Answering Your Questions About Air-Dry Clay (Since I’m An Expert Now)

I didn’t get a lot carried out on the closet chandelier yesterday as a result of I don’t have plenty of time on Wednesdays to work. I used to be capable of get a number of extra flowers made, however that’s it. I nonetheless have 21 flowers to go. And I had deliberate on working all day right this moment, getting all the flowers completed, and making my best effort to have the chandelier carried out and put in by the point I am going to mattress tonight.

Then I noticed that there’s no manner that may occur. The flowers take about 24 hours to totally dry, after which they should be primed and painted earlier than I can connect them to the chandelier. So there’s actually no manner I’ll have this gentle completed earlier than Monday. I suppose, in hindsight, I actually ought to have used oven-baked polymer clay. Now that I really feel snug working with clay, maybe I’ll return to Michael’s right this moment and decide up some oven-bake polymer clay and take a look at my hand at that as nicely.

Anyway, I had some questions on utilizing air-dry clay, and since I’m an knowledgeable now (having used it for 2 entire days and since I’ve made a complete 18 flowers with it now), I figured I’m certified to reply these questions. 😀

First, let me present you all the flowers I’ve made to this point. Right here’s all 18 of them…

I positively discovered my groove with making these flowers as I went alongside. The primary ones I made look just a little totally different than those I made yesterday as a result of I saved working with my method just a little extra till I discovered simply the fitting methodology that I used to be actually happy with. I imply, I used the identical methodology that I shared yesterday, however I started to roll the clay strip in such a manner that the middle petals caught up a bit greater, after which I curved the outer petals down extra in order that the entire flower has extra dimension and top to it.

A couple of folks had expressed concern that the flowers regarded good from the highest, however as soon as they’re hooked up to the “stems” of the chandelier, the beautiful half will likely be hidden from sight. However the flowers actually received’t be seen from beneath. There will likely be an island beneath the chandelier, so I’ll by no means be standing instantly underneath the chandelier. And since it is a chandelier and never a flush-mount or semi-flush-mount gentle, the underside of the chandelier will likely be about 60 inches from the ground. That signifies that the flowers will principally be seen from the facet quite than from the underside. And from the facet (like when somebody is standing within the doorway to the room) or seen at an upward angle (like after I’m standing on the island), I feel it’ll nonetheless be apparent that these are flowers.

Right here’s what I’ve realized about this explicit air-dry clay (Inventive Paperclay) that I used for these flowers:

Air-dry clay may be sanded as soon as it’s dry.

I used some 220-grit sandpaper to easy out some edges and a few areas that regarded wrinkled on the petals. The air dry clay sanded very simply and easily. I used to be truly fairly impressed with how easy it taken care of sanded. I don’t actually plan on sanding all of my flowers as a result of I truly just like the considerably messy, handcrafted, papier-mâché look that the air dry clay has with out sanding it. I don’t need it to appear to be porcelain. However there are a number of areas right here and there that I’d prefer to easy out a bit.

Air-dry clay isn’t brittle as soon as it’s dry, but it surely’s additionally not sturdy like ceramic or porcelain.

A few folks requested if the air-dry clay is brittle as soon as it’s dry. After all, the sturdiness will rely upon how thick the fabric is. In the event you’re making one thing like a bowl, it is going to be extra sturdy as a result of it’s a lot thicker than the flower petals I’m making. However even on these flower petals, I nonetheless wouldn’t name it brittle. It’s additionally not sturdy like a kiln-fired ceramic or porcelain, although. On the sliding scale between brittle, like a dried leaf, and sturdy, like a kiln-fired ceramic piece, I’d place the air-dry clay proper within the center, particularly on the skinny flower petals that I’m making.

That signifies that I received’t be assembling the entire chandelier, flowers and all, earlier than hanging the sunshine. I will surely break a number of flowers in that strategy of attempting to put in the chandelier. I plan to color the chandelier, hold the chandelier, after which connect the flowers after the chandelier is put in. That manner, there’s little or no probability that any of the flowers will get damaged.

Air-dry clay may be painted.

I haven’t gotten to the portray a part of this mission but, however air-dry clay can positively be painted. I’ve watched a number of movies of individuals utilizing air-dry clay for numerous initiatives, and I’ve seen it painted with each acrylics and watercolors. I plan to prime mine with a sprig primer (shellac-based primer) after which spray paint them with the identical spray paint that I’ll be utilizing on the remainder of the chandelier.

Based on what I’ve learn and seen in movies, the paint may add to the sturdiness of the air-dry clay, relying on the kind of paint you employ. I wouldn’t think about that utilizing watercolors would add to the sturdiness, however I can positively see how primer (particularly a brush-on primer) and acrylic/latex paints would add to the sturdiness.

I’ve even seen that you need to use resin to coat the air-dry clay, and that will surely make it way more sturdy as soon as it has cured. I truly simply purchased some new ArtResin for a distinct mission, so I would give {that a} strive on these flowers. ArtResin is fairly straightforward to make use of, and it may be brushed on so long as you combine up tiny batches at a time and don’t let it sit for too lengthy earlier than utilizing it. So I’ll be testing that out on a flower or two and see if that can work to strengthen the flowers and make them extra sturdy.

However like I mentioned above, if you happen to’re actually involved in regards to the sturdiness, and also you don’t occur to have a kiln available, and also you don’t wish to use paints or resins so as to add to the sturdiness, oven-baked polymer clay is likely to be the higher choice. You simply should needless to say oven-baked polymer clay, as soon as it’s dry and cured, has some flexibility to it. So relying on the mission, that is likely to be one thing you’d want to contemplate.

Anyway, I’m nonetheless studying, however I’ve completely liked working with this explicit air-dry clay. It’s very enjoyable to work with, it’s straightforward to mould and sculpt, and my thoughts is now spinning with every kind of concepts for initiatives that I can use air-dry clay on now. I can’t imagine it took me this lengthy to buy some and take a look at it out, however I’m so glad that I had this chance to present it a strive. And naturally, since I like making jewellery a lot, I’ve every kind of concepts of various jewellery, beads, and so forth., that I may make utilizing this clay. It’s an entire new world of creativity that has opened up for me.

Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and adorn the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.