Sunday, April 15, 2007

Polymer Clay Eyes *Tutorial*

I wanted to make these for a swap, but could not find flat backed plastic doll eyes that looked like the ones pictured. So I decided to make my own eyes. I did not take any pics when I made the first sets of eyes, so I will just have to make more!!

Sculpey Colors used:
01 - white
042 - black
1628 - string bean

*** Safety First!!! ***

It is not recommended to put uncured polymer clay on furniture.
If you use any type of food-related item such as a plastic chopping mat or pasta machine, you can NEVER EVER use it for food again!
Be sure to follow the directions for baking polymer clay!

*** End Safety Note ***

Let's Craft!!!


Start with a piece of white clay that will make a 1/2" ball. With a blade, cut the ball in half. Be careful not to squish the halves. Eyes are round, remember? This is the only part that I actually measured because I wanted to make sure that the eyes would fit the silverware I used.

Next, use green for the iris. All I did was to flatten a bit of clay and used my template to cut a few 3/8" circles. Carefully smooth them onto the white half-balls, but don't completely cover the white.

Use a very small bit of black for the pupils. Basically, use a small ball about half the size of a popcorn kernel. Flatten it. Smooth it onto the green.

Bake at recommended temperature and time (275 degrees for 15 minutes per 1/4" thickness). Since my oven is older and a bit touchy, I baked mine at 250 for about 17 minutes.

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Since I made my eyes, I have taken over the toaster oven for my clay baking. It is now nice enough that I can work outside.

2 comments:

gishygoo said...

Hey Kat! I haven't forgotten about you, and I love what you have done on your blog since our swap! I have an explanation of my absence on my blog if you wanna read about it, but I am back to the crafting world again and hope to have the rest of my crafts for you done soon. It may be the end of the summer, though, because I keep thinking I should do some other stuff, too! Haha, I think I will always feel that way.

PS: I love your tutorial about the eyeballs and the silverware. How CUTE!! Your craftiness is truly inspirational!

PPS: I have a toaster oven dedicated to my sculpey clay baking, too. If I ever move to Buffalo, we are gonna have to be friends.

Kat, The Fearless Crafter said...

Thanks! You're so sweet!! The silverware was my very first polymer clay project!! I've made one other item since the Goth Swap and hope to get better at it!!