How to Make Colored Earring Posts for Polymer Clay Earrings

A little color on an earring post can bring the whole design together. Instead of searching for hardware in just the right shade, you can customize the decorative fronts of metal stud components with acrylic paint markers and a protective clear finish.

This step-by-step tutorial shows you how to create colored earring posts that coordinate with baked polymer clay pieces. Try a matching shade for a coordinated pair, or pick an accent color from a patterned design.

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Supplies for Colored Earring Posts

• Metal stud components with a solid decorative front and a connector loop
• Acrylic paint markers labeled for use on metal
• A compatible clear sealant; this tutorial includes a clear UV resin finishing option
• A compatible UV curing lamp, if you choose UV resin
• A small silicone applicator or another applicator recommended for your sealant
• A small piece of scrap clay or a suitable post holder
• A protected work surface and a clean, lint-free cloth
• Protective gloves and any other protective equipment specified by your sealant manufacturer
• Finished, baked polymer clay dangles, jump rings, earring backs, and two jewelry pliers for assembly

Browse my colored earring post supply list on Amazon.

The gold components are sold separately: Solid Square Post components from Cutterglobe. Check the listing for current availability.

Before you begin: Test your marker and sealant together on one spare component. A marker suitable for metal may still behave differently on different plated finishes, and clear coatings can affect the color or adhesion.

Step 1: Finish Your Polymer Clay Pieces First

Bake your clay pieces according to the clay manufacturer’s directions and let them cool completely. Complete any sanding and hole preparation before choosing your post color.

Compare colors against the finished clay rather than the raw clay. Some shades change during baking, so this gives you a better starting point for matching your hardware.

Step 2: Choose and Prepare Your Components

Select two matching stud components. You will color the decorative front only—the square surface visible when the earrings are worn. Leave the ear wire, back, and connector opening free of paint and sealant.

Remove dust and fingerprints with a clean, lint-free cloth. If further cleaning is needed, use a method approved for the component’s finish and allow it to dry. Avoid sanding or using harsh cleaners on plated hardware unless its manufacturer recommends doing so.

Step 3: Test Your Marker Color

Prepare the acrylic marker according to its instructions. Make a small swatch and let it dry before comparing it with your baked clay. Marker caps are useful guides, but they may not show the exact dried color.

For patterned earrings, choose one shade from the design. For solid pieces, try a close match or a contrasting shade that makes the clay stand out. Your spare metal component is the best place to check the final result with the sealant added.

Step 4: Apply the First Thin Coat

Use gentle strokes to cover the decorative front with a thin layer of acrylic marker paint. Work carefully toward the edges, leaving the gold border visible if that is the look you want.

A slightly uneven first coat is okay. Resist the urge to flood the surface or keep brushing over paint that has started drying. Several thin coats give you more control than one heavy application.

Step 5: Let Each Coat Dry Before Adding More

Support the posts upright in a small piece of scrap clay, with their painted faces pointing upward and clear of the holder. Keep them separated so they cannot bump into each other.

Allow the paint to dry according to the marker manufacturer’s directions, then add another thin coat where needed. Repeat until both posts have even coverage. Keep track of the number of coats on each post so the pair looks consistent.

This clay is a temporary holder. You do not need to bake the painted posts. Before sealing, let the final paint layer dry fully for the time specified by the paint manufacturer.

Step 6: Protect the Color With a Clear Finish

The painted surface needs a compatible protective finish to help resist scratches. Test your chosen coating first: it should not smear, lift, or visibly change the paint in a way you do not want.

If you use clear UV resin: Work in the conditions specified on the product label, including ventilation and protective equipment. Avoid contact with uncured resin and follow the lamp’s eye and skin protection instructions.

With the component level, place a small amount of clear resin on the painted front. Use your applicator to spread it into a thin, even coating. Cover the painted edges without allowing resin to run onto the back, ear wire, or into the connector loop. Avoid a thick dome that could make curing more difficult.

Cure with a lamp compatible with your resin, following the manufacturer’s requirements for exposure time, distance, and layer thickness. There is no universal curing time for every resin and lamp combination. The opaque metal blocks light from behind, so the coated face needs direct exposure.

If you prefer another clear sealant, choose one suitable for the painted metal surface and follow its application and full-cure directions. An air-drying sealant does not use the same process as UV resin.

Step 7: Inspect Before Assembly

Allow the components to finish curing and cool as directed. Check for an even finish, clear connector loops, and clean ear wires. Do not wear or sell a component with soft, sticky, peeling, or incompletely cured coating. Follow the coating manufacturer’s troubleshooting guidance if the finish is not right.

Gently check the finish on your test component before committing to a larger batch. Sealing helps protect the color, but it does not guarantee a scratch-proof or waterproof surface.

Step 8: Attach Your Polymer Clay Dangles

Use two jewelry pliers to twist a jump ring open sideways. Slide it through the stud component’s connector loop and the hole in your clay dangle. Twist it closed until the ends meet neatly.

Repeat for the second earring, then check that both dangles face forward and move freely. Add the earring backs and inspect the finished pair.

Quick Troubleshooting Tips

• Patchy color: Let the current coat dry before adding another light coat.
• Paint lifting as you work: Stop brushing over it and allow more drying time. Check the marker’s suitability for the finish.
• Color smearing under the sealant: Revisit drying time and test a different compatible coating on a spare component.
• Resin running over the edge: Use less resin and keep the component level.
• Sticky finish: Check the resin and lamp instructions; do not assume a dry-looking surface means the entire coating has cured.

Make the Color Part of Your Design

Once you have a marker-and-sealant combination that works with your components, you can create posts for seasonal palettes, floral earrings, or your favorite everyday colors. Start with one pair, keep notes on what worked, and use those notes when you are ready to make more.

Find coloring and finishing supplies in my Amazon idea list, and pick up the gold square stud components separately from Cutterglobe.