Texturing done with an orange stick
I don't actually wear make-up and don't know much about what really goes on in the cosmetics section of stores, but I have found some interesting clay tools there.
I first learned about using orange cuticle sticks from Cynthia Thornton in her book Enchanted Adornments. Since, I have found them in the cosmetics section and have used them for some interesting textures, carving and hole making in my clay work.
The stick itself is made from orange trees so it is a nice smooth hardwood. It works well with clay since it is slick and doesn't absorb too much water. Another nice quality about orange sticks is that they are short and easy to handle. As you can see from the photo, they have both a pointed end and a wedge shaped end. This makes them very versatile. And for me who lives 130 miles from a ceramic supply store, easily accessible and an added bonus, very inexpensive.
I have also found the little sponge sticks for applying eye makeup to be very useful for smoothing out small places and texturing beads. They come in multi pack and can be found at the Dollar Store.
What have you found useful for your clay or bead work in the cosmetics section?
I found some silver, coppery brown, and black nail polish with the "cheapo" cosmetics. Sometimes I use it to touch up fired nichrome wire loops to get rid of that charred look that they get.
ReplyDeleteI use the cheap diamond finger nail files to smooth rough edges on my bisque.
ReplyDeleteThe little sponge sticks are great for dabbing on underglazes when you are working with stencils or paper resists.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great suggestions ladies. I am glad I am not the only clay person in the cosemtic aisle. LOL.
ReplyDelete