This story begins more than fifteen years ago with a few experiments in a branch of millefiori-style canework called Damascus.
The story might have ended then.
But sometimes, the slightest curiosity can alter your trajectory and take you places you didn’t even know existed. Before I knew it, I was pulled in by something both familiar and undiscovered, like a parallel universe of pattern-making.
How could a simple technique lead to such a diverse range of new pattern possibilities?
The truth is, even something complex and captivating to look at can be easy to excavate… once you know the secrets.
Resurfacing from a renewed immersion to further explore and refine those early discoveries, I’m ready to share the full story with you…
Reinventing Damascus Patterns in Polymer Clay
A 6-WEEK ONLINE MASTERCLASS WITH DAN CORMIER
SPRING COHORT
MAY 1 - JUNE 14, 2026
REGISTRATION IS OPEN
UNTIL SATURDAY, April 25, 2026
$495 CAN$ 🇨🇦 ≈ $360 US$ 🇺🇸
Twist Canes is an all-new process course debuting an exciting suite of techniques in polymer clay that offer a completely new take on an ancient tradition.
For centuries, metalworkers forged the shimmering, water-like patterns of Damascus steel into patterned blades, layering and twisting iron and carbon, a dance between order and chaos.
In my newest MasterClass, we’ll reinterpret that same principle in polymer clay, where patterns arise not from alloy and anvil, but from the meeting of clay, colour, and movement…
““Thanks so much for this fascinating course, Dan! It is the third I’ve done with you and, as always, your carefully documented steps and generous teaching method really helped guide us through and allowed us to make discoveries along the way. I’m so impressed by your talent, knowledge, and creativity.
Thanks for adding a whole new dimension to the polymer clay work and fun of everyone in this class, and here’s to more classes down the track!””
My interest in polymer clay has always been focussed on what the clay can do intrinsically. Not as a vehicle for other media, but on what’s possible when we zero in on the qualities of the material itself.
Twist Canes opens the door to a unique and largely unexplored realm of canework, where twisting becomes a generative tool for pattern design, transforming slabs of clay into flowing, organic veneers that reveal the beauty hidden inside the spiral.
All we have to do to capture these inner patterns is understand how to let them out.
““Yes indeed, this course had me rocking. Best ever. I love the teaching method, the feedback, the interaction, and the total surprise. I want more.””
UNEXPLORED CONTENT, FAMILIAR FORMAT
If you’ve been in my world for a while, you know how much I love pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with polymer clay. Developing this MasterClass has been a reminder of that, but sometimes it’s not just about going beyond, but honing in, seeing what else is waiting to be discovered on the inside.
Either way, new territory can be daunting. That’s why the twists and turns of Twist Canes will be presented in the same familiar format that has become a signature structure for all my MasterClasses, a framework that will let us move through the adventure without losing our way.
Here are some of the milestones I’ve mapped out for our journey…
Mastering the Mechanics
Cane design and construction, Twist Reduction, and the multiple access points that reveal hidden inner patterns.
Cane Colour Considerations
How the colours you choose, their relative strength, and their placement within your cane shape the final look of your twist. I’ll show you how to make thoughtful colour decisions that support clarity, contrast, and flow.
Exploring Iterations
How small, strategic shifts in the composition of your cane transform the flow and complexity of your designs.
Guided Creation
Learn to shape your Twist with intention and turn your discoveries into thin, usable veneers ready for jewellery, inlay, or small object design.
““Thank you for a wonderful experience and MasterClass! This was my first and I hope to attend more in the future. So detailed and precise. The feedback was helpful, no matter who it was being given to. The videos showing the groundwork and written explanations that followed will help for more than just Twist Canes. Thank you, Dan, for putting this MasterClass together and being so responsive and helpful while guiding us through to the end.””
““As usual, Dan, you overdeliver. Your involved instructions, videos, and pictures make it a joy to learn. Please continue the amazing work you do.””
ONE SYSTEM, INFINITE OUTCOMES
At the heart of Twist Canes is a playful process for discovering new patterns.
I created this system so polymer artists could create far more than a single successful cane.
When you learn the structure, you gain the ability to create a whole series of veneers that feel unified, yet endlessly variable. The method adapts effortlessly to different aesthetics.
Clean lines, soft gradients, bold contrasts, quiet neutrals... the system supports them all.
Check out these amazing student veneers from the first run of Twist Canes…
Top row: Eileen La Russo, Elisabeth Thielsen, Stacy Bjornson
Middle row : Kris Van Dyck, Eckhard Sutorius, Renee Graham
Bottom row : Diann Eilering, Katarzyna Stefaniak, Rebecca
““Thank you, Dan, for this brilliant MasterClass of a really brain-twisting technique. Again, very well presented and giving lots of possibilities to go forward and explore more.””
Damascus-style effects have been explored in polymer clay for decades.
But intentionality in colour, construction, and design is where Twist Canes stands apart.
Instead of betting against the unpredictability that often comes with traditional Damascus canework, this measured but malleable approach brings clarity, cohesive design, and maximum output. You get the expressive energy of patterns that seem alive with the movement employed to create them, but are contained and captured through a system you can steer with precision.
And I’ll be there to guide you through, every step of the way.
““I really enjoyed this class and the infinite possibilities it offers. You are a wonderful teacher with so much information. As always, I can’t wait to practise more and create some more beautiful designs!””
TRADITION… WITH A TWIST
Traditional millefiori usually starts with a defined plan.
You design an image up front, build it carefully in clay, and then reduce the cane to make that same design smaller and smaller. Most of the work is about control. You’re protecting the relationships inside the cane so the image stays intact as it’s compressed and stretched.
Twist Canes take a different approach.
Instead of locking in a design from the start, you begin with surprisingly simple structures and let movement do the work.
Twisting the cane coaxes the layers to shift and interact, and the pattern emerges along the way.
The goal isn’t to preserve a picture. It’s to guide the process and allow the clay to move where it wants to, collaboratively creating patterns in that liminal space between the artist and the art.
Each slice becomes a snapshot of that movement, captured in clay.
““You always deliver the most intriguing and amazing techniques. As always, your creativity just leaves me speechless. This was a fun course, with lots of insight and inspiration. Thank you!””
Alongside Single Slice Mokume, Matrix Canes, Blurred Lines, Five Star Colour, and MilleKume, Twist Canes continues the story as the next chapter in my series of exploratory surface MasterClasses.
These courses are designed to spark discovery and confidence, helping you turn simple sheets of clay into expressive, one-of-a-kind polymer patterns.
HOW MY COURSES WORK
Each MasterClass is a live-event workshop, experienced in real time with a cohort of fellow students from around the world.
• Robust content with prerecorded videos and supporting text.
• No Zoom appointments, just watch and work on your own schedule.
• Interactive comment threads for questions, peer-to-peer support, and in-lesson feedback.
• Mentorship from me throughout the duration of the live event.
You’ll learn at your own pace, while still being part of a vibrant, active, creative community.
““Thank you, Dan, for this fabulous course that introduced us to the magic of Twist Canes! This class has been a wonderful learning experience as you carefully guided us from the simplest to the most complex canes. We built upon what we learned in the earliest lessons and achieved more with each step. Your thorough and thoughtful approach made the complexity of Twist Canes easy to grasp. This was a really fun and innovative class that blew up my previous notions of strictly maintaining cane designs. I enjoyed Twist Canes thoroughly, and I learned a lot.”
”
What This MasterClass Will Do For You
By the end of this journey, you’ll:
See canes differently
You’ll approach cane design with a clear vision, understanding how colour, shape, and reduction interact to create patterns that feel intentional and alive.Design with confidence
No more second-guessing your choices; you’ll know how to construct and tweak canes so they do exactly what you want.Harness colour like a pro
You’ll be able to select and combine colours in ways that enhance clarity, contrast, and flow, giving your twist canes a striking, polished look.Turn experimentation into mastery
You’ll know how to explore variations and iterations without fear, discovering new possibilities within every cane.Create pieces that tell a story
Your twist canes won’t just be shapes and colours. They’ll be expressive elements ready to shine in jewellery, inlay, or small objects.
““As a newbie to working with polymer clay, this has just been a mind-blowing experience for me. It’s my first formal polymer clay course and I am truly amazed not only at the talent of the participants, but at the method in which you teach the course, Dan. Thank you for being such a great teacher and making such a detailed process fun and enjoyable!””
What’s included in Twist Canes
• A live, 6-week cohort experience designed to feel like an open studio rather than a class you rush through
• Work alongside an international mix of artists, including returning MasterClass alumni and first-time students, bringing both depth of experience and fresh energy into the room
• A welcoming, engaged course community that lives in the Comments, where you can ask questions, share progress, and receive mentorship directly from me
• A Welcome Weekend, including our always-fun Meet & Greet, so you can settle in, introduce yourself, and get to know the community before diving into the work
• A shared studio window, where you can follow along with the cohort and see how others are approaching the same creative challenges
• A complete framework for designing twist-based canework, inspired by Damascus steel patterns, helping you move from experimentation to intentional design
• Step-by-step instruction on building, twisting, compressing, and refining complex polymer patterns with clarity and confidence
• Guided studio prompts that support exploration while helping you develop stronger decision-making in your own work
• Methods for revealing pattern cleanly and deliberately, including my approach using the Cutting Edge Peeler
• My direct teaching perspective, shaped by decades of polymer clay exploration, refinement, and professional practice
• A focused, distraction-free learning environment, with no Zoom calls or scheduled sessions
• Additional bonus material woven throughout the course, including thoughtful essays, foundational KnowHow lessons, and practical downloadables to support your practice
““Thank you so much, Dan! As usual, it was a fantastic class. With Twist Canes I got much more than expected. Twist Canes just glued me to my desk for six weeks, mixing colours, twisting canes, and creating stunning veneers I had never expected to be able to create. What a wonderful versatile technique! I’m absolutely thrilled, blown away by all the potential. For me this class was an amazing experience.””
CUTTING EDGE PEELER REQUIRED
The Cutting Edge Peeler is an integral tool for making Twist Cane veneers, and is required for this MasterClass.
If you already own this Peeler, you’re good to go.
If you don’t have a Cutting Edge Peeler, please register for this course using the TUITION + PEELER option.
twist canes IS a 6-week ONLINE cohort course experience
MAY 1 – JUNE 14, 2026
REGISTER HERE
FOR THE SPRING 2026 SESSION
TWIST CANES
“I ALREADY HAVE THE CUTTING EDGE PEELER”
TUITION ONLY
$495 CAN$ 🇨🇦 ≈ $360 US$ 🇺🇸
“I DO NOT HAVE THE CUTTING EDGE PEELER”
TUITION + PEELER
$535 CAN$ 🇨🇦 ≈ $390 US$ 🇺🇸
The TUITION + PEELER price includes shipping
Please note, we are based in Canada, and our tuition prices are listed in Canadian dollars.
The US$ price is an estimate based on current exchange rates.
If you are outside Canada, you will be charged an equivalent amount in your currency.
REGISTRATION CLOSES
SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2026
AT 6 PM (PACIFIC)
ANY QUESTIONS?
WILL I NEED ANY SPECIAL TOOLS, EQUIPMENT, OR MATERIALS?
As mentioned above, The Cutting Edge Peeler is a required tool for Twist Canes.
Other than that, we’ll be using the basic tools and materials found in a typical polymer clay studio.
A complete Tools & Materials List will be available to registered students soon. It will include recommended amounts of clay.
If you have any other questions at all about this MasterClass, we'd love to hear from you!
Please get in touch and we'll reply via email and/or share your Q and our A right here on this webpage.
We look forward to welcoming you to Twist Canes…
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