Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Tutorial - Extruded Swirl Cane


A couple of weeks ago I was experimenting with my extruder and discovered a fun type cane that has a sort of yin yang pattern.  I then discovered that Sandy (Simple Inspirations) and Cara Hayman of Surfingcat were experimenting with something very similar around the same time.  I wonder if it was a full moon that week or what -- I like to think that it was just some great minds thinking a-like.

I redid my experiment and created this black and white pattern and put it in the form of a tutorial.

1.  Roll out 2 sheets of clay in contrasting colors on the #2 (second thickest) setting on your pasta machine.  Cut each sheet into a 3" x 3" square.


2.  Stack one sheet on top of the other and cut in half.


3. Stack the 2 pieces, cut in half and then stack again.  There should be 8 layers.


4. Form the stacked clay into a round log.


5. Roll the log and twist each end several times in opposite directions.


6.  If the log becomes too thin, manipulate and roll the log with your hands bringing them closer together so the log is about the same thickness that will fit into your extruder.  Trim each of the ends and cut your log in half.


7.  Insert one of the halves into your extruder with the small square die.


8.  Extrude the entire amount of clay.


9.  Trim each of the ends until you get a nice pattern inside.


10. Use these individually as a small cane or cut into sections and stack to create a larger cane.


11.  Here I sliced my stacked cane to create a veneer sheet.




12.  And here are some fun pieces ready to bake.


28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for posting this tut!! What a GREAT idea....glad that there are people like you that can figure that stuff out!! I NEVER would have thought of doing what you did!! But glad you did!!
Kam

Renata said...

Thank you so much for sharing this great idea. I love it!

Cara Jane (surfingcat) said...

Love what you've done and thanks for sharing it. I am glad there are so many great minds out there experimenting and finding all these new things.

dragonfly said...

great tutorial!
thank you

joan tayler said...

Clear, brilliant.

thank you

Sandy said...

Awesome job!

Interesting that we both twisted but in slightly different ways.

Well done.

Sandy

Flor Larios Art said...

Wow! Great tutorial thanks!

Cindy Lietz, Polymer Clay Tutor said...

Dang that is awesome Carolyn! I know what you mean about everyone thinking the same thing at once. I just recently started putting old canes through the extruder and came up with some really funky canes.

Kinda similar to yours actually but with less symmetry. Sometimes I think the Universe creates an idea and throws it out there to see who grabs it. Maybe it's Aliens?... LOL!

2 Good Claymates said...

So glad you enjoyed it -- I've been trying a few more variations today -- will post about it soon.

Sandy -- Dave tells me quite often that he doesn't know anyone else more twisted than me! lol

Cindy -- I do like your theory but then again -- you are possibly one more "great mind" out there thinking alike!

Tiger said...

Awesome Thank you for sharing :)

Sharon House said...

Oh how cool! Thanks for posting this tut... I have been thinking "different" black and white for days and this fits the bill nicely. Thanks bunches

Sharon
http://www.mystoryart.com

Debbie Bellibone Goodrow said...

very very cool!... thanks for sharing!

Mimi-Pinson. said...

Wonderful!Thanks a lot!It's a very good tutorial!A great idea!
Mimi-Pinson.

Elizabeth said...

Wonderful tutorial

Anonymous said...

Terrific! thank you for sharing, I definitely must try this!

swimmingpoulette said...

super bien expliqué et tres beau resultat!!
swimmingpoulette
maloufimo.com

Ruth Weatherill said...

Great tutorial! Thanks

Stage 11 - is that a sheet of black clay your are laying the cut cane on?

Thanks

Ruth

2 Good Claymates said...

Thanks. Glad to hear you all are enjoying it.

Yes Ruth, that is just plain black clay I am using for my background and accenting in my pieces later. I generally would use one of the colors that is in the cane for what I am creating.

Ruth Weatherill said...

Thanks! I don't have an extruded, yet, I'm trying some cane techniques.

DorothéeV said...

Thank you very much, this idea is very interesting and original !

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much for sharing your beautiful tutorials!
Marina.

Unknown said...

I have a question. If you cut the log into two halves, what do you do with the second half. Tut says to extrude all clay, so do you put one half in the extruder followed by the second half?

2 Good Claymates said...

If you follow the amounts that I suggested, there is enough to extrude it in two batches as the whole thing is too large to fit in the extruder. The second half you can use a different die for another design or just make more of the same. You can see my next blog post with more variations.

Opus Plastics said...

Thanks for the tutorial. Very helpful for me...!!
polymer extrusion uk

Unknown said...

So generous of you to take the trouble to share your beautiful work. That, and I like the original slices of the candy cane, right after you rolled it. Thank you!

Sharonkeef said...

Hi Carolyn just wondering are you guys by chance related to the Goods from Indiana Ohio area my ex in-laws where Goods John Good was my x grandfather in law my son's grandfather Emma and Susan Good gain is my x mother in law and Emma Good is Johns wife just wondering if by chance you guys could be related to my son
Your a wonderful polymer clay artist . Have a good one

2 Good Claymates said...

Hi Sharon. I don't believe so. Most of my husbands relatives were all Canadian on his dad's side. My hubby passed away a little over a year ago but I could ask his brother and see. Thanks for your nice compliment.

Lynne Bindeman said...

Thanks so much - this is really great!!