Crafting FIMO: Tips for refining your FIMO artwork
Whether beautiful vases, seasonal decorative pieces or impressive jewellery accessories: FIMO modelling clay can be used to create all different kinds of artwork. By refining artwork with metal leaf or metallic powder effects you can create a unique highlight. Get some valuable tips for refining FIMO and add luxurious touches.
Crafting FIMO with various surface decorations
Fully in line with the currently popular DIY trend, FIMO modelling clay can be used to create all sorts of decorative items for your home, jewellery for the perfect outfit or beautiful gifts all by yourself. Lend a unique style to the FIMO pieces by refining the surface with special effects. It’s incredibly easy using:
- FIMO leaf metal
- FIMO metallic powder
Refining FIMO with leaf metal
With FIMO leaf metal, you can add a truly special finish to your artwork: Leaf metal is available in the colours gold, silver and copper. Once applied to the surface of FIMO pieces, it lends them a brilliant, elegant look. Leaf metal can be applied either to unhardened FIMO or to hardened modelling clay.
Crafting FIMO: Refining unhardened FIMO with leaf metal
To decorate unhardened FIMO with leaf metal, this is how to proceed:
First take a sufficiently large piece of FIMO modelling clay from the block and knead it until soft.
This piece can now be modelled into an object, for example a sphere, if you would like to craft jewellery beads out of FIMO.
Then the modelled FIMO piece can be simply pressed onto the leaf metal at the desired spots. This process should be carried out very carefully to keep from deforming the modelled object.
After the FIMO surface decorations have been applied, place the modelled object in the oven on parchment paper and harden it there for 30 minutes at 110°C.
Tip: A detailed description of the steps you should know before getting started with FIMO can be found in our guide “5 steps for getting started with FIMO”.
Crafting FIMO: Refining hardened FIMO with leaf metal
It is also possible to first harden the artwork in the oven and then refine it creatively using leaf metal. In this case, here is how you should proceed:
First model the basic shape that you would like to decorate with FIMO leaf metal.
Then harden this basic shape in the oven.
After the object has cooled sufficiently, use a brush to apply “adhesive surface for leaf metal” to the spots that you would like to refine.
Tip: You can choose the size of the areas you would like to refine according to preference. With a thin brush, for example, you can also apply writing to the modelled surface. Refined with leaf metal, the writing will stand out sharply against a contrasting background and produce a highly elegant effect.
Then let the adhesive settle in for 15 minutes.
Now lay down the FIMO leaf metal and gently press it with a stencilling brush.
Using the brush, you can then release the leaf metal from the spots where no adhesive was previously applied.
Now the artwork should be varnished with “varnish for leaf metal”. This ensures that the surface will remain protected.
Refining FIMO with metallic powder
Another option for embellishing FIMO pieces is to refine them with FIMO metal powder. First the FIMO clay must be modelled: Using the FIMO acrylic roller from STAEDTLER accessories, the clay can be rolled out into a flat sheet.
FIMO texture sheets can help to subsequently treat the surface. These surface decorations are available in eight different textures. Using these sheets, it is possible to create the texture of oriental mosaics, wood or leather textures and many other textures. For smooth surfaces, it is recommended to use a clay machine. On rounded surfaces, you can easily press the texture sheets in with your thumbs.
Tip: If you wipe the texture sheets with a moist cloth before using them, the patterns imprint even more clearly. The sheets are also easier to remove from the modelling clay this way without damaging the artwork in the process.
The powder is then applied to the unhardened textured sheet using your fingers. The best way is to put a small amount of powder in the bowl and ensure that the metal powder is applied sparingly to the surface. Keep your fingers straight so the powder will only stick to the protruding parts and will not get into the indentations in the texture.
Tip: Afterwards, it is easy to create various motifs using the FIMO cutters and then harden them as usual in the oven.
Important: FIMO metal powder should also be coated with the special varnish to protect the surface and make sure the decoration will last.
For which FIMO types are the surface decorations suitable?
Effective decoration with leaf metal or metal powder is suitable for all FIMO types:
After decorating the FIMO pieces, you should always make sure to fix the decorations in place with the special varnish. This not only protects the surfaces but also adds a special visual touch to the artwork: You can choose between a glossy varnish, which creates a brilliant surface, or a silky matte varnish that gives the surface a slight milky sheen.
