Polymer clay bead tutorial

If you haven't noticed, I've been taking a break. Sometimes, I just have to turn off the computer and play. Yes, I know......it sounds miserable, but I assure you, You'll get so much more work done!! Remember the bowls I made, and how I got a little carried away...well....this time I have been making beads! Lots and lots of beads. I used up almost all of the translucent clay.....and then switched over to using up the ends of some old canes. Soon, I will post pictures of the beads I've made....but for now......

I've put together a picture tutorial for you, to explain how I made these beads. I figured out an easier approach to making my round beads. Plus I wanted to work on my tutorial skills......one, so I don't forget how I did it, and 2, to share. Let me know if it helps you create anything creative!?!?

I started with 2 blocks of Fimo Transparent polymer clay, and divided it into 5 equal parts.

Next, I rolled each portion into a ball and made a valley in the middle of each. Then I added the numbered amount of drops of Adironack Alcohol Ink (I used the color Cranberry) to each section.Next, mix up each section of clay and make sure you keep them in order~ from lightest to darkestI wanted a little more color in them, so I went back and added the numbered drops to the last 3 sections.Again, mix each section to blend in the ink.Once you have them blended, roll each color out using the largest setting on your pasta machine.In this next picture I sliced off the ends to make them the same size. Then I numbered them on the paper from lightest to darkest. Skipping the first one, I painted each of them with white acrylic paint. And then WAITED for the paint to dry!! If not you'll end up smudging paint all over your beads in the last steps.Once the paint has dried, stack the slabs of clay on top of each other from darkest to lightest. Make sure the painted sides all face up and that the last slab is the paint less slab......you don't want paint on the outside of your built stack.Once you have them stacked, use your acrylic roller to roll out the stack a little. Pick it up and turn it over, and roll on that side as well. Roll in all directions, but don't roll it too thin.

Then it's time to start punching out your circles. I'm using a little one, about the size of a dime. Once you get it out, start rolling it on it's side. I think the picture does a better job explaining it then I would in words........just make sure that when you roll it, you keep the light side on one side and the darker side of the bead on the other. Don't worry if it's hard to see your lines, they'll come out brighter when you bake them!! The bottom row of beads is the color I used in this tutorial...see how the color deepens when they bake?Good luck and let me know if this helps!!