“IMAGINE” Polymer Clay Art Contest ~sponsored by~ Kalyana Design and Poly Clay Play The world of polymer clay has benefitted in the last years from the invention of new media, new materials and new tools that brought an even wider diversity of beautiful effects that can be obtained using polymer clay. A couple of decades ago we were struggling to find new ways to texture surfaces – now all we have to do is buy texture sheets. Effects that we could not even dream of can be now obtained with various media that is compatible with polymer clay. Our pieces are shinier due to various new varnishes and resins. We have silk screens, mica powders, crackle paint, heat patina metal leaf, 3D printed cutters, stamps and texture sheets, and so much more, and the possibilities are endless. All these novelties made even a beginner in polymer clay able to achieve stunning effects and pieces and that has made polymer clay more popular than it has ever been. All this good also has a reverse side. By having everything readily available, we face the danger of falling into a routine. One of being “boxed in” by the efficiency with which we can make jewelry pieces in just a few minutes. We don't seek new ways of doing things. We stopped creating new shapes because the new cookie cutters create them for us. We stopped trying to obtain new surface effects because it's much easier to just buy the new fad media and apply it and we end up with more than half of the jewelry pieces created looking pretty much the same – create a veneer, cut a shape, cut a bezel, apply the paint/mica powder, and you have a pendant or necklace. Of course the colors are different, but in essence, all pieces are alike. Creativity is stifled before it can take more than a few steps. This contest is to promote and encourage new (and not so new) artists to explore what polymer clay can offer by itself, without the addition of fancy expensive gadgets and gimmicks and while doing this, discover each artist’s power of creativity, the power to think outside the box.

Rules of participation: –

You must be 18 years of age or older.

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If you have a YouTube channel or Facebook page, you must not have more than 500 subscribers/likes/follows at the time of entry (if you have both a YouTube Channel AND a Facebook Artist Page, the subscribers/page likes are cumulative, i.e. added up must not be more than 500)

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You must be located in the US, Europe or Canada.

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The submission must be made in the form of a video, posted on your YouTube Channel or Facebook Page or profile that can be linked on the event page. In case you do not have an Artist YouTube Channel or Facebook Page, and you upload the video on your personal Facebook Page, make sure that it has the setting on “Public”. Send the link to the video in a private message to the “Imagine” contest page on Facebook.

Materials allowed: (besides polymer clay): –

only low-priced and readily available acrylic or oil paints, mica powders, crayons, or make-up. A link showing where the item was purchased with a clear price has to be in the description of the video.

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Any other media (i.e. alcohol inks) has to be DIY (homemade) and the process has to be shown in your video. Only basic, low-priced varnishes allowed, like water-based MinWax, liquid clay or Sculpey glaze (or any other similar products from another polymer clay brand).

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Also allowed “Bake and Bond” from the Sculpey line.

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If it's a piece of jewelry, basic glues are allowed. Only low-priced jewelry findings. No rhinestones or glitter. No resin. In the case of sculpted figurines, armature wire, wire for wings, and materials for hair ARE allowed (no Tibetan lamb hair).

Tools allowed: basics are - pasta machine, roller, cutting blades, Xacto-type knife, heat gun. –

Any other tools that are used have to be either DIY and the process shown in the

video (i.e. texture sheets, stamps, cookie cutters) or regular (low priced) items of general use (i.e. using a toothbrush for texturing). –

Molds - only if DIY. They have to be presented in close-up in the video

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No power tools for sanding and buffing. There will be one exception in terms of power tools, for elderly people and people with health issues that affects their hands, the use of a motor for the pasta machine as well as the use of a sanding power tool of the “polyFast” range is allowed. No buffing power tools accepted. Speeding up of the full process of sanding and buffing in the video is allowed for time-constraint purposes.

Your entry can be anything: a piece of jewelry, a sculpted figurine, a decorative object. When judging your entry, the following considerations will apply: Everybody will start with 10 points.

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1 point will be deducted for each material used, besides polymer clay (more than one color of the same media will only count as one point, i.e., if you use red and white acrylic paint, only the acrylic paint per se is counted as minus one point, not the different colors)

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5 points will be deducted for any tool or material that is not on the “allowed” list

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1 point each will be added for: originality craftsmanship intricacy The contest will start on the 20th of November 2017

Pre-registration: 20th to 30th November. You must send a message to the Imagine Polymer Clay Art Contest facebook page with your name, any online presence you have (Facebook Profile, page, YouTube Channel, etsy shop,

website, etc) and a very short presentation. For all pre-registered contestants, Poly Clay Play will offer a 10% discount coupon valid until December 15, 2017 (there wouldn't be time for you to receive your order in due time after that date). You will receive the coupon code after pre-registering for the contest. Coupon is 10% off your total order and can be used only once at PolyClayPlay.com. Last submission accepted at noon GMT December 30, 2017. Winner will be announced on January 1st, 2018.

Prizes: First prize:

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A set of 6 PearlEx 3g jars (Misty Lavender, Spring Green, Blue Russet, Duo GreenYellow, Interference Violet, Flamingo Pink)

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A set of “rose petal” cutters (6 sizes)

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2 Darice embossing folders

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10 sample bags of Amerikan Body Art “mix-and-match” glitters and mica powders

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3 packages of Pardo Translucent Transparent Art clay

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A $10 gift certificate from PolyClayPlay.com

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1 one on one extensive consultation with Day from Kalyana Design on how to grow your online presence as an artist without spending money for advertising, publishing, or media for your tutorials.

Second prize - A $30 gift certificate from PolyClayPlay.com - Third prize - A $20 gift certificate from PolyClayPlay.com * Gift certificates for PolyClayPlay.com are valid for everything, including the tutorials.