MollieM - I've done that sort of - mixing the mica powders into trans.  What you end up with is similar to just mixing a teeny bit of mica CLAY into trans.  You can sand and buff and it will be shiny, but not the kind of shiny you want.  It WILL be reflective shiny if you glaze, but it will NOT be metallic shiny.  Mica powder will tint the trans, but since the trans isn't inherently metalic that's not the finish you will get. 

I am still looking for a Matte finish that I like...where I use so much powder, I cannot sand...I have tried Sculpey satin and Krylon Matte spray..but I am not impressed with either...the beads for the swap are entirely covered in powder ( have never gone this far before with the powders) so I am using Future only...no TT...they look..hmmm..."okay".

I finally found a matte finish I like...I used it on a bead that...well let's say it isn't going to be in my swap group...so the whole bead is covered with powders....I applied DecoArt DuraClear varnish (matte) and what a difference!  The colors are not shiny one bit except the middle which is bronze metallic...the other colors must have mixed some...very muted.

Fenian, I'm glad you found something that's working for you. DecoArt makes Triple Thick (the kind in a jar). 

Linelle I saw the TT except it wasn't in a jar but in one of those bottles like acrylic paints come in...this matte stuff came in the same. They have quite a few other  finishes as well...I may try these someday...you just never know

Fenian, I lied about the jar. It's in a plastic bottle with a flip-top spout. I don't know if acrylic paints come that way. TT isn't right for everything, but it can make a truly wondrous glass-like surface on a flat pendant. 

well I just learned that if you have powder on the clay and put another layer of a different color on top, the top layer comes right off after baking. Wasted alot to learn that one.

I am going to try another experiment with one of my "duds"....when I apply Future to a piece covered with powders...they really don't bleed into each other much at all but when I used the matte finish this happened and the colors were not as bright as I would like...very dull...so I am going to apply future ...then a coat of matte and see what happens.

Dang, LCD. I coulda told you that. Some people use mica powders as a resist. I wouldn't...too messy and waste-y, but, yeah, it kinda repels clay.

okay, for the long weekend my homework is to practice making sense when I write a post. I will not leave out words, I will not leave out words, I will not leave out words. I       not      words.  I came back and read your reply and thought, "what the heck is she talking about?" Then I reread my posts and it doesnt say what I meant. What I was trying to say is, I put one coat of pearl ex on raw clay. Then I put another color of pearl ex over some spots of the first pearl ex. Then I baked it. The second application of peal ex came off when I futured it, leaving only the first color on the clay. Soooooo....how do I get a two-toned effect?

the micas will not stick to each other, so once you put a color on the clay you can't really cover it up with another color too effectively. in order to get a 2-toned effect, dab the first color on sparingly, so that lots of the raw clay still shows through. then go over it again with the second color focusing on the parts that got missed the first time. it works - I've done it! 

Thanx Sparky! I should not only learn to make senseable sentences but to ask first before I go playing around with something I know nothing about!

Just wanted to give an update:

I think using Kato clay has made a huge difference!

I've made several batches of mica powder covered spacer beads. Every time but one I've used Premo black as my base clay (I tend to stick with Premo). I've tried both Perfect Pearls and PearlEx, both applied with my finger and with a brush, and find that generally too much powder rubs off after baking. Even PP, which claims to not rub off, thanks to the resin it contains. Now, sometimes the effect is okay, sort of a distressed look. I realize I could seal these beads, but I really don't want the hassle or even the look.

Anyway...last night I ran the experiment again, but this time using Kato black. I applied PP (7 different colors) with the small brush provided and baked at 275 for 30 minutes. I just left them in the oven and went to bed. This morning I rubbed them all with a paper towel. A trace of color comes off onto the towel, but none of it came off the beads completely. I think the metallics stayed on even better than the jewel colors.

So, yeah, not all clays are the same. When I plan to use powders as a surface treatment, I'll try to remember to use Kato clay. 

Gonna have to get myself some of  that kato clay...I have never used it.

Fenian, Kato clay seems more plastic-y to me, even the smell. I think it's a little more sheeny after it's been cured. Also, I find it tends to stick a bit to the pasta machine rollers, esp. the translucent. And, it's harder to sand. I made a pendant of thin layers of black and red. The red happened to be Kato and the design needed to sand down through it in places to reveal a layer of black underneath. It didn't work out as planned.

Anyway, not all projects and techniques are the same. I guess you use the material/tool that's right for the job. As far as holding mica powder to the surface, Kato seems to do a really good job. 

Oh..okay then perhaps I won't get it as I have to buy it online anyway.  I am having a "challenge" right now with one of my swap beads...there was a pretty significant line right across the middle ( gawd knows where that came from!)..so I do what I usually don't do..I sanded it...trying to cover that area with powder is a pain...I have used Future mixed with the powder several times..let it sit..but when I go to put more Future on..the powder just comes off....it would be much easier to just make another bead but I am sooo stubborn!  I guess I will try some liquid Sculpey next.....

Have any of you tried the watercolor pearlex? I stopped by Polymer Clay Express again (is it becoming apparent that I'm addicted to experimental techniques) and picked up some watercolor pearlex and the same stuff (different colors of course) from another company. They come in what looks like a watercolor tray with the little circles, but the actual material looks more like super shimmery Revlon creme eyeshaddows. If you've played with this, what did you think? I have a whole stack of stuff to experiment with now ... I also got every sealer I could get my hands on and am going to run a test to see which sealer I like better (plain and over mica powders). Do you have to wait after curing polymer clay before sealing? Do you sand before you seal? Thanks!!!

Ooooh, watercolor PearlEx! I've never heard of that before. Love those Jacquard products! You'll have to tell us all about your experiments.

Do you have to wait after curing polymer clay before sealing? Do you sand before you seal?

I always wait until my stuff cools down (and I've had time to ponder what to do next), but I've read that sealing while your work is still hot gives a matte finish and sinks in more. I don't always sand before I seal, because the surface may not need or take it, e.g., mica powders. Mostly what I've sealed hasn't first been sanded because I'm lazy and don't like to sand, but want a shiny finish. I suppose if you get a less than smooth finish with a sealer, like bubbles or uneven surface, you might sand and then seal again.

I'm guessing Glass Attic has a million things to say about this.  

 Do you have to wait after curing polymer clay before sealing? Do you sand before you seal?  

Generally clayers do wait till after curing to seal polymer clay if they're going to seal, but some clayers have also sealed before curing --sometimes when using metallic powders/etc., sometimes not.

If you want till after curing, sealer is usually applied when the clay is cool for the highest gloss, but Future can be applied while bare clay is still hot/warm and in that case it will sink down into the clay a lot more and leave more of a sheen than a gloss on it --more layers can be added after cooling though too.

 As for sanding, generally sanding is done before sealing, but some clayers who want a really refined look may sand then seal, then sand (the sealer) and seal again (sometimes several times).  Sometimes the thickness of the sealer makes a difference too, or anything that may be underneath it since it wouldn't be good to sand some of that off.

Diane B.

Here are some of the spacer beads I covered with Perfect Pearls. Just to get an idea, I strung them temporarily with some glass beads in between. I'd originally planned for them to just act as spacers between other beads, but I kinda like the look of them. No sealer.