Polymer clay is one of our favorite craft project mediums. At first the clay just seemed a step up from play doh. We quickly learned though how versatile it is. And why real artists are using it for their art.
The clay stays soft until it is cooked. So you can work on your sculptures for days. That’s one of my favorite parts. Sometimes as a mother, it’s hard to find uninterrupted time to do crafts.
You don’t need a kiln for this clay, it bakes in regular ovens and even toaster ovens at low temperature. It’s actually not clay at all, but polymer polyvinyl chloride. Polymer clay is easy to find. It’s sold in craft and art stores under brand names like Sculpey, Kato, Premo, and Fimo.
The clay comes in small blocks that cost about two or three dollars each. (The clay does go on sale a few times a year for a dollar a block – and we stock up then.) You can also buy it in big chunks for larger projects. It comes in many different colors, metallics, translucent, and even a glow in the dark version.
Using polymer clay, we’ve made Christmas ornaments, name tags, and sculptures of dragons, fairies, dogs, and the letters of our names. My boys often sculpt animals and figures for use in school projects. Since the clay holds it shape so well, you can make very detailed sculptures. The clay mixes so you can make your own colors, or blended or marbleized effects. You can make beads, or other jewelry items like brooches.
The clay is considered non-toxic, but the manufacturers urge you to keep your clay tools separate from your eating utensils. I would not use it with very young children, but it’s great for older children and adults. If you get into using this product you can get a pasta machine that helps blend the clay, molds to press the clay into, and special tools for making beads. It’s such a versatile product.
Also See: