All about: Air-dry clay

Air-dry clay is a great medium to use for arts and crafts. It is a no fuss solution for people who don’t have access to a kiln. Find out more by reading this article on air-dry clay.

Using Air-dry clay

Air-dry clay cuts out the need for firing, thus making it a great material to work with on small projects and when working with groups. It is also a great economical solution as it doesn’t require the use of electricity to harden it. You can make clay crafts without damaging the environment. Newclay Newclay is a mineral and water based clay that comes in large sizes. It is heavy, so when collecting from an arts supply store, make sure that your car is nearby. Alternatively, it can be ordered online, but beware of high postage costs. The large size bags are great when working with groups. One large bag will give you enough clay for 30 or more small projects. It is easy to mould and if it starts to dry out when sculpting it, it can be put back in the bag with some moisture and it will become wet again.

Finishing your project

Crayola make smaller tubs of air dry clay that come in white and terracotta and are great for child friendly clay modelling. It is a smoother, less sticky clay, so it is great for smaller hands to work with. It becomes even softer with wet, thus making it completely flexible and easy to mould. Drying time
When using air drying clay, it only takes approximately two days to dry. This can be a bonus if you are under a time constraint or if you are working with a group for a week and there is a need for them to take the final product home with them. Painting
After two days, the air-dry clay can be painted. Once that is dry, it can also be coated with varnish to give it a gloss finish and increase its durability. Lots of projects
There are lots of projects that you can make with air-dry clay from pots to frames to wall sculptures. Since it is so easy to mould, it can be used to make small objects like animals and people where delicate detailing is needed.