My favourite most versatile clay is Fimo Classic which can be used for millefiori, bead-making, sculpting, pins & brooches.  Very durable, flexible, great colour palette and easy to mix to produce an unlimited range of colours.  The new formulation is much softer than the old one, and is fairly quick to condition.  Canes made with Fimo Classic last a long time (I have canes which are still usable from 3 years ago!).
 我最喜欢的软陶泥品牌是德国的  FIMO 经典系列。它可以用来做珠子，雕塑，头饰跟胸针。 用这种软陶泥非常耐用，造型容易，拥有很亮丽的色彩，通过不同颜色的自由混合可以创造出无限的色彩来。Fimo 经典系列的新款比旧款更家柔软，成型更加迅速。这个牌子的软陶泥保质期很长。（三年前的这种软陶泥，我现在还能用）

Fimo Soft is a softer version of the Classic and is quicker to condition, and can also be used for all of the above purposes.  Comes in a wide range of colours with a range of Fluorescent, Transparent & Metallic Colours.  I have found that canes made with Soft do not however last as long as those made with Classic.  You can mix the clays together quite successfully.
 Fimo Soft是比Fimo经典系列更加柔软的一种，而且也更容易成型的软陶泥，能够用于以上所有的用途，他还有一系列各种色系的夜光型软陶泥，透明型软陶泥，金属色软陶泥。但是这种软陶泥不象经典系列那样可以存放很久。它们混合起来非常方便快捷。

Premo Polymer Clay is an American brand of clay which also is great for mixing colours, for millefiori, sculpting, and is extra strong and durable.  Very easy to condition.  Great for brooch backs where strength is required.  Comes in a great range of artists colours and metallic shades which produce amazing 'mica effects'.  Please note however that the metallic colours do not cane like regular colours because of this mica shift property.
 Premo是美国的一个软陶泥品牌，混色方便，成型容易，可以用来做彩珠，雕塑等，这个牌子的软陶泥更具韧性，也更加持久。特别适合用来做胸花，胸针这类需要较强硬度的饰品。Premo有丰富的艺术色彩系列可供选择，和特有的金属色，这些金属色跟普通的混合后能产生漂亮的“云母石效果”。请注意，这种金属色彩的效果跟普通的软陶条呈现的色彩效果有一定差别，主要是因为里面云母改变的特殊特性。

Mica Effects: (A short explanation) The shiny property of metallic clays are flat pieces of mica.  When you roll the clay through the pasta machine a few times the mica particles all line up the same direction so that the flat surface will be very shiny.  However if you cut the sheet you will notice that the cross-section will be a much duller dark colour of gold (not shiny).  This property can be used for great effects - canes can be made using the dark and shiny properties to make patterns which can be then sliced into beads or used as veneers etc.  For more information on Mica Shift check out Mike Buessler's work and other information available on-line and in books (or do one of my workshops!)
 云母效果：（一个小解释）金属色软陶泥带有小小闪亮的特性是由于里面含有一层层的云母。当你把软陶泥放进擀泥机， 擀数次后，云母颗粒就会按照一样的顺序跟方向排列，这样，很平的软陶泥表面就会呈现有闪亮的颗粒效果。不过，如果你切开这样的软陶泥长片，就会发现切面部分的金属色会很深，而且没有了闪光的效果。这种特性可以做出很好的效果—利用这种深色跟闪亮的特性制成的软陶泥条，可以制成特有的图案，切这样的软陶泥条可以得到含有这种图案的软陶泥薄片，这些薄片能够被用来做珠子的表面装饰贴材或者其它装饰贴材。更多的关于云母片的内容请参看Mike Buessler's work 和其它网上或相关书籍提供的信息，或者到我的工作室来做一个试试。

Sculpey III is the softest brand of Polymer Clay and can be used almost out of the packet and comes in a great range of colours which can be mixed with other brands.  When baked Sculpey has a more matte finish but can be polished to a high shine if required.  Can be used for Millefiori, but not so good if extra crisp design lines are required.
 Sculpey III是软陶泥家族中材料性质最软的一种，开包即可直接使用，不需要搓揉变软。它也有很广的色系颜色可供选择，而且能够与其它牌子的软陶泥混合。烘烤后的成品呈现亚光的效果，但如果需要，它也可以被抛光而获得很光亮的效果。它能被用来做珠子，但是如果要求更硬脆的效果，它并不是太适合。

Liquid Polymer Clays:  Both Fimo (Fimo Gel) & Sculpey (Translucent Liquid Sculpey) make Liquid Polymer Clay which has a huge variety of uses:  Image Transfer, Adhesive (great for adhering baked clay to baked or unbaked clay - then baked again), Coloured as a filler for polymer mosaics or for 3-D effects, a surface covering to protect transfers or fragile images - can be polished to a high shine after baking also. 

液态软陶：Fimo (Fimo 凝胶) 和 Sculpey(半透明的液态 Sculpey) 这两种软陶液有很广泛的用途：图像转映。粘性的，（非常适合将烘烤过的软陶跟其他烘烤过的或是尚未烘烤过的软陶粘和）彩色的凝胶可作为软陶马赛克的填充材料而得到三维的效果，或是刷在成品表面用来保护转映上去的图案，或者用来保护易碎的图像块。在烘烤完后，也能可以抛光从而获得光亮的表面效果。

Pasta Machine:  A good quality, Italian made Pasta machine (Atlas, Imperial or Mercato brands are best) is my most indispensable tool - used to help with conditioning clay, mixing colours, producing "Skinner Blends" (shaded sheets of clay), rolling even thickness sheets of different sizes, for creating fine striped loaves.  I couldn't work without this!  Link for Pasta Machine - Click here
 撵泥机：一个高质量的意大利撵泥机我最不可获缺的工具。 Atlas, Imperial or Mercato这三个牌子是我最喜欢的撵泥机牌子。撵泥机可以帮助你把软陶泥变的柔软而易于成型，它也可用来混色，或者制成很薄很薄的混色片。把不同大小甚至很厚的软陶泥片卷起来，制成色彩过渡细腻的彩条的彩陶配件。没有了撵泥机，我是无法工作的。

Tip:  Keep your pasta machine clean by wiping with alcohol regularly to clean, and removing built up clay from inside machine.  Do not however take machine apart!  I use cotton buds, and a needle tool with a alcohol drenched small cloth to poke up inside machine to clean.
 小窍门：经常用酒精擦拭你的撵泥机，使他保持清洁，把里面残存的软陶泥及时清理出来。无论如何都不要将撵泥机拆开清洗，使用棉球或是长针上裹一块棉布，蘸点酒精仔细清洗撵泥机内部。

Pasta Machine Motor:
Motors are available which fit to the pasta machines - these take the hard work out of rolling clay, and great for people with arthritis or shoulder injuries.  I did without this for about 8 years, but since having one I would not want to go without it again!
 撵泥机可以装上适合它的发动装置，这样就可以省的用手去操作，很节省气力，特别适合换有关节炎的人使用。我使用手动的撵泥机有八年了，但自从我换上了带有发动机的撵泥机后我就再也离不开他了！

Tissue Slicing Blades:
Essential for cleanly slicing clay - especially for slicing canes into beads or thin slices.  Plasticiser builds up on blade after use, so wipe with Isopropyl Alcohol, or a 'Wet One' between uses.  Blades last longer if kept clean, and oiling lightly after use helps prevent rust build-up.

切割软泥棒的必需工具，特别是用来切薄片装饰珠子的表面。使用后要用酒精或者“wet one
”将残留在刀片上的黏着物去掉。保持刀片的清洁可以延长刀片的使用寿命，再使用后用油来保养可以保持刀片的锋利。

Types: 
Thomas Scientific Tissue Slicing Blade - a super sharp blade made for laboratory dissection.  Is somewhat flexible so can be used to cut gentle curves.  Tip:  Paint with nailpolish on top edge to help prevent cutting with blade upside down and causing damage to yourself!
Stainless Steel Tissue Blades - Similar to the basic blades but made from Stainless steel which lasts approx. 3 times longer than the Thomas type which does rust over time.  eg. Kemper, Nu-Blade
Flexible Tissue Blades - similar to above, but a bit longer and a bit more flexible for sharper curves.   eg.  Nu-Blade or Sculpey Super Slicers
Ripple blades  - also available which can be used to create special effects, eg. Great for Mokume Gane slicing
Link for Tissue Blades - Click here
 Thomas Scientific Tissue Slicing 刀片——一种非常锋利在实验室使用的解剖刀。它非常有弹性，可以用切割富有柔和的曲线形。
小窍门：用指甲油涂抹刀片的一边，可以方便你做切割的工作，而避免你的手受到损伤。
Stainless Steel Tissue 不锈钢刀片——与普通的刀片很象，不过是使用的不锈钢材料，这种刀片大概是Thomas Scientific Tissue Slicing 刀片的三倍长，不会生锈。例如：  Kemper, Nu-Blade
Flexible Tissue Blades 弹性刀片—跟上面的两种很近似，但是它更长更有弹性，适合锐化曲线。 例如： Nu-Blade or Sculpey Super Slicers
Ripple blades 波纹刀—— 仅用来创造特殊效果。例如： Great for Mokume Gane slicing

Other Handy Tools:
Brayers:  Acrylic/Perspex Brayers are best as clay doesn't stick to them.  A cut piece of tube is great for general rolling of clay sheets, compressing layers together, and to assist when reducing larger square shaped canes.  Link for Brayers - Click here
 滚筒： Acrylic/Perspex牌子的滚筒非常好，使用起来不会粘到软陶泥上。滚筒的粗细正好适合将陶泥擀成片，或者将好几层泥片压合，帮助减少大方形的软泥条。

Work Surface:  I use a sheet of clear acrylic under which I put a large sheet of graph paper which guides me when cutting canes or sheets of clay to size.  You can also use a laminated  board, marble or glass surface.   Some people even use paper taped to the table!
 工作面板：我使用一张丙烯酸材料的垫板，在其下我放了一大张坐标纸，它可以帮助我按照切割软陶泥。你也可以使用复合面板，大理石面板或者玻璃面板。一些人甚至用纸贴在桌上。

Needle Tool: 钢针
I use this tool for poking holes in beads before baking - insert into bead with a spinning motion.  You can make one for yourself by embedding a darning needle into a piece of clay and baking it.  Link for Needle Tool - Click here
 我用它在烘烤前给株子穿孔。将钢针穿进珠子并来回转圈。你可以用大点的缝衣针自己做一个穿孔的钢针工具。只需在长的缝衣针的一头包裹好一段软陶泥然后烘烤成型即可。

Hand-Drill:  I have a small wooden handle double-ended drill which I use for drilling 1-2mm holes in baked beads
 手动打孔器：我有一个小的双头手动打孔器，我用这个在烘好的珠子上穿1-2毫米的孔。

Pin-Vise:  This is a small hand-held manual drill vise which holds a variety of small diameter drill bits - use for drilling tiny holes in baked polymer.  Link for Pin-Vise Drill - Click here
 尖嘴钳：这是一个小的手动钳子，它可以用来夹住小直径的打孔零件，打出很细的孔来。

Dremel Minimite Drill:  If you're going to get serious about bead-making or polymer clay you may want to invest in one of these small drills.  I use mine for drilling holes in baked beads.  A drill press also allows you to stand the drill upside down leaving hands free to hold the bead or piece as you drill with greater control and safety.  Note:  Use safety glasses & mask when drilling.
 迷你小打孔器：如果你主要想做陶珠，你可能要买一个这种迷你的小打孔器，他可以直接把烤好的柱子放在上面，而不需要你用手拿着珠子，就可给珠子穿孔，操作方便，安全。

Variable Speed Buffing Wheel:  Another luxury for the serious clayer.  Used at low speed with a soft muslin buffing wheel, brings up a high gloss on polymer clay pieces.  It is best to hand-polish piece first using wet-dry sandpaper starting at 400grit and moving to 600, 800, and even 1000 before buffing.  The Foredom Variable speed buffing wheel is very good, and is available from some jewellers tool suppliers.  Note:  Use good quality dust mask and safety glasses when drilling, and beware of flying clay objects when buffing!
 多速打磨轮：软陶爱好者的另一样奢侈品。用棉布低速（用打磨轮）打磨，可以给软陶带来很亮的光泽。最好是先用湿干两用砂纸，依次用400grit,600grit,800grit的打磨完后再换到用打磨轮打。 Foredom 这种打磨轮非常好用，你可以在一些珠宝工具店里买到。

Cookie & Canape Cutters:  Lots of different sets are available from specialty cooking shops which can be used for cutting shapes from clay.  (One use is a short-cut when making a Star Cane - cut lots of stars using a star cutter, stack and compress, then do the same with the background colour, and cut one side open to insert the centre star shape)  Kemper Brand cutters are also useful - they make a range of different size cutters with plungers to help remove clay plug.  Link for Cutters - Click here各种模具：你可以到当地的饼干店里买到各种样子的饼干模具用来切割软陶。（例如要做一个星形的软陶棍，可以用星形的模具切下多个星形的胚子，将他们叠在一起压合，在另一个用来做背景的陶泥上用同样的方法切出星形镂空的胚子，再把他们叠合在一起，然后切开一边把先前做好的星形胚子放入再封口即成。）
推荐使用 Kemper 这个牌子的模具，它们提供各种尺寸的模型，还带有一个类似活塞的推桶，帮住把软陶泥退出。

Different brands of Polymer Clay vary with how much conditioning they need before using.  However, my rule is never use straight out of the packet without first conditioning until the clay is soft and smooth. 
 不同牌子的软陶泥在使用前需要不同程度的揉捏回软。我的原则是，决不直接使用刚开包的陶泥，一定要把陶泥撮软撮光滑后再使用。

If you are using Fimo Classic, then this one needs more conditioning than most of the others, condition by hand by rolling it into a ball, then into a snake, folding it up and repeating until clay is able to be folded easily without cracking or breaking at all.
 如果你使用 Fimo Classic这个牌子的软陶泥，就需要多揉搓它，你可以用手将它揉成球，然后再撮成长条，折叠再揉，反复数次，直到陶泥柔软得可以轻易折叠，一点也不会开列断掉为止。

If you use large quantities of clay, you can invest in a food chopper or processor which can assist with conditioning clay - cut clay into approx. 1cm blocks and buzz for approx. 1 min or until clay looks like cottage cheese.  Tip out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, gather up into a ball and compress, use brayer or roller to flatten into a pancake which is thin enough to go through the pasta machine (if you have one!) on the widest setting.
  如果你用的是很大量的陶泥，你可以买一个食物processor（美国到处都是，我不知道中文怎么翻译，就是用来切菜的东西）来帮助你整理陶泥。把陶泥切成大约一厘米左右的块，直到它看上去像cottage奶酪（这种奶酪很软）。然后把它们拿出来放进塑料袋，滚成一个球在压它，用滚筒把他擀成一块很薄的皮，可以直接通过撵泥机即可。

Sometimes clay may become too soft, in which case you can let it sit for a while to firm up, put in the refrigerator, or if just far too soft, roll into a sheet and put between two layers of absorbent baking paper to leach out some of the plasticisers (overnight is best).
  有时，陶泥会变得很软，不便于操作，你可以把陶泥丢在一边放一会让它稍稍变硬，或者把它放进冰箱。如果还是太软，就把它擀成片，在两层中放如能吸油的烤盘纸，把一些塑料的溶剂吸出来。（隔夜效果最好）

For Fimo Soft, Premo & Sculpey III, less conditioning is required, but still mix to a smooth soft consistency either by hand or using a pasta machine to assist.
 对于 Fimo Soft, Premo & Sculpey III这个牌子的软陶泥，使用前几乎用不着怎么揉搓，但是还是需要用手或用撵泥机把它弄光滑使它具有好的延展性。

Storing Clay:  软陶泥的储存：
Conditioned clay can be stored for a long time in cool conditions - some people store it in wads or balls, but I roll mine into sheets using the pasta machine and store flat in layers in a drawer with baking paper between each layer.  When you go to use it again, it takes just a few passes through the pasta machine to re-condition it again.

已经使用过的陶泥可以在低温的环境下存放很长一段时间，一些人把它存放在密封罐中，但是我通常都是把剩下的陶泥用撵泥机擀成片，在每层间放上烤盘纸，在放进抽屉里。当你想要再使用它时，只需放进撵泥机来回几次就可以了。

Colours can be used directly as they come from the packages, however the only colours I ever use like that are white and black.
I believe that mixing the colours is so much fun and the shades you obtain are much more interesting and subtle than those in the packages.
Here is a link which gives lots of advice on blending colours: http://www.sculpey.com/sculpey401.htm#color
 我们可以直接用软陶泥的原色。但是只有白色跟黑色是我直接用过的颜色。我觉得混色是非常有趣的事情，你得到的渐变色会比你从包装里直接拿出来的颜色要有趣跟微妙的多。这里有个链接可以给你很多关于混色方面的指导。

It is helpful to obtain a colour-wheel to assist with learning to mix colours, and then to create yourself a palette of colours of the rainbow by mixing together three primary colours (red, blue & yellow).  It doesn't matter which brand or shade of these primaries you use - can be a Gold instead of Yellow, can be a Deep Red for the Red, or a Turquoise for the Blue.  The primaries you choose will determine how the colours will mix together.  Keep small baked samples of colours you create and like - write the recipe on the sample and keep in a tin or make a hole in it and thread onto a cord to keep for reference.
 色盘可以很好的帮助你学到混色的方法，这样你就可以用三原色（红蓝黄）创造出你自己的彩虹色系。使用什么牌子的软陶并不重要，你可以用金色代替黄色，深红代替大红，或者青色代替蓝色。你选择的原色将会决定混合后的颜色。留下小的烤好的你喜欢的色彩的软陶作为样品，在样品上写下它的配方，然后把它放进罐子，或者在上面戳个洞，用绳子把他们都穿起来作为以后的参考。

Tip:  When mixing colours I always add some white or pearl to most colours (approx. 1/8).  This helps to counteract the tendency for colours to darken when baked, and keeps the finished clay piece vibrant.  Silver or a Translucent can also be added for this purpose.  No need to add it to very opaque colours such as black or champagne (beige) however.
 小窍门：当混色时，我总是喜欢加点白色或珍珠色，大概是所有颜色的1/8的量。因为烘烤后颜色一般会比烘烤前深，加入这些可以抵消一些这样的差异。而且可以保持色彩的光亮。根据用途，你也可以加入银色跟半透明色，但不要把它们加进不透明的颜色中，像黑色，香槟色，米色等等。

Skinner Blend:  This is a wonderful and indispensible technique developed by Judith Skinner which enables you to make a shaded sheet of clay using the pasta machine which creates graduated colours from light to dark or the colours of the rainbow.  Also great using Premo or Fimo metallic clays!  For a lesson on this technique click here:  这是由 Judith Skinner 创造的非常棒的技巧，它可以让你用撵泥机把一个多层的软陶泥变成具有从深到浅或者有彩虹色系渐变色彩的泥片。教程见这个链接
http://www.sculpey.com/sculpey401b.htm

Gold & Silver Sculpey or Premo Metallics mixed in equal parts
 Sculpey的 金银两色 或者 Premo Metallics以等量混合。

Great metallic green colours can be made by mixing any green with some metallic gold (Premo or Sculpey III)
 Great metallic的绿色可以用任何牌子的绿色跟一些金属金（ Premo or Sculpey III ）混合制成。

Black & Pearl make a nice Anthracite Colour.
 黑色加上珍珠色可以制成漂亮的煤烟色

Add some fluorescent colour to the base colour to increase the brightness, (ie. add Fluoro Pink to Purple, Fluoro Yellow to Green, Fluoro Red or Pink to Red)
 加一些荧光色到普通色的陶泥中可以增加亮度（例如，加荧光粉到紫色，加荧光黄到绿色，加荧光红到粉色或是红色）

Silver Premo or Sculpey with a tiny piece of Violet added for a beautiful silver mauve
 银色加上一点紫罗兰可以创造出非常漂亮的浅紫色。

Fimo Classic Lt. Turquoise mixed with Yellow for a great Chartreuse
 湖蓝混上一点黄色可以得到非常漂亮的黄绿色

Skin Tones - you can use Flesh, or use other colours such as Beige, Ivory, Champagne and mix in some tan or pink colouring to create subtle skin tones.
 皮肤色：用米色或者象牙色，或者香槟色，加上一点棕色，或者粉红色就可以做成具有各种细微差别的皮肤颜色

Mix some Violet or Fuschia Premo into Purple Fimo Classic or Premo for a vibrant purple.
混合一些紫罗兰到紫色就可以得到明亮的紫色。