The most beautiful products themselves are considered to be expensive trinkets from a company boutique. They can be purchased directly on site or ordered online if desired. However, it is much more pleasant and reliable to make earrings, beads, bracelets, and other jewelry with your own hands. At the same time, everyone chooses the manufacturing method, as well as the creative materials themselves, according to their own taste. For example, these could be flowers made of polymer clay. We bring to your attention a master class on how to make them in this article.
How to make flower petals: tools
In order to learn how to make crafts from polymer clay, you need to start with the smallest and simplest things. For example, you can start by making flower petals, and later decide what to use from them later. To make petals we will need the following materials and tools:
- 2-3 tubes with multi-colored soft clay (for example, polymer clay for sculpting flowers is suitable - FIMO soft);
- nail scissors;
- one green leaf a real plant (for example, a rose leaf will do);
- standard wooden photo frame;
- colored acrylic paint and a brush for it;
- a jar of plain water;
- toothpick and skewer;
- thin surgical gloves;
- superglue or floral glue with a gun.
Clay flower petals: manufacturing process
At the first stage, take acrylic paint of any color (if desired, you can mix several colors), dilute it with water and apply it to the photo frame using a brush. It is advisable to apply the paint evenly around the entire perimeter of the frame. A little later we will tell you how to make roses from polymer clay.
Next, squeeze clay of one color, for example blue, out of a tube onto a flat surface and, using a special rolling pin, roll it into a thin pancake. Then take another clay, of blue color, make a small circle and place it on top of the previous one. And finally, take the third tube - with yellow clay, roll a small ball, flatten it into a flat circle and place it on top of the blue one.
Next, you need to take a toothpick and use it to stretch the color palette, starting from its yellow middle to the very edge. Then roll out the resulting uniform shape with a rolling pin and use scissors to cut out a circle, carefully trimming its corners. We will tell you how to make flowers from polymer clay a little later.
Take each of the resulting circles and lean it against a leaf of a living plant. Press it down and gently press it around the edges. Detach from the sheet and give it a slightly rounded shape. And finally, place this composition in the oven along with the frame. In this case, pay attention to the instructions, which indicate the time during which the product should be in the oven until cooked. Then glue the resulting petals to the frame. The craft is ready.
Flowers made of polymer clay: master class
If you have already learned how to make petals from clay, it’s time to start making flowers. To do this, you need to prepare several tubes of polymer clay, for example, choose blue, blue, gray, green colors. You also need to prepare a sharp knife, three molds (in the form of a circle, a four-leaf and a six-leaf flower), a discount card and a rolling pin.
Next, take dark and light colored clay and roll them out into thin pancakes using a roller or rolling pin. Then we roll the light pancake into a tube, seal the edges, and on top of it we put another pancake made of darker clay and also wrap it in a “sausage”. It’s not noticeable yet, but this is exactly what future flowers made of polymer clay are. It’s easy to make them yourself if you follow our tips.
We compress the resulting product to a flatter shape and cut the large shape into 5-7 smaller ones. We also roll them into “sausages” and place them on top of each other so that we get a flower on the outside.
At the next stage, we take five more types of clay and roll them out with a rolling pin until we obtain layers of minimal thickness. The following colors are suitable, laid out in the following sequence: one green, one blue, two blue and one dark color. Then we cut this “stack” of clay flat rectangles down to the base with a card, making approximately 14-17 notches. We return to our first “sausage” with a flower inside and wrap it in a “stack”. We will tell you how to make flowers from transparent polymer clay later in this article.
Making the centers for the flowers
We take the newly formed “sausage” and gently compress it so that the product acquires a diameter of 5-7 mm. Then we take a knife and cut the “sausage” into small, if possible identical circles. After this, take each piece in your hand and round it a little so that it becomes slightly convex.
Making petals for flowers
To make flowers from polymer clay, take a round mold with your own hands, roll out the clay into a layer and leave a mark on it from the mold. Stretch the circle using a toothpick and form slightly wavy edges. Similar petals can be made using other patterns.
We put the convex centers into the resulting flower, fasten several layers, make small holes for future fastenings for jewelry and place the finished flowers in the oven. Bake. The flowers are ready. All that remains is to weave them into earrings, a bracelet or beads.
How to make roses from polymer clay?
If you are just starting to get acquainted with clay and do not know which one to choose, polymer clay for beginners is suitable for you. It's easy to make flowers from it. The main thing is to follow the instructions and our advice. Also suitable for beginners is special clay designed for ceramic floristry. It is easy to make petals from it, which, due to the special quality of the material, turn out to be more realistic and thin. So, how to make roses from polymer clay?
For work you will need the following components:
- clay (Fimo is suitable);
- any hand cream;
- small scissors;
- toothpick.
Take the cream and lubricate your hands. Next you should take clay. Roll it into a small circle and stretch it into a rounded “drop”. This will be the future center for the polymer clay rose. It is around this that the petals will be attached. Tear off the next piece and make a circle out of it. Then press it with your fingers. Let it take on a flat shape. Roll it out with your fingers to a not too thin “pancake”, put our first “drop” in its middle and twist the petal with a cone.
Repeat the same operation (but without the middle) with other petals. However, keep in mind that the first layer of petals should consist of two elements, the third - of five, the fourth - of seven. The finished petals can be glued not completely, leaving an edge for the opening effect. And also do not forget to cut off the excess clay that will form during the manufacturing process of the parts. You will end up with a beautiful rose ready for the kiln.
General Information about Transparent Polymer Clay
If you don’t have an oven or you don’t want to bother with baking finished products at all, you can always use alternative materials. IN in this case We are talking about transparent types of clay. For example, you can make flowers from polymer clay. We offer you a master class on how to make them today.
So, let's say a few words about transparent clay. Unlike the one we described above, transparent does not need heat treatment. She is able to freeze on her own. It is enough to set aside the finished product for 24 hours. However, this type of clay is not colorless. However, in addition to color, it contains a certain “porcelain coating”.
What is needed to make flowers from transparent clay?
A wonderful decoration - flowers made of polymer clay. A master class on making them will help you purchase beautiful beads, earrings, bracelets or rings for your personal collection. After all, the flowers you make can be used as a finished decoration for any jewelry. When starting to sculpt from transparent clay, prepare the following tools:
- small scissors;
- sharp knife or blade;
- yellow acrylic paint;
- toothpicks;
- fishing line;
- white and pink clay;
- floral gun.
How to make flowers from transparent clay?
Take white and pink clay with a transparent coating and knead each of the pieces. Place the white (top) and pink (bottom) blank next to each other and fasten them together. Then roll both clays into one “sausage”. Make it a little thinner. And using a blade or knife, cut into circles. You have got two-color blanks that you need to stretch out a little with your fingers and twist their end into a cone. Then combine three petals into one and add four more to them (from below). Let's talk further about how to make bouquets from polymer clay.
Take a toothpick and use it to make a hole in the middle of the flower. Then the resulting flower is strung on top of toothpicks. After this, cut an equal amount of fishing line of identical length, singe the pieces on one side and paint the burnt part with acrylic paint. Each flower has 5-7 stamens. When all the stamens are in place, put a special decorative metal cap on each flower. The ears for the earrings will then be attached to it. At the end of the work, the product must be left to dry for a day.
How to make a bouquet of flowers from polymer clay?
In addition to single flowers, you can make bouquets from polymer clay. To do this, after you have obtained individual flowers, you need to make a stem, leaves and connect the elements together. For greater stability of the structure, it is recommended to additionally make a vase or flower pot out of clay. Then your flowers will stand and not fall. And such a craft itself will look more impressive. It can be used as a bright interior decoration or given to someone for a holiday.
In a word, experiment with images, colors and create unusual flower arrangements from polymer clay.
Polymer clay– an ideal material for creating original fakes. It is a plastic mass similar to plasticine, which hardens when heated to +100 C° and above.
The material was invented in Germany back in the 1930s. Initially, clay was used to make dolls. But in the 1960s, it began to gain popularity; it began to be used in the manufacture of various sculptures and entire compositions.
Nowadays, polymer clay is used to create souvenirs, jewelry, flowers, and small wedding bouquets.
Anyone can learn to work with this material. All you have to do is prepare everything necessary supplies and follow step by step instructions.
In this article we will look at making 7 flowers from polymer clay that you see in the photo
Tools for working with polymer clay
Before you start work, you need to prepare everything you need:
- Polymer clay.
- Working surface. It should be a flat, smooth surface. You can use glass, plastic, ceramics.
- Small knife. A construction or stationery knife with spare blades will do.
- Rolling pin for working with acrylic. You need to choose one that makes it convenient to roll out the clay.
- A syringe with special attachments for making curly stripes and floral elements.
- Cutters. Molds designed for cutting out shapes.
- Stacks. Tools for working with plastic materials (clay, plasticine).
- Varnish for coating polymers.
- Brushes of different sizes.
- Wooden toothpicks.
- Napkins.
- Accessories.
To avoid difficulties when working with clay, you need to follow simple recommendations:
- You need to start working with clean hands, as clay absorbs various contaminants well. It is better to tie your hair up or wear a headscarf. Workplace also needs to be kept clean.
- Before creating a product, the material must be kneaded well.
- To prevent debris from sticking, talc is applied to the clay.
- The clay package must be kept in closed. To extend the service life of the material, you can put a damp cloth in the packaging.
- It is important to accurately calculate the required amount of clay, since material that has already been used for work is not stored for long.
- If the clay dries out, mix it with a small amount of regular hand cream.
Finished polymer clay fakes are very fragile, so they must be handled with care.
How to make polymer clay with your own hands
If you can’t buy ready-made polymer clay in a store, you can make it yourself at home by following a simple recipe.
Required ingredients:
- Flour – 1 tsp.
- Children's cosmetic oil.
- PVA glue – 1 tsp.
- Corn starch – 1 tsp.
To prepare a plastic material, flour must be combined with starch and glue added. Stir the resulting mass until it becomes clay-like. After this, add five drops of oil so that the mixture does not stick to your hands.
Paint the clay with acrylic paint. Dropping a few drops onto a piece of clay, knead it in your hands until a uniform color is obtained.
Making flowers
Rose
To make beautiful flower, you need clay of three colors: white, pink and light pink. The light pink shade is obtained by mixing white and deep pink clay.
Creating a rose can be divided into several stages:
- 1. A small pea is rolled out of pink material, from which a thin petal is formed. Petals of three colors are prepared in the same way.
- 2. The flower core is created by twisting a pink petal into a tube.
- 3. The next soft pink petals are added in a circle.
- 4. To give natural look, the edges of the petals can be bent a little, making them slightly wavy.
- 5. You need to add four white petals from the bottom so that they overlap each other.
- 6. Excess material that remains with reverse side, cut with a knife or blade.
- 7. The leaves are formed from green material of different shades. To make veins, use a regular sewing needle or toothpicks.
- 8. The product is baked in the oven.
Orchid
To create a flower you will need material in white, yellow and pink colors.
To form an orchid you need:
- 1. Make three back petals. To do this, you need to roll three balls of white clay, then make droplets out of them. Roll out the resulting blanks and form into thin petals.
- 2. The petals are given texture using special molds. To prevent the material from sticking to the molds, they are lightly lubricated with oil.
- 3. While the finished petals are drying, you need to make the side petals. To do this, roll two white balls and roll them into petals. Using molds, an impression is made that gives the workpiece a natural look.
- 4. To make the petals slightly rounded, you need to dry them by placing them on a thick round object (marker, thin rocker).
- 5. The three rear petals must be fastened so that the angle between them is 45-60°.
- 6. Two side petals are attached on top of the lower petals.
- 7. The main petal is made of pink clay. The edge is made a little wavy.
- 8. A droplet-core is made from yellow material, which is attached to a pink petal - the “lip” of the orchid.
- 9. The core is wrapped at the base of the petal. The petal is dried on a round object.
- 10. When all the parts are ready, the orchid is assembled and fastened.
Peony
The peony is made from white and pink material; green clay is used for the leaves.
To create a beautiful peony you need:
- 1. Place white and pink clay into one layer. Form a rocking chair out of it, the cut of which will have a smooth transition from white to pink.
- 2. Pinch the pink side of the resulting sausage a little. By cutting it into thin slices, they should be in the shape of a drop.
- 3. To form a petal, place the workpiece on the palm of your hand and, with a special tool with a ball at the end (stack), pull out the edges and make a depression in the center of the petal. To create a natural flower you need petals of different sizes.
- 4. Make an oblong droplet from clay and put it on a knitting needle or toothpick. Attach the petals around it overlapping, starting with the smallest ones. You need to try to ensure that each row of petals does not touch the previous one.
- 5. Roll out the green clay. Form leaves from it. This can be done with a cutter in the shape of a leaf or by cutting it out. You can add texture to the leaves using weiner.
- 6. Carefully connect the peony with the leaves.
- 7. Using liquid plastic, create a dew effect on the flower.
- 8. Bake the product in the oven.
Lilac branch
Making your own lilac branch is not difficult. But compared to other colors, the manufacturing process will take longer.
To create lilacs you need thin wire, purple polymer clay of several tones, as well as yellow and green clay.
To make the work easier, you can follow the instructions:
- 1. The wire should be cut into pieces about 5 cm long. Make a loop on one side of each piece using pliers.
- 2. To create buds, clay of two shades is used.
- 3. You need to form a small droplet from the purple material. Then cut it on four sides using a blade or knife.
- 4. Each cut part should be shaped into a petal using a toothpick or stack.
- 5. The finished flower is pierced through with a wire with a loop. The loop should fit tightly and disappear halfway in the middle of the flower.
- 6. To make a bud, prepare small droplets. Blanks for buds should have a more elongated shape than for flowers. They are cut into four parts, but the petals are not formed.
- 7. The bud is also pierced with wire. To do this, it is opened and then closed again.
- 8. Roll a small ball from a yellow material. It is placed in the recess in the middle of the flower. This will be the core. On its surface, directly in the center, you need to press notches with a knife.
- 9. Leaves are made from green polymer clay using cutting. They can be given a characteristic structure using a weiner. At the base of each leaf you need to attach a wire.
- 10. Finished flowers and leaves are baked in the oven.
- 11. When the flowers and buds are ready, wrap the wire at their base with green floral tape.
- 12. To collect individual flowers into inflorescences, they are connected in several pieces and wrapped with floral tape.
- 13. Each inflorescence should consist of 4-5 buds, 6-7 full flowers. A full bunch usually contains 5-6 such inflorescences. Leaves are added to the finished bunch. All elements are attached using floral tape.
Lily
Creating a lily is quite a painstaking job, on average it will take 7-8 hours.
To make a flower, material of chocolate, coffee, brown, yellow and green colors is used. The work is divided into stages:
- 1. Place coffee-colored, yellow, brown, and coffee-colored clay in one layer. So that the colors touch diagonally. Using a plastic machine, make a ribbon whose color will smoothly transition from one to another.
- 2. Fold the tape like an accordion. On top of each layer lay 2-3 thin planes of dark Brown. Starting from the transition of yellow to brown, thin strips are not laid.
- 3. The resulting rectangle is well compacted and pressed together. Then it is cut into two parts.
- 4. Both halves are connected so that the brown veins are inside.
- 5. Form a cane, the top of which must be pinched to make it thinner. Then petals are cut from it.
- 6. Each petal is formed separately. It is thinned, given a boat shape, and made a little wavy along the edge.
- 7. To collect a flower, you need six petals.
- 8. The inner row consists of small petals, overlapped one on top of the other (with the wide part).
- 9. The outer row is made up of larger petals. They are placed under the first row.
- 10. Leaves are cut out in any shape from rolled green clay. You can add texture to them using a weiner or by rolling them between real, living leaves.
- 11. The leaves are attached to the lily. The entire product is baked in the oven.
- 12. Five stamens made of beads or balls on a thin wire are threaded into the middle of the finished flower.
Daisies
To make a chamomile you will need white, yellow and green polymer clay.
It’s easy to create a beautiful daisy:
- 1. Material white you need to form a cane, about 1 cm thick. In order for it to have a drop-shaped shape when cut, it needs to be slightly flattened on one side.
- 2. Cut the resulting cane into plates about 3 mm thick.
- 3. Using a toothpick, give each petal a ribbed texture and form shallow grooves.
- 4. Make a white flower from 7-8 large petals.
- 5. Use a special stack with a ball to mold the middle, connecting the petals. Make a small depression in it.
- 6. Use yellow paint to tint the center of the flower, slightly capturing the petals.
- 7. The second tier is formed from the top from smaller petals.
- 8. A depression is made in the center of the flower. The middle and petals are slightly tinted with yellow pastel.
- 9. From yellow clay you need to mold the middle of a chamomile. To do this, roll a small ball. Using a needle, it is given the desired look.
- 10. Having placed the core in the center of the flower, use a sharp tool again to give it a loose appearance.
- 11. Leaves are sculpted from green clay. The veins are pressed out using a weiner or a toothpick.
- 12. Having put the chamomile and leaves together, they are sent for firing.
Poppy
To create a poppy you need polymer clay in white, red, black and green colors.
It is made as follows:
- 1. Roll out the white and red material and cut out identical rectangles. Then add them in order: 2 white, 2 red, 3 white.
- 2. Using the blunt side of a knife, press down the stacked plates. After which they are compacted. Turn it over and push it again in the opposite direction. Then it is compacted again.
- 3. The resulting cane is cut into two parts, joined at the sides and compacted again. They give it a shape so that when cut it looks like a drop.
- 4. The finished cane is cut into blank plates.
- 5. Place the petal on the mold and use your fingers to give it the shape and texture of a poppy petal.
- 6. The bottom row is formed from five large petals. Small indentations are made in the center and at the junction of the petals.
- 7. The second row of petals is formed from smaller blanks.
- 8. Both rows are connected in the center, making a recess. The edges of the petals are slightly raised and curved.
- 9. The bud is made from a drop of red or white color. It is put on a thin wire and wrapped in 5-6 boat-shaped petals.
- 10. To create the center of the flower, roll up a small droplet of black material. Then it is wrapped twice with a pre-prepared strip of black clay, onto which floral stamens are attached. The finished center is attached to the flower.
- 11. The leaves are made from green polymer clay.
- 12. When the entire composition is assembled, it is sent for firing.
Have you decided to try making flowers from polymer clay? The master class will help you with this: here are descriptions from simple products to the most complex.
Modeling flowers from polymer clay is probably the most interesting type of working with plastic. A skilled craftswoman produces divinely elegant products, so fragile in appearance - but strong enough to wear them as a brooch, necklace or bracelet. Souvenir ikebana can be used to decorate the interior. More than once you will hear from your guests words of admiration with a hint of slight disbelief: did you really make such beauty yourself?! But the most chic thing is a wedding bouquet made of polymer clay. Unlike real flowers, it will never wither - which means you can save it as one of your first family heirlooms.
How to make flowers from polymer clay?
Before making flowers from polymer clay, familiarize yourself with general recommendations— nuances also affect the quality of the final result.
Many beginners think that a master class on plastic flowers is extremely difficult. In fact, if you follow the technology, there is nothing complicated in sculpting such products. Always adhere to the following rules:
- You only need to sculpt in a cool room, using a glass sheet as a working surface so that the clay does not soften too much from the high temperature.
- Flowers are not sanded, so it is better to sculpt with medical rubber gloves (tight-fitting) so as not to leave fingerprints on the clay.
- It is imperative to have a set of professional stacks, since almost all the work is done by them.
- Under no circumstances should we place unfired flowers on a work or any other surface - we prick them onto a stand (wire, toothpick) and bake them on it.
- We try to prevent dust and lint from getting on the work surface and plastic: they can get imprinted on the workpieces, and there is practically no way to remove them from there. Therefore, before making flowers from polymer clay, we vacuum the room, remove pets and woolen clothes, and after sculpting, we immediately take our creative works to the oven, without waiting for something to stick to them.
In addition to clay and stacks, you will need green wire - flower stems are often made from it. You can find it in a craft store: sold in reels and by the meter. Choose a medium thickness: the thinnest is not suitable, as it will bend under the weight of the flower.
Sometimes on thematic resources you come across a recommendation not to bake thin items made from polymer clay, but to boil them. They say it’s faster (flowers only need 5 minutes) and more environmentally friendly (less harmful fumes). Maybe so, but cooking has one huge disadvantage: the boiling point ordinary water 100 o, saturated saline solution 110 o, and the temperature required for hardening of polymer clay is 130 o. As a result, the creative almost certainly remains a little soft and too fragile. Therefore, my choice is baking, which I advise you to do. It would be a shame if a magnificent bouquet was ruined at the final stage. It is advisable to cook plastic if you come across a variety with a solidification temperature of no more than 110 o. Or if you don’t have an oven, but really want to work with polymer clay.
How to cook polymer clay? Pour filtered water into the pan, dissolve salt in it (2 tablespoons for each liter), let it boil and wait 5 minutes. Then set the heat to low and lower the product into the brine. We hold it by the stand so that it does not touch the walls and bottom. Thin items like flowers should be boiled for 4-5 minutes, then taken out and cooled in cold water. The container in which the processing was carried out can no longer be used for cooking.
Master class “Flower”
What you can't do with polymer clay! Master class “Flower” is a small part of its possible use for sculpting plant motifs.
In order not to explain anything on your fingers, here is a detailed photo guide to making different colors:
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I showed how to sculpt roses in.
These are the miracles you can easily sculpt from polymer clay. But the “Flower” master class is not only intended for beginners: I think it’s time to bring in the heavy artillery. I recommend that those who are especially impressionable take a deep breath, as this is truly a masterpiece!
To make the same flowers from polymer clay, read the master class carefully, and if you don’t understand anything, ask questions in the comments. I repeat: this branch of sakura is a job of a high degree of complexity, and beginners may not be able to sculpt delicate details the first time. Practice and you will learn.
You will need pink, brown and green self-hardening polymer clay, yellow acrylic dye, good glue, fishing line, wire and a real tree branch.
First of all, cut the fishing line into pieces about 5 cm long and singe it over the flame so that 2 cm remains with a ball at the end. We will dip these balls in yellow paint. When dry, glue the resulting stamens to the wire using superglue.
Now let's start sculpting the petals - perhaps this is the most difficult stage of the work, since they should be thin, almost like real ones. We pinch off a piece the size of a pea, knead it, form a long drop, and place it on the curve of the left palm. With the other hand we take the stack and roll out the workpiece. Not too subtle yet. The result is a drop-shaped cake. Now we use a toothpick to press slightly noticeable grooves along it, and one deep one at the tip, in the very center. We remove it, flatten the blunt end a little more with our fingers, and bend the sharp end in two along the deep groove, stretch it out a little and turn it up. This is what the petal should look like:
Carefully glue the petals onto the stems: 3-4 in a row, 3 rows in total. Now all that remains is to attach the sepals, and the flower will be ready. Take green polymer clay, roll it out using a star shape or cut it out by hand five-pointed star, put it on the wire and crimp it. It’s better to roll the stem with plastic too, so that our branch looks more realistic.
In the first illustration you can see that there are a lot of flowers on sakura. This is not a job for one evening, or even for a week. The process is labor-intensive, but the result is worth it - so be patient. Approximately 90% of the flowers should be made as identical as possible, and the remaining 10% should be in the form of unopened buds. You don't need stamens for the buds - we just glue about five petals in random order onto a wire stem.
In addition to flowers, there are leaves on a sakura branch. How to sculpt them? We make exactly the same drop-shaped blank as for the petal, also place it on the palm and roll it out in a stack - but only from the edges, leaving the middle thick. We will stick a wire into it. After this, we press the veins with a toothpick and slightly bend the tip.
When there are enough flowers and leaves, we attach them to the branch, and cover the branch itself with a thin layer of brown plastic. You can also tint the base of the sepals with brown paint, and the buds with bright pink paint:
Polymer clay is a unique material of its kind that allows you to create products of amazing beauty and subtlety. From this material you can create small sculptures, jewelry, decorative elements for mirrors and vases. It is also used to make original bouquets for brides and flowers for interior decoration.
Photos of flowers made from polymer clay amaze the imagination and create the impression that only experienced professionals can handle such products. However, with the right approach and knowledge of some tricks of working with material, you can create delicate, beautiful flowers on one's own.
Material
So what is polymer clay? In handicraft stores it can also be found under such names as plastic or cold ceramics. Polymer clay is a plastic material consisting of a polymer such as polyvinyl chloride.
Thanks to the properties different types of this polymer, plastic is divided into 2 types: baked and self-hardening. The first type of plastic requires heat treatment at a temperature of 100-130 ̊ C. Self-hardening clay does not require heat treatment and hardens at room temperature.
Also, similar clay is divided into 3 more types: heavy and light plastic, as well as cold porcelain.
Heavy plastic after drying resembles natural clay and is used only for the manufacture of massive products.
Light clay rolls out well into thin layers and has a delicate consistency, which allows it to be used for more delicate work.
Cold porcelain was specially created for making artificial flowers. Plants made from this type of plastic have a very natural appearance due to the consistency of the material, its plasticity and flexibility.
Before purchasing polymer clay, you must clearly determine for which products the material will be used. Afterwards, study the pack of the selected plastic - it will contain instructions describing the work for beginners. It will help you understand which of the plastics in front of you is baked or self-hardening.
Before purchasing, be sure to check the shelf life of the plastic and the integrity of the packaging. Material with an expired expiration date or damaged packaging quickly loses its elasticity and becomes unsuitable for use.
Safety precautions
Each master class on flowers made of polymer clay should begin with studying the safety rules when working with this material.
Despite manufacturers' statements about the safety of polymer clay, it contains phtholates, which can negatively affect human health if the material is handled carelessly and carelessly. It is best to work with polymer clay while wearing thin latex gloves. When working with plastic, it is not advisable to eat or smoke.
If you bake polymer clay in home oven, then after polymerization of the products it is necessary to clean it well. It is best to place a deep dish filled with water and set the oven temperature to maximum for 10-15 minutes, then turn off the gas and leave the door open for 20-30 minutes.
Be careful not to exceed the baking temperature of the material. If the polymer clay does burn, you need to turn off the gas, open the windows and leave the kitchen until it is completely ventilated.
Tools
To properly make a flower from polymer clay, you need to have tools in your arsenal, without which working with it will be difficult or completely impossible.
First you need to take care of organizing a flat surface for sculpting. It is best to use a flat plastic board or tile. It is strictly forbidden to use boards for cutting food if it is intended that they will come into contact with food again.
To cut out various elements from polymer clay and divide it into parts, you need to purchase a scalpel or a stationery knife. The ideal choice would be to purchase a special construction knife with interchangeable blades of different sizes and shapes.
To roll polymer clay into thin layers, you must use a rolling pin. A clear acrylic rolling pin works best.
To make drawings on polymer clay and give petals and leaves made of artificial material a natural relief, you need a set of stacks. You can also use special stamps and texture sheets for this purpose.
Also take care to buy cling film - when exposed to air, polymer clay loses its plasticity in 10 minutes, after which it becomes unsuitable for work.
Making flowers
To quickly learn how to sculpt flowers yourself, you need to start with simple work to understand the basics of working with such capricious material.
For beginners, it is best to start learning how to make simple flowers such as callas. To make this flower, you need to take clay of two matching colors, latex gloves, a stationery knife and stacks. Instead of stacks, you can use simple toothpicks.
Roll both pieces of plastic into long sausages and wrap one of them around the other. After this, roll the clay and one ball. Divide it again into 2 balls, and then into 2 sausages. Tear them into 3-5 pieces and roll into 1 ball. This will help you achieve a marbling effect.
Using a stack, pierce a hole in the base of the funnel - insert a pestle made of metal wire and beads into it.
For more complex flowers, the petals must be cut individually with a knife. To give flowers a more natural look, you can give them structure using molds or stacks.
You can also use acrylic paints for tinting plastic. Beautiful ideas for flowers and their manufacture can be gleaned from sites dedicated to the manufacture of such products.
Photos of flowers made of polymer clay
Polymer clay - unique material, with which you can create amazing sculptures, jewelry, crafts and bouquets. It was invented in Germany in 1930 for making dolls, but later in the 1960s clay became widespread and began to be used for making all sorts of things.
Very popular products made from polymer clay are flowers and floral bouquets. To learn how to sculpt flowers, you don't have to be a sculptor or have super artistic abilities. It is enough to have good taste, know the basics of modeling, be patient and practice a lot.
There are several types of clay: self-hardening and firing. For flowers and floral arrangements, as a rule, the first one is perfect. After manufacturing, after a certain time, the product will harden on its own. Fired clay is usually used for products that must be very durable, for example, for decorations.
1) Polymer clay for beginners flowers. Polymer clay kala
These simple calla flowers are super easy to make and only take a few minutes to make. In this case, the flower is decorated with beads and attached to a hook, so the result is very simple but cute earrings.
What you will need:
- Clay of two colors
- Latex gloves
- Toothpick
- Knife
- Beads and hook earrings
Let's get started:
Take two small pieces of polymer clay in different colors that match each other. You will need two colors in order to get a "marbled" pattern. You can practice on clay of the same color first.
Roll each piece into long sausages.
Wrap one around the other.
Then roll into a ball.
Do this process again from the beginning. This is necessary to obtain a marble effect. Wrap one sausage around another and then tear it into several pieces. After this, roll into a ball, as shown in the photo:
Divide the ball into two equal parts with a sharp knife.
Then start sculpting the flowers. Make a flat, round plate and slightly extend the edge. Pinch the edge with your fingers, carefully fold the other edge in the same way as paper bags are folded to make a funnel.
Straighten the edges of the flower so that the bud appears to open. Use a toothpick to make a hole to insert the beads and earring.
The blank for the future earring is ready. Insert accessories and beads.
2) Modeling flowers from polymer clay. Polymer clay lily
You will have to tinker a little with this flower, but if you understand the principle, everything will turn out quite simple. This master class shows how to do a very tiny lily, but you can use it to make flowers of any size.
What you will need:
- Clay of one color
- Glass rolling pin or bottle
- Knife or scissors
- Needle or awl
- Watercolor paints and brush
- Paperclip
Let's get started:
Take a small piece of clay, it is better if it is white or beige clay - the colors of natural flowers, but you can use any color you like.
Roll out the clay into a thin sheet using a rolling pin. The thickness of the sheet in this example is 3-4 times greater than the thickness of a regular sheet of paper. Make sure that the sheet is not too thin, as it will be difficult to work with.
Using a needle or awl, outline the shape of the petals - 6 pieces in total, of which three are slightly larger and three are smaller. Smaller petals will be attached closer to the stamens in the product.
Then use a fine needle to apply ribbing to each petal. Although natural lilies do not have the same texture, polymer flower it will look very beautiful.
You should end up with petals like this:
In lilies, the central part of the petals is usually colored yellow, and also has brown “freckles”. These details can be applied to the petals using watercolor and a brush.
Now you should work on the inside of the flower, more precisely its stamens and pistil, which are cut out with a knife from the same flat sheet of clay. Make the pestle a little thicker and paint its tip with brown paint.
Using an awl, bend the edges of the small petals inward. Prepare a paperclip with a straightened end. A flower will be attached to it.
Let's start collecting the flower:
3) Polymer clay for flowers. Rose made of polymer clay
Roses are the most popular flowers made from polymer clay. They are usually made from many individual petals that need to be prepared in advance.
Option 1 (simple)
What you will need:
- Clay of one color
-Latex gloves
Let's get started:
Roll a sausage from a piece of clay, and then divide it into many parts - future petals. Shape the petals different sizes as shown in the photo.
Fold the smallest petal to form the center of the flower, and then attach the remaining petals to it one by one, starting from the smallest to the largest.
The simplest rose is ready. It can be used for decorations if you attach fittings to it.
Option 2 (difficult)
If you've already gotten a little comfortable with a material like polymer clay, you'll likely want to learn how to make more complex projects. For this you will need Additional materials and forms that can be purchased in specialized stores or on the Internet.
Try making a more realistic rose using these tools.
What you will need:
- Clay of two colors
- Latex gloves
- Board for work
- Rolling pin for rolling
- Cutting molds (for flower-shaped petals)
- Mold for pink petal (optional)
- Mold for cup (optional)
- Clay glue with brush
- Knife
- Green tape for stems
Let's get started:
Take some 20cm long flower wire and bend one end to create a hook. This is the future rose stem. Roll a piece of clay into a ball and then shape it into a drop.
Stick the wire into the base of the drop. If you have a ready-made flower mold, you can compare the droplet to the size of the petals. They need to be a little bigger to wrap it around. This is the base of your bud. The clay for the drop can be any color; it will not be visible under the petals.
Roll out the clay into a thin sheet and use a mold to cut out a five-pointed flower. If you don't have such a shape, make one from cardboard and cut out the flower using a knife. Cut off 2 petals. Then, using a stack with a ball at the end, process the edges of the petals so that they become thinner. Also use a mold for the petals.
Coat the base of the bud with glue and begin to wrap the petals around it so that you get a closed pink bud.
Take two more petals, coat them with glue where they will come into contact with the bud, and wrap them around the bud again, not so tightly.
Now prepare the triple petals. Wrap them around the bud as shown in the photo. Don't forget to coat them with glue. The more petals you have, the more magnificent the rose will be. In this case, three more triple petals were used.
After this, use the full 5 petals. Turn the bud over and press the base of the flower.
Repeat the procedure with another five-pointed flower. You should end up with a rose like this:
But that is not all. To make the flower look exactly like a real one, attach 5 more lower petals to it, each of which will be attached to a wire. Secure all the stems with ribbon or tape by wrapping them around a bundle of wire.
To make a flower cup, take a piece of green clay. Make a cup shape and roll out the edges with a thin rolling pin. Using a mold or knife, cut out a five-pointed star. For realism, trim the edges with a knife.
Process inner side cup with glue and glue it to the base of the flower, making a hole with a stem wire. Wrap the stem with green tape.
4) Modeling flowers from polymer clay. Orchid made of polymer clay
The phaselis orchid (“butterfly”) is a popular flower that is sculpted from polymer clay using molds. Molds are needed to create a realistic petal texture. if you don’t have them, you can also work, but your petals will be smooth, without veins or irregularities.
What you will need:
- Clay
- Latex gloves
- Board for work
- Rolling pin for rolling
- Wire for artificial flowers
- Cutting molds (for the core)
- Mold for petals
- Stack with round tip
