun 24, 2008 @ 8:52 pm
- I agree with Gypsy... your lenses are always filled with great content. This one is no exception! Great work!
Connie
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- ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen Jun 22, 2008 @ 8:04 pm
- Great lens!
5*
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- CrypticFragments CrypticFragments May 7, 2008 @ 7:33 am
- your artwork is beautiful noadi! I LOVE the trilobite pendant! I haven't used PC in a long while but still have a box full of it in the garage.........
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- N376 N376 Apr 29, 2008 @ 4:27 am
- Exceptional!
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Continue Learning
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Techniques for Curing Polymer Clay
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No subject in polymer clay has more controversy than how to best cure polymer clay. This lens gives an over view of the main techniques used.
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