Eight-Sided Polymer Clay Box

This box is based on an idea from Bob's friend Patricia Barnard, who was looking for a use for milk cartons discarded by her students. He adapted the project to make a box of any desired size.

Materials:

Premo polymer clay: red pearl, pearl, black
baking and cutting surface
clay blade
craft knife
clay shaper tool
pasta machine
straight edge
ruler
2" x 9" cardboard

Steps:

1. To create a template: Starting on the top left of the cardboard, place marks every two inches along the top. The last mark will be one inch from the top right corner. Next starting on the bottom right corner, place a mark every two inches along the bottom edge. The last mark will be one inch from the bottom left corner.

2. Draw lines connecting each mark on top with the nearest dots on the bottom. This should form eight large triangles and two small triangles. The small triangles will be on either end of the template.

3. With a craft knife, cut the two small triangles off of the template (figure A).

4. Using a bone folder, score the cardboard along each of the lines.

6. Fold the template along the creases to form a square box. Use tape to hold the ends together (figure B). Wrap the clay around the template.

7. Roll out another sheet of clay. This will be the base for the inside of the box. Place the template and clay on this sheet (figure C).

8. Use a clay blade to cut the clay base along the sides of the box (figure D).

9. Using your fingers or a clay shaper tool, seal the edges.

10. To construct the outside of the box: Blend equal amounts of red pearl and pearl clay (figure E). This will make a lighter red color but will enhance the mica effect. Run this light red pearl through the pasta machine on a medium setting. The piece needs to be at least 2 inches wide and very long (figure F).

11. Roll this strip into a short but very fat log (figure G). Place the log on one of the flat ends. Using a clay blade, make a vertical cut down through the log. Then cut a slice that is about 1/8 inch thick from the log. The closer the slice is to the center of the log, the sharper the mica effect will be. You should be able to get another slice from the log by repeating the cuts on the other half of the log. If there is enough room cut additional slices from the log (figure H).

Note: Eventually, you will need to reform the log by running it through the pasta machine and rolling it up again. You will need eight slices for the sides of the box. Each slice should have a bright red stripe that runs from top to bottom of the slice. The color should grade bright red to a lighter red moving from the center vertical stripe towards the edges.

12. Run each of the slices through the pasta machine on the fourth-largest setting. Be careful to run them through bottom to top instead of side to side. The stripe should be vertical when running through the pasta machine. This will preserve the mica effect. This particular effect will create the illusion of curvature or of a light inside of the sheet.

13. Place one sheet on one of the faces of the box. Make sure that the stripe is vertical. Trim this sheet to be the same size as the triangle (figure I). Repeat with each until all of the white triangles are covered (figure J). There may be small seams, but they are not critical at this time.

14. Bake the box to cure the outer layer. When the insides of the box are cool, remove the template.

15. Optional: If you want the box to have a natural shine, sand the light red pearl faces starting with 400-grit sandpaper and working up to 1000- or even 1500-grit. Then buff the outer layer to provide a beautiful shine.

17. Finish the bottom edges by pressing 1/4-inch strips of black clay onto the front of the triangles flush with the bottom edge. Trim excess clay (figure L). Use a clay shaper to seal the twisted logs to the base. Bake this assembly.

18. Condition the black clay and roll out a sheet on the fifth- or sixth-largest setting on your pasta machine. Place the base of the box in this sheet and cut around the sides of the box. Make sure that there is no trapped air between the white pearl base and the black outer base. Press the black clay on to the base to ensure a good seal (figure M).

19. To make the top: Roll out a sheet of the pearl clay on the fourth-largest setting. Place the box upside down on this sheet and press firmly (figure N). Leave an impression of the inside of the box in the clay sheet (figure O). Cut out the clay along the marks defining the inside of the box. Be careful to note which side of this sheet is the top and which is the bottom.

20. Roll out a sheet of black using the fifth-largest setting on your pasta machine. Place the pearl clay square on this sheet. Make sure that the face that was up before is up in this step. Cut the black clay about 1/8 inch larger than the pearl square (figure P).

21. Make another log of the light red pearl clay. Cut four slices as before. Run them though the pasta machine on the fifth-largest setting. Use these to form four triangles, one against each edge, on the black side of the lid. Again the seams are not critical, but each of the stripes should point to the center of the lid (figure Q).

22. Bake the lid; then sand and buff as before if desired.

23. Roll out several additional black logs. Twist pairs of these logs together and use to cover the seams in the lid of the box. Twist additional pairs of logs and press them along the edges of the lid (figure R).

24. Roll a ball of black clay that is 1/2 inch in diameter. Roll this ball into an egg shape with one end a little narrower than the other. Firmly press the narrow end into the center of the lid where the four twisted pieces meet (figure S).

25. Bake this piece. Because this box is handmade, the opening is not exactly square. Therefore, it may be necessary to turn the lid until there is a good fit. If it does not fit, gently trim the edge of the white pearl with a craft knife to adjust the fit.

Variations: To make a box where the sides are other than 2 inches, the template will need to be 4-1/2 times the length of one side. That is, if the box is to be 3 inches on a side, then the template will need to be 4 times 3 inches plus half of 3 inches, or 12 plus 1-1/2 inches for 13-1/2 inches. Then place marks every 3 inches instead of 2 inches to make the template.