This week I was showing my school age students how to use basic proportion rules in drawing and sculpting people figures. It was a quick and dirty version of how to sculpt a human and what you could do to simplify the process – use molds for faces, extruders for hair and canes for clothing or eyes.

Eyes, they asked? I had to dig around in my box but I was able to pull out an eye cane or two and one of them was made with this oldie but goodie tutorial. The kids did a great job with their people.

You can, of course, use the iris cane for doll eyes, figures, pendants. The technique can be tweaked to use a blend instead of step shading it. The way the striations are made, by staggering the compressed colour pieces, is one way to get that streaky look in other canes as well.

Some of the kid’s people are here.

POP! – Perspectives on Polymer

Contemporary Craft is thrilled to be hosting POP! – Perspectives on Polymer June 25-29, 2022. A five-day celebration of contemporary work in polymer, the event will have something for everyone who loves polymer clay. POP! will feature four workshops along with virtual talks by some of the best polymer artists in the country, an exhibition of small works in polymer, and a curated feature in the Store. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, June 25, 6-8 PM, and will be free and open to the public.

POP!’s focus on workshops and the materiality of polymer makes this boutique event more than just a conference. Each participating artist was selected for their unique perspectives on polymer and the exciting ways they are moving the medium forward. The featured instructor for the event is Jeffrey Lloyd Dever, whose pioneering techniques in polymer have made him one of the most respected artists in the field. His jewelry and sculptural objects have been shown in many national invitational exhibitions, and his works are represented in numerous private collections, galleries and museums.

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POP! – Perspectives on Polymer