Polymer Clay vs Friendly Plastic for brooch designs

Top row: Friendly Plastic, bottom row: polymer clay

For a comparison exercise, I have tried to replicate my two ‘yacht’ brooch designs with polymer clay, (originally made from Friendly Plastic - Art-Brooch Designs CF034 and CF035). I have to say that I prefer the Friendly Plastic ones for the more rounded, fluid shapes and the metallic colour.

The materials are completely different to use. The polymer clay ones are an early attempt – still so much to accomplish. I may repeat this exercise when I have acquired more skill. I definitely need an extruder gun to get really consistently thin, rounded strips (used for the water ripples) and some more Pearlex powders or coloured foils.

Note: The sails on the polymer clay brooches were quite white after the first two bakings but then I coated the brooch with satin and gloss glazes and baked again for half an hour (as per the instructions). The sails have browned considerably. I could have just put the glaze on without baking again. I wonder if baking the glaze makes it more durable?

Later note: I contacted Polyform and asked if baking their Sculpey Glazes makes them more durable. After consultation with their Chemist, they confirmed that “you would not get more durability by baking the glaze vs. air drying. If anything, the air drying would be better than baking”.