Polymer Clay Jewelry Lessons: Drop & Stud Earrings, Pendants, and Charms
Teacher Amanda Bestor
Average rating:4.9Number of reviews:(44)
In this 5-week class, students will learn how to make jewelry out of polymer clay, some tools used with polymer clay, and be able to share designs on a class Padlet. (Includes 15 video lessons)
Class experience
US Grade 4 - 7
Beginner - Intermediate Level
In this polymer clay art class, students will learn how to use clay techniques and tools to make jewelry. I will also cover techniques to shape and flatten the clay and finish pieces of jewelry.; such as how to attach jump rings and jewelry attachments once the clay is cooked. Each week I will model new skills, as well as share some reference images for different styles of earrings, pendants, and charms. Students can follow along with the video and make individual tweaks to each project to...
15 lessons//5 Weeks
Week 1Lesson 1Earrings: Tools & DropWeek One: Students will focus on getting familiar with polymer tools, making drop earrings with cutters, choosing baking times, and attaching earring hooks and jump rings.Lesson 2Earrings: Rolling techniques & RainbowWeek One: Students will focus on rolling techniques to create rainbows and attach multiple pieces.Week 2Lesson 3Earrings: Avocado & SlothWeek Two: Students will focus on creating tiny avocado and sloth earrings, as well as using flattening tools to layer clay and how to make canes.Lesson 4Earrings: Turtles & PenguinsWeek Two: Students will focus on attaching small limbs to Turtles and Penguins and glazing with polyurethane.Week 3Lesson 5Pendants: Pizza & ToastWeek Three: Students will focus on making food-based pendants and mixing things with the clay.Lesson 6Pendants & Earrings: Sushi & Watermelon and CanesWeek Three: Students will focus on making food-based pendants and mixing things with the clay.Week 4Lesson 7Pendants: Silk Screens and TextureWeek Four: Students will focus on making earrings or pendants with silk screens and textures.Lesson 8Charms: Axolotl and DragonsWeek Four: Students will focus on making charms and learn about storing clay and removing dust or fingerprints from polymer clay.Lesson 9Earrings: Geometric Patterns & Slab techniqueWeek Four: Students will focus on making charms with geometric patterns & using the slab technique.Lesson 10Charms & Pendants: Puppy and RaccoonsWeek Five: Students will focus on making puppy and raccoon charms. We will discuss sketching ideas for parts and pieces and turning charms into figurines.Week 5Lesson 11Earrings: Koalas & KiwisWeek Five: Students will focus on making earrings that look like koalas & kiwis.Lesson 12Small characters: Elephant earrings & pendantsWeek Five: Students will focus on making small characters and attaching pendants using glue with clay.Lesson 13Earrings and Pendants: Patterns around the house.Week Five: Students will focus on making jewelry and creating patterns with items found around the house.Lesson 14Bonus earrings: Winter earring ideas.Week Five: In this bonus lesson, students will focus on making jewelry with winter earring ideas.Lesson 15Bonus earrings: FlamingoesWeek Five: In this bonus lesson, students will create earring that look like flamingoes.
This class is taught in English.
Students will learn the following: -Different techniques related to making things out of clay. -How fun sharing work on a class Padlet, and artist's outlet for showcasing skills. -How to be patient and positive with yourself while learning new skills. -With the help of an adult; how to bake the clay to keep it intact.
I am an experienced classroom, afterschool program, and summer camp teacher. I have taught many students how to make things out of polymer clay, especially jewelry, miniature figurines, & dragons
This class is designed to give ideas of how a student could modify a class to add their own creativity and showcase their own interest and direction.
1 file available upon enrollmentPolymer clay in different colors. (Please be sure to get polymer clay and not Playdough, cloud dough, or plastalina.) (I like Arteza or Sculpey best) Tools: paint brush rolling pin or acrylic roller aluminum foil toothpick plastic knife or butter knife parchment paper to build and bake on Masking tape to tape down a piece of parchment paper to work on. (A silicone mat works as well.) (Jewelry pliers, jump rings, and earring attachments. These are included in many starter kits if you don't have any yet.) Optional: You can glaze the polymer with polyurethane after it is cooked, making the pieces shiny and stronger. This kit from Amazon includes tools and clay: https://www.amazon.com/Polymer-Earrings-Cutters-Earring-Beginner/dp/B09ZQQHXWH/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3J0BHKWB0UR62&keywords=Polymer+jewelry+kit&qid=1676178260&sprefix=polymer+jewelry+kit%2Caps%2C433&sr=8-5 You can also get clay at Michaels or JoAnn's. Polymer clay will not dry out if exposed to air.
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Polymer clay will need to be baked for the clay to stay intact. The instructions for baking are always listed on the package or kit of clay you purchase. I usually go with 275 degrees for 30 minutes (Covered with a foil tent, depending on the thickness of the clay.) Students will have access to a class Padlet where they can see images of and like the work of others. All posts need to be approved by me, so only appropriate posts will go up. The Padlet works like a giant bulletin board where students can see their peer's work and get more ideas about what to try independently. They can also ask questions in the classroom and share techniques that work. in their posts. When parents enroll in the class, they will get a QR code and a video on how to post on Padlet. Padlet is free to join. I log in with my Google account.
Padlet, Google Slideshow images of Jewelry, Video of how to access the Padlet to share designs that students made.
Average rating:4.9Number of reviews:(44)
Note: Please ❤️ and follow my profile so you are notified when I post new classes. :) As an educator, I think I have one of the greatest jobs in the world! I love the Outschool platform and how I can teach students all over the world. My classes...
Self-Paced Class
$23
weekly or $114 for all content15 pre-recorded lessons
5 weeks of teacher feedback
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Completed by 16 learners
Ages: 8-13
