The New Clay by Nan Roche

The New Clay; Techniques and Approaches to Jewelry Making

Nan Roche
Publisher: Flower Valley Press 1991

• A classic book that raised the status of polymer clay as an art material in the early 90’s
• Still an excellent resource on caning techniques

In addition to the standard sections on tools and basics, Nan provides a little information about color theory and design. Most of the instructions relate to cane and loaf construction though there are short sections on surface treatments, collage and sculpture.

I frequently refer to the appendix “About Plastics and Hazards” as for many years it was the only reference I could find about the chemical components of polymer clay and what we, as handlers of the material, need to be aware of.

The layout and photography is looking dated when compared to books produced today, but not to the extent that it detracts from the content.  It is interesting to note that Nan’s brother Chris Roche took all the photographs and her mother, Sue Roche capably completed the illustrations, which are bountiful.