How to Have Fun with Modeling Clay

Working and playing with clay can be fun for children and adults. You can use the same clay over and over or create fun pieces that will air dry and can be kept forever.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Clay
• Imagination

1. 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 great 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.
2. Know 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.
3. For fun, you can 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.
4. Prepare a space to work on. A cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil provides a great working area that you don't have to worry about getting messy.
5. 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.
6. 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; 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).
7. Now it's time to play. 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.
8. Any clay that you want to reuse should be stored in plastic zipper bags. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can before you seal it. You can store colors separately.
9. If you are planning to dry your creations to keep them check the instructions that came with the clay. 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.
10. Polymer clay must be baked in an oven at about 225 degrees in a well-ventilated room. You will need to bake it from 10 to 30 minutes depending on the thickness of the piece. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
11. Dried clay can be sanded for a smoother finish. However, 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.
12. Dried clay can also be painted. Use acrylic paint. A little water can be added to the paint to make a wash or the paint can be used as it comes for a deeper or brighter color.

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 it all dries in the same amount of time.
• Dried clay can be glued when necessary. For water-based clay, you can use white school glue (such as Elmer's). For Polymer clay use an acrylic glue (such as super glue or Krazy glue).
• It is very important to avoid breathing the fumes from the 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.