Features of polymer clay flowers and their creation

Despite the fact that polymer clay was invented back in the 30s of the last century, this material has gained particular popularity today. In this article, we will tell you how to make various flowers from clay and how to decorate them.

Polymer clay consists of a PVC base and a liquid plasticizer. Flowers, jewelry, vegetables, berries and fruits, and even three-dimensional paintings are made from polymer clay. But this material has its advantages and disadvantages.

Let's start with the positives:

• easy to make professional products;
• it is convenient to eliminate your mistakes along the way;
• keeps its shape well after firing;
• it is possible to mold any, even a small detail;
• does not require the use of artistic tools such as dyes and paints;
• this is a fairly durable material.

Among the shortcomings, we note:

• after the material hardens, the situation cannot be corrected;

If you decide to start creating baked clay, you need to arm yourself with the following materials and tools.

• A plastic or glass board to which materials will not stick. But you can work on a smooth table surface.
• Construction or office knife.
• Acrylic rolling pin. It is easier for her to roll out because of the lightness.
• A syringe with attachments for applying floral elements, stripes, and other patterns.
• Molds for cutting figures.
• Polymer mass. It is better to make flowers from a self-hardening material.
• Multiple stacks.
• Brushes in several sizes.
• Polymer varnish.
• Napkins.
• Glass, aluminum or enamel containers of various sizes.
• Plastic bag, silicone rubber.
• Small towel.
• Toothpicks.
• Hardware items.

For beginners, we offer a master class on how to make flowers step by step. Recommendations from experts before starting work.

• Clay is a malleable material, but at the same time very moody. Before starting work, you need to collect all the hair in a bun, wash your hands, arm yourself with clean dishes. After all, the polymer material absorbs any debris and dust.
• In order for the debris to stick less, it is necessary to apply talcum powder to the material.
• Calculate the amount of material used in advance, otherwise the clay begins to harden quickly when it comes into contact with air.
• If suddenly the working process drags on, and the polymer mass begins to harden, then add quite a bit of hand cream and continue working.
• Finished, unbaked products are very fragile, handle them with extreme caution.
• Always keep raw materials for creativity closed, and then they can be used for a long time.
• From clay, you can make a composition of field and garden flowers.

Before you start making flowers, the clay must be thoroughly kneaded and kneaded. Consider a simple instruction for kneading a polymer material.

• We take a dry and clean container. Pour water into an enameled dish, lower the cloth to the bottom, and put a dry bowl in the middle.
• We put on rubber gloves, grease the cutting board with oil.
• Let's wait until the water in the dish heats up, and then pour 10 ml of glue into a dry container and mix well.
• We also send 20 ml of oil there, mix everything.
• While stirring, add 110 grams of starch.
• As soon as a viscous consistency has formed, remove it from the stove.
• After a couple of minutes, the dough cools down. On the board, you need to start kneading it.
• If, after thorough kneading, no cracks or folds remain on the sculpted figure, then the dough is ready for creativity.
• Grease a piece with cream and wait 40 minutes.

Let's talk about how you can mold certain types of flowers.

Calla lilies are the most convenient for modeling polymer mass flowers. Even a beginner can handle such work.

To work, you need to prepare:

• a lot of two shades;
• knife;
• as accessories - beads;
• rolling pin and roller;
• awl and toothpick.

Stages of work.

• We form koloboks from the plastic mass, and then turn them into long flagella.
• With the help of one flagellum, we wrap another and turn everything into a ball. We carry out this work until the mass acquires a mottled color.
• Then, using a knife, we divide the ball into two parts - blanks for future flowers.
• We roll all the parts separately with a rolling pin into the thinnest layer and give it a rounded look.
• We pull out one of the edges of the layer and pinch it with our fingers. From the other edge we form a bag from the plate.
• Bend and straighten the free edges. It turns out a beautiful open flower.
• Thread the bead with a toothpick and insert it into the middle.

It's a little more difficult to mold a lily. Before starting work, let's prepare:

• paper clips;
• rolling pin;
• watercolor;
• brush;
• knife;
• smooth board;
• a toothpick.

Algorithm of actions.

• Roll out a piece of polymer in a thin layer. Next, scratch the contours of the petals on it with a toothpick (three small and as many large ones). Then cut them out carefully.
• On the finished petals, gently squeeze out the veins with the same toothpick. Twist the petals from one end using an awl or needle. We leave the blanks to dry.
• In the meantime, prepare the pistil and stamens. Cut strips from a thin layer: narrow for the stamens, wider for the pistil.Make the upper part of the tip brown.
• On a stretched paper clip, collect all the elements of the flower. First, we plant a pistil and a stamen, then we plant small petals in a circle, and after them - large ones.

The beautiful flower is ready.

This flower arrangement made of polymer clay looks natural. The workflow requires very little:

• stack;
• toothpick.

Manufacturing process.

• Roll the plastic mass into a flagellum. Then we divide the tourniquet into 9 slices, each of which is rolled into koloboks. It will turn out to be one beautiful flower.
• We form oval petals from each piece. It is easy to do this: put a small bun in the palm of your hand, and flatten it with the other palm - the petal is ready. But remember that the base should be slightly thicker and the tip will look thin.
• The moment has come to assemble the flower. We start working from the central part. To do this, we turn the first petal into a roll. We attach it to a toothpick, and so we continue to work in a spiral. Each subsequent petal covers only part of the previous one.
• Bend the tips of each petal outward a little.

The orchid is considered to be a complex flower in the manufacture of polymer clay. To work you need to take:

• stack;
• textured shape;
• brush;
• wire;
• knife;
• form for cutting;
• rolling pin;
• flat board.

Stages of work.

• We prepare petals from a piece of polymer clay. To do this, we roll out the material, apply the mold and cut everything out with a knife.
• Next, attach the resulting petal to the wire. You will need up to 5 such blanks. We make a small depression at the base.
• For the middle, cut out a cross, which we put on the palm. With a stack, give the details a deepened shape, and slightly raise the edges up.
• Pull the ends and wrap up.
• From the pieces of mass we form a droplet in which we make a transverse depression with a toothpick. We fix it at the top of the core.
• We bend the wire at a right angle, and at the end we fix the middle of the flower. We connect all the petals and the royal flower is ready.

To make a luxurious peony, you need to prepare:

• knitting needle;
• thick wire;
• foil;
• PVA glue;
• floristic green ribbon;
• polymer clay in green, pink and white shades.

Algorithm of actions.

• We crumple the foil in such a way that a drop is formed from it. We put a wire on the wide side, drip a little glue and fix everything.
• We take the white color of the clay and carefully apply it to the foil over the entire surface.
• Form a sausage from pink clay and cut into slices up to 3 centimeters. You need to make up to 30 blanks.
• Roll out all the koloboks evenly, give them the shape of petals. Next, take a knitting needle and slightly twist each petal from the top, form waves.
• Dip the workpiece in glue and attach 3 petals so that they take the form of an unopened bud.
• By analogy with the manufacture of a rose, we fix all subsequent petals. In this case, we fix all fasteners with glue.
• After the whole flower is ready, it is recommended to hang it by the stem until it hardens completely.
• Then we wrap the stem with floral tape and clay of the same shade.

You can make a bouquet of 5 flowers from polymer clay. At your discretion, form a composition of only one name of flowers or pick up several varieties. As a rule, florists add gypsophila to the total mass to decorate the composition.

For the manufacture of gypsophila, we will select:

• hard brush;
• thin wire;
• PVA glue;
• white polymer clay;
• green floral ribbon.

Manufacturing process.

• Cut the thin wire into 5 pieces of 10 centimeters each. We collect the whole mass in a bouquet and tie it with a floral ribbon.
• From the clay we form pea-sized balls according to the number of wire ends.
• We give relief to the pea with a stiff brush.
• Lubricate the wire with glue and fix it at the ends by a pea.

Polymer clay is a specific material. Therefore, we suggest that beginners take advantage of the tips for working with such material.

• In order to start preparing bouquets, we advise you to stock up on various shapes, attachments, molds to form realistic flowers.
• With all the diversity, it is quite difficult to decide on a specific species. If you buy products from Russian manufacturers, then take Fleur or Azalee - it solidifies evenly. Modern Clay is a good Thai brand. She does not stick to your hands. Among German manufacturers, Fimo Airlight should be preferred: it has a delicate and pliable structure.
• If you are preparing your own clay, then when staining, choose powdery dyes. It will be convenient to add them separately to each element. Sparkling colors and fine lines are guaranteed.
• When coating products with varnish, it is convenient to draw some details with helium pens.
• It is good to use a special or construction varnish for work.
• It will look beautiful, voluminous and realistic if you add beads, rhinestones, sparkles, and other accessories to the work.
• When assembling the bouquet, for better fixation, use hot melt glue, scotch tape.
• In order to glue the part, it is necessary to degrease the surface, apply a little glue with a toothpick, connect the parts, hold it a little, let it dry.
• For good hardening, the products are baked in an oven with individual temperature control.
• Observe the instructions for use, hygiene during work.
• In order to fully work with clay, to be able to sculpt a huge number of objects, you need to purchase enough tools. Among them are molds, napkins, cutting boards, knives, acrylic rolling pins, stacks, varnish and glue, brushes, toothpicks, accessories. This is just a small list of everything you need.

When you learn how to sculpt simple things and details, you can start sculpting more complex products. There are several techniques for a beautiful design.

• Salt. After sculpting the product, dip it in fine salt, lightly crushing the crystals, then bake everything. This is an amazing job.
• Millefiori. We cut layers of different shapes and put them on top of each other. We wrap everything with clay and cut into slices again. A marvelous drawing will appear on the cut.
• Watercolor technique. We take three pieces of clay, lay them out in sequence from light to dark and roll them out. The result is beautiful iridescent stains.

For information on how to make lilacs from polymer clay yourself, see the next video.