Polymer Clay

Paisley Lizard’s 2020 Weblog 12 months in Overview

May 11, 2024
Alishba2


Effectively, right here we’re prepared to show the web page on one other yr. And what a rare yr it has been. I received’t dwell on the pandemic or different dire information headlines of the yr. As a substitute, I’m reviewing my artistic journey as documented right here on my weblog. Creatively talking, it was one other productive yr though I didn’t submit as regularly as I’ve in another years. I’m going to say it’s been about high quality, not amount. LOL

Most of my makes for the yr of 2020 have been impressed by month-to-month design problem themes from the Artwork Components weblog workforce. I’m so grateful to the AE Group for the inspiration. It’s not that I couldn’t give you concepts with out the prompts – I’ve limitless lists of issues I wish to make. However I’ll admit that having prompts retains me from procrastinating or from being overwhelmed by too many concepts. Somewhat than recount my creations by month-to-month theme, I’m going to sum them up by the kind of make. Most of my creations for 2020 fell into one among 4 classes: jewellery, beads, embroidery, and sculpting. Plus a few one-offs.

Since this weblog started primarily to regale you about my jewellery designs, I’ll start with the jewellery designs of 2020. I didn’t make jewellery each month, or for each theme, however there was nonetheless, someway, a pile of recent jewellery designs. Lots of which you could find in my store on etsy.

Collage of assorted boho jewelry.
These are most of my new jewellery designs from 2020. I began by making elements with Pantone’s Colour of the 12 months – Basic Blue- in January. Then got here a set of bee-themed designs in April, adopted by butterflies in Might. I went somewhat loopy with some Halloween silkscreens in September, and carried on with “gothic” spider and cranium designs in October. I completed up the yr, in November, with some miniature mushrooms.

As you might have observed, a lot of the jewellery (properly, all of it, besides the chook cranium hoops) featured my polymer clay beads and focals. Along with making the beads and focals for the jewellery this yr, I additionally made some beads only for the sake of constructing beads. These can be found to your jewellery designs in my store on etsy.

Collage with assorted polymer clay beads
For the “berries” theme in January, I made an assortment of raspberry and strawberry headpins. Then for the “letters” theme in February, I made pastel “bloom” bead units (the backs of the massive beads are stamped with the phrase “bloom”) and a few rainbow connectors stamped with a self-affirmation.

As I created the collages for this submit, I noticed I spent a very good a part of 2020 sculpting with polymer clay. I’m nonetheless not any higher at creating facial options, so I’ve used molds in some designs. However I’ll get there ultimately – I did somewhat properly with the skulls. This apparently was the yr of the “stash tin” for me, however I additionally re-purposed just a few glass jars. You could find a few of these in my store on etsy.

collage with polymer clay covered jars and tins
In January, for the “berries” theme problem I created two fairy home jars: a strawberry and a pumpkin. Sure, pumpkins are berries. And really, strawberries, technically, aren’t. Little collectible figurines and a stash field occurred in March for the “gnomes” theme. There have been Inexperienced Lady and Inexperienced Man stash tins for the “summer time solstice” theme in June. Not for the theme, but additionally sculpted within the month of June, have been Rose and Violet flower dryad stash tins. In September, impressed by some city fantasy novels I’d been studying, I created a Snow White stash tin. The “blue” theme for September impressed a frozen lake naiad stash tin. September was a really eclectic month for me, with a 3rd stash tin that includes a Desert Poppy nymph. For the “gothic” theme in October, I turned a glass jar right into a cranium planter and lined a mini-coffin field with a fallen angel cranium and wings. Lastly, in November, for the “mushrooms and toadstools” theme, I transformed a small glass jar right into a fantasy mushroom.

This yr I attempted a few portray strategies that had nothing to do with polymer clay. First I made dot-mandalas on some rocks borrowed from the landscaping round my condominium advanced. I say “borrowed” as a result of I returned them to the wild after the paint cured. I additionally painted a picket casket utilizing a crackle medium, and embellished it with a cranium pendant that I painted with Vintaj patina inks.

Dot mandala stones and distressed coffin box collage
The painted rocks -inspired by the “mandala” theme in August – have totally different designs on the highest and backside. Inside just a few weeks of my returning them to the wild, that they had disappeared. I hope they create pleasure to the individuals who picked them up. The distressed casket field was impressed by the October “gothic” theme.

Polymer clay continues to be my medium of selection, principally as a result of it’s so versatile, as you’ll be able to see from the vary of beads, jewellery, and sculpts. Nonetheless, embroidery has change into my second go-to when artistic inspiration strikes. There have been some months the place my solely artistic initiatives concerned stitching.

collage with assorted embroidery hoops
My embroidery initiatives for 2020 started with a “letters” theme in February. Then there have been bees and butterflies in April and Might. June was a sunny summer time solstice impressed hoop. For July’s “hole” theme, I made my first double-hoop design with a wreath of seashells. For the “mandala” theme in August, I designed a sacred geometry sample that includes painted cloth with stitching. And eventually, in September for the “blue” theme, I sewed this cute little weevil.

The ultimate design problem theme for 2020 was “All Issues Christmas” and I admit it took me a lot of the month to get into the spirit. I wasn’t precisely ba-humbug-ing or something. I used to be simply, frankly, feeling lazy. However I did handle to complete out the artistic yr with these three little winter greenery hoops.

embroidery ornaments
These 3-inch hoops are completely sized for tree ornaments or for hanging on a wall show. The holly, mistletoe, and juniper branches are stitched on linen cloth.

I’ve been extra lucky than many this yr, having the ability to make money working from home full-time since mid-March. My day job nonetheless occupied my weekdays, however I had my evenings and weekends free to be artistic. There have been sporadic shortages of polymer clay because of the pandemic, which makes me glad I took up embroidery final yr so I nonetheless had one thing artistic to occupy me. I ran low on thread across the time stay-at-home orders have been changing into wide-spread. This artistic yr wouldn’t have been attainable with out the oldsters who labored to pack, ship, and ship artwork provides.

Many thanks, once more, to the AE Group for the inspiring design problem themes. Thanks additionally to my readers and the oldsters who make time to touch upon my posts. I don’t know the place 2021 will take me creatively-speaking, however I’m wanting ahead to a brand new yr of potentialities. I want you all the most effective for the New 12 months and hope to see you again right here in 2021. Btw, you can too comply with me on Instagram, the place I submit about my artwork somewhat extra regularly, however with fewer phrases. 😉



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