Do you apply mica powder before or after baking polymer clay?

Do you apply mica powder before or after baking polymer clay? - The Blue Bottle Tree

Рет қаралды 24,486

4 жыл бұрын

Newbies always want to know. Should you apply mica powder to raw or baked polymer clay? In this video, I show you what happens when you try it each way.
If you'd like to know more about using mica powder on polymer clay, make sure to visit The Blue Bottle Tree to learn more. Here are some articles you'll like.
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Mica Powder and Glitter are Not the Same!
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Mica Powder vs Powdered Pigments - What's the Difference?thebluebottletree.com/mica-po...
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Guide to Using Powders on Polymer Clay eBook
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Пікірлер: 61

@mii2457 3 жыл бұрын

Super helpful! Straight and to the point - thank you!!

@gabbystroud7797 3 жыл бұрын

You are so amazing for this tutorial! Thank you!

@mariab6046 4 жыл бұрын

Very cool! I just might use this! Thanks for sharing 💕

@veliaantila1099 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, very precise and to the point! Excellent tutorial.

@indiesindie1984 3 жыл бұрын

I appreciate your straightforward and informative tutorial. Thank you 😊 💓 🙏

@yaver999 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this amazing tip!

@MyCraftedChaos 3 жыл бұрын

Great tutorial!!! Thank you so much❤️

@lifeisgood7740 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Just what I needed.

@roserose28 3 жыл бұрын

So glad I found your channel. Yes it was helpful for sure. X

@misscpaks6932 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you. My question for months now answered ❤👍

@johncarroll1368 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, I just today found your video as I was adding mica. Just what the doctor ordered.

@dancesontheceiling 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you. You saved me money and frustration. I was looking for this answer before beginning my first project. My next question is how to coat mica coated polymer clay with UV resin.

@emilycunningham1474 Жыл бұрын

Can you bake the clay after you put the Mica powder on it?

@letsmakeit4926 3 жыл бұрын

Wow it's really helpful thank you

@maybee5334 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!!! 💓

@bnichols1025 11 ай бұрын

First video to explain the mica on unbaked clay! Thank you so much!

@thebluebottletree 10 ай бұрын

You are so welcome!

@dragansimicev415 7 ай бұрын

Thank you ever so much!

@BunnyFlowers Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@caniipeopleperson2866 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!!

@calestorose4983 2 жыл бұрын

this was a big help,I keep messing up on that, thanks so much

@chantalmassin1756 Жыл бұрын

Thank you😊

@R.S_Howell 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Ginger. I was thinking that it wouldn't make much of a difference applying after baking, as long as you put your sealant on right away. But I had never actually tried it. So it's good to know to apply the micah onto raw every time

@lizavalos6021 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@Umberlee69 7 ай бұрын

You can use a binder medium to attach it if you’d already baked

@Ginn31 2 жыл бұрын

O my Lord you saved me from putting it on baked clay! That would've ruined my day. Thank you so much!!!

@thebluebottletree 2 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help!

@charlesrankin6768 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks.

@Amancandy 3 жыл бұрын

When you touch it, the mica vanish? Or it sticks in the clay?

@krishiggins8006 2 жыл бұрын

Will it come off from earrings? Do you need to bake it before with clay or after when clay is baked ?

@amyoshea2576 3 жыл бұрын

Love love love you help! If you wanted to bake the clay in a silicone mould, could you coat the mould in the powder, put in the clay and then bake? Or would you not be able to get an even/shiny coat?

@thebluebottletree 3 жыл бұрын

Great question. Yes, you can do this. The mica will make a great mold release. But it can be a fairly uneven coating, depending on how much trouble you have pushing the clay into the mold.

@ayellessnuffelhoek 3 жыл бұрын

Perfect pearls is the only powder that can be applied after baking. Doesn't need a binder, using your finger is the best way to rub it in

@cecilsilver4138 4 жыл бұрын

This was a great tip!!! Would love to see more quick tips like this one. For example how to apply gold flakes the one that looks like foil paper.

@R.S_Howell 4 жыл бұрын

Maybe I can help. I use gold leaf/flakes in a lot of my projects. All that it takes is to just apply it straight onto the raw clay, and you should definitely use a glaze after baking so it doesn't just flake right off. Be wary of mixing it through clay, especially lighter clay because it tends to give a dull cast under the surface which makes your piece look dirty. Even in dark clay it just seems to disappear when mixed through, definitely not worth it considering how expensive leaf can be. I just tend to keep it as a surface effect. It's fantastic on canes before reducing, because you end up with a crackle effect.

@chrisbehne405 2 жыл бұрын

@@R.S_Howell What kind if glaze do you recommend for a glossy finish?

@erinrang756 2 жыл бұрын

What about polymer clay? I'm making crochet handles with polymer clay should I cook it before I add shapes made from polymer clay

@preethsstop 2 жыл бұрын

Hi! Thanks for this video ☺️ I recently used gold eyeshadow on my black polymer clay piece for "Hitting the highlights", then baked it. Now I want to give it a polyurethane varnish coat..but when I do that, some eyeshadow highlights spreads onto the black part of the piece also, hence making it less black. Any idea to avoid the spreading of the eyeshadow while varnishing??

@thebluebottletree 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Preetha, this is because the excess mica is moving around with the varnish. So remove the excess with an old toothbrush first, then apply varnish.

@dianadevlin3717 3 жыл бұрын

Interesting! I wonder if it would stay on baked clay if you mixed the mica with a binder like gum arabic?

@thebluebottletree 3 жыл бұрын

Yes, it would, but the effect is very different. It's not as uniform. But instead of gum arabic, use a clay-safe varnish. Gum arabic is water soluble and will wash right off the baked polymer.

@GIRL-pt5jz 3 жыл бұрын

I have a lil question! I recently got some mica powder to play with, I put some on a unbaked piece of clay and once baked, it had like melted/shrunk into clumps! I use fimo soft clay, might I have to use a different clay or did I do something wrong? 😝 Fab video thank you!

@thebluebottletree 3 жыл бұрын

that sounds like you weren't using mica powder. Perhaps it was embossing powder?

@lynnval33 2 жыл бұрын

That's not how mica works, sounds like embossing powders that need heat to melt (i used to do them in my card making days)

@murphchris5670 13 күн бұрын

Hi Ginger, I love your videos. I was wondering I brush the Mica Powder on the clay raw before baking then after it's backed I brush my finger across it and some of the powder comes off. What am I doing wrong and also can I use Fimo instead of sculpey for this technique? Cheers

@thebluebottletree 13 күн бұрын

You're not doing anything wrong. This is merely excess mica powder that didn't stick to the clay. You can just brush it off. Be aware that a lot of the intensity that you see is due to this loose mica. Therefore, sometimes people prefer to "seal" or fix it in place by coating with varnish. You can use any brand of polymer clay for this, assuming it's otherwise suitable for your project.

@murphchris5670 13 күн бұрын

@@thebluebottletree Thank you

@zozonicoco 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this. Does it needs sealing after baking?

@thebluebottletree 3 жыл бұрын

The mica will wear off if this is for jewelry. But it doesn't need to be sealed if it's something that will sit on a shelf. To seal, use a light varnish. There are several varnish articles on my website that will help you choose one.

@carmi.b-wrld 3 жыл бұрын

This won’t burn or anything after you attempt to bake it, right? Thank you so much!

@thebluebottletree 3 жыл бұрын

No, mica powder is a mineral and won't burn or melt in the oven.

@lynnval33 2 жыл бұрын

No. Its best using it on ray clay anyway so it has something to stick to

@lynnval33 2 жыл бұрын

How do you seal it after baking, mines came off when I was wet sanding

@thebluebottletree 2 жыл бұрын

Mica will be removed by sanding. You definitely wouldn't want to use it where you need to sand the item. As for sealing, yes, if you're using mica powder on jewelry you will need to coat it with a durable varnish. Here's more info about that: thebluebottletree.com/polymer-clay-sealers-glazes-and-varnishes/

@Bethecryptid Жыл бұрын

How do you remove excess mica powder from raw clay if it gets onto part of the clay you don't want it on?

@thebluebottletree Жыл бұрын

Preventing the spread is your best tool, of course. But it does tend to get everywhere. You can lift errant specks with a bit of tape.

@Mamihood 3 жыл бұрын

When I add the mica powder to the clay and bake it I get residue on my fingers after baking. How can that be prevented?

@thebluebottletree 3 жыл бұрын

That's just excess mica that didn't stick to the clay. You can just brush it off with a soft brush after baking. If the item will be worn, you'll likely want to seal the surface with a varnish or other clearcoat. If you're new to clearcoats on polymer clay, this article is a must-read: thebluebottletree.com/understanding-polymer-clay-glaze-sealer-varnish/

@Mamihood 3 жыл бұрын

@@thebluebottletree thanks so much. I made some nice pieces on my first run but the excess was a downer. I will definitely read the article. Thanks again!