How To Make Clay Design – I have been sculpting dolls with air-dried clay for years. It is my preferred medium for sculpting fine details and creating complex characters. But I know some people have reservations about air-dried clay. Will it be strong enough? Can I resume sculpting after my sculpture has dried? There are so many questions! So today, I’m going to try to answer them all. Read on and learn how to use air dry clay to sculpt dolls.
Before sculpting the doll it is good to know how it will look. If you are creating a ball-jointed doll, lay out a blueprint. It will help you clearly see all the joints and how everything connects. For a simple art doll, make a sketch with measurements. So you would have a general idea about the proportions when sculpting.
How To Make Clay Design
Do not remove the entire clay block from the package. If you do, place it in a closed bag with a damp paper towel. This will prevent the clay from drying out. I leave mine in the original container and flush it with water from time to time. When I finish using it, I close the package and wrap it with tape to prevent air from entering.
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When using air-dry clay, it is best to sculpt in layers and wait for each layer to dry at least a little. If any area is too thick, the clay could break. When the outer layer dries, the clay shrinks a bit, so any stress on the outer layer can ruin your sculpture with cracks.
I also like to sculpt in layers because the clay becomes easier to handle. The previous layers, which are already hard, become a good base for detailing the sculpture.
I do most of the intricate details not by sculpting but by cutting! Air-dried clay is wonderful for this. Sometimes cutting dry clay in the air can cause sinking. This process will be easier if you wet the clay first. Make sure your garment is completely dry and coat the surface level of the clay with water. Use a damp brush for this. The top layer will be softer and the carving process will be more consistent and smooth. With this method, you can use various tools, such as steel wax cutters. Since the surface layer will be smooth, you won’t need sharp tools.
If you don’t have time for the clay to dry naturally, you can use a little help from the oven. Use only if your oven has a fan and use the lowest temperature. You want the clay to dry slowly, so first put your sculpture in the cold oven and only then turn it on. It usually dries in 15 minutes, so set a timer and check constantly to prevent burning.
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I hope these tips help you use air dry clay with ease. It is my favorite medium for sculpting dolls. And I use all these tips myself. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. Below is a very simple and easy step by step guide on how to make small clay home decor trays made from polymer clay! I use mine for jewelry and tea light candle holders; you can be creative and create any shape you want! If you follow this guide, comment below how you found it and send me photos of your creations!
Note: Do not use “DAS” brand polymer clay – it is cheap and falls apart in your hands and is very difficult to roll out.
Stretch the edges of the clay and form the desired shape with your fingers. To give it more structure you can place a boat or sail in the middle.
Once you’re happy with the shape you’ve created, it’s time to put your creation in the oven! They can sometimes lose shape in the oven and the edges fall flat out, so to prevent this from happening you can place them on a baking tray to keep the edges raised.
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I put mine in the oven for an initial 20 minutes and then 10 more minutes. Every oven is so different, so be sure to check your garment from time to time.
Note: Once you take it out, it will still be soft, so let it cool and it will already be hard when it cools. If you move it too soon, you may break it 😉
It’s time to glaze your pieces! This one is very easy, just glaze the inside and outside of the tray and let it taste overnight 🙂
Note: the polish pictured is for a matte look. If you want a shiny result, I recommend the same brand but the shiny version.
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I hope this idea helps you get through this confinement and brighten up the atmosphere in your home! I’d love to hear how you got on with your creations! Please comment below or message me on Instagram and send me some photos of your work. Enjoy! xxI receive commissions for qualifying purchases made through links in this post. Please see my affiliate disclosure. Thank you for your support!
Making DIY clay fridge magnets is a great clay craft idea for both kids and adults. Anyone who knows me knows that I like to do useful things. This clay craft is not only a great craft activity for kids, but it also helps you organize all those scraps of paper and photos on your refrigerator.
Clay magnets are also a great DIY gift idea. My kids made a dog set for their grandma in Arizona…
These heart magnets would make a great Valentine’s Day craft for DIY Valentine’s Day gifts. Here are the clay heart magnets that my 8 year old son made. Love!
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The best thing about making clay fridge magnets is that you can make whatever you want in whatever color you want. Try making a cheerful heart or rainbow, or delicious donuts, or any other DIY magnet idea you can imagine. Read on to see how to make DIY clay magnets that look handmade, not homemade.
It is very easy to make clay refrigerator magnets. You can use air-dried clay or oven-dried clay for this clay craft project. Basically, you’ll protect your workspace, then knead the clay and create a pretty shape. Then bake the clay in the oven, let it cool and stick a magnet on the back.
The quick answer is glue. First bake the modeling clay according to the package instructions, let it cool, and then glue the magnet with Gorilla Glue which will expand slightly to seep into the crevices between the magnet and the polymer clay. For air dry clay, just let your magnet air dry and then follow my hooking instructions. And no, you should not bake round magnets with the clay in the oven.
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How to Make DIY Magnets Using Polymer or Air Dry Clay: Step 1: Set Up Your Clay Craft Workspace
Start by protecting your work surface. The colors of both air dry clay and traditional polymer clay and Bake Shop soft clay can transfer to work surfaces, and polymer clay is not food safe, so I do not recommend using it. on plates or trays that you will eat later. You can purchase a silicone mat if you plan to do a lot of clay crafts, but again, you should only use this mat for clay, not for eating. I like to put a piece of freezer paper on the table and tape it down with blue painter’s tape. Freezer paper has a shiny side ideal for working with polymer clay. I also like to use freezer paper when working with fondant.
Here’s the fun part! First, choose a color and knead the clay until it is soft enough to work with. This is much easier if you use air dry clay or soft clay from Bake Shop instead of traditional polymer clay. Here are some tips for beginners when working with polymer clay. Something I will specifically mention is that clay is not food safe, so if you use cookie cutters, it is a good idea to have clay-specific cutters that will not be used for edible cookies in the future. Okay, one other thing I’ll mention: make sure you wash your hands before changing colors to avoid color transfer.
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. You want to do this because, again, clay is not food safe, so it’s best to avoid putting it on the cookie sheet. Bake the polymer clay in the oven according to the instructions on the package. You will bake until the clay is hard and can no longer be bent. And if you’ve used air-dried clay, well, obviously, you can skip the firing and let your clay magnets air dry.
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I used Gorilla Glue to attach the magnets because it expands as it dries which helps