Hello dear friends!
You know what they say: new year, new resolutions.
When it comes to my resolutions, I decided to use more some of the tools that have great potential, but to which I`m not so drawn in the first place.
And such a tool would be the Etch`n`Pearl tool. It really is a great tool, easy to use and it comes in three sizes. I`m not an affiliate or anything, I received it as a gift as a participant to the Polymer Clay Synergy Conference in Bordeaux, some years ago, and this is a tool I`m happy I have in my toolbox.
In this tutorial I`m using matte eye-shadows that are very similar to Pan Pastels, Soft Pastels, Chalk pastels. And they are the perfect choice (meaning any of these pastel colors) when you`d want a pastel look for your polymer clay piece.
Of course, you can tweak this idea and use mica powders (instead of the pastel colors) for a shinier look or you can use a foil decorated base and then apply alcohol inks on top of the little dots / pearls applied with the Etch`n`Pearl tool. Or you can combine all these together. You get to take the creative decision so have fun with these multiple possibilities.
I decided to add some freshwater pearls to make the pastel colors pop up even more in contrast to this soft pink color.
I turned this piece into a brooch, but you can take this inspiration and turn it into any piece of jewelry. I like the chameleon idea and I thought that this technique would work as a charm with the chameleon shape.
Even thought I have to admit that this technique is time consuming, it is in the same time very relaxing. You`ll just have to use the Etch `n`Pearl tool and cut out colored little dots/pearls and apply them onto a base. You have the possibility to play with the sizes of the dots (because this tools comes in 3 sizes) and also use a foil decorated base and make foil decorated dots.
I`ve drawn the chameleon shape freehand, but you can download a photo of a chameleon and use your scissors to cut out a chameleon shape and use it to make an outline on top of the polymer clay.
As always, I hope that you`ll like the tutorial and I hope that you`re adding new techniques to your toolbox and use up your scrap clay in the process.
Happy claying!
Mihaela
Learn Polymer Clay 