Watercolor Mosaic FREE Tutorial

On my first days on Flickr I met a sweet girl from Brazil, Monica Gerard, and she taught me an amazing polymer clay technique - The Watercolor Mosaic. It was back in 2005. After I tried it I was fascinated by this technique and I made a tutorial in Hebrew. I'm very happy to share it with you now :) enjoy!

The Watercolor Mosaic Technique

This technique based on the use of transparent polymer clay, Fimo brand, combined with white and black color. Very easy method, but you need to know how to make a Skinner blend with three colors.

You will need:

Polymer Clay -

3 transparent colors

Black, White, Gold

A4 printer paper

Pasta machine

Roller

Cutters

Step 1

We will start with transparent clay.

Make a Skinner blend with 3 colors, a quarter of a package for each color.

Note that a new color is created between 2 color shades. Think about colors that will appear - they will be a part of the Skinner blend outcome.

Step 2

When the Skinner blend is done - finish it on the thickest setting of the pasta machine.

Step 3

Now over to the black and white - not transparent - the regular clay.

Three stripes to half of package from each color.

Step 4

Make equal size sheets that will match the size of the transparent Skinner blend colors; you will have to use for that a thinner setting.

Step 5

Here is the order to place the sheets:

Top - transparent Skinner blend

Middle - white

Bottom - black

Step 6

Here is a look from the side.

Step 7

Roll them all together with the thickest past machine setting.

Then roll it a second time with a thinner setting, I use no 4 in my pasta machine.

Divide the long sheet in to two shorter ones for more comfortable use.

Step 8
Now an important recommendation -

Place them for a whole day (or even for a few hours) on A4 printer paper, on their down black side only, to absorb the polymer grease - and this is because of the next step.

Step 9

Here is the gimmick -

Take one sheet, rip and tear it to unplanned pieces, they can be very small or big pieces, but do a variety of sizes.

When you cut it, the 2 lower layers - black & white - will appear, and this will create the "ripped" look .

Step 10

Preparing the surface -

Here I've used a quarter package of gold clay.

(Metallic color was recommended to me - if it's for a jewel).

Prepare a thick sheet - with a roller or with the thickest width of the pasta machine.

Covering vessels, tableware & dishes:

Carry on doing this from this step, like the explanation from the next steps.

You will not need the gold clay as a surface; the vessel will replace the surface.

Step 11

Start placing the torn pieces on the gold sheet; in the first layer you don’t have to cover all of its surface.

Step 12

Flatten the gold surfaces with the roller.

It will smooth the pieces and will stretch and expand them and the bottom surface too.

Step 13

In the second layering, it is better to use smaller torn pieces.

Add more pieces and scatter them a bit.

Step 14

Flatten again the gold surfaces with the roller.

This is optional - If needed, make a third layer with smaller pieces and roll it again.

Step 15

Now cut with a cutter the shape you want, for example a round pendant or magnets shapes.

Here I've cut out at heart, for an example.

Step 16

Beads can also be created with this technique. Make a scrap bead and cover it with little pieces, role it with your hands and continue with your own making bead techniques.