Polymer Clay Basics: Techniques, Tools & Projects

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Summary: Many good ideas with canes
Review: Detailed instructions for making many different canes, and many nice projects for using them, as well as other ideas. The step by step instructions really make very easy the approach to this craft for beginners too.

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Summary: Beautiful and useful
Review: I bought this book last year on a trip to Europe, and I took it to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I live and where I work with polymer clay from a long time. Some craft lover friends saw it, appreciated it, learned a lot from it, and wanted it so much that we had to order half a dozen copies of the book from Italy. Now, all of them are fascinated by the easy way instructions are presented and by the variety of projects. I'm glad to know this book is now translated to English and it's available from eveywhere. I highly recommend it to people who love art and like working with their hands, and to people who think they don't like working with their hands too.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and useful
Review: I bought this book last year on a trip to Europe, and I took it to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I live and where I work with polymer clay from a long time. Some craft lover friends saw it, appreciated it, learned a lot from it, and wanted it so much that we had to order half a dozen copies of the book from Italy. Now, all of them are fascinated by the easy way instructions are presented and by the variety of projects. I'm glad to know this book is now translated to English and it's available from eveywhere. I highly recommend it to people who love art and like working with their hands, and to people who think they don't like working with their hands too.

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Summary: Save your money
Review: This book has many things to be desire. One of the things I noticed on each page was the shoddy workmanship. Terms are not good english translation.

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Summary: Save your money
Review: While the projects and pictures presented here are worth a look, and are good for beginners, there is an extremely important point worth mentioning. It's something that knocks the book down several pegs, in my opinion.

In the move from Italian to English, there are several examples of badly-translated words and/or phrases. If this were an intermediate or advanced book, it wouldn't be such a big deal, as anyone who has worked with Polymer Clay for a while already knows the correct terminology for many of the tools and supplies needed. However, as this is a beginner's manual, it is very important that the language be correct. If a newbie reads that s/he needs to buy "resin pastes" to make a "murrhine," or "purpurin" and "metal lamina" to achieve different surface effects, that person may spend hours scouring a craft store for supplies that don't go by that name in the U.S. These terms refer to "polymer clay," "canes," "glitter," and "metal leaf," by the way.

It may seem nit-picky, but I think it's important to use the right terminology with beginners so as to reduce the frustration level. At the very LEAST, they should have been able to translate "polymer clay" correctly - it's the subject of the book!

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Summary: Beware if you are completely new to Polymer Clay!
Review: While the projects and pictures presented here are worth a look, and are good for beginners, there is an extremely important point worth mentioning. It's something that knocks the book down several pegs, in my opinion.

In the move from Italian to English, there are several examples of badly-translated words and/or phrases. If this were an intermediate or advanced book, it wouldn't be such a big deal, as anyone who has worked with Polymer Clay for a while already knows the correct terminology for many of the tools and supplies needed. However, as this is a beginner's manual, it is very important that the language be correct. If a newbie reads that s/he needs to buy "resin pastes" to make a "murrhine," or "purpurin" and "metal lamina" to achieve different surface effects, that person may spend hours scouring a craft store for supplies that don't go by that name in the U.S. These terms refer to "polymer clay," "canes," "glitter," and "metal leaf," by the way.

It may seem nit-picky, but I think it's important to use the right terminology with beginners so as to reduce the frustration level. At the very LEAST, they should have been able to translate "polymer clay" correctly - it's the subject of the book!

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Summary: Polymer Clay Made Easy!
Review: Wonderful Italian Manual but American Style! Technique, tools & materials fully detailed. Easy step-to-step instructions thoroughly explained and supported by plenty of pictures. Huge variety of projects and ideas. The writer takes you by hand and guides you up to the end of each project. Amazing! Even if you have no idea what Polymer Clay is you can start your first project right away.