Polymer Clay

Fimo and clay tips and tutorials

Artist Spotlight: Emma Ralph

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claricebeadcloseup.jpgUK artist Emma Ralph has branched off into many mediums in her beadmaking explorations over the years, but she is still best known for her work in polymer clay.  Collected by jewelry designers around the world, Emma’s work has appeared in numerous publications and in her own polymer clay books, Get Creative with Polymer Clay and Step by Step Polymer Clay in a Day. 

In today’s artist spotlight Emma shares a little bit about her creative journey and inspiration.

What was your first polymer clay project?

I first used Fimo when I was a kid, around 8 or 9 years old. I used it to make a brooch, wrapping some black clay around a “bouquet” of beads on headpins. It looked quite funky as it happens! I must re-create that project one day. But I didn’t really start to use Fimo in earnest until my teens when I started to use it to make beads.

Besides a pasta machine, what polymer clay tool can’t you live without? Wooden toothpicks are my most used tool I think. I use them for piercing beads, supporting beads if I am varnishing them and so on. I also would have a hard time living without my tissue blades and my Kato marxit tool!

What inspires your polymer clay creations?

I have always been inspired by art, craft and the history of design. So really, living in the UK its hard to find something that doesn’t inspire you creatively. With polymer clay though, it is colour that does it for me. I find clay such a perfect medium to explore colour that really I can’t see beyond that these days. My beads are all about playing one colour against another – I never seem to get bored and find myself dreaming up the perfect “Holy Grail” colour combinations!

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Would you share a color recipe with us?

I love to mix custom colours to use as the base of my beads or as canework accents. Particularly I like to mix my colours with a fleshtone base – it creates the most wonderful muted colours. Another favorite trick is to mix a touch of a colour’s complementary colour in with it. It somehow breathes a bit of life and soul into the colour. Try mixing just a touch of orange into apple green – delicious! Just like the leaves of a beech tree in Spring.

You can view more of Emma’s beautiful work on her website.

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[tags]polymer clay, beads, art beads, Emma Ralph, jewelry[/tags]

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Clay Studio Series – YouTube Video Review: DIY Stoneware Plates

If you’ve ever dreamed of making your own dinnerware but thought you needed fancy tools or a pottery wheel, this YouTube tutorial by Jana Storm is a must-watch. In this video, Jana walks us through the process of creating handmade stoneware plates using simple methods and beginner-friendly tips.

Jana shows how to shape and form plates using stoneware clay with 25% chamotte in white. What makes this tutorial so appealing is that she proves you don’t need a wheel to create functional, food-safe ceramics. She also shares tips for pottering at home and reassures beginners that even without a full studio setup, you can still make beautiful pieces.

Why We Love It

  • Accessible: No wheel required, just basic hand-building techniques.

  • Practical: The plates are food-safe and even dishwasher-friendly after firing.

  • Educational: Jana explains firing at 1250°C and where to find kilns if you don’t own one (check out kilnshare.com or your local pottery studio).

  • Inspiring: With her calm approach, she makes the art of ceramics feel doable for everyone.

Materials and Glazes Used

To finish the plates, Jana uses liquid glazes from BOTZ:

  • Green Granite

  • Beige Granite

  • Grey Basalt

She also works with a simple pottery tool starter set, showing that you don’t need an expensive kit to get started.

Craft Gossip’s Take

This video is a perfect entry point for anyone curious about ceramics. The tutorial is well-paced, easy to follow, and practical for home hobbyists. While it does require kiln access, Jana gives great advice for finding one nearby. The finished plates are not only beautiful but also functional — making this tutorial both inspiring and useful.

If you’ve been thinking about trying your hand at DIY stoneware pottery, this is the video to start with.