Many times I upload posts dedicated to polymer clay, is moldable and can be used for countless Crafts. Both to make figurines, to make key chains or jewelry. It is a material that I love and it is also very fun to work with.
The only drawback it has is the price since, it is not that it is excessively expensive, but it is expensive enough not to buy it if we are not very sure what we are going to do with it or if we are going to know how to give it a good use. For that reason, in today's post I upload a recipe to make homemade polymer clay and so you can test and play with the material much more economically
La polymer clay, also known as Fimo, is one of the most important in this world of creativity and imagination. Thanks to it we can create all the shapes that appear in our mind and with more than incredible results. Find out everything you need about her!
What is polymer clay?
Since we have presented it with a star product, now we have to know well what we are talking about. Polymer clay is a moldable paste. Surely we all remember the playdough we used when we were little. Well, it is very similar to this one. It can be used by the young and the less young, since it is very easy to work with and does not require any type of problem.
The only difference that we can find with respect to plasticine is that this clay can combine colors. If you mix two colors, you will get a very original marbled effect and if you still lengthen the mixing time, then you will get a homogeneous combination.
Materials for making polymer clay
- 1 teflon pot.
- 1 cup of white school glue (buy here).
- 1 cup of cornstarch.
- 2 tablespoons of mineral oil.
- 1 tablespoon lemon.
- Powder tempera of different colors. (buy here)
How to make homemade polymer clay
We will mix all the ingredients in a Teflon pot put to heat over low heat. If we want the dough to have color, we will put powdered tempera of the desired color in the ingredients, otherwise, the dough will be white.
Once we have the ingredients in the Teflon pot, the we will mix for ten minutes over low heat until a dough remains. Then, remove it from the heat and let it cool. Then knead it until it is a nice and manageable texture. Finally, to preserve it you need to keep it in an airtight jar.
In the photo above you can see pieces made with polymer clay that you can do yourselves.
How is polymer clay used?
Now that we know that it is a moldable paste, we have to complete the information specifying how this clay is used or treated. First of all, we have to shape it. To do this, you will think of a figure and the you will mold with your hands. With the heat of these, it will be easier and easier to handle the clay. Once you have the figure created, you have to take it to the oven. Yes, you will leave it in the conventional oven for a few minutes. In each container of clay, they will indicate the time you should leave it but as a general rule it is always about 15 minutes, approximately. When we remove it from the oven, let it cool and from here, you can cut it out or paint the figure you have made. As simple as that!.
Where to buy polymer clay?
The first places we should go to be able to buy polymer clay, are stationery stores and craft stores. It must be said that, although it is an increasingly well-known product, there will not be one in all these places. Sometimes it can be a bit complicated for us, but we will always have the internet. There are several pages, also of crafts where you can find them. You just have to look for those that do not have many shipping costs because we do not want the final price to go up more than necessary.
The most recognized brands of polymer clay
As we mentioned at the beginning, this material is also called Fimo. Although it must be remembered that Fimo is the name of a specific brand of clay and it is not the generic name. Well, starting from this base, you know that under this name you can find clay in Spain. You will have two varieties within it:
- Classic Fimo: It is a little harder to mold, but also more durable.
- soft fimo: It is now ready to be used. But of course, it is a bit more delicate and can be easily broken.
On the other hand, you will also find the brand Sculpey and Kato. So, you will no longer have excuses to be able to get to work with them.
It is advisable to start with small and simple figures but surely, you will soon unleash your imagination and see how the artistic vein comes out in a matter of seconds. Shall we get down to work?
Crafts with polymer clay
Many people think that with polymer clay You can only make figures, and although it is what you find most, this type of clay offers many more possibilities.
If you want to make figures and you are starting, it may be easier for you to start with easy dolls and with few details. On the internet you will find many "step by step" in photography in which they teach you to model each part of the figure.
Some of the figures that are usually made are simple and very fashionable, they are kawaii-style foods. It is very common to add a keychain, put them as earrings, necklace or decoration for a pencil or pen.
As well you can create flowers and plants pTo decorate. The result is very good. Help yourself with cutters and tools that will allow you to create better finishes. One detail, you can also use pastry cutters, since the fondant or cookie cutters are the same as those used with clay.
You will see that with a little practice you can even make quite realistic flowers.
As I have already mentioned, you do not have to make only figures, the boat decorations is a good alternative. You have thousands of ideas that will inspire you to decorate and recycle those glass jars that you use every day. Also, if you use polymeric baking clay, you will have no problem putting the whole piece in the oven, the glass will hold perfectly. Be careful, do not use plastic cans in this case your work will end very badly.
In addition to all this, there is an increasingly well-known decoration technique in the world of polymer clay called “millefiori” or in Spanish “thousand flowers”. Consists in joining pieces of polymer clay together to make a tube which is cut into slices and shows the drawing you have created, either abstract or with a specific image. In the beginning, flowers were created, but it evolved and now you can find everything.
I hope you find it useful and until next time DIY.
Very good article, thank you for sharing it, you did not know that way of being able to make polymer clay yourself, now it is time to put it into practice.
regards
Hello, excuse a question what is powder tempera? I live in Mexico and I'm not sure if I understood you correctly, if by saying tempera you mean powder paint and if that's what it would be vegetable or how?
Hello, I wanted to know if you can replace the mineral oil with the common oil or another oil?
Hello, two questions
1. What is the powder temperature? Could it be anilines? That I use for cold porcelain and it's almost the same ingredients
2. Is the oven mandatory and / or does the microwave work?
Thanks
Do not say that this is polymer clay, you are making a homemade paste, cold pasta or French porcelain, do not make people fall into the error, polymer clay is impossible to make in a kitchen because it involves complex chemical processes in its preparation
Please correct your post, this is not polymer clay, this is a type of homemade porcelain. Polymer clay requires complex chemical processes, as its name implies, it is a polymer or pvc plastic that requires a complete and equipped laboratory to perform it. Don't confuse people, I'm a polymer clay modeller and this is anything but the material I work with.
Do not confuse people !!!
What you say is NOT polymer clay.
Polymeric is a paste based on PVC, a plastic polymer made up of several molecules (monomers) of vinyl chloride. The vinyl chloride polymerization process is highly toxic and takes place in factories in hermetically sealed reactors.
CORRECT !!!
Hello, good afternoon ,, the oven is mandatory for this type of crafts? ,, thank you very much in advance !!!
I agree, this is not polymer clay, it is homemade cold porcelain. No matter how hard it is cured in the oven, let it dry, if the piece is immersed in water, it ends up dissolving, which does not happen with true polymer clay, which can be in water without problem, since it remains like a PVC object
It is good for some crafts, and it is inexpensive to work with children. But it is not durable in time
Thank you very much, the use of this product has clarified me a lot. In my country we still do not have this product, thank you I live in Panama, the truth is I don't know if they sell it, I have worked with cold porcelain. Thanks
Hello! I read your post carefully, you did not make it clear to what degree it is baked. Thanks Greetings from Argentina