I always feel that Air Dry Clay chose me and not the other way around. Air Dry clay gave me the confidence to make and sculpt different shapes. I realized moulding was easy and air dry clay is very forgiving, in the sense that no matter how many mistakes you make, it always ends up looking organic and beautiful. Let me share with how and why Air Dry Clay became an important material for my art.
5 reasons why Air Dry Clay is the best!
Easy to Mould: This fine, natural white earth clay dries to a hard solid. Easy to use even with traditional modelling techniques. You can roll and knead it out to prep the clay. You can flatten or use your hands to give simple to intricate shapes. It adheres and binds well. It doesn’t let cracks appear just like any other organic clay would. You can most definitely paint over it, any kind of paint. Water colours, acrylic colours, oil based colours, spray cans, even pencil colours or even crayons, enamel paints, emulsions too. I have tried every option.
Easy to Clean: It’s also a snap to clean up. Dry cloth, that’s it.
Improving on Tradition: Air Dry Clay is smooth, fine and less sticky when compared with traditional clay, and it needs no oven or kiln! It dries in 24-48hours (depending on thickness of the product made). All pottery techniques could be used like pinch, coil, slab, score-and-weld; or to make stamped impressions, beads; embedding found objects.
Creative Projects: Air Dry Clay can be used for figurines, objects, décor pieces, plates or even murals on any base material.
Tactile Art : Let your little artists express themselves through sculpting, moulding and modelling. Kids love the 3D nature of clay & dough. Air-Dry Clay hardens on its own and it can be sculpted, squished, and reused without drying out.
For all the benefits of Air Dry Clay, there is but one issue - It is Not Waterproof.
Air Dry Clay is not waterproof. Although I make sure all pieces are varnished and sealed with sealant sprays, yet it is not a material which can be close to water.
I love Air Dry Clay and I am trying to look past the cons and work on the pros. Hence as I make Home accent pieces which are part of décor, are not used in daily life. They just adorn the area or corner they are placed in. I don’t make utility pieces for holding food or drinks. I make utility items like trinket boxes and trinket dishes, notebook covers, key rings, etc.
I will include a blog where I will tell you my story of the first product I made out of Air Dry Clay, or even Clay for that matter.
Love Aparajita.