Fimo color-blending woes. :(

So, I use polymer clay a LOT, and I tend to need pastel-ish colors quite a bit, which means I blend my clay quite a bit. The thing is, it takes absolutely FOREVER, and by the time the color is sufficiently blended (for example, to make a candy-pink), the clay is so stiff and hard from over-working that I can hardly work with it, ESPECIALLY if I leave the clay and try to warm and use it a few days or so later.

What do others do to make blending faster/easier, and to avoid the stiffness of over-worked polymer clay? Is there anything? do you do it in large batches or something?

Is there any brand of polymer clay that comes in pastel colors? So far I can only find Cernit here, and it comes in a lot of colors, but they are all bright/bold (besides the white, obviously).

Suggestions?

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18 replies since 23rd October 2010 • Last reply 23rd October 2010

Reply #1:

I use fimo soft and don't usually have a problem blending. It can take a while but it doesn't go hard. Are you using just the normal fimo or fimo soft?

As for pastels, I can't help you sorry Happy

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Reply #2:

Cernit is weird--it has some softer colors and some normal colors. For example, it takes literally NOTHING for my brown to get soft, but try to blend red and white, and you have a disaster on your (sore) hands! I was thinking it might have to do with the chemistry of the clay with the different dyes or something... because my brown doesn't say it's "soft," but other colors DO.

It's weird, I know.

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Reply #3:

I use sculpey, dunno if there is a difference. I've only been doing the clay thing for a month or two. I have only tried blending a few times but mine usually ends up so soft it's hard to work with(like working with frosting!) so usually I let it sit for a bit and that works.

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Reply #4:

Oh, that is weird! Sorry I can't help Happy

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Reply #5:

Yeah, Abbyka, that's how it is with my brown! I don't mind letting it sit for a little while; it's kneading it to get it warm and then finding that I kneaded it too much that is irritating to me. >.<

Is all of your Sculpey like that? How about after you knead and knead and knead to blend colors?

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Reply #6:

Sculpy is super soft, works well in winter! fimo soft is ok but theres nothing like regular fimo. you can buy softening agents for all clays that will extend the life and help make them easier to work with. sometimes the clay has expired believe it or not and you simply just cannot get good results no matter what you do.

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Reply #7:

Hm, good to know. Now to find a Sculpey supplier in Israel.... :-P

How do the softeners work? Do you just pour it on top or do you knead it in? We know by now how I feel about kneading polymer clay... I've been working on a lime green for about 1.5 hours now, to tell the truth.....

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Reply #8:

1.5 hours!! :O You're crazy girl Tongue

I have the liquid fimo that supposedly brings life back to your clay but I've not tried it yet... Maybe it's worth a shot for your Cernit, they might do there own type of thing??

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Reply #9:

Usually kneading sculpey too much makes it too soft to the point that any touch will make it fall apart. But just letting it sit for a bit fixes that.

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Reply #10:

Haha, Ruby! I'd have thrown it across the room a lot earlier than that if I weren't getting paid for the item I was making. ;)

I don't think they will have softener for the clay where I normally buy it, but the shop owners might know where I can find it.

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Reply #11:

I have clay that I've had for years and never used a softener (not yet anyways), but since I have a pasta maker especially for my clay it doesn't take long to make it pliable or to blend it. I use sculpey BTW.

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Reply #12:

I mix fimo and sculpty together.Once they are mixed they are just right for working with.I have a pasta thing, but i have moved 2 times in one year and getting ready to move again and havent got to totally unpack to find it..I hope we dont move again.Im tired.
but when i mix the clays it works out great.

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Reply #13:

Alex suggests a bit of olive oil. x

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Reply #14:

Oooo I hate it when my clay gets too hard or too soft.

What I do with hardened clay is place it by my heater. It warms them up pretty well and them I can mould it. And when clay gets too soft, I chuck it in the refrigerator. I don't know about fimo, but I use sculpey.
Note that if you leave clay out unprotected, like in the sun, the clay kind of "cooks" itself. So make sure your clay is in a protected spot.

Oh yeah, and with pastels. I only buy white, tan, dark brown,and black clay. I make my own colors using oil pastels. If I wanted a pink lets say, Ill take some shavings off of the red pastel and mix it with my white clay until I get the perfect shade of rose pink!

Hope I helped!

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