How to Glaze Polymer Clay Bowls

Polymer clay glaze gives your clay bowl a finished look. There are two different ways of glazing a polymer clay bowl, either brush the glaze on or dip the bowl into the glaze. You can apply layers of glaze by allowing the bowl to dry between each glazing process, or simply give the bowl a one time glaze.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Polymer clay glaze
• Large container
• Gloves

Glaze With a Brush

1. Gather your glazing supplies. When glazing with a brush, you need a basic set of paintbrushes, a covered work area and the glaze.

2. Sand and buff the polymer clay, if you want a shiny glaze finish. Unsanded clay has a matte appearance, but you can glaze polymer clay either sanded or unsanded.

3. Use a thick paintbrush and prepare it for glazing. Dip the paintbrush into water and wring it out. Dip it into your polymer clay glaze, and thoroughly brush the glaze all over the clay, using standard back and forth strokes.

4. Glaze the outer surface of the bowl and underneath, avoiding the actual bottom part of the bowl. If you glaze the bottom, the bowl will stick to whatever you dry it on and ruin the polymer clay. Brush glaze on the inside of the bowl using the same back and forth brush strokes.

5. Set the bowl on a covered surface and let it dry for one to two hours. You can heat set the glaze by placing the bowl in the oven on a low heat setting of 200 degrees F for 10 minutes, but it isn't necessary.

Glaze by Dipping

6. Get all your supplies ready for dipping your polymer clay bowl. You need a container large enough to dip the bowl into, a covered work area and the glaze. For dipping, you can use specially made polymer clay glaze, or save some money by using Future floor polish.

7. Fill a container with enough glaze that the clay bowl submerges completely into the glaze.

8. Wear a pair of gloves, and dip the clay bowl into the glaze. Use a paper towel or a paintbrush to smooth out any drips.

9. Dry the polymer clay bowl between each dipping phase. You can dip the bowl only once, or you can add layers of glaze for a shinier look.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't glaze your polymer clay with nail polish. Nail polish glazes get sticky or gummy over time, and it's hard to fix the clay so it looks good again.