Sculpey Soufflé Funky Screen Printed Rings

Getting Started - Polymer clay may stain. CLAY MAY DAMAGE UNPROTECTED FURNITURE OR FINISHED SURFACES. DO NOT USE polymer clay on unprotected surfaces. We recommend working on the Sculpey ® clay mat, wax paper, metal baking sheet, or disposable foil. Start with clean hands and work surface area. Knead clay until soft and smooth. For best results, clean your hands in between colors. Shape clay, pressing pieces together firmly. Bake on oven-proof glass or metal surface at 275°F (130°C) for 30 minutes per ¼" (6 mm) thickness. For best baking results, use an oven thermometer. DO NOT USE MICROWAVE OVEN. DO NOT EXCEED THE ABOVE TEMPERATURE OR RECOMMENDED BAKING TIME. Wash hands after use. Baking should be completed by an adult. Begin by preheating oven to 275°F (130 °C). Test temperature with oven thermometer for perfectly cured clay. For best results, condition all clay by running it through the Clay Conditioning Machine for several passes on the widest setting. Fold the clay in half after each pass and insert the fold side into the rollers first.

With the Clay Conditioning Machine on the #2 setting create a sheet of ½ block of each color. Cut one round sheet of clay out for each ring you will be making. The largest cutter from the graduated circle cutters is the best size for that. I made 4 rings, so there are four round clay sheets in the pictures! Gather the following supplies: the Sculpey Silk Screen Set, a little bowl of water, the gold and silver acrylic paints that comes in the silkscreen set, the squeegee, a soft tooth brush and paper towels. Place one of the round silk screen patterns (shiny side down!) on top of one round clay sheet.

I will make a screen print with two colors in one pull, so I need to add both colors like shown in the picture: little dots of alternating Gold and Silver right next to each other! If you just want to use one color, just make one thin line of that color.

Pull the paint with the squeegee over your screen. All of the openings of the screen should be covered with the acrylic paint. If you have some places where you did not get enough paint, add some more paint in those places and pull over them again until everything is evenly covered. Pull the screen off the clay and place it in your bowl with water, so the paint will be easily removed! I like to use a soft tooth brush for that and brush the screen very gently on the non shiny side with it. Then place the wet screen on a piece of kitchen paper to let it dry. Before pulling the next print your screen needs to be completely dry! Follow the same procedure with all of the round pieces of clay. Let the print dry before going on to the next step. I like to let it sit for at least half an hour! I like to use that time to clean my screen and put the screen printing equipment back in its place.

Now to create the doughnut shaped rings with the cabochon mold. You clay needs to be warm and pliable for this step! If you had your clay sit for a long time, to let the paint try, and it is cold now, warm it with your warm hands. If the clay is too cold it might tear! For the doughnut shapes we need either the biggest or the medium size of the doughnut shapes. Place one printed round sheet on the big shape, with the printed side down. Use the round Style and Detail tool to gently press the sheet into the shape. You might want to lift the sheet a little to help it slide down at first. Press the sheet firmly against the mold. Use a blade to cut off everything that is hanging over the rim of the mold. Be careful with cutting, so the shape will stay put. Don’t forget to cut the middle piece off as well.

Make a snake shape with the clay that you just trimmed off, and place it in the mold to fill all of the doughnut shape. Use your fingers to press it in evenly and trim off anything that is over the top of the molds rim.

Cure the clay in the mold as directed above, so they will keep their shape perfectly. Repeat the procedure to create 4 doughnut shapes.

Take the doughnut shapes out of the mold when they have cooled down. Roll the remaining clay out on the third thickest setting on your Clay Conditioning Machine. Use one of the smaller sized graduated cutters to cut out the back side of your doughnut shapes. I used a contrasting colors for that and roll a small ball, in the contrasting color of your doughnut, and cut that in half. For my Canary rings I used a red ball of clay!

Place the halfball in the middle of the doughnut (I like to press it up from the backside) and place the round sheet on the back of the doughnut, to prevent the halfball from falling out again. Trim the parts that are too big for the back of the doughnut shape. Place the piece on your work surface and use the straw or little kemper cutter and your needle tool to press a pattern in the halfball in the middle of the doughnut.