Once you begin casting your own DIY Appliques, you’ll be hooked!

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Hello, Graphics Fairy friends! Heather from Thicketworks here…This is Part One of a Two Part Series.

Today I’ll be sharing a technique that is near and dear to my heart: Casting DIY Appliques.

In Part Two, we’ll explore a few more of the finishing options that will bring your cast appliques to glorious life!

Before we begin, I wish to thank Iron Orchid Designs for supplying the Decor Moulds used in this demonstration. I’m honored to on their Design Team, and lucky enough to work with these incredible tools all the time.

Be sure to check out the entire line, and explore the Fall 2016 Release of Moulds and other tools, available at the end of October!

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In order to get these wonderful results, a few basic items are required.

Supplies:

• IOD Decor Moulds
• Air Dry Paper Clay
• Cornstarch
• A Fluffy Brush
• Assorted Items to Transform! (think books, furniture, kitchen cabinets, clay pots…the sky’s the limit!)
• Aleene’s Original “Tacky” Glue
• A tool for smoothing the clay: I use an old sturdy cookie flipper
• An artist’s paint brush for mending breaks
• Water
• A Zip Lock Bag to store the Paper Clay
• Assorted Paints and finishing products

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Important Disclaimer:

I’ll be showing you how I cast Paper Clay appliques. I work with them while they are wet, and I don’t bother to allow them to cure in the Moulds. I even PAINT them while wet, making the process much faster than traditional methods. The results can be less-than-perfect, and that suits my aesthetic to a tee!

You decide whether or not you want to follow this Outlaw Casting Process, or be more Traditional in your approach! Neither is right or wrong…

Here’s a very cool fact: these Moulds are suitable for just about any casting medium you can name: Polymer Clay, Resin, Porcelain and other ‘Firing’ Clays, even Chocolate! (be sure to keep one set just for food, if you are so inclined)

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How to Cast DIY Appliques:

Begin by gathering your Mould, a bit of Cornstarch in a small container, and a fluffy brush onto your work surface.

Grab the item that you will be transforming!

Here’s a sturdy frame I found at the Thrift Store…

Using a fluffy brush, apply a generous amount of Cornstarch to the Mould.

This design is the lovely Iron Orchid Designs Baroque No.3 Vintage Art Decor Mold

Tap the Mould upside down to remove the excess:

Condition the Paper Clay…knead it in your fingers until it becomes supple and easy to work with.

Carefully pack the Mould with the clay, using tiny bits at a time for the intricate details.

Flatten the back of the casting with a smooth tool:

Gently turn the Mould over, and roll it away, depositing the casting onto the work surface:

If you encounter tiny ‘breaks’, don’t despair! A dampened brush will allow the clay to bind back together easily…

Gently place the casting face down on your palm, and apply adhesive.

I find that Aleene’s Tacky Glue is up to the job for most applications.

Plop the casting onto the surface!

You will find that you are able to slide it around, so adjust the placement as necessary.

Keep a bit of water and a ziplock bag handy.

To make certain the clay remains workable, place it back into the bag as soon as you’ve finished tearing off the amount you need for each casting.

Spray the interior of the bag with water if the clay becomes too dry.

When using Paper Clay, it’s possible to add a sentiment by using a rubber stamp right on top of the still damp casting!

Just brush the surface with Cornstarch first.

(Note: this particular Label Mould is part of the Fall 2016 Release…available very soon!)

With the Border Moulds, you can completely frame an area…just miter the corners with a sharp blade!

(Note: this Bead Moulding is part of the Fall 2016 Release…available very soon!)

Just overlap the corners, and slice at a 45 degree angle for a perfect miter…

When working with intricate Moulds like this amazing escutcheon, (Fall 2016 Release), carefully break the seal between the clay and the Mould before attempting to demold the piece.

Use a Heat Tool to dry the surface, creating a sturdy ‘crust’ on the castings.

This allows you to add paint immediately!

Basic black craft paint forms this base coat.

One coat, then dry with your heat tool.

Finnabair Art Extravagance Texture Paste Clear Crackle is a wonderful way to add antique flair to a project like this…

Slather a thick layer on with a Palette Knife, and allow to cure overnight. Low humidity will speed up the curing process.

Note: Using a heat tool will decrease the crackle, and I don’t recommend it. 

The result once cured:

Using a bit of watery pigment, like Distress Stain: Picket Fence will highlight all that deliciously crackled texture…

Using a metallic wax, like Inka Gold: Old Silver to highlight the appliques will bring out all the luscious detail:

Highlighting with Old Silver will also create the necessary contrast to showcase any stamped sentiment you may have added:

I couldn’t resist placing one my favorite memories in this gorgeous frame!

I adore the way the crackle effect and the metallic interact…it creates such a lovely array of textures for the eye to enjoy…

Note: because the Crackle Medium can result in a fragile finish, I recommend adding a top coat of Matte Medium to secure everything in place.

A final glance at the possibilities with a simple picture frame:

Next time, I’ll demonstrate even more finishing techniques!

Thank you for visiting The Graphics Fairy today! It’s been a pleasure to share this technique with you, and I look forward to sharing Part Two!

Come visit me at Thicketworks, to indulge your taste for quirky crafting!

Until next time,

Heather ♥

You might enjoy this little Halloween Project: