Mike Buesseler | Silkscreens By Tonja's Treasures

My personal Mike B crusade

13 Jan 2016 3 Comments

by tonjal in Interesting Techniques, Tutorials Tags: all polymer metallic clays, caning, free, landscape canes, mica shift, Mike Buesseler, polymer clay, techniques, videos

A few months back I get a message asking if I could help someone find copies of Mike Buesseler’s old polymer VHS videos. They haven’t been in production for MANY years and have become impossible to find. I have felt for a long time that it was a crime to just let all Mike’s amazing talent and teaching ability fade into the past. The new generation of polymer clay users would never know what they were missing !!!

I sort of took it upon myself to find out who holds the copyright to the videos now. After much Googling and asking around the polymer clay community, it turned out that person was Tory Hughes. 😀 After some emails back and forth, it was decided to take the old videos and create digital copies that could easily be distributed. Next was trying to find a place to host the videos. I tried a couple file sharing websites, but that was not working. Luckily the IPCA (International Polymer Clay Association) stepped up and was able to use their verified YouTube account to upload the huge video files. They videos are FREE for everyone to enjoy. They will always be free of charge.

Landscape Canes

All Polymer Metallic Clay

What Is Mica Shift?

31 Dec 2009 2 Comments

by tonjal in From My Workbench, Interesting Techniques, Tips & Trick, Tutorials Tags: ghost imaging, grant diffendaffer, how-to, mica shift, Mike Buesseler, polymer clay, tutorial, Tutorials, videos

Some examples of Mica Shift. Believe it or not, the surfaces are very smooth 🙂

This first is a faux wood technique using the mica shift effect

These 2 show the mica shift ghost imaging effect

This egg is covered with pinches of mica clay squished over the surface.

An explanation of the mica polymer clay may help you to understand. The metallic polymer clays are jam packed with teeny tiny particles of mica. When you condition the clay (using a pasta machine is the easiest way) and roll it out as a sheet it forces all the mica particles to lay down in the same direction. The sheet of clay will have a consistent color across the surface. When you disturb the surface of the sheet of clay by stamping, carving, combing, etc. the mica particles become misaligned (pointing in many directions). This misalignment of the mica is what we use to create the Mica Shift (some people call it ghost imaging).

I get the best mica shift when I use a stamp or texture with a deep etched design. I then use a sharp clay blade to shave off the raised areas of the clay. It takes a little practice to shave the clay evenly, but don’t fret. You are using one color of clay, so if you don’t like how it turned out just roll the clay into a sheet once more and try again. 🙂 Lastly, after shaving the sheet, run it through the pasta machine on a setting thinner than the sheet to smooth the surface out.

I have a mica shift tutorial online that is beginner level and no stamps are required. http://www.tonjastreasures.com/tutorials/basketweave.html

Great videos to buy or borrow:
1) Mike Buesseler – All-Polymer Metallic Clays (try your local clay guild for a copy, it’s out of print, but very worth the watch)
2) Grant Diffendaffer – ArtWay Studio: Marvelous Mica and Ghost Imaging

And a list of other online tutorials.
http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/ms_texture.html
http://www.everclay.dk/1_Tutlinks/Techniques/micashift_US.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm5V3kglUw0
http://paroledepate.canalblog.com/archives/2007/01/22/index.html
http://www.claylessons.com/tutorial/stamped-mica-shift
http://www.sculpey.com/how-tos/techniques/mica-shift-metallic-and-pearl-clays
http://www.sculpey.com/projects/mica-shift-trinket-box

Pioneers Of Polymer Clay

21 Sep 2009 2 Comments

by tonjal in Interesting Techniques, Misc., Polyclay Artists Tags: Cynthia Toops, David Forlano, history, Jamey Allen, Judith Skinner, Kathleen Dustin, Laura Liska, Lindly Haunani, Michael Grove, Mike Buesseler, Nan Roche, Pier Voulkos, pioneers, polymer clay, Ruth Grove, Steven Ford, Victoria Hughes

I want to give a heartfelt thanks to all the pioneers of polymer clay. They stretched their imaginations to show us what this incredible art medium called polymer clay is capable of creating. If it were not for them I doubt any of use would be making the amazing pieces I see coming to life every day.

I found a wealth of information and pictures over at the Polymer Art Archive. If you haven’t checked it out in full, you really should ! The following are bits & pieces from the archive.