About the author.
My name is Lucie Štruncová but you may know me by my nickname “Lucy” which I’ve been using for quite a long time now. My polymer addiction started quite a few years ago. As for everybody, the beginnings were rough. I remember that once I tried to play with a cube of glittering polymer and I cut out these “awesome” treble clefs. I couldn’t even imagine the possibilities of polymer clay and how many people actually worked with it. In short, I’ve simply discovered things gradually on my own. I visited my first course by Veronika Sturdy about a year later and there it all started. Courses followed curses and ideas kept on coming. I needed to practice; I needed to put something of myself into my products.
I can’t tell you how much I’m succeeding in it but every time, and wherever I work (whether at home or at a course) I try really hard to put something from me in every piece, to make it unique. I was honored to meet and learn from many foreign instructors from all over the world. Lecturers have taught me a lot but now I’m focusing on my own work, courses, and e-books… I love writing these guides for you and I want to pass as much knowledge to you as possible. Besides my own production, I also work at LC Tools which is a business that we’ve started with my father. I try to promote, test and design our products, which make the work easier for all of you handy girls. I guess I’m kind of a “mom” of all this stuff. I sincerely hope that the polymer clay will win you over as well. Give yourself a chance to develop your own creativity and believe me that this amazing material has a great future! You can learn more about me and about my techniques at www.lucystruncova.com.
Materials and supplies:
• • Extension from LC Disk 6 “puzzle”
• Black and white clay, clay of 7 different colors
The idea on this version of the puzzle pattern made with Czextruder using new LC Disk 6, came from Kimberly Idalski – our colleague from the USA. I hereby thank her, she helped to put this puzzle together :). She’s created this gorgeous pattern which has become my inspiration :).
Step 1.
Prepare seven colors of polymer clay. I used rainbow colors. I took various scraps and mixed those of similar shades together.
Step 2.
This way, I simply mixed all seven colors, so they differ from the original ones from the package. From every sheet cut out rectangles of the same size.
Step 3.
Cut each square into half. Then put stack two halves one on another, keeping all colors that are the same together.
Step 4.
Blend all these rectangles, one by one, using a pasta machine. Fold the sheet in direction of the blend. Then run it through a pasta machine on the thinnest setting and roll it, starting from the lightest color.
Step 5.
Do the same with all blends.
Step 6.
Reduce every blended roll to have them smaller than the body of Czextruder (in diameter). Prepare a puzzle extension from LC Disk 6.
Step 7.
Extrude the clay.
Step 8.
You can see different shades on the puzzles because rolls were blended.
Step 9.
Extrude the rolls of all colors.
Step 10.
Cut each extrusion into 3-mm thick pieces. Keep all colors separately and avoid placing them in the wrong direction.
Step 11.
Make a compact sheet from scraps, run it through a pasta machine on the second thinnest setting, cut off the edges to get a rectangle. Put sliced puzzles on it one by one. You have to start with the first row. If you want to keep the order of colors in the rainbow, start with yellow and go over to orange. If there is some space left on the sheet, add the following color.
Step 12.
Go on with the second row. The first color from the second row will be the same as the color of the last puzzle in the first row. Colors should change diagonally.
Step 13.
Proceed this way until you fill the whole surface of scrap. When you’re done, take a scalpel and cut off all imperfections.
Step 14.
Put tracing paper on the sheet and start smoothing it using an acrylic block until all puzzles under the paper join in one compact plate.
Step 15.
Thanks to the tracing paper procedure you will get a really smooth surface.
Step 16.
Then take a template with rounded triangles and cut a shape out from the puzzle sheet.
Step 17.
Press the cut-out sheet on a metal bowl and bake it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Step 18.
After baking, remove the sheet from the bowl and sand it with a sponge on all sides.
Step 19.
Cover the back and sides of the shape with liquid polymer clay and then wrap the shape in a black sheet of clay that you texture with a fine sponge. Cut the leftovers off with a scalpel. For a bail, you can make a hollow tube out of polymer and adhere it to the back of the Pendant with liquid polymer.
Step 20.
Bake it again and thread it with an elegant cord and you’re done!
2 Comments
I enjoy these tutorials , thank you so much. keep them coming .
Thank you, we are very glad you like them!