Polymer Clay backfill technique... and Kabbalah

So, a few hours of research and work, and voila!  Success!

It's not so cheesy anymore!  (Well, it's a little cheesy in this photo, but once I have the other elements attached...)

Obviously I have a long way to go, to get the technique perfected.  But this was real progress!  I used a much thicker pin to make the lines this time.  I filled in the holes with a purple and the lines with black, using the backfill technique that is described very well here -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh2RcVqrYNQ

Thank you VERY VERY MUCH PolymerClayStudio!  That set of videos is very helpful!

As I was working on it, I remembered something - I think I was confusing two of Jeff's techniques.  There was this one, where you use the ball stylus to backfill, and then another one where you cut out holes to see the color underneath.  In any case, I recommend his classes.  The thing I learned the most, and which I haven't perfected yet, is refinement.  So, if no other reason than to see how a master does it, get into a workshop of his if you can.

And then practice...

I'm going to put it aside for a day or so.  There are two more pieces left - the finial on top, and the stand.   I have beginnings of them in my mind, but I want to pause a bit, let them stew a little longer.  I also remembered another technique Jeff taught, and I want to think about incorporating that, and using it to link all the components together.  But I'll let that be a surprise...

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While I was in the library last time, I picked up a book by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner called "Kabbalah a love story".  I don't know why I picked it up, I just did.  I don't even remember what it was near, why I was in that aisle of the library.

It's very lovely!  Here's a quote:

For both to love and to find God, you must annihilate your self.  If you still hold on to your self, then it isn't love.

Interesting.  I am coincidentally also reading Robert Thurman's "Inner Revolution", which I thought was a history of Buddhism, but it's actually an explanation of Buddhism.  And Kabbalah and Buddhism seem similar.  So next, I'll have to see what Joseph Campbell had to say about it all...


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Practice makes perfect

Things were going well, and then my inexperience with polymer clay showed its ugly side...

It's not terrible.  What you can't see is the two places where I broke it.  Luckily polymer clay is a forgiving medium, and I was able to repair them - and lesson learned about thin sheets left hanging out where my thumb might be inclined to put pressure.

The lines in the middle section are supposed to mimic the lines of the wire underneath.  But there aren't enough of them, and they are not thick enough.  In addition, although I had paid attention to Jeff when he demonstrated the backfill technique - oh my goodness!  it seemed so simple! - my attempt at it was disastrous!  I'm not sure what I did wrong, but it was very difficult to get the excess clay off the surface where I didn't want it.

I think either my surface wasn't smooth enough - Jeffrey has very smooth veneers - or my clay is way too old and dry.  In any case, the only way I got it as clean as it is now is by massive amounts of sanding.  And I don't like sanding, especially massive amounts of wet sanding.  And to me, any amount of wet sanding is excessive.

The thought did occur to me, during the sanding process, this might be really preparing me for enamel, because there is wet sanding done in that process as well.

Anyway, the solution is reasonably easy - just do that layer again.  Practice makes perfect.  I found a method using mineral oil, to make the clay more pasty, and also to help clean.  And I will make the veneer smoother, if I can.

I also had a surprise once I made the holes in the top.  Those holes are supposed to be showing the lovely purple that's underneath.  As you can see, it doesn't really show, I need a bigger... what's that thing called... stylus?  ball point poker thingy!  ... and consequently, it looks like swiss cheese!  (I also didn't notice until I took the photo a few moments ago that the yellow color is practically the same color as the wall.)

That is also easily fixable - I'm just going to practice the backfill technique and fill all those holes in with purple.

As I always say about art, it always sucks in the middle.  And like I said the other day, the only option is to keep going :)


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