With the advent of accessible and affordable 3D printing came the opportunity to create individual, bespoke items at home that would have previously been expensive and difficult to source. At Clay Lady Down Under I have embraced this new technology since 2018, and from my home in Brisbane produce a wide range of 3D printed products that are used in working with different kinds and brands of clay.
Primarily, my focus is on producing clay cutters that work with polymer clay, precious metal clay and ceramic clay, opening up a whole new world to hobbyists and amateur jewellery makers. My clay shape cutters are printed in one of two ways; the first being from PLA filament, which as a product, is easy to work with and offers an excellent surface quality, sharpness and strength (ideal for clay cutters), the alternative process uses resin 3D printing, which can print in much finer detail and produces sharper stronger cutters suited to smaller items. However, PLA is manufactured from recycled materials, and in itself is biodegradable!
The beauty of 3D printing is the flexibility that it affords – there are more or less unlimited designs, and as such this lends itself to creating intricate and detailed items that can be utilised with polymer or precious metal clay to produce wonderful items of jewellery. From simple circles to stars, ovals and a plethora of other freeform shapes, there is virtually no limit to what can be created – many of the cutters are made from specific requests from customers!
Once fired, polymer clay becomes a durable, vinyl plastic solid, ideal for fashion accessories and can be further enhanced with the easy application of my alcohol ink transfer papers. Colours and patterns with a waterproof finish can readily transform an interesting piece into a wonderful one!
And should you work with precious metal clay you can use my jewellery shape cutters and in particular clay earring cutters to create your own pendants, brooches and earrings, where the clay component is burned off during firing, leaving only the metal product behind.
I also have a range of cutters suitable for ceramic and porcelain clay.
In addition to my range of polymer clay earring cutters and clay cutter sets, I also provide a great selection of polymer clay cutting tools and accessories that will help you create your own artefacts and pieces of jewellery that are truly unique. From sculpting tools, to craft knives for intricate work to rollers that can add texture to your clay, I can provide so many tool that you need to work with clay.
Designing and creating something of your own is a rewarding way to spend some time, and you do not have to be highly experienced to achieve fantastic results, much of the process is instinctive and intuitive with your imagination the only real limitation on what you can accomplish.
However, should you wish to learn more and improve your skills, I also provide workshops that can accelerate your progress and develop your techniques, so that you can get the very best from our polymer clay cutters for earrings and other similar items.
I would like to add words to the effect …. that I was one of the first in Australia to start designing and creating 3D cutters for the clay art world back in 2018. (There was just one other person and myself doing it right at the same time back then.)