How to make FIMO beads and other basic shapes at home – a guide
Five different basic FIMO shapes can be used to make a whole world of artistic creations out of modelling clay. FIMO beads can be made using just your hands or you can model them using practical STAEDTLER accessories. Even FIMO hearts or cords, which can be used to decorate a variety of modelling clay creations, can all be made by hand in no time at all. Don’t be discouraged by what may seem like complicated shapes – our guide will show you exactly how these beautiful pieces of jewellery, decorative home deco, creative kid’s toys and much more can be made.
The five most important basic shapes that can be used to create FIMO masterpieces
FIMO modelling clay can be used to turn your creative ideas into a reality. From FIMO beads to cubes or even just sheets, the five most important basic shapes are very easy to make using FIMO. FIMO beginners will get valuable tips from our guide “Five steps you need to know before getting started with FIMO" , ranging from which materials can be used as a work surface to the most important things to know when working with FIMO.
Make conical FIMO beads yourself
FIMO bead jewellery is very easy to make. The best thing about this is, you can choose your favourite colours and mix and match them to suit your style. That means your jewellery will always be one-of-a-kind pieces that nobody else has. Conical FIMO beads have a unique shape that give them that special extra something.
To make these, simply cut two strips off your chosen FIMO block. Regardless of whether you are using FIMO soft, FIMO effect or FIMO professional – each modelling block is divided the same into individually grooved strip sections. This helps to ensure your FIMO beads or whichever shape you decide on will be the same size. For a guaranteed straight cut, you should use the fixed blade found in the FIMO modelling tools range. Now take the modelling clay and roughly mould it into a ball by rolling it between the palms of your hands. Now take a glass plate, place it on the FIMO bead and with light pressure applied, move the ball back and forth in a circular motion. This is how to create a conical bead that can then be hardened in the oven, after which you can finish it off into a beautiful piece of jewellery.
Making cubes out of FIMO modelling clay
Making a cube out of FIMO starts off the same way as you would when making a FIMO bead. Depending on how big you want the cube to be, cut one or more segments off the whole FIMO block. Then roll it into a ball. Now take the ball between your thumbs and index fingers of both hands and press against the surface of the ball with both fingers, so that a total of six flat surfaces are created on the ball and result in a cube. The individual surfaces can then be defined by placing the cube onto your work surface and gently pressing on the surface with the ball of your thumb. Turn the cube to repeat the process on each of the six sides.
Making FIMO hearts
Are you on the lookout for a nice gift keyring or some beautiful decorative accessories to make your house a home? There are two different ways to create beautiful hearts using FIMO:
Shaping hearts with your hands and modelling tools:
Roll the FIMO into a ball again. Now shape the ball into a cone using your hand by rolling it back and forth on a smooth surface. Only roll your fingers over half of the ball so that a point forms and a cone is created. Now take a modelling tool and press it into the wider, top half and you will already see a heart take shape.
Shaping hearts with silicone shape moulds:
If you want to make them quickly and easily, then use the STAEDTLER silicone moulds to help you out. They are great for using with kids, for example. Just cut a strip off the FIMO block and halve it again. Knead between the thumb and index finger for a few seconds and then press it into the silicone mould. Its smooth coating makes it very easy to get the FIMO heart out of the mould.
Making cords out of FIMO
To make cords out of FIMO, just knead a strip of FIMO into a long shape. Then roll over it with a glass plate, which will make the strip longer and thinner. To finish, halve the strip and then continue rolling the strip out with your fingers, back and forth until the cord is the desired length and thickness.
Making FIMO sheets
There are two different ways to make sheets out of FIMO. Both methods require you to make a ball out of the FIMO and then press it flat between your thumb and index finger. To make an even, flat sheet, you can either use the acrylic roller or the clay machine from the FIMO accessory range:
- Making sheets using the acrylic roller: Evenly roll over the sheet using the acrylic roller to make it larger and flatter.
- Making sheets using the clay machine: Take two separate strips of FIMO and put them through the clay machine to make sheets. Now take both sheets and place them on top of each other, then repeat the process with the clay machine.
The FIMO bead maker by the brand STAEDTLER can be used to make FIMO beads quickly and easily. This makes it possible to make other bead shapes:
- Bicone beads
- Olive-shaped
- Ball-shaped
The FIMO bead roller has extensive instructions that will explain exactly how everything is done in one handy little guide.
You can achieve a very sophisticated look by decorating your FIMO beads with metal leaf in silver, gold or copper. Metal leaf can be applied either to unhardened FIMO as well as hardened FIMO with an adhesive primer.
Tip: It is best to use the FIMO bead needles if you wish to drill a hole through your modelled FIMO beads, as this will ensure you to drill through without deforming it.
If you would like to add unique patterns to your FIMO beads, then you can use our STAEDTLER texture sheets. These are both suitable for flat as well as rounded surfaces and come in 8 different textures. The surface decorations are simply placed onto the FIMO beads, then gently pressed in and removed – this will give your beads an extravagant touch.
If you would like to make very special FIMO beads made of flowers, then have a look at our FIMO cane guide for instructions. This will show you how to make a FIMO cane, which in turn can be used to make flower-shaped beads.
