These are definitions of terms often
used in working with polymer clays.
This
glossary is taken from "Adapting
Quilt Patterns To Polymer Clay" by Judith Skinner and Sarajane Helm,
with thanks to Nan Roche, Barbara McGuire and Merriam-Webster.
Achromatic-Free from color
Acrylic-Derived from acrylic
acid or acrylonitrile; containing acrylic resin, Plexiglass is an acrylic
thermoplastic and is used in sheets for work surfaces, rods for clay rollers
Analogous colors-A group of
colors that lie side by side on the color wheel
Applique-To apply on top of
Armature-A skeleton or framework
on which clay pieces are built to give support and reduce the amount of clay
volume inside. Paper, wire, aluminum foil are some items used.
Brayer-Roller tool with a handle
Buffing wheel-machine driving
wheel with a muslin or flannel disc for bringing polymer to a shine
Bull's eye-A cane design in
circles that increase in size and radiate out from a midpoint, like a target
Cane-A term borrowed from glass
working that refers to patterned or solid colored rods placed to form a design.
Slices of canes are used to create millefiore work.
Chroma-The purity of a color or
its freedom from white or gray
Clay-A fine suspension of
aluminum silicate, moldable when wet and fused into permanent form at very high
temperatures
Clay Block-A small unit of
polymer clay, usually 2 or 3 ounces
Clay Brick-A large unit of
polymer clay, usually 13 to 16 ounces
Conditioning- Preparation of
clay before use to warm and soften it and align molecules for permanent
strength.
Convection oven-Oven with a
continuous flow of air that keeps temperatures even throughout
Cut-outs-Shapes made using
cookie cutters or similar tools.
Cutters-Any shaped metal tool
that cuts repeatable designs, from small Kemper cutters to cookie cutters
Discs-Round die made of acrylic
or metal with shaped openings for use with extruders
Diluent-Liquid plasticiser to
soften hard clays
Embossing powder-Acrylic
particles used in stamping designs or as inclusions that react with heat to
expand and become glossy.
Extrusions-Shaped lengths of
clay made using a tool that presses soft clay out through a disc (die) with a
precisely cut opening.
Forms-Shapes on which clay can
be baked
Findings-The mechanical parts of
jewelry making; clasps, pin backs, earring parts and more
Finish-Any way of smoothing the
surface or giving a shine including sanding and buffing, or added glosses and
glazes. Compatible products include those made by polymer clay manufacturers,
Future Acrylic Floor Polish, Rust-Oleum Waterbased Varathane
Glass-A hard, brittle,
transparent, non-crystaline substance produced by fusion of silicates containing
soda and lime at very high temperatures
Grit-Degree of coarseness in
sandpaper or powders; low numbers such as 60 are very coarse and range to
superfine automotive grade at 1200 and 2000.
Guild-Group of individuals who
come together for a common purpose; the National Polymer Clay Guild and local
guilds are a great way to share and exchange information and experiences
Hue-The color of an object;
classed as red, blue, green, or yellow in reference to the spectrum
Inclusions-Powders or other
materials such as glitter, fibers or spices that are put into the body of the
clay, affecting color and texture
Jelly roll-Spiral cane made with
two colors rolled up and sliced; like a cinnamon bun
Loaves-Square or rectangular
clay assemblies; sometimes sliced from the top as in Mokume Gane
Log -Cane component like a snake
but thicker, also sometimes refers to canes
Marbelize-The incomplete mixing
of two or more colors that creates the appearance of marble or stone
Mica Powders-Shiny pigmented
powders that contain mica and give the look of metal or shell, or that have
"interference" qualities affecting the perceived color. Can be used on
top or inside clays
Millefiore-Literally Italian for
"thousand flowers"; refers to glass making technique that uses
patterned and colored rods of glass to form canes, slices of which decorate
objects like beads and paper weights.
Mokume Gane -A Japanese metal
smithing technique adapted to polymer that uses clay sheets stacked and layered
with metallic foils to form "loaves". Areas are raised or lowered with
impressions from top or bottom and a blade is used to slice thin pieces
horizontally from the top
Molds-A negative relief
impression that allow replication using clay pressed in and pulled out; can be
made using polymer clay or silicone compounds, metal, acrylics, glass or plaster
of paris
Monochromatic-Colors made from
tints or shades of the same hue
Morphing-The process of changing
a component from one shape to another. It can also be done to a square cane to
change the corners into the flat parts and the flat parts into corners.
Onlay-The application of a layer
of clay onto another layer of clay
Opaque-Neither reflecting or
emitting light, not transparent or translucent
Parchment Paper-An oven baking
paper useful for eliminating shiny spots on polymer clay, also useful as a work
surface liner
Pasta Machine-Roller device
designed for making noodles, and used with polymer clay to condition, blend
colors, texturize and create even sheets of clay of 7-9 variable thicknesses.
Comes with hand crank and removable noodle cutters that will cut raw or cured
into strips. A motor is also available.
Pearlescent-Shimmering; clay
that contains small mica particles and reflects light. Used in mica-shift
techniques to create a raised image visible inside the flat surface of the clay
Photocopy Transfer-Technique
that uses the plasticisers in polymer clays to transfer ink from photocopied
images onto the clay. Liquid clays form soft peel-off sheets that contain the
image after baking and can be appliquéd and rebaked.
Pigment-Coloring agent
Plastic- Literally
"changeable"; refers to any natural and synthetic materials that can
be shaped when soft and then hardened. Includes resins such as amber, resinoids,
polymers, cellulose derivatives (like celluloid) casein materials and protein
Plasticiser-Any of a group of
organic substances used in plastics to impart viscosity, flexibility, softness,
and other qualities
Polymer-A very large molecule
made up of many smaller units joined together, generally end to end, to create a
long chain. The smallest “building block” of a polymer is called a monomer
(mono = one)
Polymer Clay-A modern modeling
compound composed primarily of PVC resin, plasticiser, and pigments as well as
other fillers including mica
PolyVinyl Chloride-Known as PVC;
a white, water insoluable, thermoplastic resin used in making record albums,
plumbing pipes and polymer clays.
Plugs-short fat rolls of clay,
often sliced into and added to before reduction into snakes
Pulver-Powders marketed by
Eberhardt Faber, Bronzepulvers are made of powdered aluminum and pigment, use
with a air mask
Reduction-Squeezing and
compressing the cane in on itself as the cane is also stretched to lengthen it
causes the scale of the design to become smaller. This can be done a little, or
a lot.
Release Agent-Powder, cornstarch
or misted water used on molds or stamps to allow clay to be pulled away after
impression
Saturation-The degree of chroma
or purity of color; the degree of freedom from mixture with white
Shade-The degree of darkness of
a color determined by the quantity of black added
Sheets-Flat, even layers of
clay, made by rolling the clay with an acrylic rod, a brayer, or a pasta
machine.
Skinner Blend-Technique allowing
the even gradient blending of two or more colors of clay, developed by Judith
Skinner
Slamming-Forcefully throwing the
cane down on a flat surface to help "wake up" canes that are slow to
move. Also refers to the process of putting canes together quickly or within a
group caning process.
Snakes-Rolled out pieces of clay
that are long with a round diameter. Also referred to by other shapes as in
"triangle", "teardrop" or "square" snakes.
Spiral-Curled image inside a
cane made by rolling up two colored sheets in a jelly roll fashion
Stamp-Texture tool with a
positive or raised image that allows the design to be impressed into the surface
of clay or used with inks or embossing agents to pattern the surface
Strips-Clay pieces not as wide
as tongues that can easily be formed by flattening a snake of clay by pressing
with your thumb or a roller to flatten onto the work surface.
Thermoplastics-Polymers that
once formed can be heated and reformed over and over again.
Thermosets-Polymers that are
formed and then heat cured into a permanent shape.
Tint-A color diluted with white
Tongues-Sheets of clay that are
longer than they are wide, and can be thicker (in depth) than a rolled sheet.
These are formed by hand, not by stacking
Translucent-Admitting or
diffusing light so objects can not be seen clearly through it. Refers also to
clay with no pigments or fillers that can be sliced very thin and buffed almost
clear
Transparent-Transmitting of
light so objects can be seen clearly through it
Value-Degree of lightness or
darkness of a color
Varathane-Line of wood finishing
products made by Rust-Oleum; the water based indoor version is compatible with
polymer clay as is the water based spray.
Wedges-Components shaped like
triangle snakes but are cut at an angle from sheets of stacked clay.
Taken
with permission from "Adapting
Quilt Patterns To Polymer Clay"
by Judith Skinner and Sarajane Helm
Copyright©1995-2010 Sarajane Helm All rights
are held by the artist
Reproduction without permission is
a violation of copyright law
