Step 1. Prepare the Colors

I start by preparing the colors I’m going to use. To soften the clay, I knead it with my fingers. Since this first earring is going to be in the shape of an Arteza pencil, it’s going to be important to show all the details, so I need the clay to be soft and pliable.

If you don’t have the color you need, it’s not a problem—you can mix it. This clay has a very soft texture that even children find easy to use. To get a new color, knead the two colors you’re mixing to a smooth consistency. Then smash them together, adding each color gradually and checking as you continue adding colors until you achieve the desired shade.

Here are the colors I use for each element of the pencil:

• Since the pencil lead is almost black, I add a little gray to get a more realistic color. Then, I roll it into a ball and set it aside.
• Imitating wood is more complex, so I mix beige, gray, purple and yellow into a larger ball than the pencil’s lead.
• To make my pencil look even more natural, I need that thin light layer between the wood and the yellow painted barrel. To get the right shade for this, I combine white with gray and beige.
• The last layer is the yellow painted barrel. This color also consists of several shades. I mix dark yellow with brown, gray, red and purple.
• For the eraser, I combine pink, purple and gray. I use white to attach the eraser to the pencil.

TIP: Try to keep your surface as clean as you can while working. If dust or microparticles get into the clay, they will be visible once baked.

Step 2. Roll the Clay

Before rolling, I place paper over my table. Since the clay won’t stick to the paper, it makes it easier to remove once it’s flattened. 

I start by rolling the pencil’s lead into a thin rod. 

Next, I roll out the clay prepared for the wood into a rectangular pancake. I place the rod of pencil lead inside the wood and roll it up into one cylinder.

I do the same with the white layer, but make it much thinner. 

The last layer is the yellow barrel, which I roll into a rectangle and then wrap around all the other layers. 

TIP: If you find that the resulting roll is thicker than you want, just roll it into the desired thickness. You can even divide it into several parts and then use your fingers to roll it into a thinner roll.

Step 3. Chill the Clay

Now, I put the pencil into the freezer. Freezing gives polymer clay a denser texture, making it easier to make accurate cuts. It can be in the freezer for an hour or more. Once out of the freezer, the clay will heat up quickly, so I immediately carve the lead’s point with a clay knife.

Step 4. Add the Eraser

I make the eraser the same thickness as the pencil. Next, I roll out a small and thin white rectangle that I will use to attach the eraser to the pencil by wrapping it around the base of the eraser. I do this using another sculpting tool. After it’s attached, I apply some texture with the tool to make it look more realistic. For fun, I imitate the logo with tiny black strips. 

Step 5. Insert the Wire

With a little pressure, being careful not to change the pencil’s shape, I insert the earring’s wire.

TIP: To avoid losing your pencil’s form, you can put in the freezer for another 1-2 hours before inserting the earring’s hook.

Step 6. Bake the Clay

I place my finished pencil, with the inserted earring hook, into the oven for 10-15 minutes at about 375° F. Since oven temperatures vary, keep a close eye while baking polymer clay to prevent it from burning. 

After you take it out of the oven, allow it to cool and it’s ready to wear!

Step 7. Make the Second Earring

The steps to create the paint tube earring are the same as those for the pencil, only this time you will match the colors and details to the paint tube. I recommend using an actual tube of paint as a reference. With the tube in front of you, it’s easier to see the proportions and shape. 

When decorating the tube with small elements, such as the logo, I press them with my finger or tweezers.