Fimo is a name for a brand of polymer clay made by Eberhard Faber.
Fimo and other polymer clay products can be worked in a variety of techniques.
Sculpting
Fimo can be sculpted in ways similar to other modeling materials such as ceramic, modelling clay, and play-dough.
Marbling and color mixing
Because Fimo is packaged in colored blocks, the colors can be mixed while soft, then baked. By mixing two or more colors, then twisting, folding, bending, and cutting, various marbled surfaces can be achieved.
If multiple colors are mixed thoroughly enough, the marble effect will fade and the colors will blend to make a new color.
Caning
Caning or caneworking, also known as millefiori, draws from a traditional glass technique where a two dimensional design is constructed in three dimensions, with the various colored elements of the design extending all the way through the form from the front surface to the back surface. Once the initial form is completed, the form, known as a "cane," can be sliced (with the blade held parallel to the front surface) to produce a number of nearly identical copies of the design.
Additionally, the form can be extended by squeezing or rolling the sides so that the form becomes longer from front to back, while becoming narrower in the other two dimensions. When the resulting form is sliced, the original design will be preserved, but shrunk to a smaller size.
In glass work, the nature of the material dictates that these be round, but with polymer clay the shapes can be more varied, although round and square canes are the most common because they are easiest to extend.
Beading
Polymer clay can be formed into beads or charms, it is hard wearing and does not tarnish or discolour.
Last Updated: December 28, 2009