In a bowl, mix a ratio of 80% PVA glue to 20% water to create a creamy consistency, and then coat your fully dried clay piece, and allow the sealer mixture to dry. Once you have applied your PVA glue mixture or acrylic medium, you can then apply 3 coats of acrylic paint to seal your work.
What is the best sealant for air dry clay? The best option to provide a water-resistant, durable seal on air dry clay objects is to use a polyurethane or acrylic sealer. These provide a durable, water-resistant finish to protect the air dry clay and prevent it from yellowing.
In order to dry properly, air dry clay projects should be exposed to air on all sides at the same time. This will help prevent warping and cracking. We recommend drying pieces on a screen or cookie rack, for example, where air flow is the same on all sides.
Can you make air dry clay waterproof? No, but you can make it water-resistant using a glaze, waterproof sealant or varnish. This doesn't mean you can leave your clay to soak in a bowl of water but it does mean you can wipe it clean with a damp cloth.
Bake It! The fastest and most effective way to dry Creative Paperclay (and it can be applied to similar clays, such as La Doll), is actually to bake it in a standard oven.
They harden within a few days and do not need to be fired to create a permanent form. Air-dry clay vessels and sculptures are more fragile than traditional kiln-fired ceramics, but they can be sealed and strengthened with shellac and paint.
A con to building with air dry clay is how fragile it can be. Thin additions like legs, fingers, and ears will easily break off. To avoid small parts breaking off, have students create mixed media pieces.
There are many options for pre-coloring air dry clay, so feel free to experiment! Acrylic, tempera, or poster paints will give you a solid bright color. Oil paints will also work for basic coloring, but they're harder to clean. If you want a deep, vivid color, try artists' quality acrylic or oil paint.
Adding too much water to your DIY air dry clay can sometimes result in a crack. Do your best to keep the clay moist as you work, but not overly saturated with water. If you have too much water, I recommend setting your clay out to dry for an hour or two before continuing on.
Baking air dry clay can cause it to warp or crack. It is best to avoid this method altogether if you can. If you need to speed up the drying process, try putting the clay in a dehydrator or desiccant chamber.
Can you bake air dry clay? No – baking air dry clay in the oven or kiln can cause your sculpture to melt or burn. Plus, if you heat your sculpture up it will dry faster which can cause more cracks to form. Once your sculpture is complete, simply leave it out to dry and it'll be all set in around 24 hours.
Can You Paint Air-Dry Clay Before it Dries? No, you need to wait for the clay to fully dry before you begin painting. By painting the clay while it is still wet, you run the risk of altering the clay item and causing cracks. However, you can color or dye the clay with paint before it dries by kneading in the paint.
When sculpting your air dry clay, it's not uncommon to have imperfections. Smoothing out these imperfections are easy with a little water. Using a small sponge or a little water on your fingers you can easily smooth out these areas.
With air dry clay, it isn't kiln fired, so after painting, it can look a bit… dull. Well, I have some good news for you – Mod Podge does the trick. Not only does it provide an incredible shiny finish, it also strengthens the project itself.
You can make air dry clay shiny with epoxy resin, clear spray paint, Mod Podge, or a high-gloss clay varnish. Each of these finishes adds an extra layer of durability and produces a lustrous, glossy sheen.
How Can I Seal Air-Dry Clay After Painting? You can seal your painted air-dry clay using a spray-on acrylic sealer. Resin is also an option but you can also find acrylic paints that carry their own sealant properties.
You can color air-dry clay with nail polish. It is even possible to get really great effects by layering different colors over one another. The nail polish will seal your air-dry clay sculpture. This will protect your air dry clay from small amounts of water, scratches, and more.
Air dry clay can get moldy, either when it is part of an open pack or as part of a sculpture that is exposed to water when it hasn't been fully dried and sealed. Where mold is clearly visible, skin contact should be avoided and the mold either cut out or treated with a water/bleach mixture.
Clay. Inhalation of all clay materials especially silica can damage your lungs. All clay bodies contain some free crystalline silica which can scar your lung tissue and cause irreversible loss of breathing capacity.
You can make anything you want with air-dry clay but any bowls, plates or mugs made with air dry clay are for decorative purposes only and are not food-safe, as it is a type of clay designed to be left unsealed and is not watertight or food safe.
You can use epoxy resin to coat thoroughly-dry air-dry clay and make it waterproof, but it won't be *totally* food safe, especially perhaps for acidic foods and hot foods (similar to polyurethane).