13 things to know about polymer clay

I thought it’d be nice to go back to the basics for people who are looking into getting into polymer clay. I want this blog to be a space where I can provide some guidance, as well as share my work with you in a more open format.

With that said, I thought it’d be nice to break down this week’s blog post into thirteen things you should know about polymer clay. This will be geared more towards beginners, but hopefully everyone can gain a little insight from this. I tried to create this list in a manner of things to know as you’re working through the whole process from mixing up your colors to applying glaze.

1. Polymer clay needs an oven

I know, I know, this one may be a little obvious, but before I started working with clay, I didn’t know about all the different types of clay and what made one need an oven, kiln, or air to harden. If you don’t have an oven or you don’t have an oven you’re willing to use for polymer clay, consider using air dry clay as an alternative.

2. Conditioning polymer clay is a must

Conditioning polymer clay is a process of softening the clay by working it in your hands. It’s an important step because it helps mix up the plasticisers and other substances so that it is evenly distributed through the clay. This helps prevent cracking later on. Plus, conditioning also makes the clay easier to work with.

3. There are several ways to color polymer clay

mixing up colors of polymer clayThe most obvious one is mixing with colored clay. Polymer clay mixes up like paints; you can blend the colors to achieve something other than what you can buy. I used to keep black, white, brown, blue, red, and yellow clay on hand so I could mix up everything else, but I found that I didn’t achieve some of the colors I wanted that way. I’ve heard there are colors closer to cyan, magenta, and yellow in the premo line, but I haven’t picked up the right blue yet to see how these mix up.

Another way you can mix your own colors is with alcohol ink. This is best done with white or translucent clay. You can take a drop of the ink and mix it in with the clay, adding more drops (and drops of other colors) until you reach the desired color. I would recommend wearing gloves, however, as this gets pretty messy.

Pearl ex powders can also be used to mix colors of polymer clay. This is also best done with white or translucent clay. Keep in mind the pearl ex will make your clay shimmering, but it creates a pretty effect.

4. Your hands will be your most important tool

I had heard this from other polymer clay artists before, but I didn’t want to believe it when I was starting. My hands are particularly clumsy, so how was I supposed to make something so beautiful without smushing up the details?

Don’t get me wrong, I have a handful of tools that are always out on my work station because I use them all the time, but once you learn how to handle the clay, you’ll find this statement to be true. There’s a certain touch and grip you have to learn. I have a long ways to go, but I’m definitely recognizing it and appreciating it.

5. You can mix different brands of polymer clay

Different brands of polymer clayIt’s true! For the longest time I used sculpey iii clay because everything else was too hard on my hands. While sculpey iii, for the most part, was an okay consistency, as I started developing a feel for handling the clay (like I mention in point 4), I realized it was way too soft. Now I mix a combination of premo and sculpey iii so I can get something that has a better consistency, and it’s certainly reflected in my work.

When it comes to baking, I haven’t had as much of a problem since sculpey iii and premo have the same baking temperature, but I’ve read that a good rule to use is to consider the parts of the brands you use and split the difference. For example, if you’re using one clay that bakes at 250 degrees F and another that bakes at 275 degrees F, and you used half and half, you’d split the difference in half and bake it at 263 degrees F or so (although my oven only moves in increments of 5, so I’d probably pick 265).

6. You can use rubbing alcohol to clean your pieces

This is one thing I really wished I would have known at the beginning as it’s one of my favorite tricks, ESPECIALLY with the dreaded white clay. I keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol and cotton balls by my work station so I can clean my hands and work space while I’m working. Once I’m done sculpting, I dip q-tips in rubbing alcohol and swab over problem areas on my piece (either places with some fuzz or other dirt, or with fingerprints) and the rubbing alcohol helps clean the clay up and smooth it over.

7. TLS is a friend

Translucent clay and TLS

Translucent clay and TLS

TLS is great to use when you need a little extra bond or stability.TLS stands for translucent liquid sculpey and is a liquid polymer clay. It acts like a glue and cures in the oven like regular polymer clay. While I’ve only ever used TLS, there is a liquid fimo that seems to have even more applications than TLS.

Do you bake your piece multiple times so it keeps its shape while you’re sculpting? TLS is a friend. You can get unbaked clay to stick to baked clay, but your bond will be much better if you use a little (and I mean a little—too much and your pieces will slide) in between to “glue” the sections together.

8. Translucent clay can help you in a pinch

Bonus tip: translucent polymer clay is also magic. Besides its translucent effect, there are a couple of different ways I like to use the clay. First, it’s a nice way to help soften up clay. I’ve only used sculpey iii’s translucent for this though, so let me know in the comments if you have tried this with other brands. I think it works better than TLS too. For the most part it doesn’t really affect the color in the small amounts you’ll most likely need it to soften the clay, but definitely test it out first to make sure you aren’t straying too far away from the desired color.

Translucent clay also helps make your colors last a little longer. There were two separate instances in the last couple of weeks where I didn’t pay attention to how much of a color I had left. I didn’t quite have enough to finish my project, but I was close enough that I knew I could finish it by using small bits of TLS mixed with the color. It blends in with your existing color, and you get just a little more out of that color.

9. Invest in an oven thermometer

I didn’t want to either. It’s better than the alternative, however. I found mine at Walmart and so far it hasn’t led me astray.

You will need an oven that stays consistent and accurate with its temperature. If clay doesn’t stay hot enough for long enough, it won’t cure; if it gets too hot, your clay will burn. If your oven is spiking, you can get either of these situations. I’ve been fortunate with having a pretty consistent and accurate oven.

10. Clay needs to be supported while it bakes

Armature and glass bowl supportThis is the part that makes me the most anxious. I still struggle with the droop syndrome with polymer clay. It softens while it bakes (and doesn’t set up until it cools off), so if your piece doesn’t have the proper armature or support, you will lose shape during this process. Pieces can fall off. The parts that are usually a struggle for me are arms, wings, and tails (if you’re trying to make them go against gravity). Basically any chunk that is going upwards is game for drooping in the baking process. I’ve never had success with having a dragon turn out that didn’t have aluminum armature inside of it. I know there are people who are masters at it, but I do not possess this magic.

11. You can bake polymer clay multiple times

This is something I do if I’m worried about the integrity of a piece. I prebake my wings and stick them into the dragon before the dragon is baked. If I have a detail or position that I’m worried about lasting, I’ll prebake it and build on top of it. As long as you’re following the temperature on your package’s instructions (and you’ve checked to make sure your oven truly is that temperature), you can bake you clay multiple times and work in steps.

12. Sanding your piece after baking can further polish it

Sand paperI don’t always sand my dragons, but as long as I haven’t treated the surface (pearl ex, paints, etc.), sanding is a good way to help provide an extra finish. You find a lot of artists who create jewelry will sand and buff their pieces to get that beautiful shine.

I plan on doing more of an in depth look at my sanding process later on, but in the meantime there are lots of great resources online. It’s important to wet sand polymer clay so that it keeps the dust at a minimum; your lungs will thank you! I would also not recommend sanding unless you plan to glaze your finished product or really buff out the sanding marks. Sand paper scratches up the surface, and this is visible with a slight color change (usually lighter than the rest of the clay). If you plan on moving to extremely fine grits and then buff it out, these won’t be noticeable. Glaze helps as well.

13. There are many things you can use to glaze your pieces

You don’t have to ONLY use sculpey glaze if you aren’t able to find it. I personally have been using Varathane polyurethane, and I’ve been so happy with how it turns out. I’ve used the sculpey glaze, and I’ve also tried triple thick. I know another sculptor who would use a spray on glaze to finish her pieces. It’s all going to depend on the look you want. The Blue Bottle Tree has an amazing article about the wonderful world of glazes.

So those are my 13 things you should know about polymer clay! I wanted to go into so much more depth than I did, so for those of you who made it to the end of the post, you’re a trooper! I’ll definitely get into detail for other specific posts.

Did you find any of these helpful? What is something YOU think people should know about polymer clay? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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