Sculpey ® Air-Dry™ clay is one of two air-dry modeling clays offered by Sculpey ® — the other being Sculpey ® Air-Dry™ Porcelain Clay. You can choose between classic terra cotta or bright white air-dry clay for your next project. We made a few different things: pinch pots, clay pots, handprint ornaments, and a few other things. To make the clay pots, I used a small plastic cache pot to roll along rolled-out clay. This told me where to cut and worked pretty well! Dry time on the clay varies depending on the size of the piece and the humidity of the environment. Most pieces will be safe to handle carefully within a day but should be allowed to dry at least 24-48 hours before painting or sealing. Actual time to completely dry may take several weeks, and the clay becomes stronger with time. When clay is dry a shot glass, cookie cutter, small lid, or tiny glass jar ( I used these Bonne Maman 1 oz preserve jars) Sealing your work will not waterproof it. Exposure to water and outdoor elements will have a negative effect on the Air-Dry Clay, so we recommend displaying your sculpture indoors.

When you create something, you want to have fun and end up with a project you can be proud of. If you've never worked with air-dry clay before, you'll probably want some guidance before you get started to ensure you finish with your desired results.

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As you work, cover any extra clay you're not handling with a damp paper towel to keep it from drying. Air-Dry Clay will clean up off skin, tools, and surfaces easily with soap and water. For best results, cleanup should be prompt. As the clay gets dryer, it will become harder and may require soaking or scrubbing to clean. There is a small amount of pigment in the clay, which could potentially stain clothes, but no binder, so fabric staining should not be an issue. Eager to start creating with air-dry clay but still want more information? Consider these answers to common questions about this type of crafting clay. Q: Is air-dry clay suitable for making cookware? If you are joining pieces today, you can rough up the two pieces and add a bit of water with a small brush so that you can smooth them together. This is a technique that I remember using in elementary school art class—I’m no expert! Let the pendants air dry according to the instructions on your clay's container. I let mine dry three or four days before working on it any further, but I think it was done after two.

For over 50 years, Sculpey ® has been bringing high-quality products from our business to your home. We strive to help you bring your imagination to life with inspiring pieces from talented artists and clayers worldwide. When you're ready to get started, browse our air-dry polymer clay line, as well as tools and accessories designed to make crafting easy and fun. Overall the clay was really straightforward to work with. It was sealed in an air-tight tub and was plenty pliable right away. We didn’t need to warm it up much with kneading like you do polymer clay, either.

Start Crafting With Air-Dry Polymer Clay Today

With that being said, if you are planning to make fun crafts with your kiddos, Crayola is a great product to use. What are pros and cons of Air Dry Clay? Air-dry clay may develop a rougher texture as it dries, but this can be sanded to a smoother surface starting with medium sandpaper (60–120 grit) for rougher spots and then refining to fine (160–240 grit) or superfine (400–800 grit) to polish. Paper-based air-dry clays have a fluffy and lightweight texture but may have some stray paper/cellulose fibers that need to be smoothed out with sanding. Color Once dry, get creative as you decorate with your preferred medium, whether you’re using acrylic paints or glossy varnish. Don’t forget to use sealer if you want your clay project to be waterproof! Howeverrr…I decided to try to bake it because I didn’t want to wait 1–2 days for the creations to dry. Here’s how I baked this clay.