Oven-bake clay can be painted after curing. We recommend using water based acrylic paints.
Favorite brands are ICE Resin, Envirotex Lite, and Magic Glos (a brand of UV-cure resin). Kato Liquid Polyclay can be used as a sealer. Just brush or sponge on a thin coating and then cure in the oven. After oven curing, you can use a heat gun to further cure it to give a crystal-clear, glossy finish.
Finish: Once the clay is baked and cool, you can sand and buff your craft, then paint and seal it with a glaze. It's entirely up to you if you wish to take these steps. Polymer clay is durable and waterproof without a glaze, so you might choose to leave your masterpiece as-is.
Matte varnish will give your polymer clay pieces a natural looking finish. It's a little less glossy than wax, sealing in your work with a thin layer while retaining the overall look of the piece.
Bake for 15 minutes at 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Add a second ¼” thick complete layer (like a skin), which can be built up slightly to show contours. Re-bake for 15 minutes at 275 degrees F. Then, apply a third complete layer, adding finishing details, and re-bake for a final 15 minutes at 275 degrees F.
Although it might seem simpler than mineral oil, don't use water to smooth polymer clay. Water can cause your oven-bake clay to become brittle.
Polymer clay is not glossy after baking. You can sand, buff, and polish the clay itself (see below), or you can apply a glossy varnish. To make your clay project less shiny, you could apply a matte varnish. Note that adding a glossy varnish can make translucent polymer clay seem more clear.
Varnish or acrylic sealers.
If you want to make your clay water-resistant I always recommend using either a clear polyurethane varnish or an acrylic sealer. Both of these create a non-porous transparent layer that seals your clay project.
Wax is the best polymer clay sealer to use if you want to perfectly maintain the texture of your work. If you've sanded and buffed your bead, the wax will give a wonderfully warm sheen. If you don't sand and buff, it will give a more matte finish.
Will using Sculpey® Glaze over my clay piece make it safe to use with food? We do not recommend making dishes or utensils that you plan to drink from, eat off of or serve food on, even if they are sealed with the glazes.
If you don't put enough glaze on or the right type of glaze, your pottery will not be protected and may not be food safe.
Another important difference is that polymer clay is known to be more durable than air dry clay after baking. Once polymer clay is baked, it is waterproof and long-lasting. Meanwhile, air dry clay has the tendency to dissolve in heat or water.
Mod Podge is a great sealer for clay, which is what makes it so perfect for these charms/gift tags.
One type of clay that you may hear referred to as “oven baked clay” is polymer clay, which is a type of special medium made from polyvinyl chloride (more frequently known as PVC) which will not dry until it is baked in an oven.
Air-dry modeling clay will harden at room temperature without baking. Polymer oven-bake clay, on the other hand, requires the proper application of heat to make it hard. Polymer clay also won't shrink as it hardens and sets, which can occur with air-dry clay.
Simply pour some powdered sugar into a bowl, some vanilla extract and milk. If you want your glaze to take on an icing-like consistency, add just enough milk to turn the mixture into a paste. If you want it to be more of a watery drizzle that'll harden, add more milk.
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.
Typically, three coats are applied. Each dries slowly, hardening as it does so (the glazes contain binders). This provides a stable base for the next one.
Wedging your clay is an important step in preventing it from cracking while drying. This helps to compress and align the clay particles, which helps prevent cracking. It's important to wedge your clay correctly so that it has an even consistency throughout. You don't want hard lumps that are drier in your soft 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 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.
Vinegar is also used in clay bodies to increase acidity to improve plasticity. The acid works to neutralize sodium ions (from water, leaching feldspars) that tend to deflocculate the clay. Excessive acid may tend to dissolve more feldspar or nepheline syenite negating the effect.
Glaze has three basic functions. Firstly, glaze seals the inherent porosity of earthenware vessels rendering the vessels suitable for holding liquids. Also, glaze gives ceramics a tougher surface. Finally, glazes enhance the underlying texture or design painted, carved, inscribed, or unmodified.
Don't do it. Ever. Under any circumstances! The solvent in nail polish will begin to soften and dissolve your polymer clay, even baked clay, making it sticky and gooey over time.