Cameo Jewelry

Using Polymer Clay to Make Cameos

I would like to start making some cameos. I can never get mine to look nearly as good as others I’ve seen.

Is there a trick that I'm missing? I can never get mine to have a nice edge between the white and the background.

I want to practice because I want to make profiles of all the kids for my Mom at Christmas. I think it's going to be easier than the cameos.

Dixie

I’m at a bit of a loss since you don’t describe what method and materials you are using.

Traditionally, cameos are carved from hard stones like agate or sea shells that have different colored layers like cassis rufa or cassis madagascariensis.

Sometimes dyes are used if the natural material does not have distinctive layer coloration.

More recently polymer and porcelain cameos have come onto the scene. If you are carving and not getting a nice clean differentiation, you may need sharper tools or more appropriate base materials with the requisite distinct layers.

Apologies. I was responding to your sale of a cameo mold for polymer clay. I have a couple different molds but can never get mine to look right. The pictures with your molds are beautiful.

Dixie

No problem.

You will need at least two colors of polymer clay: usually ivory for the cameo part and a darker color for the background. If you would like a marbleized or shaded background, mix some ivory canes or balls into the darker color clay.

Be sure the clay is well conditioned. Most molds don’t require a release agent, but if you find the clay sticking to the mold, try spraying with water or dusting with corn starch.

Take a small ball of ivory clay (better too little than not enough) and press it into the cameo portion of the mold.

Use the handle of a paint brush or a chisel headed clay shaper to tamp the clay down.

Work slowly and meticulously so as to capture all the detail of the cameo. It is OK, even preferable to leave some convexity to the ivory clay.

Leaving sections of the ivory very thin (for example, the folds of a woman’s dress) will create a beautiful translucent filmy look.

The most important step on the cameo level is to smooth the edge of the design so that when the darker clay base is added to the mold, you achieve the nice sharp edge you are seeking between the cameo and the dark background.

Roll out a small piece of the background clay to the proper thickness for your mold.

Gently press the mold on top of it to mark the shape for cutting.

Cut the background and lay it into the mold.

Tamp around the edge and work gently toward the center, applying less pressure when you are over the cameo portion to avoid causing the ivory clay to ooze out of the depressed area of the mold.

If the clay is not level, gently add more background color to top it off.

Use the paintbrush handle or clay shaper to level and smooth the back.

Or use Marjorie’s tip below for leveling the back.

Bake as usual.

If you would like to send a picture of your finished work, we would be happy to feature it on our site.

Polymer Clay Cameo Tips

Here are a couple of other tips I gleaned from our panel of polymer clay experts.

To achieve an antique look, apply a whitewash to your cameo after baking. Brush on white acrylic paint thinned with water. Then wipe off the excess. Using white on a light color clay gives very subtle shadings and depth.

I recommend Leslie Derks' book, Creative Clay Jewelry: Extraordinary, Colorful, Fun Designs To Make From Polymer Clay which contains a whole chapter on working with molds.

Bonus Cameo Tips

Marjorie from Mad About Molds admitted to not having tried making cameos from polymer clay, but kindly sent us these great tips and also a recommendation of another wonderful site on polymer clay.

"Our cameo molds are our best selling molds by far, however I have not yet attempted to master making cameos from them. We have many tips on our Mad About Molds FAQ & Tips page.

This tip would be especially helpful when working with our molds.....

Here's a great tip that will help you to make a super flat backed mold, without distorting your casting. This technique seems to work better with molds that have simple edges.

Start by conditioning and rolling a ball of clay to fit your mold. Then dust with corn starch with an old fluffy artist brush (works great).

Now place the ball of clay in the mold.

Next place a transparent paper on top of the ball. A clear page from the top of a book report cover or one layer of a page-protector works well, or any other type of clear sheet that you have on hand that is sturdy.

Now put a clear glass or Plexiglas tile on top of that.

Press the tile down filling in the mold. You will be able to see what's going on underneath as well. Try a few times with the size of your ball of clay until you get it right, when you are happy with the result lift your tile, and then the transparent paper carefully so it pulls the clay right out with it.

Remember that any overflow of clay can just be sanded off after baking, or cut off before baking.

Also, if you are concerned about making the back perfectly level I glue 4 small Lego pieces to each corner of the glass tile. This controls how far down the tile will go. You can add more Lego pieces to control the height of the tile as well.

Now instead of trying to remove your clay casting from the transparent sheet making a big mess of your creation, place it on a small cookie sheet and then pop it in the freezer. Let is chill for a few minutes. When you take it out you will be able to easily peel the transparent paper for your mold without distorting the clay. It works great and it easy to do.

Remember if your object is going to be a charm or ornament, to insert your wire loop before baking. Pin backs, earring backs, buttons back can also be used. Use you imagination!

The Glass Attic website would also help some very good tips when working with clay."

Thank you Marjorie.

Visit the Jewelry Index Page for more articles.