Polymer Clay for Beginners is a perfect book for those who would love to try creating with clay as well as those who have experience with the medium. Emily Chen not only introduces the reader to the tools and materials needed, but she covers a variety of techniques over the course of 15 projects. Beyond the basics, such as the different clays available, baking times, finishes, and a troubleshooting section, Chen provides important tips throughout the book. For example, she recommends feeling the clay in the store before purchasing in order to get a soft, pliable brand or package. She also introduces different materials, such as liquid clay, acrylic paint and chalk pastels, which are ultimately used in some projects.

The finished products are adorable and Chen’s love of and enthusiasm for polymer clay is clearly evident. She guides the reader step by step through each project with text and large photos in which he details are easy to see. The 15 projects are divided into the following four sections — Food, Animals, Plants, and Beads.

One of my favorite projects was the Fruit Tart which involves making a strawberry cane (i.e., combining clay into a rod shape, then reducing it and slicing off pieces) which was just taught in the previous lesson by making orange slices. The Rainbow Cake looks delicious and Chen explains how to do different versions, such as Chocolate Layer Cake. She also shows how to make the miniature pieces into charms, which is applicable to many of the other projects in the book. Other food to create include Chocolate Chip Cookies, Macarons, and a Swiss Cheese charm.

I loved the animal projects. The Pug is precious and I appreciated Chen’s attention to detail — she shows you how to add paw prints to the Pug. The other animals — the Cat, Pig, and Cow — are all very cute and look do-able with Chen’s text and photos showing every step of the way. Chen even shows you how to make a ball of yarn for the little cat. The last animal is a little more of a challenge but it’s worth the extra effort because it’s an exquisite Unicorn. She even shows you how to paint the eyes just right.

The plant projects include a succulent, cactus, rose, and cherry blossom. She encourages you along the way and even tells you how to pot your newly created plants. Last, are two different kinds of clay beads to make and form into necklaces.

Polymer Clay for Beginners is a great book that provides a wealth of inspiration, instruction and delightful projects that will be fun to create and admire.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - Walter Foster Publishers and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review Art Makers: Polymer Clay for Beginners. I truly enjoyed reading and looking at the examples in the book. I personally have no artistic talent and I know my work would look like lumps of clay instead of cute animals. A nice read with simple directions for those with talent.

Simply adorable. I loved that the different sections gave you different options so that you could alter your models to be different to every one else's. The steps were easy to follow and had great strong illustrations where you could see what was going on.

I always wanted to learn how to use polymer clay and do so many beautiful things and this book is great for that,
It's simple and very useful. Tells you right in the beginning the tools you need to have and even problems you may have, which is great because we see so many tutorials on web where everything is perfect so we don't get to see the beginner's strugles.
Using great photos, the author explains step by step how to build the clay figures and gives tips, very easy to follow. This book is really inspiring and the projects seem easy to do. Can't wait to try all this!

I’m a former ceramic major and I’ve dabbled in polymer clay on and off for a while now. When I saw this book, I thought it looked like a great intro to polymer clay and decided to check it out. I love that the opening takes us through the ins and outs of working with polymer clay. It covers important items such as brands of clay, supplies that aid artists and crafters alike, and the sort of things we should look for. For example, every brand of clay has different baking temperatures and times as well as softness.

Emily also goes over the main thing that’s needed to create, which is technique. She gives some wonderful and important tips in this regard that will be a big help for new creators. I even learned something new, which is another way to make a gradient between two colors that I’m excited to try out. Of course, time and practice will help all new polymer artists and crafters, but it’s important to learn the basics that everything you make will be built upon. Emily provides some comprehensive techniques and visual aids that are easy to understand and learn.

It’s also great that there are several simple and cute projects written and visual tutorials for readers to follow. Each of these projects can also be used as building blocks to other projects thanks to the variety of project tutorials that she included. She also including troubleshooting tips, including what to do if your finished project has a crack in it and how to prevent it in the future.
As a crafter myself, I was surprised to learn that there’s liquid polymer clay available as I’ve never seen it while buying supplies, which means it’s just in a different section at my local craft store. I will have to look for it when I am there because it looks like a wonderful addition to this craft. I’m excited about this because it’ll enhance some of my creations!

I highly recommend this book for people new to polymer clay as well as anyone looking to add to their collection or pick up some new tips and techniques.

Art Makers Polymer Clay for Beginners by Emily Chen is just that a book for beginners. The projects are adorable and there is some interesting instruction on how to blend colors, what tools to use, how to bake your final project and what polymer clays are out there to use. I was delighted in the step by step instruction and the photos were terrific. I feel that this book is a good jumping off point to begin your polymer clay journey. I think I would have liked to have more information on how the clay feels in the beginning and how long it takes to get it soft enough to use. I feel it glossed over the beginning of the journey. Otherwise there are delightful projects waiting for you to create.

Art Makers: Polymer Clay for Beginners is a terrific introduction to working with polymer clay. Filled with color photographs and basic instructions, the book walks the reader through getting to know the clay to actual projects. The author also includes helpful tips on how to bake your clay, and how to avoid burning your projects, what to do if you see cracks, etc. Once she's taught you the basics, she moves right into the projects. This book includes a lot of projects, divided into sections: food, animals, plants/flowers, and beads. The author shows the step by step instructions, both in words and pictures for each project, and each project is cute and inspiring. If you work through even a few of the projects in this book, you will be much more comfortable working with polymer clay, and much more skilled. I thought this book was an excellent guide to working with polymer clay, and would be a great addition to rainy Sunday afternoon project time with older kids, along with the clay and proper tools, of course. If you have any interest in learning to work with polymer clay, this is a great place to start!

A delightful, educational, step by step how to book on Polymer Clay for Beginners! As someone with absolutely NO experience in polymer clay products, I picked some up at my local craft store and spent several, fun-filled hours making the projects outlined in the book! Kids, as well as adults, will appreciate its contents!

Art Makers: Polymer Clay for Beginners
by Emily Chen

As the book states beginners, and it’s a perfect book that I needed to get started in trying my hand at polymer clay objects. Through photos and clearly written directions any beginner can create simple items. The book will take you through types of clay, color adjusting, and blending colors to create with. Also, you’ll learn about the basic tools to use and techniques for forming your clay pieces. This book will take you step by step for making a variety of projects, and finally how to finish your clay piece by baking it.

I had a fun time trying out the cow for my first project, and after a few try’s I think it turned out pretty cute. Although I only had pink and purple on hand! I had fun and I think you will too!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Netgalley

Easy step step by procedures for making some great polymer clay projects.
There are useful tips. Projects ranging from Food, Animals, Plants are presented

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC

Emily Chen has created a great resource for those wanting to start out creating with polymer clay. The author covers the basics including troubleshooting. Projects are clearly explained and have multiple photos showing each step to enable the crafter to successfully recreate these fun designs. This would be a great starting point for someone new to the craft!

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – Walter Foster and Netgalley the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Such an awesome book! I have been playing with polymer clay for a year now and I've learned a lot from this book. Tips and tricks on how to make it look not so "pushed together". Author explains very well how to make the animals or bead jewelry with step by step instructions and pictures. She also explains paints you can use and how to bake and rebakebif needed.
I'm very thankful netgalley and the publisher allowed me to read and review this!

This book is as beautiful as it is informative! My son loves to make figurines with Sculpey and I was hoping to find some tips in this book to help teach him even better technique. Did I ever?! It is great! The projects are definitely geared more towards females and my daughter loved all of the pretty things! I recommend this book to anyone who is starting to use polymer clay and wants to learn more.

I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley but my opinions are entirely my own! I would buy the book. It’s that good!

I loved the look of this book! I have tried making polymer clay figures before with very little success – they never look like anything at all, let alone the picture of what it’s supposed to be. This book is a great book for beginners and also for people who have done it before and want some new ideas.

There is a comprehensive list of tools and materials that are needed and explanations of the different types of clay that can be used. There are some great ideas that some of the designs could be used as jewellery or even to make keyrings and I would imagine these would be really attractive. It gives clear instructions as to the different techniques that are used, such as mixing colours and is all easily explained with colour pictures. The book even goes as far to give you ‘troubleshooting’ tips so you can work out where you’ve gone wrong (the example of overcooked and burnt clay is usually what I end up with!)

The instructions for each project are clear and concise and baking times for the clay are also included. The projects are very good and very realistic (particularly the food!), but I would imagine you will need to have a few goes at it each one to get it anywhere near as good as the ones in the book! There are plenty of examples to try and are separated into different sections of food, animals and plants.

I would love to give this another go although it does look really fiddly!! I would imagine small dainty hands would be much better than big chunky ones, but with this great book anyone should be able to give it a go! Would definitely recommend!

I remember as a child having polymer clay and making simple little trinkets, things have come along way in the polymer clay world since then!
This book is a great start to learning some simple, and more complicated techniques to get some wonderful results.
I don't know what project to start first, eventually i will have them all done as all the projects are lovely.
From cakes to unicorns to piggies.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love the simplicity of this book. Simple instructions, step by step photos, not a lot of words to get bogged down in. My daughter loves arts and crafts of all kinds and this is something fun we could do together. I would recommend this to anyone with a small artist in their home!

This book has your basic, easy to obtain, material lists, making this an affordable craft for all. There are many helpful tutorials, and beautiful images, that help inspire and urge you to start creating your own pieces of art . I learned more than a few helpful techniques. Things that I have overlooked in my own polymer art adventures.

This is definitely a book worth buying, and would make a beautiful birthday gift for an avid craft lover. Especially those young budding artists.

Emily Chen’s new book from Quarto/Walter Foster Publishing, $19.99, Art Makers Polymer Clay for Beginners delivers exactly as promised. Filled with simple instructions, step-by-step photos, with close up details, it appears impossible not to repeat her stunning results.

I am so often let down by art books, that this is a welcome surprise. Chen’s projects are often aimed at kids — fake cookies and sparkly unicorns– but plenty of adults will be drawn to the lessons creating roses and cherry blossoms.

While the projects may be more elementary, the skill sets learned are not. These are the basics for any kind of clay art — and will help anyone interested in sculpture to cake decoration.

Emily Chen easily communicates her knowledge of working with polymer clay to those just beginning. Her tips, and step by step instructions are very helpful, and she has a wide array of projects that will appeal to children.

My only wish is that she had included a set of projects geared to the adult beginner as well. I know I have to start somewhere, but surely there are easy projects that can be found that appeal to adults. If she included some adult projects, this review would have raised a star.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Walter Foster Books for allowing me to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

This book was absolutely adorable. We get high quality, close up photos and great step by step instructions for beginner projects using polymer clay.
I'm going out to buy everything needed for a unicorn and put the rest to the test.
I can definitely recommend this to you if you'd wanting to dabble and try polymer clay. Great for kids too.
Thank you for providing me with a copy.