Kael Mijoy: Tutorial: Polymer Clay Bead Basics Part 2- 5 Shapes

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Tutorial: Polymer Clay Bead Basics Part 2- 5 Shapes

In my last tutorial, I showed you how to cover a core bead with scrap clay and how to put the hole in the bead. You can see that one here.

In this one, I will be sharing 8 basic bead shapes and all of them start as a ball.

Shape 1- Barrel

Roll a ball straight back and forth on the table to form a cylinder with rounded ends.

Pierce the bead from end to end as shown in Bead Basics Part 1.

Shape 2- Teardrop

Pinch 1 side of the ball between two fingers while rolling it back and forth to form the point of the teardrop.

To make your teardrop narrower, roll the fat part back and forth a little.

You can pierce the bead across the point of the teardrop...

... or from top to bottom.

Shape 3- Kiss

Make a teardrop shape as above and then gently press the bottom of the bead on your work surface to flatten it.

Pierce from top to bottom or across the point.

Shape 4- Pyramid

Make a kiss shape as above. Set the bead down on the work surface and then use two fingers on each side of the bead to press 4 sides flat. Turn and press repeatedly to make the shape.

Pinch each of the corners tightly between two fingers to define the shape. Press each side on the table to even things out.

Pierce the bead across the point or from top to bottom.

Shape 5- Tetrahedron

Make a kiss as above. Set the bead down on the table and then press in three sides of the shape as though you are going to make a pyramid (only with one less side). Pierce from one point to the opposite flat side...