Where to Find Free Polymer Clay Tutorials, Projects and Instructions

Here are some of the best polymer clay tutorials I've found with complete step-by-step instructions and photos, for beginner just starting out working with polymer clay, to advanced projects for experts. There are also tutorials with basic polymer clay instructions, from working with different clays to advanced faux and texturing techniques.

I've learned many of my own clay working and sculpting skills from these tutorials, especially the sculpting techniques, including using armature and better curing processes for making my own full sculpt polymer clay dolls.

Patrica Rose Studios has the best free doll sculpting tutorials that I've found yet. On her site, she has complete instructions with detailed photos for making fully sculpted polymer clay dolls. Most of her creations are fantasy sculptures, including fairies, selkis, Robin Hood and Maid Marian, but she also has tutorials for babies, children, pin-up girls and other dolls. Tutorials also include sculpting from molds, wings created from transparancies, sanding, detailed instructions for sculpting torsos and attaching the head, and other doll sculpting procedures. There is also a tips page and a section on lesson plans.

Pinchy's Polymer Place is another one of my favorites. This site includes instructions for fun projects like pens and crazy quilts, barretts, earrings and canework. More of a beginner's site, but still great projects. This site is a great place for a person new to polymer clay, or someone who is just interested in it as a hobby.

Polymer Clay Central is a much larger site with tutorials for beginners to advanced polymer clay artists. There's tons of information on the site, with a huge encyclopedia for everything you'd want to know about working with polymer clay. Beads, color layering, skinner blends, projects, clay painting, pinch pots, jewelry making, stamping, cane reduction and much more. There are dozens of interviews with professional polymer clay and mixed media artists, contests, lessons and tips, and safety and care for your equipment. This site is perhaps the most useful polymer clay site I've found on the net for general techniques.

The Polymer Clay Spot has some general istructions, including conditioning, mixing colors and different clays, working with food processors and pasta machines, and firing and sculpting. The best part of the site, though, are the detailed tutorials on faux stonework, roses and petals, finishing teqniques, working with transluscents and surface techniques.

There are other sites on the net with polymer clay tutorials, but these are my favorites, and ones that have been personnally useful to me, in helping me learn more about sculpting polymer clay dolls, canework and texturing, and finishing techniques.

Sources:

http://www.geocities.com/pinchyspolymerplace

http://patriciarosestudios.com

http://www.jaedworks.com/clayspot/

http://www.polymerclaycentral.com