Why Polymer Clay Pens?
Polymer clay pens are one of my favorite things to make. There's so much potential variety in decoration, they are useful, cheap, make great gifts... what's not to like!
I sell some of them at the local Farmers Market, because if I didn't I'd be awash in them, but I make them mostly because they are addictive.
Contents at a Glance
My pens
Polymer Clay Pen-making Information sites
Lessons, tutorials and techniques
Many of these sites also have other Polymer Clay tutorials and lessons, but here I'm focusing on pen-making.
- Pens on Glass Attic
- Glass Attic is a totally addictive gathering of information from many forum postings over the years. More stuff about making pens and pencils here than any other one place. All text, no pictures.
- Polymer Clay Central - Clay and Pens lesson
- Instructions to veneer Penn State 'SlimLine' Pens and Pencils with Polymer Clay, by Jami Miller!
- Cover Pens with Polymer Clay
- Covering pens with polymer clay. Illustrated lessons and tutorials for working with polymer clay, for beginning to advanced clay students and artists.
- Polymer Clay Pen : Home & Garden Television
- What's better than your average Bic? Custom polymer clay pens. From an episode of the Carol Duvall show on HGTV.
- Polymer Clay Pens by Karen Perry
- Polymer clay covered pens by Karen Perry. Gallery of pens for sale.
- Spiral Pen and Holder - Sculpey Clay Projects
- Pen project instructions on the Sculpey product site.
- How To Make Polymer Clay Pens: The Basics (CraftyGoat's Notes)
- How To Make Polymer Clay Pens: The Basics
Pen-making hints, tips and traps
1. Test-bake the pens you're going to use! Manufacturers specs and plastic formulations change, and what you can buy locally may not be the same as what's recommended online or in books. Test before you make a dozen! (Guess how I know...)
2. Covering pen barrels with glue before clay is recommended by some resources and not others. It hasn't improved adhesion for me, so I don't bother.
3. Don't use Sculpey III. It breaks if you look sideways at it. Sculpey Premo has worked very well for me.
4. Sand pens in a drill press. Hand-sanding is OK if you're only doing one or two, but it can play havoc with your hands if you have many to do (especially if you already have RSI like I do). Set the drill press on its SLOWEST setting, line the drill chuck with a slip of thick paper or thin card, mount the pen *gently* in the chuck, start the motor and run your wetted wet-and-dry paper up and down the pen barrel as it turns. When done, reverse the pen so the other end is in the chuck, and repeat. WARNING: watch where your water is going, this is an electric power tool.
You can do this in a corded or cordless drill too, but I find it needs to be a 1/2" chuck one, and holding the drill is awkward.
2. Covering pen barrels with glue before clay is recommended by some resources and not others. It hasn't improved adhesion for me, so I don't bother.
3. Don't use Sculpey III. It breaks if you look sideways at it. Sculpey Premo has worked very well for me.
4. Sand pens in a drill press. Hand-sanding is OK if you're only doing one or two, but it can play havoc with your hands if you have many to do (especially if you already have RSI like I do). Set the drill press on its SLOWEST setting, line the drill chuck with a slip of thick paper or thin card, mount the pen *gently* in the chuck, start the motor and run your wetted wet-and-dry paper up and down the pen barrel as it turns. When done, reverse the pen so the other end is in the chuck, and repeat. WARNING: watch where your water is going, this is an electric power tool.
You can do this in a corded or cordless drill too, but I find it needs to be a 1/2" chuck one, and holding the drill is awkward.
Polymer Clay books I'd like to own
(but don't yet)
Kevin and Fran's clay playday
There aren't many clayers here in our small ferry-isolated community. So my friend Fran and I got together one hot summer day to play with clay in my cool basement. Here's what we made...
You can get your Polymer Clay on Amazon
not just for books!
Top 10 Polymer Clay Figures and Creatures books
Share and vote for your favorite books on making figures and creatures with PC
Dragons: The CF Polymer Clay Sculpture Series (Beyond Projects the Cf Sculpture) by Christi Friesen
Dragons is a step by step project book explaining more...0 points
Under The Sea: The CF Polymer Clay Sculpture Series Book 3 (The Cf Polymer Clay Sculpture Series) by Christi Friesen
Oceans of fun are in store for you in the pages of more...0 points
Sculpting Fairies in Polymer Clay - Revised 2nd Edition
Learn how to make fairies in polymer clay. Geared more...0 points
Polymer Clay blogs
- June 10% off, Hight Quality Custom Cake Toppers and Wedding Cake Toppers on ...
- Wowminime Creation uses Polymer Clay ? the color is the clay so the final product is actually brighter, true 3D likeness and higher quality. Wowminime Creation utilize the artistic skill from many sculptors to create the most realistic heads, ...
- Get your fill of fabulous art this week
- Madeline Zufelt's polymer clay charms look good enough to eat. Designed to resemble little sweets, the charms can be attached to a necklace or bracelet. ?I've been artsy all my life,? said the 16-year-old Southfield resident, who learned to make the ...
- Art, explained: Mother's wisdom, borne out in clay
- Farrow-Savos, 42, used polymer clay, a material intended for beading and other small-scale projects, to make 2- to 4-foot sculptures of women. Layers of oil paint cover the forms and help create a mottled patina that adds whimsy and heightens the quiet ...
- Dr. Laura Launches Online Jewelry Boutique
- LAURA DESIGNS" to sell her personally designed and handcrafted jewelry, glass and polymer clay art online. The boutique site, DrLauraDesigns.com, offers both ready-made and custom items; DR. LAURA designs and handcrafts all of the work seen on the site ...
Mens Gift Ideas for Polymer Clay Crafters
Mens Gift Ideas: Homemade Gifts Using Polymer Clay for the Men in your Life
Amazon Price: (as of 06/03/2012)
This Kindle book is just for you if you're looking for ideas for gifts for the men in your life that you can make from your favorite clay. Not a pattern book, it's an idea book that will help you come up with all kinds of gift ideas that you can make using your own design, color and pattern choices.
Made polymer clay pens yourself? Give us your hints and tips!
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Steve_Kaye
May 13, 2012 @ 11:13 pm | delete
- There are so many new things to learn about on Squidoo. I like pens and I found this fascinating. Thanks.
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SimplyTonjia
Mar 15, 2012 @ 12:02 pm | delete
- This looks like such a fun hobby. Thank you for sharing.
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ArtofRIO
Mar 6, 2012 @ 6:10 pm | delete
- I too make pens in polymer clay. The biggest challenge (besides banging the pieces together without bending them) is making sure both halves are of the same diameter. I stopped covering Bics a long time ago since I couldn't find many buyers here. But the classic pens don't last long in my inventory. Good job and best of luck!
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---Chazz
Mar 26, 2011 @ 3:00 pm | delete
- Very interesting and inspiring. Something else I'd like to try if I ever get to retire...
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RenaissanceWoman2010
Mar 26, 2011 @ 8:08 am | delete
- This was so interesting to me. I had not realized the potential to make a pen from the polymer clay. I love to be exposed to great ideas for new uses of artistic materials. Nicely done!
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Tipi
Mar 15, 2011 @ 8:17 pm | delete
- I sure enjoy working with polymer clay to but don't get time for it and have never attempted pens.
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Pastiche
Sep 15, 2010 @ 7:38 pm | delete
- I would love to give my writer daughter a set of pens like these. Beautiful designs.
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Allyson Morgan
Jul 25, 2010 @ 3:53 pm | delete
- Use up scraps of clay by combining all colors and working until they blend. You should come out with a muddy brown. Wrap bic pen barrel with it and draw lines with a toothpick to make it look like a tree limb. I like to spread the top and put in a clear marble. Thus, I have a "wizard's walking stick" complete with crystal ball.
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alteredkat
Sep 7, 2008 @ 5:57 pm | delete
- Great lens - I stumbled it...my 8 year old makes these! :D
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Mortira
Sep 1, 2008 @ 8:10 pm | delete
- You have some really gorgeous blends there - a real inspiration to those of us who are still 'getting their feet wet' with polymer clay. Thanks for all the great information!
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