Using Water Absorbing Crystal Gel To Create Polymer 
Clay Base For Baking, For Making Hollow Bead 
And Water Diorama

Some Call It Gel Crystal Bolls, Baby Gel Crystals, 
Water Babies, Crystal Beads, Crystal Soils



Water Absorbing Crystal Gel Pellets in small plastic bags, great 
for plants also great for using it as a polymer clay base.  Its an 
alternative to using cornstarch as baking clay base. Baking 
polymer clay on the gel is clean and no mess, you can reuse 
the gel after baking. 


Putting them in the water, will expands to 4 -10 times the size,
depending on the types of gel pellets.


Example: the image shows the various types of expanded 
 crystal gels


Putting them in any heat resistant container, will create a gel
base for baking any polymer beads or others
*Note: Do not use Plastic containers, it will melt in the 
oven at that temperature. Containers should be PVC, 
Microwavable, Tupperware, porcelain, glass and
any heat resistant ware


Example of making a hollow bead, wrapping polymer cane 
onto the crystal gel bead


 Wrapping polymer clay over the gel


Placed the cane bead onto the gel base as above


Baked the projects in the oven for 45 minutes, within a temperature 
of 150º C (300º F)


Close up veiw of the baking process


After baking for 45 minutes in the oven, within a temperature 
of 150º C (300º F)


Another Example: After baking for 45 minutes in the oven, within a 
temperature of 150º C (300º F)


Baked examples


Cut bead shows the inside of the cane with the crystal gel bead


Hot crystal gel bead created the mist on the camera lens


Second take, this is how it looks


More Examples: Cutting the gel filled polymer clay bead


The strong crystal gel bead is still retaining the shape without
breaking


Comparing Shrunk beads in the polymer clay beads


Other examples and tests

For Those Who Does Not Understand How To Create 
The Hollow Clay Bead, Here's The Method,

If you provide holes on the clay bead, the gel will shrunk to
 its original size after leaving it for weeks. There will be water 
evaporation through the holes and the pellet can be removed
 fthrough the hole or leaving the small pellet inside the clay bead.
Getting the gel out of the bead is not a problem, provide two 
holes, one on each side of the bead, before or after baking, 
destroyed the gel into fine pieces using a skewer. Blow out 
the fine gel pieces through one side of the hole, just like 
blowing the egg white and the yoke out of the egg 
through the hole on one side and out through the other.
The other alternative just leave it to shrink.

Updated on 20/01/10


Shrinkage Rates Of The Gel Bead
 

Crystal Gel Beads documented on 19/ 01/10


Crystal Gel Beads documented on 29/ 01/10


Crystal Gel Beads documented on 01 02/10



Using Ice Crystal Gel For Clay Base


Ice Crystal Gel


Filled the gel in a heat resistant container


Placed the project on the Gel


Baking It for 45 minutes, within a temperature of 150º C (300º F)


After baking removed the project from the base, notice that the 
back is very clean


Completed project


Gel ready to be reuse for the flower vase


Other example, bigger lemon shape bead


More example of Gel Base application


Using Crystal Gel To Create Water/Sea


Selected water absorbed color beads


Smashed the beads with a pallet knife


Refine the gel to smaller pieces


Creating A sail boat with tissue soaked with Deko Gel



Testing the sail boat on Crystal Gel Sea


Example of application a "Tropical Island Diorama"

© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010,  2011, 2012, Garie Sim,  All rights reserved.