Tutorial about My Papercut on Polymer Clay Technique.
STEP 1:
Trace your design on paper.
The paper I use is Strathmore Bristol smooth 260 g/m2, 300 series. You can buy the same paper in tiny size if you're not planning to use lots of it. If you're in a hurry just use paper from a cereal box.
STEP 2:
Cut out your design using a #11 X-Acto knife or your favorite knife. It has to be very sharp. Use a self healing mat for support.
STEP 3:
I recommend that you apply baby powder all over the papercut so it doesn't stick to the polymer clay later on. The baby powder also extends the life of the paper a little bit longer if you want to use it over and over. (I didn't do it in this tutorial so you could see the images more clearly).
STEP 4:
Prepare a flat sheet of polymer clay with the thickness of your preference. I made mine using a pasta machine on the setting number 2.
STEP 5:
Carefully place the papercut on the polymer clay sheet.
STEP 6:
Now apply pressure using a roller or any similar tool until the papercut and the polymer clay form an even surface. Here is when the magic of this technique happens. Apply the pressure slowly and gradually.
Step 7:
Lift the papercut carefully using a needle to reveal the embossed design.
STEP 8:
Here is the magic unveiled. Basically, as you apply pressure the paper gets embedded in the polymer clay and the areas where there was no paper become embossed to the thickness of the paper. The thicker the paper the higher the embossed areas will be and vice versa.
After removing the papercut I cut around the circle of this cameo using an X-Acto knife. Then I baked the piece at the recommended temperature. The polymer clay used in this project was Sculpey PREMO. In the picture below the piece is already baked.
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You're free to finish the piece as you want. Here are some of the things that you can do:
1. Apply acrylic paint clay on the surface and then clean it up with a rag as I did with this piece.
2. Polish the embossed areas with a rotary tool until smooth and shiny to make them stand from the background.
3. Rub some metallic powder or metallic acrylic paint on the embossed areas using your finger tips.
4. Paint little details in selected areas of the design and then protect them with 2 or 3 coats of varnish.
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I hope that this simple tutorial opens up a door for you to explore the endless possibilities of this technique. I must say that in order to get perfect results you will need a little bit of practice. Be very patient and enjoy the process. To make your first project easier, instead of cutting the paper by hand you could use a paper punch with the design of your preference. I would love to see pictures of any project that you complete with this method. I will share my own new projects with you as soon as they're ready.
Let's have fun!
Elsita :)