Pietra Dura Flower Pendant, a Polymer Clay Tutorial

[@joyceparkes2678]

Oh my goodness me Fiona this is stunning 💖💖🙏🏽

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you very much Joyce 😊

[@ruthtrefethen4171]

This is absolutely gorgeous! I wish I were that talented but I might try....last time I did, I was very disappointed in my lack of talent. Thank you for sharing this beautiful creation with us.🌟😊💜💙💚💛♥️

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

You definitley need to give it a go Ruth. I am positive you are better than you think you are - remember we are all our own worst critics. Just take it slow, relax, enjoy and have some fun with it. Only you know if the final outcome is what you intended, everyone else will simply see it as a work of art :)

[@HeatherSaltas]

Very cool technique! Looks like a stained glass! ❤️

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Heather :)

[@PipPipS]

At first glance i thought it was a piece from beauty and the beast 😍😍😍 so beautiful 😍 i have tried clay painting for the first time using your tutorial 😘 it turned out not so bad 😂 but love all your tutorials, they are so detailed ❤️

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thanks so much, I am so glad you are enjoying them, and I bet your 'not so bad' is really very good ;) :)

[@liletteautrey8481]

What a test to your patience, well done and thank you for sharing

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

thanks Lilette :)

[@BPH-vm2ic]

Pietra dura was one of the first things I wanted to try when I started working with polymer clay. I think it's an incredibly beautiful art form in it's original medium of semi precious rock etc. Thank you for posting this. Not many have tried this technique in polymer clay that I've been able to find on KZbin. Lovely!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you :)

[@leonanelson2444]

Just gorgeous. My hands shake to much to do your technique, but I love it. Thank you so much

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thanks Leona, so sorry about your hands, but that's one of the great things about polymer, there are so many different techniques, and I know you create magical pieces, despite any shake :) xx

[@marydillen8781]

Fiona Abel-Smith PolyOriginals p

[@anotherelena]

Beautiful work. This is the best pietra dura tutorial I've found, very easy to follow and informative. You have a gift, thank you for doing these lovely tutorials.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

thanks so much Elena, I am glad you enjoyed it :)

[@Julia-qf8eh]

Brilliant!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thanks so much Julia :)

[@katiegordon610]

I like learning about these more challenging types of projects

[@carolinehill1117]

This is lovely, the design is very pretty, I love the colours and how the Skinner blends add light and dark shades in such small areas, it's so clever and beautiful too.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you so much Caroline :)

[@sarahnunns8263]

Has a stained glass window look with the black outlines. Lovely.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Sarah :)

[@wightqueen3419]

I could just listen to you for hours! you should do audio books :-) this reminds me of cloisonné and I'm never disappointed with your work love it all x

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

You are making me blush, thank you so much :)

[@angelabarton2551]

Looks like stained glass,! Very beautiful,🍁🌺🌹🍂🌷👍

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thanks Angela :)

[@sharonkeef0522]

I just love your work

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Sharon :)

[@Schatzie301]

Exquisite work and an excellent tutorial. Thanks for sharing.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you very much :)

[@rebeccafionacornel6558]

this some how reminds me of the stained glass windows of an old church or cathedral.....and also reminds me of a program on How It's Made where they showed how the stained glass windows were being made.........

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thanks Rebecca :)

[@magnusjaxtyn3735]

i guess I am kinda randomly asking but does anybody know a good website to watch new tv shows online?

[@andredemetrius6083]

@Magnus Jaxtyn I use FlixZone. Just search on google for it :)

[@salvadormadden2090]

@Andre Demetrius yea, have been watching on Flixzone for years myself :)

[@magnusjaxtyn3735]

@Andre Demetrius thanks, signed up and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :) I really appreciate it!!

[@marionmathews9852]

This is the first time that I’ve seen this technique. This is a wonderful lesson and such a sweet design. Reminds me of a stained glass window with the design having the outlines in black. Just beautiful!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Marion :) I don't normally outline in black, but I thought it was a great way to overcome the 'gaps' that will inevitably be there when people first experiment with this technique :) I thought about adding stained glass in the title somewhere, but decided to keep it simple.xx

[@jeangrice5462]

Beautiful. You explain so well.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Jean :)

[@SimplySassy59]

I'm glad I found this tutorial tonight! I have been thinking about making a 'stained glass' type design, which is what this is, and was unsure if I was thinking thru the steps correctly, and thankfully I was!!! I'm excited to work on it now! I love the black outline, and to be fair I do have a little experience with stained glass type designs, I used to quilt, and appliqued stained glass was one of my favorite things to do lol. Only seems natural to pass it onto the clay now! Thank you for yet another amazing tutorial!! (ps...makes for two lessons learned tonight actually, I found out what happens when you forget to change the temp on your oven before baking clay tonight :( what a nasty smell that stuff is! premo does not like 450 degrees, even for what was less than a minute after starting the oven!)

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

cant wait to see what you make, they will be fabulous now doubt with your experience with stain glass design!! and yes, boy does it smell when it burns, not something you do often though, but we all have to do it at least once so we know what other people mean when they talk about that smell!! :)

[@maedowling368]

Best piece I have ever seen made out of polymer clay , beautiful and very artistic , reminded me of Miyuki piece I made that looked like a stained glass window . you are so talented .

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

thank you very much Mae :)

[@WalkingPureHeart]

Thank you for sharing and freely teaching this Awesome technique..I love the Stain Glass effect brought out with the Black!! Just God bless you

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

You are very welcome, thank you Tanya :)

[@ConyersBull]

Thank you so much for this intro to pietre dure video! I have admired your more complex pieces for a while, and this has given me a better understanding of the magic behind it! And, I’ve dabbled in stained glass, so I’m going to have a lot of fun creating some “windows” with this technique!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Yes, it is so similar to stain glass in so many ways, I bet you will make some beautiful pieces :)

[@ConyersBull]

Fiona Abel-Smith PolyOriginals 😅We’ll see! I think (hope) you said you were going to do a few more tutorials on pietre dura?? I am really fascinated by the process, and you break all of the steps down so well. I saw some pietre dura furniture when I visited Italy while ago, and it just blew my mind. And, watching you transform the pc into it, is really cool.

[@GunviSund73]

Dear Fiona, the summer is hot and how can we avoid the pendant to lay flat on the skin. Is it possible to make some sort of knobs in the back to raise the pendant up a bit above the skin?

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Just bake it over the back of a spoon or a curved pot or bowl that you can bake on. That should solve the problem 🙂

[@55dharma]

do you only skew the skinner blends on the first fold?

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Hi Val, you should only need to skew it the once, then keep it straight. However, if when the blend starts to come through you don't have the right softness of blending you need, you can try skewing it again, to give a softer blend. It is something that the more you do, the more used to doing it you get, and the more you can see how a slight skew here and there can give a wonderful soft blend. I hope that helps. :)

[@janetisell]

Wow another fabulous tutorial! So generous with your time and design, plus manic skills. Thanks so much.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you so much Jane :)

[@janecox7410]

Fab video, Fiona. A technique I cant wait to have a go at - thank you 😊

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thanks Jane :)

[@SnowJingle]

Thank you very much for your video! You are such a wonderful artist! There is so much passion, devotion, precision, simplicity, and so much more in this very well explained tutorial! Thank you! 🌸

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you so much, what a lovely comment :)

[@MargaretSchindel]

Thanks for another beautifully explained and clearly demonstrated tutorial, Fiona! You’ve got me thinking of intriguing ways to try this pietra dura technique. ❤️

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thanks Margaret, and yes, let your imagination go, it is a lovely technique, and it can really be made as complex as you wish ;)

[@lindacsmith13]

They are both beautiful but I think I favor the black outline a bit more.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Linda :)

[@kimwignall8070]

This is a great technique to watch, and presented in such a complete and relaxing way, thank you. Can I ask please, hen you polish is it by hand and do you use a particular compound, and would the end process be the same if resin was to be used. Thank you x

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Hi Kim, I sand by hand, then have a polishing mop on a bench grinder which I use to get a good shine. If you don't have that, then buffing on a soft polishing cloth would give you a nice soft sheen. You don't need to use any compound with polymer clay. If you wish to use resin, then that would work perfectly well, and give you a good glass, slightly domed finish. It is your choice entirely on how to finish any piece with polymer, and there are so many different finishing techniques too, which is why we love polymer clay so much :) I hope that helps ? :)

[@janiewarre9941]

So detailed and beautiful

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

thanks Janie :)

[@UnrulyHousewife]

Another beautiful creation perfectly demonstrated. xx

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you so much Valerie :)

[@missmeadowjewelry6216]

Can u tell me how you made/bought the mat you are working on?

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

It is freely downloadable graph paper from www.printablepaper.net and I download and print off the four squares to one inch sheet, and then laminate it so I can use it multiple times. You can download one in centimetres if you prefer.

[@missmeadowjewelry6216]

@@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals thank you! I love your work

[@Cindylee29]

Great tutorial, as always. Beautiful. I love the dimension on the purple one!! Thank you, Fiona!!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you so much :)

[@mindyhartwell9343]

This is one of my favorite techniques! I didn’t know it had a name! I simply adore your pretty little image as well!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Mindy :)

[@CazkiwiNZ]

Fascinating to watch - Thank you for sharing! 🤘😍🤘

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

thank you :)

[@bythejerseyshore]

Beautiful pieces.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Kim :)

[@tamaraeidsvik8307]

super what a beautiful mosaic !!!! I'm delighted !!! I'm not sorry for vremni enjoyed !!!!!!!! THANKS FOR THE ROLLER !!!!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you :)

[@moonbride6822]

Looks like stained glass, very lovely. 😊

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you :)

[@OutOfHereSoon]

Just gorgeous!!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Carmen :)

[@claygirl6133]

Love it!!! Thank you!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you :)

[@maxpay150]

Gorgeous work as always!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Maxeen :)

[@SandyHuntress]

Wonderful tutorial and lovely pieces!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you :)

[@millieo.5325]

Very pretty! Thank you for sharing...😊

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you Millie :)

[@INTELECTUA-SILVIA-DIARAM]

Hello. I justo want yo tell You that your ART is amazing. But I also want you ask you to put better lights. Is so dark on what you are showing to us.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thanks so much, it wasn't the lights - I had loads on, it was the camera ;) I now have a new camera and I think my later videos are much brighter :)

[@atelier2zouzou655]

j'admire le travail ! quelle patience !

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Merci beaucoup :)

[@Soletv]

Very nice like a puzzle!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Yes, juts like a puzzle :) Thanks Soledad :)

[@Soletv]

@@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals 😍

[@bbrown8353]

Love this! It would lend itself to simple stained glass designs - there are many free one's just google it or check pinterest.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Great idea, yes it would :)

[@Jules1280]

Hi Fiona, I am a beginner and was wondering if you could do a video on how much clay to use when you do your tutorials. I have tried to make my own canes and I seem to end up with very little once I complete it using 1 oz blocks. I am using a sample kit since I am just starting and I am saving all my scraps. And I try to use between 3-5 colors so I get a good amount of clay since I am working with 1 oz blocks. But just not sure what I am doing wrong.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Hi Kelly, I do mention in most of my videos how much clay I am using, it is at the beginning of each video, when I go through the clay and the colours. As I work with clay full time, I use a lot and am quite happy making big canes. When I do one of my bigger kaleidoscope canes I probably use around 14oz of clay, but that does give me an awful lot of cane at the end. The amount of clay you are using should give you a good size cane, but of course it depends on what you are planning to make. Don't forget to save your scraps in same colour bundles, then you can mix them all together to create new colours of blue, red, pink etc. It is probably not anything wrong you are doing, sometimes it is simply a matter of practice. I seem to remember when I first started I would end up with an equal amount of scrap and finished cane from the clay I started with, so don't be too hard on yourself. scrap clay is wonderful, there is so much you can do with it. I hope that helps ? :)

[@Jules1280]

Thank you so much Fiona that does help. I will keep practicing. I will pay more attention to the beginning of your videos.

[@Jules1280]

Thank you so much Fiona that does help. I will keep practicing. I will pay more attention to the beginning of your videos.

[@juanamacho4059]

Sublime!!!!!un trabajo muy laborioso,me encanta el resultado,gracias por compartir.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

De nada Juana, muchas gracias :)

[@RameyRocks]

These are really pretty! And you didn’t apply varnish? They sure are shiny!

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you, and no, no varnish, just sanding and polishing :)

[@lindabryant4292]

🧡

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you :)

[@francoisemaison3076]

Waouw ! So wonderful 😍 it's really artistic. I've looked your website and I'm really in love with all your work.

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Thank you so much Francoise :)

[@espiritodosol]

Are you far away from Great Yarmouth?

[@FionaAbelSmithPolyOriginals]

Too far to get to easily :( but I have visited as a child, and it is a beautiful place :)