Texture Tests, over n over

YAYYY!!!! I think.

I have been trying for months now to get a texturing technique for PMC known as 'tear away' to work for me. It originated, as far as I can tell, by Celie Fargo and her directions can be found if you Google "PMC Tear Away Technique." The technique involves using black and white art that you cop7 with a toner based copier, then burnishing that to a sheet of polymer clay with heat to create a paper that is used to texture metal clay. I have had limited - wait, that's NO success - until perhaps tonight.

Here's some of what I think went wrong. If you are trying this yourself, then read on.

1. Age ain't always better. Don't use Sculpey III (the recommended brand) that you bought off ebay, and then later read the package and find out it expired in 1999. Too old and crumbly.

2. Scupley III is recommended over original Sculpey for a reason. Even though WalMart only carries original Scupley. At least around here. Too soft and mushy.

3. If you have a double oven and the top oven is small, then the paper and clay will be close to the heating elements, and everything will burn. Even if the oven is set to the correct temp. Use your lower oven. Trust me on this one.

4. Burnishing with a heat gun for just a few seconds instead of leaving it under a light bulb for up to 30 minutes, does not work. It burns up the paper and hardens the clay under it.

This is what is working now (I think. It's in the oven as I write.)

1. I used Super Firm Sculpey not expired, in a grey color.

2. Hand burnish the paper to the clay for about 90 seconds, then using a light bulb 7 inches from the set-up and let sit for 10 minutes. Then burnish for another minute or two (you should start to see the design from the wrong side of the paper) and let it sit for another 10 minutes and pull the paper from the clay.

3. I baked the paper and the clay in the lower oven at 250 degrees for 20 mins.

I just took them out of the oven and I have a sheet of paper that I think will texture my clay. And a plate that could be used to roll clay out on, with the inverse texture.

Will try it on the clay soon, and post the results.

Yah!