Polymer Clay Tips and Tricks Lesson #3: Cooking

This is the most important of all the tips I will have in this scratch the surface tips on Polymer crafting.  If you don't cook your clay just right... even if it seems good the first week, it will slowly decompose from the inside out until all you have is a crumbly nub of what used to be a fantastic charm.  How many have I cried over?  Too many.  There are no words.

So, let's fix that, and learn how to cook a perfectly cured polymer clay craft.  Phew that was a mouth full.

It's simple. The right temperature...
It was very easy for my toaster oven to temp fluctuate.  I have burned and under cooked many a project.  I've also left a horrible shiny spots on the base of my creations from where they touched the pan/ tile I cooked them on. The amount if time I cook them and how they cool matter very much.

Step #1
Containment:
What should you cook your charms in or on?
I like using casters/ loaf pans with silicon sauce bowls inside and strips of paper on top.  Then I put my charms on the paper and seal it with foil.  I know it sounds contrived but, I've found it to be the best way.  The paper helps float the charms in the bowl and free of shiny spots.  The silicon also helps with a few things, especially keeping the paper in a hammock like state to lay the charm on.  You will see the other use for the silicon later.
Sealing the charms in with aluminum is the only way I haven't burned my charms.  But, they still darken greatly.

Step #2
Temperature and cook time:
How long and at what temperature should you cook your charms?
Convection ovens are preferred.
I cook for 1.5 hours at 275 degrees and I leave it in the the oven to cool.  It is a heck of a duration and  it is worth every extra second. I used to think that Premo might have a bit of bend and that it's totally normal, but, I now disagree.  I want my charm hard as a rock. It will definitely not break.  So, that 20-30 minute cook time for every 1/4 inch thick charm will probably break if cooked in theat short a time frame.  But, if you cook for the 1.5 and leave it to cool, it seems to hold up perfectly.  It also seems good with Scupley III, from what I can tell, if it's a thicker object but, the color definitely gets darker.  Adding a little white can help with that. Also going a little lighter than you want the color to be is good too.  That way, it comes out about the color you originally wanted when the cooking process is complete.
Small note, Fimo didn't hold up very well in this cooking process.  It practically burnt, it darkens so much, and it ripped apart like it was a piece of bread.  So, I think I am going to stay away from Fimo for now.

That is literally all there is to the cooking.  You will have to modify the time based on the size but as long as it's sealed in and on paper, you should be all set!