How to Have Fun with Modeling Clay
Working and playing with clay can be fun for children and adults alike. You can use the same clay over and over again to create new sculptures, or create fun pieces that will air-dry and can be kept forever. Experiment with creating different shapes and colors. You can even paint your air-dried creations.
Things You'll Need
- Putty knife
- Push molds
- Cookie cutters
- Rolling pin
- Aluminum foil
- Cookie sheet
- Sandpaper
- Acrylic paint
Instructions
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Decide what kind of clay to use. Most modeling clays are oil-based, so they will never dry. If you want to be able to use the clay again and again this is a good choice. Modeling clay is also efficient for making a preliminary model of something. To make a piece you can dry and keep forever, you will need to make sure you have a water-based clay or a polymer clay on hand.
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Understand that modeling clay and polymer clay come in many colors. Most colors can be mixed, so you don't need to buy every color there is. Start out with the basics: black, white, red, blue and yellow. From these colors, you can make any other color you like.
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Use a putty knife, push molds, cookie cutters or a rolling pin to help you mold the clay. Be creative as you look around the hobby store and your home to find things to work with.
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Prepare a space to work on. A cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil provides a great working area. You won't have to worry about creating a mess.
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Take a small amount of clay out of the package and knead it in your hands until it is soft and pliable. Get a feel for the material.
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Take out a second color. Pinch a small piece of each color off and practice mixing the colors together. Use this color chart to make secondary colors: Red and yellow will make orange; blue and yellow will make green; and blue and red will make purple. Now try adding a little white to lighten the color or black to make it darker and duller. You can get brown by mixing all three primary colors together (red, yellow and blue).
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Roll some of the clay out with a rolling pin and use cookie cutters to make shapes. Push molds are great for making more three-dimensional shapes. You can find these at many hobby stores. To prevent sticking, dust a little cornstarch onto the mold first and make sure the clay is soft and pliable by kneading it in your hands for several minutes before putting it in the mold. Or take a ball of dough and roll it on a flat surface with a flat palm to create a snake; decorate it with other colors of clay.
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Store clay you want to reuse in plastic zipper bags. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can before you seal it. Store colors separately.
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Check the instructions that came with the clay if you plan to dry your creations. Water-based clay can often be air-dried overnight. You will want to put the tray where it won't be near a draft so that it won't dry too quickly and crack.
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Bake polymer clay in an oven at about 225 degrees Fahrenheit in a well-ventilated room. You will need to bake it for 10 to 30 minutes depending on the thickness of the piece. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
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Sand dried clay for a smoother finish. Recognize, however, that polymer clay must be wet-sanded in a tub of water with black, wet sanding paper to prevent the spreading and inhaling of the dust.
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Use acrylic paint on dried clay. A little water can be added to the paint to make a wash, or the paint can be used in its original form for a deeper or brighter color.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are planning to dry the finished piece, make sure you choose the proper clay for the job. Many modeling clays will never dry.
Try to keep each piece a uniform thickness so that they all dry in the same amount of time.
Dried clay can be glued when necessary. For water-based clay, you can use white school glue. For polymer clay, use an acrylic glue.
Avoid breathing fumes from polymer glue. Turn on the oven fan while baking and open a window if possible.
The dust from polymer clay can be toxic. Only sand polymer clay under water to prevent the spread of dust.
References
- Photo Credit Seiya Kawamoto/Digital Vision/Getty Images
