Desert Rose Polymer Clay Crackle Tutorial

The Desert Rose Polymer Clay Crackle Tutorial Step by Step

• To start with, we will be making a 3 part Skinner Blend with Premo Ecru, Turquoise and White.
• Fold your blend over as shown in the video to create a Skinner Blend log.
• Compress until the log is about the length of your chosen cutter.
• Flatten again using your roller, pinching the sides in to maintain the width of the blend.
• Roll through the thickest setting on the pasta machine. Fold and roll again.
• Use your tissue blade to slit through any air bubbles then roll through again.
• Cut out a strip from the best part of your blend, long enough to fit the cutter twice.
• Partially set the clay with your heatgun. You will know the top layer is cured when it goes from shiny to matte.
• Crack the clay using your fingers, add a layer of black clay rolled out on the second thinnest setting and then gently stretch it. See the video.
• When you're happy with your crackle, roll flat gently with your roller then trim away the excess black.
• Turn your clay black side up and cut using your chosen cutter. I am using a 3cm soft square cutter today.

• For this part you will need a Sand texture or coarse sandpaper, and a sheet of black polymer clay rolled out on the thickest setting.
• Texture your clay and trim away the excess.
• Place your black clay texture side up. Mark out a piece using your chosen cutter. I am using my #5 Square Donut cutter - 5cm.
• Use an extruder to make some Ecru snakes. (You can also do this by hand if you like.)
• Squish the snakes with your fingertips so that they are more organic looking, then randomly criss-cross them over your black clay.
• Gently texture the top of the snakes using your sand texture.
• Cut out along the mark you made previously using your donut cutter.

• Roll out a sheet of black polymer clay on the thickest setting. Texture using a texture of your choice. I am using my Crackle Roller.
• Trim up the edges.
• Lay your black backing, texture side down on a piece of deli paper.
• Lay the crackle on top, then fit the border around it
• Use the 4.5cm Soft Square cutter to trim out your pendant.
• Smooth off the edges using your fingertips.
• Roll out another sheet of black clay on the thickest setting and texture with the same texture you used on the backing.
• Trim out a strip and roll around a straw to make a bail, cut and smooth the seam.
• Position on the back of your pendant and use a skewer to press it gently onto the clay.
• Use a skewer to reinforce the join with translucent liquid clay.
• Extrude a thin snake of Ecru and roll it up into a rose shape.
• Bake the pendant and rose for an hour at the recommended temperature.

• For this part we are going to be using dark brown paint to antique the pendant. I am using burnt sienna mixed with a small amount of black.
• Use a soft brush to paint over the whole surface of the pendant and the rose.
• Remove some of the excess paint using the brush and allow to dry.
• Once dry, use a wet wipe to clean the sides of the pendant, then lightly brush the wet wipe across the front to remove most of the paint.
• Next give a good rub with a dry cloth to tidy it up.
• Clean up the rose with a wet wipe.
• Heat set both pieces with a heat gun then stick the rose to the middle of the pendant using translucent liquid clay.
• Bake for half an hour at the recommended temperature.

• Take six lengths of dark hemp cord. Push the ends into a cord end and squeeze it closed and add a clasp using a jumpring.
• Hook your cords onto something and then plait your cord.
• Attach a cord end to the second end.
• Sand the sides of the pendant from a 400 to 1200 grit.
• Lightly brush the front back and sides with renaissance wax and buff with a buffing wheel.
• Thread the pendant onto your cord and attach the second clasp.