Like practicing yoga and listening to soothing music…
For me, carving polymer clay is so relaxing and such a meditative process. With my work situated at the proper height on the carving block and my arm at a comfortable angle, the carving tool just glides through the clay like butter – smooth as silk with no abrupt starts or stops. With each stroke, the design flows and progresses before my eyes. I’ve learned that the design dictates which direction I should go, and that sometimes moving the piece freely works better than changing the angle of my arm or the direction of my carving tool. Indeed…practice makes perfection!
Do you carve it after curing or before? I am so afraid of polymer for some reason. I want to be bold and go for it!
I carve the clay after it has been cured. If I make a mistake while carving, I can fill it in with fresh clay, bake again, and carve some more. Polymer clay is very forgiving and compared to metal it is inexpensive, so don’t be afraid of it.
Thanks, Barbara, I admire your work very much!
Thank you so much!