Dryad Education, the home of Specialist Crafts is a leading supplier of Art, Textiles, Design and Technology resources to educational establishments, students and artists worldwide. The photo above shows the test I make after reconditioning any old Super Sculpey. I do this in 50g pieces, because I’ve found that I can comfortably enclose this amount in my hand. I usually keep the hardened/dried Sculpey in my closed hand for a few minutes first because this minimal heat will begin to soften it, at least enough to make rolling easier. I do the rolling on a clean polyethylene chopping board, first rolling out gradually into a thin string, winding this together again and repeating. The slight texture of the chopping board not only makes rolling easier but also contributes to the ‘tenderising’ process. If the Sculpey has become so pliable that it can be bent into this curve readily and without fracturing, and if I can ‘smear’ the other end with the fingertip evenly, the clay is ready to use.

Super Sculpey - Potterycrafts

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Parchment paper will provide an extra protective layer for both your clay figures and your baking tray. You can also use wax paper to line your baking tray. [6] X Research source This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Hannah Madden is a writer, editor, and artist currently living in Portland, Oregon. In 2018, she graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies. Hannah enjoys writing articles about conservation, sustainability, and eco-friendly products. When she isn’t writing, you can find Hannah working on hand embroidery projects and listening to music. Here at Dryad Education, we have over 30 years of experience supplying the highest quality materials for excellent value for money and exceptional customer service from our UK, Ireland, and Dubai distribution centres. Is polymer clay ever too far gone and impossible to be saved? Generally, no. You can save it. It just requires clay softener, time, patience, and elbow grease. It’s annoying, but it’s also very normal for brands such as Fimo Professional, PV Clay, Craftsmart, Hobby Lobby Crafter’s Choice, and Cernit Number One.If you can pinch together crumbs of the clay and make them workable, the clay is not damaged and merely requires “work”. All polymer clays, even across different brands, can be intermixed (having basically the same ingredients) so that colour, pliability or strength can be altered. For example Super Sculpey can be combined with more opaque types (such as white ‘Sculpey Original’ or Super Sculpey Firm) to create a more ‘visible’ surface. It is best to make a few blending tests using different proportions because not only colour but the consistency will be changed. Let your clay cool for 10 minutes. Leave your figures on the baking tray and let them cool for about 10 minutes. They might still look soft when they are warm from the oven, but they will harden as they cool down. [10] X Research source Related to the dust issue is one of making sure that your hands are clean before working with polymer clay. Even when you think your hands are clean…they’re not. And when working light colors such as white or yellow, or translucent, dirt that’s invisible on your hands can end up in your clay, giving your work dirty streaks. Even the blue residue from wearing blue jeans will coat your hands and show up on light-colored clay. So before working with polymer clay, wash your hands well, and don’t forget to clean under your fingernails.

Super Sculpey SOFT Grey Polymer Clay | Craftmill

The stronger brands of polymer clay are durable enough that you cannot break them with your hands, even when used as thin as 1/16″ (1.5 mm). Of course to have this kind of durability the clay must be properly baked, which leads us to the next point. 2. Underbaking Polymer Clay When I started working with polymer clay, I made a lot of mistakes. (I still do, by the way.) But experience has taught me a few things and here are some mistakes that I no longer make. (These tips apply to all brands of polymer clay, not just Sculpey. Read on if you use any oven-bake clay brand!)It also seems like such a good idea to buy a can of spray varnish and give all your newly made Sculpey creatures a nice glossy coat of spray varnish. So simple and so easy. Except that the varnish never dries. There are very few spray varnishes that are compatible with polymer clay. And what works with one brand of clay won’t work with another. I tested many brands of spray sealer on polymer clay and only found two brands that consistently works with all brands of clay. Another method which facilitates getting a smooth surface is actually modelling through a layer of cling-film! I’ve used this to control modelling when using wetter materials such as plaster or softer such as modelling wax either as containment or to give the surface a little more ‘rubbery’ firmness while working. In the case of plaster the cling-film needs to be left on until it’s set but in the cases of modelling wax or Sculpey it can be removed straight away. Please note Express Delivery will be a two day delivery to Northern Ireland, Scottish Islands and parts of the Highlands.

Sculpting 101: Newbies with Super Sculpey Polymer Clay Sculpting 101: Newbies with Super Sculpey Polymer Clay

To mix these in, you can use a food processor, mix by hand, or use a pasta machine. It may take a long time for the clay to smooth out and mix completely with a pasta machine. Super Sculpey is a very unique polymer clay, loved by artists, dollmakers & animation studios alike.Super Sculpey is popular in both the film and toy-making industries as a material for character maquettes. It is very even and fine-grained, suitable for fine detail and with careful working can be smoothed to an almost glass-like surface. But it can also be worked into a very soft state between the fingers so that it can be applied, much like fresh natural clay or soft modelling wax, in an almost smearing action. A better way is to create a small kink in the end of the eyepin, before you embed it into the raw clay. This way it cannot pull out after baking. Here’s an example of what I mean: using lighter fluid or white spirit, both distillations of petroleum. Similarly I’ve heard mineral oil, baby oil or even olive oil recommended. It’s all too common for a newbie to find out about polymer clay and buy everything in the clay aisle at the craft store, assuming that it’s all required for working with polymer clay. Not only can this be very expensive, but you really don’t need most of the tools you’ll see for sale there. Start with some basics, then add more as your experience grows and you have a better idea of what you like to make. I am new to jewellery making and started out with Sculpey III because it was available but obviously it was a bit of a disaster!