Getting Started with Polymer Clay: How to Bake Polymer Clay

[@melindafuhrer3820]

This is the first program I have seen on how to use the oven with clay. Thank you it is very helpful.

[@wendymoyer782]

Being able to actually see your oven set up is so, so helpful. Thank you.

[@yrt66]

I can't bake from cold, my oven spikes to up to 400 degrees as it heats up, so I personally would always recommend testing with scrap clay until you figure out how YOUR oven works, because there are so many out there and they don't all work the same. Thank you for another great tutorial!

[@JessamaTutorials]

Please check the articles I linked to in the description. I go into much great depth in regards to these types of questions.

[@jenniferwirth1987]

You have just saved me so much experimentation. Thank You a million!

[@patriciasampson5268]

Excellent tutorial Samantha, as always. It’s been a great help as I struggle to get the correct temperature and ruined a few nice pieces. So now I’ve taken all the superfluous metal away and bought a larger ceramic tile fingers crossed I will get better results 😃

[@parkerman2259]

Yes! I always bake from cold as well, that's been a source of conversation with my other friends who work with polymer clay.

[@adammichael9146]

This is helpful for first timer oven user like myself.. Thank you

[@jamiejones426]

Hi! Maybe I missed this but is it always an hour no matter how big or small the piece is? Also, if I’m using my oven instead of what you’re using, what temperature do I use? Sorry one more question, do you put the hole in the piece before or after baking? I’m sure it’s before but I thought I would ask. I’m still learning how to do this and I appreciate your help and advice! Thanks so much! You have very pretty designs!

[@JessamaTutorials]

I bake all my pieces for an hour (longer if its a large piece) as a rule as it makes sure the piece is well baked and strong. I use the same temperature as recommended on the clay package. I put holes in after baking with a handheld drill.

[@suziewooze715]

Thanks very helpful. I'm struggling with which mini oven to get, I'm a beginner and there are so many ovens is there ones you would recommend please

[@JessamaTutorials]

I got a cheap no-name brand from Kmart. I don't have any I'd personally recommend.

[@AnkisCreation]

Thank You, so helpful!

[@veronicabodartgonzalez203]

😳😳😳wow I do manny mistakes thank you so much and God bless your talent!!

[@lisangelinecruz6305]

If the Brand said 275 degrees in 30 min should I bake them more ??? I see you use a full 1hr at what degree? I’m confused because everyone said use the brand timing but I have see they bake them longer

[@JessamaTutorials]

Please check the articles I linked to in the description. I go into much great depth in regards to these types of questions.

[@lisangelinecruz6305]

I will thanks

[@tinathecrafter]

Thank you! I just started baking in my toaster oven again and this was very helpful.

[@gloriazuloaga9772]

Please make a video explain how to bake round and irregular beads. Thanks

[@sueyounglove9253]

That was great Samantha and very helpful. Thank you.

[@penmi11]

What do u do after baking them? Do u glaze them? I appreciate your tutorials. Your pieces are always elegant and professional looking.

[@JessamaTutorials]

It depends. I'll be releasing more videos on that.

[@JuanMedina-ml1qx]

Cool!!! Next video should be about sanding... I guess 😬

[@bejeweldkwkwk8678]

Wouldn’t the parchment paper burn

[@heyriyadesu]

Should I bake the clay from above or below in an OTG?

[@JessamaTutorials]

I'd recommend from above with a piece of paper covering the piece. OTG ovens aren't the best as they don't heat the clay evenly and can burn the piece.

[@heyriyadesu]

@@JessamaTutorials Thanks for your reply.

[@lyudmilayevgrafova6023]

Thanks a lot. Very helpful information

[@chantalmassin1756]

So you used watercolor paint? Plus you have helped me to give baked clay a go. Thank you

[@JessamaTutorials]

I have used watercolor paint, but I prefer acrylic paint.

[@marilynmulkey6095]

If you bake from cold do you start your timer when it reaches temperature? Also, do you leave your pieces in the oven until they are cold?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Yes. I start the timer when the oven reaches temperature. Sometimes I leave it in until the oven goes cold, other times not. Also I tend to do up to three bakes per piece so it doesn't have to be baked for a full hour at the right temperature the first time.

[@sandypeterson5299]

can you also use parchment paper?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Yes, you can.

[@rebeccamiddleton3567]

Hi, I love your tutorials and for a beginner like me, they are invaluable. I have a question, my translucent clay keeps yellowing alot when baked. What could I be doing wrong? Im using cernit. Thanks ❤

[@JessamaTutorials]

Are you using premo translucent (has a yellow tint after baking) or premo white translucent (has a whiter finished with a slightly blue tint)?

[@shilpaaggarwal3756]

Hi Samantha.. Do u keep your both rods on top and bottom or only top? Or only bottom? Pls tell. Thanks.

[@JessamaTutorials]

In this oven I only had them on the bottom, but the newest oven I got a few months ago has the rods on both top and bottom and it works much better.

[@koharavakian2963]

If I’m using Fimo and Sculpey III combined and they each ask for different bake times/temperatures, how long should I bake it for? Fimo asks for 30 min at 230° F and 275° F for Sculpey III? I’m not sure what to do and I don’t want to ruin my earring cut outs!

[@patriciaweaver7735]

Can you tell me the brand name of your oven I want a big one like that

[@JessamaTutorials]

I bought it from Kmart.

[@patriciaweaver7735]

Thank you for your help have a great day

[@rozmarins]

Kāpēc gatavais pēc cepšanas sadrūp? Reti kad sanāk elastīgs.

[@MaeKowalke]

How long does your oven take to get up to temperature? I use a tabletop convection oven and it takes 30 minutes or so to get up to 275F (tested with an oven thermometer) so I always preheat. I also noticed the temp drops quite a bit when I open door to put in items so I add extra time for it to get back up to temperature to be sure pieces are getting a full hour at the recommended temperature. I wonder if a toaster oven is more efficient?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Mine takes around 5-10 minutes. It will depend on each oven how long it takes to preheat.

[@coopersurgical1]

What kind of paper is that?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Just regular printing paper.

[@hannahjustin7583]

Really pretty clay art. Im having trouble baking my polymer clay. Very new at this. Oddly, my biggest piece is super flexible (I don't think it will break unless I really force it) but the little hearts I made (like 1 mm depth, 2 cm length and width) ALL broke very easily. I thought I followed the baking instructions on the polymer clay package. From what I've been learning from you and others is if it's brittle then it didn't cook long enough? I read somewhere else that kneading the clay more makes it more flexible. Any advice would be helpful. For your video. Really pretty clay art! I want to do that too.

[@JessamaTutorials]

That is a little strange. What brand are you using?

[@michaelpinreno]

I just found this tutorial (a year after the presentation) and I want to thank you for this. I have one question though in regards to the baking of 1 hour. My oven, although it has a timer, goes only for 30 minutes and I am not always close by when it goes off so it may be cool before I get back to it. Does it make any difference if I do this several times?

[@JessamaTutorials]

No, that's fine.

[@pantcara4651]

Hi there Please i would like to know if i can re-bake the polymer clay ? I notice that even after couple hours of baking its not hard enough

[@JessamaTutorials]

Yes. You can re-bake polymer clay as many times as you want. The clay should be flexible if it's been baked correctly.

[@pantcara4651]

@@JessamaTutorials thank you so much

[@laylacherry9427]

Good Morning can Earth ware clay after bisque, be set in a oven for final stage?. Thanks

[@angelicasanzottadesigns7169]

Hi Samantha! Thank you for your tutorial! It is wonderful. May I ask if you know how I can see how to texture the back. I love that look but I am not sure how to do it. Thank you! Angelica.

[@dancesontheceiling]

Thank you for a well presented tutuorial

[@aleabijoux2673]

Love all the tutoriels with technique, I wonder if you have anything on the best resin? And how to do it to have a Matt finish?

[@JessamaTutorials]

I'll be releasing videos on this in the coming weeks.

[@cathyrezba3132]

What kind of toaster oven do you recommend to use for baking polymer clay?

[@JessamaTutorials]

I just bought a cheap one for Kmart. Please check the articles I linked to in the description. I go into much great depth in regards to these types of questions.

[@RU-oq9mz]

What is grease-proof paper? I am not familiar with this, is it like parchment paper in the U.S.? Could you please let me know what brand of paper and type you use specifically by product name so I can look for it? I would like to use what you used in the video if possible to ensure I get good results as I have not done this before and want to make sure I am using the right materials. Thank you so much! You videos are wonderful and you are an excellent teacher!

[@arianas9204]

Yes you’ll want parchment paper or printer paper.

[@if3181]

Hey Samantha. Can you help me please? I'm using fimo professional and I always get bubbles. Its frustrating. I'm making earrings. The first round I use two ceramic tiles as you reccomend. Then I add the studs using liquid skulpey and bake it again with recommended temperature and then the already baked pieces getting bubbles.

[@JessamaTutorials]

Please look at this article. I have a section near the bottom explaining how to avoid bubbles. www.jessamatutorials.com/baking-polymer-clay.html

[@agooddaytocraft]

Thank you for the video that was very helpful. Just curious how can I tell if my piece is under baked? If you will be covering that in a future tutorial no need to answer. I'll just keep watching 💜

[@JessamaTutorials]

Please check the articles I linked to in the description. I go into much great depth in regards to these types of questions.

[@Patriot347]

Hi Samantha are these pieces hard or flexible?

[@celeste5986]

Can i ask what is the usual time to bake the clay? Like how many minutes?

[@-dimitris]

The baking time is from turning on the oven, or when it reaches the selected temperature? Some ovens are slow and it might take several minutes. Should that time be added? Thank you.

[@mrsk8383]

baking time should be from when it reaches the correct temp, otherwise you can underbake your pieces. So yes, add the pre-heating time to the actual baking time

[@JessamaTutorials]

Baking time starts when it reaches the right temperature.

[@NitedevilDarkwatch]

Hi Jessama. I hope you will read this and answer me. First of all, I would really like to thank you for this tutorial, because I haven't started doing anything with my polymer clay yet. So this video will indeed motivate me to do something. But I have a question. I can see that you have baking modes too and yours is set on it baking from the bottom only. Now, I've seen somewhere else that you should set it on baking from both top and bottom with fan assist if you have a fan in your toaster oven. What's your advice on this please? Thanks again ❤

[@JessamaTutorials]

In this oven I only had them on the bottom, but the newest oven I got a few months ago has the rods on both top and bottom and it works much better. I'm not sure about the fan as I've never had the option with my ovens.

[@sherrilynarnett3060]

Thank you for the helpful tips Samantha. Do you have further tips on baking bulkier items in a toaster oven? All of the tutorials I’ve seen using a toaster oven are baking flat or small items. I recently burned a Christmas bauble with a poinsettia on it.

[@a.a9411]

Hello dear, Thank you for sharing your very valuable experience with us. Would you please guide me on which type of fire cooking you suggest?

[@JessamaTutorials]

I use a toaster oven. I don't have a specific brand.

[@Digiclub101]

Wow cool thank you foe the oven idea ❣

[@ladycris1655]

I don't understand at what temperature...can you please let me know? thank you very much!

[@JessamaTutorials]

Check your brand of clay's packet. On it there should be a recommended temperature. Bake your clay for a full hour at the temperature.

[@sumitabhar]

What is the temperature

[@creative_lig]

Hello! Thank you so much for sharing. I tried baking my first pieces today, but I've never seen polymer clay cured before, so I don't know how its supose to look like. Always thought it would be really hard to touch, but it turned out kinda flexible, almost like rubber. Is this how its supose to be?

[@Miffny]

Hi Samantha, thanks for this video. Please what brand oven are you using ?. Thank you .

[@JessamaTutorials]

I'm using a Kmart toaster oven.

[@preciousaragon5110]

What is the degrees you cook it for… for the hour you do ?

[@JessamaTutorials]

I bake it at the clay's recommended temperature for an hour.

[@MyLifeBox888]

A beginner question 🙄 what about setting the middle knob? Heat from both end or from the bottom only or from top only?

[@koribaade3271]

do you use waxed paper or parchment?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Either will work.

[@GB58able]

Your work is. Eautiful❣️. Can we use a glass tile top tile? When using any type of shaped cutter, the finished product is not even on all sides. We have used a roller for the back piece and it looks even before putting it in the oven, any recommendations on wHat we should be doing? Thanks so very much for your tutorials.

[@JessamaTutorials]

Yes. You can use a glass tile. I'd recommend checking out some of my tutorials to see how I finish off a piece before I put it in the oven.

[@wiltonmctaggart3046]

What kind of paper is it? Not sure if the dry kind or the one that is kind of with like oil I think?

[@JessamaTutorials]

The dry kind that you print on.

[@wiltonmctaggart3046]

@@JessamaTutorials thank you 😊

[@queeniecuizon8255]

Hello Samantha! may I know what brand of oven do you use? Is an oven toaster okay? Or convection oven is better?

[@JessamaTutorials]

I just bought a cheap Kmart oven. I find a toaster oven the best as I find that the clay will leave an oily residue on the oven and I don't want that near my food.

[@rupalrawat8134]

Plz help!! Which function did you turn on the knob - lower heating , upper heating or both???

[@JessamaTutorials]

I use both.

[@roxanneoconnor5665]

Hi! What kind of paper did you put un top of your ceramique tile? I can't ear very well.. Thank you!

[@JessamaTutorials]

You can use grease proof paper of regular printing paper.

[@heathernichol378]

May I ask if you are using parchment paper to cover your piece, and what oven temperature do you use with a toaster oven? Thank you

[@dorisortiz8885]

What is the correct pliability for a piece like what you baked

[@JessamaTutorials]

The polymer clay should be firm, not brittle and a touch flexible. The thinner the clay, the more flexible it should be. It should never snap.

[@susanjoubert3315]

Please help! What do you put at the back of the clay. Looks like it is something to protect the clay like a peace of paper?

[@suzannefirth4093]

Thank you so much! I always learn so much from you.

[@paulawray6210]

What temperature do you use when mixing different brands of clay with different temperature requirements? Thanks. Love your tutorials.

[@JessamaTutorials]

I find the average temperature of the two brands and bake for an hour.

[@yesenialopezgomez745]

@@JessamaTutorials so say I’m using black sculpey premo on the bottom and fimo effects silver on top what temperature should I be baking?

[@ShelleyAK]

@@yesenialopezgomez745 Like she said, take the average of the 2, sculpy and fimo...If one is 275 and the other is 265 then add those together and then divide by 2 to get the average...

[@elynnderidder4766]

HelloSamantha,first of all sorry for my englisch i am from Belgium🤗i think i have a problem with my pieces,you can always bent them the are not stone hard end the shoud be wright? What do i do wrong? I bake theme at 125C for 60 min

[@JessamaTutorials]

They should bend a bit and shouldn't break if they are baked properly. Polymer clay is a plastic and so is supposed to by slightly flexible.

[@germangonzalez6441]

thank you for share >D

[@CocoStarmusic]

Thanks 🙏

[@kamelijakrstevska2656]

How are you sure they are baked right? Are they flexible after baking? Can you break them easily with your hands? :/

[@JessamaTutorials]

They should be flexible, but shouldn't break.

[@ezgioguz9158]

My clays are broken, not flexible. Is it because The heat of the oven or the time? What should ı do?

[@tishsmiddy71]

Lovely

[@ezgioguz9158]

My clays are broken, not flexible. Is it because The heat of the oven or the time? What should ı do?

[@hmade8132]

JUST AWESOME😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘

[@ninarogers9123]

Спасибо за мастер класс.Только , если бы вы говорили чуть помедленнее, было бы замечательно. А то я не успеваю понять.

[@mrsk8383]

settings - playback speed- 0.75, 0.5. Slows down the video

[@leilakate7598]

can i bake polymer clay using an air fryer?

[@JessamaTutorials]

No.

[@Gamer_Goth_Girl]

Mine keeps rising in the oven x

[@mrsk8383]

I actually have worse results with covering with paper than I do with foil. So it most likely depends on your oven, and where the heating elements are located. Also, why are you saying it's not very good to bake in your home oven? polymer clay is not toxic, and if you cover it completely and bake at correct temperature nothing is wrong with that.

[@JessamaTutorials]

I don't like to bake my clay in the same oven as food since after around 10-20 bakes I find that an ugly black residue starts to build up inside the oven. I wouldn't want that in the same place as my food.

[@galady8632]

If you utilize your kitchen oven to bake polymer clay you will probably notice a strong plastic smell every time you heat your oven. If you Google 'polymer' you will discover "a substance that has a molecular structure consisting highly or entirely of a large number of similar units bonded together, e.g., many synthetic organic materials used as plastics or resins". Your oven will quickly have the beginning of a plastic coating that will increase every time 'polymer' clay is baked in any oven. That will transfer to food cooked in the oven.

[@sihamserhan1915]

Can I bake any size off my character for 1h?

[@JessamaTutorials]

It depends on the size. I always bake for a minimum of 1 hour, but if my piece is thick (say 4-5cm) I'd bake it longer.

[@myleneribeiro7009]

Do you use a face mask when doing the polymer clay earrings ?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Not when I'm working the the raw clay. I keep the oven in a well ventilated area and during sanding, I sand them with wet\dry sandpaper and under water.

[@hmade8132]

WOOOOOOWWWWW🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@spaideman7850]

use a separate oven to bake the clay, go get a small cheap oven. Wikipedia: All polymer clay products are NOT labeled as "food safe". Plasticizers remain in the cured product and can leach out, making it a potential health hazard for both the modeler and end user

[@SAeeda]

What was the temperature

[@JessamaTutorials]

Whatever your clay brand recommends. It'll be on the package.