Review: Pardo Jewellery Clay
I'll be honest with you. I've had a packet of Peridot-colored Pardo Jewellery Clay sitting on my desk ever since the IPCA Retreat in July, just waiting for me to dig in and try it. Actually it sat on my desk a few weeks, then got demoted to my desk drawer, then to my storage cabinet. I usually enjoy trying out new clays, so even I was surprised when my guild members asked me about it, and I remembered I hadn't even opened the package.
My reluctance to review it here stemmed from two things. First, the cost. The Pardo clay is significantly more expensive than the brands we've already got. Second, I felt that the manufacturer was doing a really poor job with their distribution of the clay. They initially listed a contact person at one U.S. company, but I never got a response despite sending multiple emails. The primary U.S. supplier seemed to be having a hard time getting shipments in to fill her orders. So I didn't feel like it was important to review a product that was overly expensive and difficult for the average clayer to get their hands on.
BUT when I saw that my local Hobby Lobby was now offering it alongside their other polymer clays, I figured I ought to give it a try.
Pardo Clay Overview
In case you haven't heard of it yet, Pardo clay is made by Viva Decor, a company in Germany. They have 70 colors, including many metallics and colors with glitter inclusions. Since it's a jewelry clay, most of their color names are based on precious metals and gemstones. A unique feature about the clay is that it includes beeswax as one of its ingredients. The clay is sold in 2 sizes: a 2.7 oz. jar and a 1.2 oz. mini-pack.Cost
My Hobby Lobby has the 2.7 oz. jar for $4.99 and the 1.2 oz. Mini-Pack for $2.99. (If you don't have Hobby Lobby in your part of the country, you can order the jars from Poly Clay Play for $4.95 plus shipping.) Since Hobby Lobby prices Premo at $2.47 for 2 oz, this means Pardo costs almost twice as much as regular-price Premo clay. (And cheap as I am, I wait for clay sales so I don't have to pay regular price for Premo!) The cost factor by itself puts Pardo out of the running to be my preferred clay brand.
Colors
The range of colors is one of the things they really stress in their advertising, and I have to say I was impressed with what I saw, specifically the metallic colors. I bought a package of Tiger's Eye, and it looked almost like it had several colors of Pearl Ex powders mixed evenly throughout. It gave the clay a real depth and seemed much prettier than Premo's metallic colors. If Tiger's Eye is representative of their other metallics, I can definitely see the appeal.Keep in mind, though, that the local stores are carrying a very limited supply of colors, at least right now. Here's what my Hobby Lobby had available:
- 1.2 oz Mini-Packs (14 Colors):
- Ivory
- Nacre / Mother of Pearl
- Topaz
- Orange Calcite
- Thulit (dark pink)
- Ruby
- Amazonite (green)
- Lapislazuli / Blue Sapphire
- Tiger's Eye
- Agate with Gold Glitter
- Turquoise with Gold Glitter
- Olivine with Gold Glitter
- Lavender Jade with Silver Glitter
- Coral with Gold Glitter
- 2.7 oz Jars (4 Colors)
- Silver
- Gold
- Onyz (black)
- Bronze
Unless local stores start carrying more colors, that means most of the color range is only available online, which adds shipping costs to an already-expensive product.
Packaging
I've seen various opinions about the packaging. The jars and mini-packs are a hard plastic instead of the flimsy wrap we're used to seeing. On one hand, that offers some protection from dust and hair once you've opened a package. On the other hand, that makes multiple packages a little bulkier to store. Some folks are concerned about the plastic taking up landfill space. Granted, the plastic packages are recyclable if your city has a recycling program. Some folks even like the jars for storing other things once the clay is gone (their craft areas obviously have more space left than mine). My thoughts? If I were using this clay as my main brand, the storage would become an issue. But besides that, it doesn't matter much to me one way or the other.While we're talking about packaging, the other thing I've heard people comment on is that it comes in small balls instead of blocks. Some people seem to like that it's easier to measure small portions that way. Some people prefer slicing what they need off a block. Really makes no difference to me.
Conditioning
The Pardo clay is easy to condition straight out of the package. The fact that they package it in small balls may help slightly with that, since it's easy to grab a manageable amount.Workability & Stickiness
This is a very soft clay — I found it much softer straight out of the package than Premo, and maybe even softer than Sculpey III. This was actually my main problem with the clay (besides the price). It distorted easily when I tried cutting with a clay knife. When I tried extruding snakes, they stuck together. And it attracted fingerprints: one would probably need to work with gloves, smooth it down before baking, and/or sand after baking to avoid a fingerprint-covered piece. It just seemed really sticky to me.On the other hand, it was a
A note on the softness: I'm not much of a caner, so I didn't try that. I've read reviews saying it was too soft for caning, and I've read reviews saying people caned with it successfully. From what I've heard, Pardo's manufacturer has teamed up with Lisa Pavelka, and they're considering adding a firmer clay to their line, one more suitable for caning.
Molds & Textures
I tried the Pardo clay in a few of my Amazing Mold Putty molds. While it took detail well, it tended to stick in even the nonstick silicone molds. The clay is not firm enough to pop out like some other clay brands would. Refrigerating a few minutes to firm it up would do the trick.
Spritzing it with water before I used a texture sheet led to good results: the texture sheet didn't stick and the clay got a good impression.
Transfers
I tried a laser toner image transfer and it worked great. The transfer was nice and dark.
Cured Clay
The cured Pardo clay seems very strong. I did the bend test on a deeply-textured sample, bending it nearly in half multiple times at a weak point. I finally got a hairline crack, but it still didn't break.For more on the strength of Pardo clay, watch Lisa Pavelka's demo at CHA (the Pardo demo starts approximately halfway through the clip). To quote one of my parent's old favorites, "You can tie it in a knot. You can tie it in a bow."
Surface Treatments
I tried a variety of surface treatments and didn't notice any problems with any of them. The clay responded as expected to Future floor finish, antiquing with acrylic paints, and using alcohol inks.
Summary
Overall, I think it's a pretty good clay. The metallic colors are gorgeous and have a real depth. It bakes up to a strong clay with a nice finish. Some people will really enjoy using it, and I can see the appeal.
I personally don't like the soft sticky feel it has straight out of the package. Of course, that could be modified by leaching and/or refrigerating it, but I don't really see the point. The clay is almost twice the price of my preferred brand and offers no big benefit. If they were able to bring down the price, I might reconsider. As it is, I might splurge on a packet of one of the metallics now and then for a special project. But for me, the price tag means it's out of consideration for my everyday clay.
Additional Reviews & More Info
- Pardo Polymer Clay Review: About.com's Miniatures Guide Lesley Shepherd reviews Pardo clay as it relates to miniaturists.
- A New Polymer Clay: Martha of Ornamento shares her guild's experience with Pardo based on a CHA sample from Robin Milne.
- Pardo Jewellery Clay From Germany: Tonja's Polyclay Corner has a good review with several examples of work she made from Pardo clay.
- New clay in the Neighbourhood: Naama Zamir reviews Pardo clay, including its usability for caning, sculpting, and texture.
- Testing the New Pardo Jewellery Clay: Garie Sim subjects Pardo to his always-thorough flexibility, tension and translucency tests.
- Pardo Polymer Clay Comments: Poly Clay Play customers share their comments about Pardo clay.
- Pardo Jewellery Clay Colors [PDF]
- Poly Clay Play Pardo store
Comments
i think those people who are worried about the packaging adding plastic to landfills should probably not use polymer at all. it's all plastic. i'm trying to come to terms with it myself. i was actually introduced to polymer by my coworkers at greenpeace. ironic.
Posted by: gerri | September 9, 2009 5:08 PM
Good points, Gerri, and interesting that you learned about polymer clay at Greenpeace.
I know several people who've struggled with the plastic aspect of polymer clay. Personally, I think *most* arts/crafts could be considered non-environmentally-friendly. Scrapbookers buy reams of paper. Painters buy paints and canvas. These supplies wouldn't be manufactured if we didn't create a demand for them. Some, like polymer clay, are less environmentally-friendly than others. But I think if we concentrate on re-using where possible (recycle tin cans or cardboard boxes or packing peanuts as a base), on buying the brands that cause the least damage, and on being conscientious about not wasting supplies, then we're at least on the right path.
Posted by: Angela Mabray | September 9, 2009 5:54 PM
Thanks for the link back :)
Posted by: Tonja Lenderman | September 9, 2009 7:51 PM
I think the landfill issue is more about the waste produced than about the art produced. We intend to throw away packaging. In my city, we can't recycle that type of plastic packaging anyway (only #1,2 or 3 narrow-mouthed jars). I hope not to landfill the artwork that I make with the clay itself; I want to use it and keep it for a long time. So to me there is a difference between the packaging and the art material, even if they are composed of similarly harmful stuff. Also, due to the price and other factors, most people make fairly small things with polymer clay -- even if we do throw away our finished work, it's not like throwing away a couch.
Posted by: Sandy | September 10, 2009 10:17 AM
I saw Pardo in the store and was tempted but put it back because I wanted to know several things before I bought any:
1. Is Pardo a polymer clay? (I now know that it is, but only because I went to their web site after coming home from the store.)
2. Can Pardo be mixed with other polymer clays that cure at the same temperature?
3. Is Pardo flexible, somewhat flexible, or absolutely rigid after curing? (I later found out online that it's somewhat flexible after curing.)
4. Can I used liquid polymer clays on Pardo, QuickMix in Pardo, or Sculpey Clay Softener fluid in Pardo or to join raw and/or cured pieces of Pardo?
5. What can I use as a mold release with Pardo and what cannot be used as a mold release? I've used water, baby powder, and even Amorall to release other polymer clay from molds and texture sheets.
6. Can I use acrylic paints on cured Pardo and will Pearl Ex adhere to Pardo's surface the way it does to other polymer clays?
7. What sealants can be used on Pardo jewelry clay and which cannot?
8. What is the shelf life of this clay and what range of storage temperatures will it tolerate? (A very good question since more and more people are choosing to go without air conditioning, due to the economy.)
9. What glues are to be used with this clay? The same as other polymer clays (two part epoxy and super glue?)?
I want to find the answers to these questions on the packaging! Over the counter medicine bottles often have pages you can open up on their labels. Pardo should do likewise.
Posted by: Karen A. Scofield | September 11, 2009 1:38 PM
Karen, Wow - yeah, they'd definitely need a pull-out label to answer those questions! I kinda understand your point, though. I have felt that frustration, to a lesser extent, about rubber stamp companies not labeling their stamps with angel policy usage information. If you're in the store making a purchasing decision, you want the information then and there... you don't want to have to go back home and do research.
To be fair, though, I don't think there's any way a company could try every combination of available products to see what works for their brand. To me, that's part of the fun of polymer clay being a fairly new medium -- it means I can try things to see what works and what doesn't. If you're not interested in taking risks and experiencing some failure, then yes, it's probably best if you don't buy a new brand of clay. Stick with what's already been tested and documented.
While I think your main point is about the packaging, and not the questions themselves, I'll still give my best shot at answering the ones I know the answers to:
1. (You answered.)
2. Yes, they are advertising that Pardo can be mixed with other clays. I believe this is mentioned on both the Poly Clay Play site and in Lisa Pavelka's demo.
3. (You answered, and I answered in my review... though I would classify it as very flexible.)
4. (Don't know.)
5. As I mentioned in my review, I successfully used a water release.
6. I tried acrylic paints as part of my review, and they worked fine. Haven't tried Pearl Ex.
7. I tried Future successfully. (It did a beautiful job of bringing out the pearl elements in the Tiger's Eye clay.)
8. I agree, storage temps would be nice on the packaging. In Naama Zamir's review, she theorized that the softness was due in part to using the clay in a warm, humid area. It's been extra humid & warm here this week, too, so that could be part of why they clay's too soft for my liking.
9. (Don't know.)
Hope that helps!
Posted by: Angela Mabray | September 11, 2009 2:57 PM
Thanks for your comments, Sandy. Packaging has no enduring purpose like -- one would hope -- art does. It only serves to get the item safely from point A to point B. So it makes sense for it to have as minimal of an environmental impact as possible.
I will note, BTW, that according to Poly Clay Play, the jars are #1 PET plastic, so they might be recyclable even in your city. I didn't see a # on the smaller blister packs, though, and they don't feel like the stuff that's recyclable here.
Posted by: Angela Mabray | September 11, 2009 3:12 PM
I finally found some of this clay! I bought "Lapislazuli" and "Gold" - frankly the colors we had in my Hobby Lobby were almost too bright for me, and I think glitter inclusions is of limited appeal. I can't wait to try it; the part that attracted me was the "flexibility after baking" that I heard it has.
Posted by: Rachel | September 14, 2009 8:41 AM
Rachel, I totally agree about the glitter colors. I'm not a big fan of glitter, especially in my clay. On the other hand, I have (at least) 2 fellow guild members whose favorite colors are the Fimo Effects glitter colors. So apparently some people find it appealing. I just wish Hobby Lobby didn't take up more than 1/4 of their display space catering to *those* people! ;-)
Posted by: Angela Mabray | September 15, 2009 8:25 AM
Oh I like glitter, don't get me wrong, but I want to add the color *I pick* later. ;) And only to parts.
Posted by: Rachel | September 15, 2009 8:27 AM
Oh, so *you're* one of those people. (Just kidding!)
Totally makes sense. Pardo does make a non-glitter version of each of their glitter colors. If Hobby Lobby carried both versions of the colors, it would give folks more options. People could buy both colors and create, say, a sculpture with one part glittery and one part not. Or if they just carried the non-glitter versions of the colors, people could add their own glitter to the parts they want glittery. Carrying only the glitter version limits the options.
Posted by: Angela Mabray | September 15, 2009 8:48 AM
Exactly! Well, maybe later. But I understand that they only have "so much room" to carry clay. Actually last time I went in (Saturday) they had almost zero Sculpey/Premo. (But lots of Bake Shop.) I hope that was only my store and not a trend.
Posted by: Rachel | September 15, 2009 8:51 AM
My Hobby Lobby was very low on Premo both times I visited last week. Of course, they had it on sale for 99 cents per pack, so somebody may have cleaned 'em out before I got there. We had our monthly guild meeting at another local Hobby Lobby on Saturday, and their Premo shelves were nearly bare when we got there... but they re-stocked just before we left (an hour or two before closing time). Made me wonder if maybe they don't re-stock as regularly during the week when it's on sale... if maybe they put a limit on how much they'll sell at the cheap price...?
Someone did tell me that you can get a rain check if they're out of the clay you want when it's on sale, but I haven't tried that process yet.
Posted by: Angela Mabray | September 15, 2009 9:03 AM
Thank You Angela for giving Pardo a review and I understand the points and concerns you have mentioned and I will try my best to answer them the best I can.
1. I am sorry that you were unable to contact me by email, but I never received one from you (I even checked all my folders).
Yes, Pardo is indeed priced slightly higher then other brands, so I am stating some points what makes Pardo different from all other brands:
1. From all brands on the market Pardo is more earth friendly. One of it's ingredients is Natural Beeswax (which is not cheap), it is packaged in PET blisters or jars which are fully recyclable, ODOR FREE, and it also contains premium pigments. And as for me what I really like is: Viva Decor is a Family Business that could purchase easy big filling machines to fill the jars and blisters, but instead even in a time of recession, they employ people that individually pack with love your blister packs and jars. Which means he employs a lot of people instead of sending them to the unemployment line. So if this means that I have to pay a few cents extra to keep someones job, well then that is what I do. And I guess it depends on where you live Premo prices vary: In Philadelphia at AC Moore Premo costs $3.19 and Fimo is $2.79, Sculpy III is $1.79 and Studio is $3.29. The closest Hobby Lobby is 50 miles away, so there is gas, toll etc. So, prices, preferences, and morals being different for each person the choice is always up to the individual.
We had the pleasure to introduce Pardo at the Winter CHA and we gave out a lot of samples and received even greater feedback. Pardo is still growing and everyone's input helps it make a better clay. Improvements are being made and within a short amount of time you should see differences within. Here are just a few to name:
No tackiness, Better consistency for caning, No color shifting, etc.
Unlike other manufacturers Viva Decor listens.
On the other hand Pardo has the most translucent clay (Agate), which is even more translucent then Premo FROST.
Now to the other questions asked:
1. Is Pardo a polymer clay? (I now know that it is, but only because I went to their web site after coming home from the store.) Well, there goes your answer: YES..lol
2. Can Pardo be mixed with other polymer clays that cure at the same temperature? Absolutly, it is mixable with all brands.
3. Is Pardo flexible, somewhat flexible, or absolutely rigid after curing? (I later found out online that it's somewhat flexible after curing.) It is the strongest and most flexible polymer clay out on the market (not my words, Lisa Pavelka said that).
4. Can I used liquid polymer clays on Pardo, QuickMix in Pardo, or Sculpey Clay Softener fluid in Pardo or to join raw and/or cured pieces of Pardo? Ok, liquid polymer clay yes, not sure what quick mix is or it's purpose (please explain), why would you want to use a softener for Pardo? It is already soft. You can join raw clay onto baked Pardo and bake it again. Or glue them with Viva's Glue A Jewel.
5. What can I use as a mold release with Pardo and what cannot be used as a mold release? I've used water, baby powder, and even Amorall to release other polymer clay from molds and texture sheets. You can use Armor All, Son Of a Gun or water. I am not sure on the baby powder I haven't tried that.
6. Can I use acrylic paints on cured Pardo and will Pearl Ex adhere to Pardo's surface the way it does to other polymer clays? Yes you can to both. And you could also try Precious Metal Colors which are beautiful liquid paints (Margot Potter and Rebecca Peck said they look like a liquid Pearl Ex), thos can be used before or after baking and will not chip no sealing needed.
7. What sealants can be used on Pardo jewelry clay and which cannot? I have tried different polymer clay sealants that I could find in the stores and they all worked.
8. What is the shelf life of this clay and what range of storage temperatures will it tolerate? (A very good question since more and more people are choosing to go without air conditioning, due to the economy.)2 years with optimal conditions (33F-110F), all clays start to bake at 140F, but I never been in a house that hot. And it would have to be exposed to 140F for several hours to start baking. You might don't want to freeze it for a few days either.
9. What glues are to be used with this clay? The same as other polymer clays (two part epoxy and super glue?)? You could, Viva also has the Glue A Jewel, which doesn't smell and is stronger once dry. But it takes longer to dry then both.
I want to find the answers to these questions on the packaging! Over the counter medicine bottles often have pages you can open up on their labels. Pardo should do likewise.
Excellent ideas I will pass it along to Viva!
I hope I was a bit of help, and Angela you have now my correct email, email me with any additional questions that you may have or if I can be of better assistance to you.
Thanks!
Christina
Posted by: Christina Williams | September 18, 2009 8:43 AM
Thanks so much, Christina, for answering my questions & the other commenters' questions. It's always nice to have answers directly from the clay manufacturer! I especially appreciate the recycling info on the blister packs, the info about hand-packing the clay (wow!), and the sneak peek at the changes that are coming. I'll look forward to giving it another try at that time.
And just to clarify, the emails I sent were probably sent 6 months ago & were not sent to Viva Decor, but to a screen print supply company that was listed as the U.S. contact at the time. I will definitely use your email address if I have any questions going forward. Thanks!
Posted by: Angela Mabray | September 18, 2009 9:25 AM
You are very welcome! I think I can also say that we have a Pardo Contest coming up where we will display all created items at the upcoming Winter CHA. We will announce the Winners at CHA as well. The details are still being worked out, but there will be 3 categories which you can enter, or you can enter in all three (Jewelry, Home Decor and Paper Craft all made with Pardo).
Posted by: Christina Williams | September 18, 2009 2:33 PM
Does Rust-oleum Varathane work with pardo jewelry clay? I've read lots of good reviews on it for polymer clay jewelry, and was wondering if it'd react different because of the beeswax.
Posted by: Kayla | March 19, 2012 12:06 PM
Kayla, Sorry for the delay in responding... I haven't personally tried Rust-oleum Varathane & Pardo. In the Viva representative's comments above, her response to question #7 says she "tried different polymer clay sealants that I could find in the stores and they all worked." Granted the reaction sometimes occurs months after it's applied. I'd just have to recommend testing a piece, leaving it someplace safe & checking it a long time from now. Wish I could be more helpful!
Posted by: Angela M. | July 2, 2012 2:15 AM