Polymerclayeze

Terms and
Abbreviations

TERMS

Cane  Ancient technique combining logs, triangles and sheets of clay to create a long log with the same image throughout.

Curing  Baking polymer clay at the recommended temperature and time until is has turned from soft and pliable to firm throughout the piece.

Diluent  Liquid used to make polymer clay softer or restore older, crumbly clay. Also see "Plasticizer".

Leaching  Placing too-soft clay between pieces of paper to remove some of the plasticizer.

Millefiore  Ancient glass technique for beads and other items, used to create images using canes. It means Thousand Flowers in Italian.

Plasticizer  A chemical added to plastics to make them softer and more flexible. This chemical evaporates in old clay and during curing. If your clay is too soft to work with, you will have to leach some of the plasticizer out. Some plastic wraps and plastic containers will react with plasticizer and cause them to melt.

Mokume Gane (MOEKooMay GAHNay) Japanese laminated metal working technique. We adapt it for use in clay. Stack layers of metallic clay, make indentatations and slice.

React  Clear plastics will "react" to coming in contact with polymer clay by melting into it. Opaque or translucent plastics with a 5 or 6 in the recycle symbol will generally not react. Test with a small piece of clay before using for storage.

Skinner Blend  A technique developed by Judith Skinner to blend two or more colors of clay into a graded sheet.

Spiking  To maintain heat, ovens turn off and on. During this process, your oven may temporarily go above the temperature the dial is set for. This may cause clay to burn.

Tenting  Placing aluminum foil over your clay to help keep them from burning. Fold in a V shape, like a tent and place over clay, preferably without touching clay.

ABBREVIATIONS

BOH  Bottles of Hope. Empty medicine bottles are covered with clay in a decorative way, then given as tokens to cancer patients. Sometimes also given to family members and caregivers.

DK  Donna Kato, possibly the most visible and widely known polymer clay artist.

NPCG  National Polymer Clay Guild. The National association that supports guilds and guild members in the U.S.

PAG  Polymer Art Guild. Same as polymer clay guild, "Art Guild" is often used when there is already a "Clay Guild" with the same initials. MDPAG is one example; the Metropolitan Detroit Polymer Art Guild.

PCG  Polymer Clay Guild. You will see initials like SDPCG (San Diego Polymer Clay Guild) or TBPCG (Tampa Bay Polymer Clay Guild)

PMC  Precious Metal Clay is not related to polymer clay but is being used by some polymer clay artists. Requires a kiln.

RAK  Random Act of Kindness

TLS  Translucent Liquid Sculpey.  "TLS" may be used to describe any brand of translucent liquid clay.

TO  Toaster Oven

NOT-SO-TECHNICAL TERMS

Dork it up-mess with the clay just enough to riun it when it was already good enough.

~Tommie Howell 01/31/06

(C. A. Therien)