Book Review: Mixed Media Mosaics
February 27, 2008 by Cyndi Lavin
Filed under Home & Living
What’s Up Wednesday
Mixed Media Mosaics
by Laurie Mika
Using very few tools and not even too many materials, Laurie Mika shows us how to make polymer clay tile mosaics which are simply a feast for the eyes. Well, “simply” is the wrong word. Although these are not difficult to make, the finished effect is dazzling. You would think, to look at her work, that you’d be having to keep dozens of clay colors in stock, but Laurie works with primarily only black and white, using paints, beads, mica powders, and other media to add color to her tiny treasures.
I am not a polymer clay person. It’s never really grabbed me the way it has some of my art friends. I’m not quite sure why, because I really wanted to like it and to work with it at one point. This delightful book may make me change my mind. It’s full of techniques, all of them easy for clay-dummies like me. And Laurie’s got a whole bunch of sample projects in here too, including jewelry, my key weakness! The possibilities are endless, and it really has me thinking…
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I am the same boat as you. I like seeing polymer clay projects and want to like it too. If this doesn’t require a bazillion colors, I could get into it, too, perhaps. I like the idea of black and white and adding color in other ways. Very nice! A great endorsement of the book, too!
Just black and white, Christy! Even you and I could handle that LOL!!
I’m the same. I really want to like it. Is it the texture? I seem to go back to paper after trying something in polyclay and I really haven’t done anything but a few basic beads. I really liked this book and hope it changes my mind.
I’m wondering how paperclay would work with some of these techniques…
I haven’t tried paperclay at all. Do you prefer the texture of it over polyclay? Is it as strong?
It’s totally different. Much lighter and doesn’t have anywhere near the strength. It also sucks up paint like crazy
I just think it might be fun to experiment with.
I AM a polymer clay person — & I have to agree that this is a wonderful book. It’s one of the first polymer clay books in a while that I’ve read all the way through as soon as I got it home!
It’s interesting that you mention the texture thing. I have recently found a couple of brands of polymer clay that I really like the texture of (Ultralight Sculpey, available only in big blocks of white, & the brand new Studio by Sculpey). Both have a softer feel, more like paper or suede, that I like so much better than the plastic feel of some other clay brands. You might give one a try…
Great suggestion! One of my jewelry-making girlfriends uses the ultralight and just loves it
Sounds like we’ve got the product to try. I know my WalMart sells the ultra light so everyone should be able to get it.
Let me warn you that the UltraLight takes some getting used to, at least if you’ve tried other polymer clays. It’s soft & kind of marshmallow-y. I personally like mixing it with a firmer clay brand like Premo — that way I still get the texture benefits, but it’s a little easier to work with.
Good luck!
Thanks! I heard from my other girlfriend that it doesn’t take a sharp stamped image well…that would explain it