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Polymer Fimo

polymer fimo What type of polymer clay should I use? I am planning on buying some polymer clay. Should I use Sculpey or Fimo and what is the difference between these 2 companies? There's a lot...

 

polymer fimo

polymer fimo
What type of polymer clay should I use?

I am planning on buying some polymer clay. Should I use Sculpey or Fimo and what is the difference between these 2 companies?

There's a lot of difference between the various brands and lines of polymer clay--even between the lines made by the *same* brand/manufacturer.

For example, some lines or brands will be stronger than others after curing in areas that aren't thick/rounded/fat, some are "harder" on the surface after curing, some are more or less difficult to handle while raw which is usually related to how soft vs. firm they are and how temperature-sensitive (soft results in easy distortion and fingerprints, and those with hot hands probabaly shouldn't use anything but FimoClassic, Kato Polyclay or SuperSculpey-Firm), how easily they darken at recommended baking temps, etc.

The German company Eberhard-Faber manufactures all the "Fimo" lines.
The company Polyform manufactures the lines with Sculpey in the name (except that at art supply stores, original Sculpey is named Polyform clay) as well as Premo which was created by a clayer who actually didn't like the characteristics of the Sculpeys but used the Polyform labs.
Kato Polyclay is the newest brand. It was created by the polymer clayer Donna Kato in conjunction with the VanAken labs (maker of 2 plastacine clays) and is manufactured by them.
Cernit is made in Germany, by the "Cernit" company?
Du-Kit is made in Australia, I think... don't know much about it.
Some other brands are made in Europe and other places.

Here's something I've written before about all that:

No brand or line of polymer clay is really "the wrong one to use," but since they differ from each other some clays will have more advantages or disadvantages depending on what *kinds* of things they're used to make, and also the temperature they're used with (whether from air temp or hand temperature).
To add to the differences, all brands have undergone formula changes in their lifetimes, and many have undergone changes so recently that you may well find both the most recent formulation and the one before that still on the shelves together.

There are ways to kind of make up for some of the disadvantages for each brand/line when needed, but most clayers end up settling on one or two brands that suit them for most of the things they tend to do with their clay.
But some clayers also have just learned special techniques to use with the clay they were first introduced to (or the clay that was avilable at the time), so they may feel fine about sticking with that one.

You can read a load about the characteristics of all the brands and lines of polymer clay on these two pages at my polymer clay "encyclopedia" site especially:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/Characteristics.htm
http://glassattic.com/polymer/sculpture.htm
(and more about all aspects of polymer clay at my site...see Source below)

But the main differences in a nutshell are these:

1. Original plain Sculpey (boxed, white or terracotta only) and to a somewhat-lesser extent SuperSculpey (boxed, flesh colored) and Sculpey III (2 oz packages, many colors) are the clays which are weakest after baking in any areas that are thin or projecting (...rounded fat shapes, etc, of baked clay will always be strong because those are inherently strong shapes).
.....those 3 main Sculpeys bake up with a "harder" surface than the other brands/lines, but the thing that makes them harder also makes them more brittle and easily broken later if they're stressed
.....the brands/lines that will be strong even in thin areas will be Premo, Kato Polyclay, FimoClassic, Cernit, and perhaps SuperSculpey-Firm and Studio by Sculpey (the newest version of FimoSoft may come last in that group)... if those are made thin (and properly baked) they'll simply bend instead of breaking

2. Some polymer clays are also softer when they're raw, or they're more quickly responsive to any heat so will become soft while being worked with--especially if the user tends to have hot hands or live in a hot climate. The problem with using softer clays is that they will distort more easily, so they're harder to get precision and fine detail with while sculpting or caning--or doing most anything else too-- and will get fingerprints, etc. more easily.
......softer clays are the 3 main Sculpeys plus FimoSoft, but softness can also vary with how fresh or old the clay is, and which batch of chemicals were available when it was manufactured
......more heat-responsive clays are Premo and Cernit
......firmer clays are Kato Polyclay, FimoClassic, and SuperSculpey-Firm (which comes in gray only)
......firmer clays will take longer to "condition" than softer ones (but there are also some easier ways to condition them)... they are considered the "best" clays though

Those are the main differences-- though there are also differences in how easily they darken during heating, their color palettes and whether they have "special" colors or not, their cost (which also depends on when and where they're purchased), whether some of their colors come off on hands more easily, how "dense" they are, or sticky, etc.

HTH & have fun!

Diane B.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
150x Yellow Polymer Fimo Clay Spacer Beads 20mm 110856
150x Yellow Polymer Fimo Clay Spacer Beads 20mm 110856
Variety of 500 Slices Fimo Polymer Clay Cane Nail Art
Variety of 500 Slices Fimo Polymer Clay Cane Nail Art
100x Mixed Flower Fimo Polymer Clay Spacer Beads 110781
100x Mixed Flower Fimo Polymer Clay Spacer Beads 110781
100x Mix Polymer Clay Rose Fimo Loose Beads 30mm 111033
100x Mix Polymer Clay Rose Fimo Loose Beads 30mm 111033
100x New FIMO Colorful Flower Polymer Clay Beads 111229
100x New FIMO Colorful Flower Polymer Clay Beads 111229
250x New FIMO Colorful Flower Polymer Clay Beads 111245
250x New FIMO Colorful Flower Polymer Clay Beads 111245
100 Mixed Big Flower Fimo Polymer Clay Bead 42mm 110781
100 Mixed Big Flower Fimo Polymer Clay Bead 42mm 110781
300x Charm FIMO Polymer Butterfly Clay Bead 18mm 110572
300x Charm FIMO Polymer Butterfly Clay Bead 18mm 110572
120Pcs Colorful Friendship Flower Fimo Polymer Clay Loose Beads 25mm B916
120Pcs Colorful Friendship Flower Fimo Polymer Clay Loose Beads 25mm B916
OOak Silicone 10 Baby Gorilla Monkey Mold for Fimo sculpey polymer clays
OOak Silicone 10 Baby Gorilla Monkey Mold for Fimo sculpey polymer clays
100 Charms Yellow Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111404
100 Charms Yellow Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111404
100x Mixed Charms Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111403
100x Mixed Charms Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111403
50x Charms Red Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111399
50x Charms Red Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111399
50x Charms White Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111387
50x Charms White Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111387
50x Charms Pink Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111386
50x Charms Pink Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111386
50x Charm Colorful Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Bead 111385
50x Charm Colorful Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Bead 111385
150 Charms Yellow Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111384
150 Charms Yellow Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111384
150x Charms Mixed Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111227
150x Charms Mixed Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111227
150 Charms Yellow Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111337
150 Charms Yellow Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111337
150x Assorted Flower Clay Bead FIMO Polymer 25mm 111027
150x Assorted Flower Clay Bead FIMO Polymer 25mm 111027
150x New Colorful Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111336
150x New Colorful Fimo Clay Polymer Flower Beads 111336
100x Mixed Flower Clay Beads FIMO Polymer 30mm 111033
100x Mixed Flower Clay Beads FIMO Polymer 30mm 111033
150 Flower Clay Bead Dark Pink FIMO Polymer 23mm 111035
150 Flower Clay Bead Dark Pink FIMO Polymer 23mm 111035
135x Mix Fruit Fimo Polymer Clay Cane Fit Nail Art 250079
135x Mix Fruit Fimo Polymer Clay Cane Fit Nail Art 250079
African Necklace Earring Bracelet set made from Fimo polymer clay in Zimbabwe
African Necklace Earring Bracelet set made from Fimo polymer clay in Zimbabwe
220pcs Mix Charm Fimo Polymer Clay Cane Nail Art 250045
220pcs Mix Charm Fimo Polymer Clay Cane Nail Art 250045
50pcs New Pink Spots Polymer Clay FIMO Bead 50mm 111386
50pcs New Pink Spots Polymer Clay FIMO Bead 50mm 111386
150pcs Green Sharp Lotus Polymer Clay FIMO Bead 111401
150pcs Green Sharp Lotus Polymer Clay FIMO Bead 111401
400x Potting FIMO Polymer Clay Beads 15mm 110570 FREE P
400x Potting FIMO Polymer Clay Beads 15mm 110570 FREE P
120pcs Colorful Flowers FIMO Polymer Clay Beads 110941
120pcs Colorful Flowers FIMO Polymer Clay Beads 110941
50pcs New Wiredrawing Red FIMO Polymer Clay Bead 111399
50pcs New Wiredrawing Red FIMO Polymer Clay Bead 111399
100pcs Mixed Wiredrawing Polymer Clay FIMO Beads 111403
100pcs Mixed Wiredrawing Polymer Clay FIMO Beads 111403
400pcs Gift Pattern Fimo Polymer Clay Beads Fit DIY 110570
400pcs Gift Pattern Fimo Polymer Clay Beads Fit DIY 110570
Multi Fashion Rose With leaf FIMO Polymer Clay Charm Spacer Beads Dia20mm NEW
Multi Fashion Rose With leaf FIMO Polymer Clay Charm Spacer Beads Dia20mm NEW
Hinges and Hinging in Polymer Clay DVD Fimo Jewelry
Hinges and Hinging in Polymer Clay DVD Fimo Jewelry
Recreating Bone and Ivory with Polymer Clays DVD Fimo
Recreating Bone and Ivory with Polymer Clays DVD Fimo
Buttons and Embellishments with Polymer Clay DVD Fimo
Buttons and Embellishments with Polymer Clay DVD Fimo
50x White Pink Spots FIMO Polymer Clay Beads 111387
50x White Pink Spots FIMO Polymer Clay Beads 111387
100x FIMO Yellowis Wiredrawing Polymer Clay Bead 111404
100x FIMO Yellowis Wiredrawing Polymer Clay Bead 111404
150pcs White Sharp Lotus Polymer Clay FIMO Bead 111402
150pcs White Sharp Lotus Polymer Clay FIMO Bead 111402
100 Plum Rose FIMO Charms Polymer Clay Bead 30mm 111454
100 Plum Rose FIMO Charms Polymer Clay Bead 30mm 111454
50 Mixed Colorful Flower Polymer Clay FIMO Beads 111453
50 Mixed Colorful Flower Polymer Clay FIMO Beads 111453
WHOLESALE CHARMS FASHION Sun flower FIMO Polymer Clay Spacer Beads TO PICK
WHOLESALE CHARMS FASHION Sun flower FIMO Polymer Clay Spacer Beads TO PICK
420 Wholesale Mixed Oval FIMO Polymer Clay Beads B873
420 Wholesale Mixed Oval FIMO Polymer Clay Beads B873
150x Polymer Fimo Clay Spacer Bead Fit Bracelet 110859
150x Polymer Fimo Clay Spacer Bead Fit Bracelet 110859
150x Coffee Polymer Fimo Clay Spacer Beads 20mm 110857
150x Coffee Polymer Fimo Clay Spacer Beads 20mm 110857
250x Mixed FIMO Polymer Clay Beads Heart Flower 110850
250x Mixed FIMO Polymer Clay Beads Heart Flower 110850

Nail Design Book Reviews

Taking care of the nails is easy; a regularly done manicure and pedicure makes the nails healthy and strong and keeps them clean. To beautify your nails further, nail art is the best way. Nail art has become famous in the recent years and its popularity is increasing.

There are a lot of designs that you can make on your finger nails and toe nails and one of the forms of nail art that has recently gathered many takers is the Fimo nail art.

In this nail art form, the polymer clay is used in the form of thin slices. Available in different sizes, colors and designs, these chips or slices are soft and fine and used to decorate nails. The canes of polymer are sliced using a razor so that perfect slices can be achieved.

Creating designs using fimo art is not easy. Creative designs are difficult to make and need professional designers to make them. However, you too can make simple ones if you try and have a look at some of the pictures available online. The designs can range from simple hearts to even detailed fruits and vegetables. The designs when embedded into nails with the help of paints and brushes look fabulous and enhance the beauty of the hands further.

You can create some funky designs on your nails and use the fimo canes to add more elegance to them. There are many unique designs in Fimo art canes ranging from simple flowers and hearts to animal stripes, butterfly wings, bee, dragonfly, cat, cakes and much more to delight you with.

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