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Posts: 3,540I was wondering about fashioning a finishing touch for a bear, but I don't have the exact colour I need in Fimo. I wondered if it's possible to paint Fimo clay after its been modelled and baked (and obviously cooled down). I thought I'd use white or beige coloured Fimo to create my shape, and then possibly paint that with acrylic paints.
Does anyone know if Fimo will accept acrylic paint? Or will it be apt to slide right off the Fimo?
Back Road BearsYes you can use acrylics..... two methods are possible:
1. Paint then bake..... the paint is then baked on and permanantly sticks to the clay
2. Bake, seal with a clear varnish, then paint.
Any other method (like applying paint directly on to baked clay) can look great for a while... days or a couple of weeks but then the chemicals in the paint react with the clay and the paint gets sticky and gooey. Then the fur sticks to it and it's a big globy mess on the bears face!! (Yup, I speak from experience... painted a nose once!)
Donna's Duin BruinsDebbie,
I know you can color cernit with powdered eye shadow before you bake it. Just use a brush like you would on your face and brush it on. After it is baked you can scratch it off with your fingernail if you try hard so you could spray it with a sealant if you thought it might get rough treatment. I don't know how close in their chemical makeup cernit and fimo are to each other but I would think it should work on fimo.
Donna
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsI have read, but haven't tried it, that you can mix Genesis brand synthetic oil paints with the polymer clay before sculpting it. This type of paint is heat set. These paints also work well for painting the clay, you just have to bake your piece twice.
Posts: 3,540
Ohhh, Daphne, your poor bear!!! 
Thank you for the warning :hug: I think as I'll be going past Jo Ann's tomorrow, I'll just pop in and see if I can find the colours I need.
Thank you all for your help :hug:
The key to painting polymer clay is using oil based paints. Water based paints won't work. I'm willing to be the globby mess was due to a water based paint. The chemicals in the clay don't get along with water. Using an oil based paint (like Genesis brand) also sets better when heated.
So make your clay item, paint it with oil based paint then heat set the paint.
/bearhugs,
All the manufacturers directions say to use Acrylics. Artists oils are also good (thats what I use, but I want to try the Genesis paints). You can not use lacquer type paints , some people say you can use nail polish but others say that will melt the Fimo over time.
Never heard of water based paints making baked Fimo sticky? that's very strange because even Fimo's own varnish is water based.
If you are going to paint it a solid colour you might be best to sand it gently after its baked to give it some 'tooth' and help the paint to stick.
Wild Thyme OriginalsHi Debbie.... yeah... if you can use the right color of Fimo, that's definitely best. There has been a lot of discussion over the years in the doll community about what kind of paints you can/should use with the polymer clays. You can also mix a blend of different colors of Fimo to really get a nice custom shade as well.... or a marbled look... it's fun stuff! Just make sure that you really bake it enough. If your sculpted piece is large... you may have to give it extra time, justto make sure that it is really and truly cured all the way through. Sometimes the surface is rock hard and the middle can still be all squishy. Drop me an eMail if you have any questions/need any advice. 
:hug:
Kim Basta
Kim Basta
Posts: 3,540Oh my, I'm rather glad I asked first. I never realized how complicated this could be, but then I've only used Fimo once, and that was for my Little Miss Muffet project a couple years back.
Kim thank you for the warning to cook, cook and cook some more. My bear was inspired by a chocolate cherry cordial, so that's what I'll end up making if I can't find the finishing touch already done in resin. I was thinking of doing the aluminum foil form, then placing and molding the clay over that to bake. I remember that worked the best with Miss Muffet's bowl of curds and whey, and helped the clay keep its form.
If I can't find what I'm looking for, I'll definitely find the exact colours I want in fimo, as I don't want to risk messing this up! 
Gooey clay need not apply near my bear!!!
Wild Thyme OriginalsOOOO! Debbie! I love chocolate cherries!!!!! It's my absolute favorite candy... and there are loads of them on sale from Christmas through Valentine's day! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: I like the dark chocolate ones BEST!
Fimo Classic does come in a nice chocolate brown color... if you'd like it darker you could mix it with a bit of black. Are you doing an intact/unbitten cordial? the ideal thickness for strength os about a 1/4 inch of clay. If you do the foil center... I'd shoot for a clay covering that's about that thickness.... then you can just bake at the temp recommended on the package... maybe just for a few minutes longer than the package specifies.
Just remember that when it comes out of the oven it WON'T be hard... so don't test it for strength/doneness at that point. You'll want to cool it quite a while, then see how strong/done it is. A nice coating of Fimo varnish will give it kind of a shiny wet look... or you can get a nice satin finish with a coating of floor wax, and buff....
MMMMMmmmmm! Now I'm craving the real deal! 
Kim Basta
Posts: 3,540
I know, I've been craving the real ones ever since I started this bear 
I was thinking of doing one that's been bitten into, but much will depend on what I can find out there today.
Thank you for telling me more about the Fimo. 
It certainly helps to have tips from someone who knows how to use the stuff :hug:
Posts: 3,540:photo: Here's a pic of the finished projects.
At first I wasn't best pleased with my efforts, but hubby told me sometimes the representation of something looks cuter than the 'realistic' look I was aiming for. I do love that man! I'm actually happier that they aren't realistic looking, as I've done some rock paintings in the past that were. And you would not believe the end of grief my Mamoo has had keeping people from trying to eat them! 
:hug: Thank you guys for giving me so many good tips and hints with this project!!! You guys are the best!!! 
Wild Thyme OriginalsDebbie! Oh absolutely YUM!!!!! I think they look REALLY good!!! Just bought 4 boxes on sale at the store the other day!!!! And an adorable bear as well!
Kim Basta
Posts: 3,540I polished off the box I bought for 'inspiration'...and as soon as they were done, I was plotting how to get more They're so darned yummy, though!!
At least "Cordial'' doesn't have to fend me from his. 
Thank you for all your help Kim :hug: A Fimo Goddess I am not :crackup:
Posts: 11) I am using Fimo Pro clay. If I color it with acrylic paint THEN bake it, will the paint be permanent?
2) Does acrylic spray paint ruin Fimo clay? When the spray paint dries it's waterproof, so does is it also permanent?
Acrylic Paint
Hi, I think your first question is answered in the first reply to this thread (from Daphne).
Becky
