Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments On Polymer Clay
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- Video #720: These beautiful powders will take on different looks depending on the background color they are brushed onto... More Info: www.beadsandbea... Polymer Clay Tutor.
In this video I am going to talk about how Jacquard Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments can be used as a surface treatment for Polymer Clay.
In a previous video I had showcased an acrylic organizer by Melody Susie, where the middle drawer was filled with Pearl Ex Powders. So I figured that now would be a good time to talk more bout those beautiful powders... specifically about how the different colors look on samples of both white and black polymer clay.
A viewer who saw how I stored the Pearl Ex containers in the previous video, had a great tip I'd like to pass along. She said to turn your Pearl Ex containers upside down so that the colors are more visible at a glance. Seeing all of my 24 jars of sparkly colored powders in the clear acrylic drawer looks very pretty and makes me happy.
I have only two of the sets of Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments made by Jacquard - Series 2 and Series 3. I've listed all of the colors from all of the Pearl Ex series, with links to where you can find them on Amazon, just below the video lower down on this page.
The square cutout clay samples that you'll see in the video, were made by butting two sheets of polymer clay up next to each other, one white one black. Then, right where the two sheets met each other, I used a square cutter on the diagonal, to create the black and and white clay chips.
Each black and white polymer square was rubbed with one color of the Pearl Ex powder and baked... to show you how the same powder will look different on a light vs a dark surface.
Pearl Ex powders will bond very well to raw polymer clay and will be permanent when baked.
Although the baked on powders are quite durable and tough to scratch off, they should be protected if your piece is going to be used in a high abrasion situation (like beads on a bracelet). You can use finishes like PYMII, Renaissance Wax, Golden Varnish or any other polymer clay safe finish you may have on hand. Perhaps the Pearl Ex Vanish will be good too, but I haven't tested it yet.
If the piece is not going to be exposed to high wear (like a sculpture) than the Pearl Ex powder doesn't need to be sealed or protected at all.
Pearl Ex can be mixed into liquid polymer clays, solid polymer clay, varnishes, gel mediums, paints and more. I'll show you more about that in future videos.
Related Video: Storing Craft Supplies in an Acrylic Cosmetic Organizer... www.beadsandbea...
Related Article: Pearl Ex Powders And Polymer Clay Beads... www.beadsandbea...
Related Article: Stenciling On Polymer Clay Using Pearl Ex Powder... www.beadsandbea...
Related Video: Sealing Polymer Clay Best Practices... www.beadsandbea...
Related Resource: Pearl Ex Series 2 On Amazon amzn.to/1o4EgmM
Related Resource: Pearl Ex Series 3 On Amazon amzn.to/1o4Eiei
Related Resource: Pearl Ex Series 1 On Amazon... amzn.to/1o8xq00 .. I Don't Have This Set Yet
Related Resource: Pearl Ex 8 Set On Amazon amzn.to/1o4En1v .. I Don't Have This Set Yet
Related Resource: Pearl Ex 32 Set On Amazon amzn.to/1o4Eudz .. I Don't Have This Set Yet
And... more info about today's video is at my blog... www.beadsandbea...
Cindy Lietz & Doug Lietz Social Links:
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Polymer Clay Tutor... "Make what you love... Love what you make."
I just have to say how impressed I am by your videos. You are very professional, easy to understand and you cover every subject I seem to want to know about polymer clay and the products we can use with it. Thank you so very much.
Thank you, Vivian, for taking the time to share such kind words about our videos! I am very happy to hear that they are valuable for you!
WOW. I envy your having a whole Drawer to keep your powders in. I do all my work sitting in my recliner with a drawer cabinet on each side for holding Everything!
Very organized! Thanks for sharing your experience and expertise with us! ❤
Thank you for taking the time to make all the sample chips!
Another good, handy product review, Cindy. Look forward to the Pearlex Varnish review, and especially to your experiments with mixing the micas into the clay.
I just purchased Pearl Ex Powder Pigment, saw your video on how to use it. love the effect and can't wait to start making amazing things with it. Thank you for your awesome videos. Looking forward to see more 😊
Thanks for your video, Cindy. I have just got the PearlEx and wasn't sure whether it should be used on raw or baked clay. Your tips are very much appreciated.
I use Pearl ex as much as I can! I like to make Galaxy designs. I usually just brush the pigments on the clay. Love this overview, I can refer friends to this video, as a lot of clay crafter's love the results, but don't know much about the powders. I get questions all the time, and it's hard for me to explain how awesome it is!! Mahalo!!
+Da Crafty Lilninja I would appreciate that, thanks!
+PolymerClayTutor Like Da Crafty Lilninja, I also brush the mica powders on the clay, preferably with a very soft brush. This prevents the 'smudgy' look of mica on the clay. The key is to kind of saturate the surface of the clay with mica, without touching the clay directly. Excess mica can be tapped off before baking or brushed off after baking. This way you get a really rich and shiny, colory clay surface. For stamped surfaces, I use my fingertip and make sure there is enough mica on there to not directly touch the clay with my finger, again to prevent the smudging.
I bought a set of 48 off of amazon and I love them! You still have some colors I don't have so I may have to pick these up as well :)
Thank you!!!
GREAT informative video. Keep up the good work! Love your Channel!
So smart! I should make up chips like that of the colors I have. They're always surprising me and I constantly forget which do what on darker or lighter clays. Thanks!
Terrific video. I just purchased a package, Series 2 but it contains 2 colors which weren't included in your Series 2 and left out 2 of course: Solar Gold and Duo Violet-Brass were included in mine. I think you said that your Series 2 was older so I guess they changed it.
Thank you very much.....what a generous, very helpful effort......
I love all the colors but can you mix these into the clay and do you bake your clay first before apply or after it is baked? And can you pour resin on top or glaze it first then use resin? Is there another video explaining this? thank you, Debs from Texas
Where did you get the cabinet that fits 24 Pearlex containers so perfectly? I need one! :)
I'm new to using this. Will these work on the air dry polymer clay? What I'm trying to make is essential oil diffuser charms for necklaces, however I want to add some colors to the clay but keeping it as natural as possible so the clay absorbs the oils. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!
I love you both😘 Happy New Years 🍾💃🏽🎉🕺🍸
Aww thanks Joyce! Happy New Year to you too!
Thank you for this interesting review! I bought my first set (I) of Pearl Ex just a month ago...so this video is perfect in time for trying to make something with clay... funny, never used powders but years ago I tried Pearl Ex Varnish as a final glossy coat for little letters made by polymerclay covered with glitters (as christmas ornaments for glass bottles) I must say that, once dried, the result was really really glossy (eventhought I have some issues with bubbles caused by thickness of varnish) If I correctly remember it is possible to make even an heat set directly in the oven for a crystal finish... I do not own any more that little ornaments but after few month they looked still fine so varnish seems to be compatible with clay... cannot wait for your next video!
+Alessio Gila Thanks for sharing that info! I just started playing with the Pearl Ex Varnish and am looking forward to seeing the end results. I just did some test batches , mixing the Rose Gold Pearl Ex with some of the Pearl Ex Varnish and it makes a gorgeous translucent pearly finish. Once I have had the test samples sit for a while, I'll be sure to share the results with everyone!
I have a question. Those little bottles of glitter on the very top of your acrylic organizer, does the glitter come in those bottles or did you put them in it? I truly love your videos. I'm very new to polymer clay and you have helped me so very much. I'm understanding how very versatile clay can be, and to look much higher than just the ordinary. Thank you!
Hi. I am looking for a tute on using Perfect Pearls. Do you have one? I did look but was confused between the pearl ex .....
Thanks Cindy. Very helpful
Does the pigment come off a little even after baking and without seeking ?
Seeling*
very very informative and by the sound of it I must've missed some videos?! so imma check them out
Hi! I love your videos! I wanted to know if your opinion on how holographic nail powder would work with polymerclay?
Idk, sounds like a cool thing to test though! What do you need to turn the powder into a nail polish? Do you stick it to wet polish? Or something else?
PolymerClayTutor the powder sometimes goes on UV gel nail Polish or on regular polish but it usually is rubbed on and leaves a metallic color
PolymerClayTutor it would go on like mica powder, it is pretty much the same thing, they use a cured UV gel on nails to get it to adhere and are applying it with a silicone eye shadow brush which buffs it into a mirror finish
I was wondering if it's possible to use embossing powders over clay. I'm betting already baked clay would work the best.
I have a ton of embossing powder leftover from my scrap-booking days and would love to find more uses for it.
I haven't tried it yet. All my craft supplies are packed up for an upcoming move, and I can't get to them at the moment.
+Anastey Lovely Yes you can definitely use embossing powders on polymer clay (or mixed into it). I do have some info on that on my blog at www.polymerclaytutor.com Just search for embossing powders and you should find some info there.
I have a question. what’s the best fill for polymer clay sculptures?
I don't do a ton of sculptures, but for the ones I have done, I have used wire, tinfoil and masking tape to fill up the inside of my pieces.
Hello Cindy, hope you are well. Thank you for the great tutorial and tips, you are a very kind artist, sharing your skill with us!
+eumaroca I have not yet tried masking fluid on polymer clay, though I have done masking techniques on polymer using glues and egg whites. I used these techniques in my Faux Batik Tutorial. You could try using the masking fluid if you wanted to, but I would probably test it first and I am guessing it would be best on baked clay rather than raw. It wouldn't be on the clay permanently, so it shouldn't be a problem with compatibility. As long as it dried properly and was easy to remove. Like I always say... It's always best to test!
have you ever since used the pearl ex varnish on polymer? ?
Does it matter whether you add the pearl ex before or after baking?
+dejavu251 Yes, it only sticks to raw clay... it won't stick to baked clay unless you mix it with a medium.
Awesome! Thank you. I bought a huge box of clay from a garage sale for $5! So, this is a new hobby for me and I'm loving it already. I have soooo many ideas I probably won't ever get to them all. I love your tutorials and I have subscribed to your channel. Thanks for the help! :)
Very helpful. Thank you!
When you do reviews on different clays, do you buy they clay yourself, on is send to you specifically for the videos purpose?
Any color recomendations?
+Alicja Placek I love all the colors but I think the Series 3 set is my favorite!
thanks!
After applying Fimo glaze to baked clay with Pearl Ex - I can't even see the Pearl Ex anymore. Are you not supposed to glaze after applying Pearl Ex? Thanks!
+sk8aholic Henderson Yeah the glaze is probably too thick and interfering with the inference colors. Try using a thinner glaze.
Thanks! I've just ordered Pearl Ex Finish. Hope that works! I appreciate your response.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Thank you 😚😚😎
You're welcome 😊
Thanks.
and I didn't really like the PearlX powders when I saw them in the packaging. Seeing them like this changes everything
Excellent video. I enjoy it very much. Thank you! Sifoutv Pottery