Polymer Clay Creative Traditions: Techniques and Projects Inspired by the Fine and Decorative Arts [Paperback]

Judy Belcher (Author), Steve Payne (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006

Thousands of crafters have discovered that polymer clay is versatile, easy to use, ad just plain fun. Now they can use this exciting medium to create remarkable new work inspired by the decorative arts of the past. Polymer Clay Creative Traditions lets both beginners and experienced artisans draw inspiration from painting and drawing, ethnic carving, quilting, ceramics, sculpture, glass, metalwork, and more. Through 300 stunning photographs and fascinating text, author Judy Belcher reveals how these influences can be expressed in polymer clay. An introduction on the history and handling, plus tips and techniques throughout the book, make Polymer Clay Creative Traditions an invaluable guide to creating works of art that blend a great material of today with the greatest design ideas of yesterday.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Addressing novices to the medium of polymer clay as well as more advanced crafters in the field, Belcher prepares an attractive handbook on making clay items; the more than 30 projects suggested here are inspired by traditions in working in glass, metal, fiber, painting and drawing, stone and bone and wood, and ceramics, since, as the author states, "polymer clay is the only medium that can emulate all of those different art forms." Gorgeous color photographs highlighting her work and the work of many other successful crafters guide the reader through a mouthwatering, even surprising, display of clay things to make, from beads that take after ones made of glass, to an enameled pin that would be a lovely accent to a blouse or blazer, to replications of Georgia O'Keeffe-type flowers to decorate a purse. For crafters adding more crafts to their repertoire. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Judy Belcher is the president and a founding member of he Kanawha Valley, West Virginia, Polymer Clay Guild and a member of the National Polymer Clay Guild. Her work in polymer clay has been featured in many juried exhibitions, and she has made many appearances to demonstrate her techniques in polymer clay, on television and at trade shows, stores, and schools. She lives in St. Albans, WV. Steve Payne is a commercial photographer known for his fine art landscape, nature, and portrait photography. He lives in Charleston, WV.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Potter Craft (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823040658
• ISBN-13: 978-0823040650
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.4 x 10.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #708,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional book with a fresh approach, January 4, 2006

By 

M. Donnelly (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Polymer Clay Creative Traditions: Techniques and Projects Inspired by the Fine and Decorative Arts (Paperback)

Polymer clay is gaining in popularity, and with that popularity comes a variety of books that cover much of the same territory. Judy Belcher's book takes a fresh approach. Judy investigates the many styles of other decorative art forms and applies the characteristics of those art forms to clay. The results are stunning, enlightening and invigorating. Batik, millefiori, lampwork, quilting, cloisonne...all these forms--and more--are applied to clay.

While this book was not targeted towards the beginning clayer, it does have a variety of projects at many skill levels, enbabling all who read it to successfully complete the project and learn the technique.

Judy's skill with clay, her eye for design, her love of the medium and her imaginative spirit all come through in this book. I'm still stunned with her attempt at imitating pointillism--paintings created by using tiny dots of color--using polymer clay.

This book will definitely be getting a bit of wear and tear. I've read it twice from cover to cover, and I continue to go through it to learn more.

61 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Polymer Clay Book - PERIOD!, December 8, 2005

By 

Chel Micheline "Chel Micheline" (Southwest Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Polymer Clay Creative Traditions: Techniques and Projects Inspired by the Fine and Decorative Arts (Paperback)

I received this book in the mail yesterday afternoon and I haven't put it down since. It is jam packed with idea, tutorials, inspiration... I can't stop looking at everything.

There aren't too many Polymer Clay books that I truly feel are worth buying because they are all so hit and miss- only 25% of the content in those books are useful and/or interesting to me. I actually own more glass bead books because I have learned more about layering and design and color from those than most PC books. I have yet to fiind a PC book that really suited my needs- innovative projects with great suuggestions and galleries. Until now. This book is not only a great resource, it's also an invitation to explore- and Belcher provides the map.

If you have any interest in Polymer Clay or seeing what the potential of the medium is, you must buy this book. There's a bunch of projects, as well as most inspiring set of gallery pages in any PC book I have seen. Almost everything in here is a keeper.

I hope this book is the first in a series, because I can think of hundreds of artists whose techniques could be interpreted in clay. I can see a "Creative Traditions: Art Noveau", "Creative Traditions: Pop Art", "Creative Traditions: Impressionism", etc.

Thank you thank you thank you, Ms. Belcher, for finally raising the bar on Polymer Clay books and for creating a publication that belongs in every artist's library.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, May 18, 2006

By 

D. Kato (Florissant, CO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Polymer Clay Creative Traditions: Techniques and Projects Inspired by the Fine and Decorative Arts (Paperback)

There are several recently released books on polymer clay I'd highly recommend and Judy's book is definitely one of them. The other recent additions would be Kim Cavender's "Polymer Clay For The Fun Of It" and Ellen Marshall's book on surface treatment.

Judy's historical references to other media attest to the versatility of this amazing material and her examples are wonderful! The projects are beautifully executed and the gallery photos a real treat. Judy is a real perfectionist and it shows on every page.

Congratulations on a great book, Judy. This book belongs in every polymer clay library.

Donna Kato, author of The Art of Polymer Clay