Polymer Clay Basics: Techniques, Tools & Projects

A quick flip through this colorful book hints at easy, lighthearted projects suitable for beginners. To some extent this is true, but newcomers beware: the extremely awkward translation of the original Italian text may be confusing to those not already familiar with terms common to the subject. Throughout, polymer clay itself is called resin and canes are referred to as murrhines. Purpurin at first mention remains a complete mystery until a later illustration reveals it to be fine glitter. Measurements are given only in metric and oven temperatures only in Celsius. Although every package of polymer clay comes with manufacturer's recommendations for baking, having the Fahrenheit number in the text would have been helpful, as would at least minimal attention to smoothing the flow of this tortured English-language version. In introducing a particular cane, for instance (a cane generally known as the lace cane but which she instead calls bee's nest), the author utters this grievous mouthful: "Perhaps for this project I'll ask you to add a touch of the cook or the housewife that's in you to wrap the infantile snake like a lasagna."

Two things save this unfortunate situation and actually make this troubled volume worthwhile. First, the excellent, extensive step-by-step photos render the written directions very nearly unnecessary. Second, the author's whimsical sense of design and nice way with color result in charming necklaces, frames, tableware, buttons, desk accessories, and other items bedecked with simple, appealing patterns. She touches upon a few imitative techniques (jade, coral, marble, mosaic, mokume gane), but her real forte is creating canes that feature bold geometrics, celestial motifs, fish, snails, butterflies, ladybugs, various types of flowers, and faces. Despite its shortcomings, the book's strength makes one wish all the more that some attention had been paid to editing the text. --Amy Handy