Conditioning means getting ready the clay to make sure that the manufactured elements are nicely combined and evenly distributed prepared to be used.
Why is conditioning clay necessary? The principle cause for conditioning is as a result of, if the elements are usually not completely and evenly distributed, then this will end in a weak and brittle clay as soon as it’s cured. Conditioning additionally has the additional advantage of creating the clay softer and simpler to work with.
Polymer clay is comprised of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin and a liquid plasticizer plus a spread of fillers, binders and pigments which change the opacity, color and traits of the clay. Typically, it stays workable till warmth is utilized. In different phrases, it doesn’t dry out however is ‘thermoset’ which creates a chemical response inflicting the polymers to hyperlink collectively to turn into right into a strong.
Illustration © Lizzi Bucklow-Holt 2019
Over time, some elements of uncooked clay will settle or ‘sink’ and even evaporate, making the clay seem like laborious and crumbly. Some outdated clays will be revived to a usable state, so don’t despair! It’ll simply take a while and persistence.
It’s unlikely that it is possible for you to to make use of any model of clay straight out of the packet, so it should should be conditioned earlier than you begin making your creations. Sure, it may be tiresome, particularly with stiffer clay manufacturers, however I promise it will likely be well worth the effort!
First, it helps to get the clay warmed up. Have you ever ever had toffee from the fridge? It’s laborious and brittle, isn’t it? However it you allow it out on a heat day, it goes tender and gooey. Effectively, uncooked clay acts in an analogous approach. However we’re speaking about bringing it as much as physique temperature, not rather more. Merely maintain it in your palms for some time, put it beneath your arm pits, and even sit on it (wrapped after all)! Don’t be tempted to microwave it or put in sizzling water. Endurance is the important thing, so get the clay warming up whilst you put together your work space.
Subsequent, we have to get the clay transferring. Begin by rolling, flexing and twisting it forwards and backwards. Lower the clay into manageable sized items if that helps. The motion helps to activate the molecules and heat up the insides of your piece of clay too. At this stage, some folks wish to hit the clay with a hammer too which is nice for stress-relief! Others use an tailored arbor press (just like the By no means Knead) to squash complete blocks of clay.
By now the clay must be feeling prefer it’s able to stretch. Roll it right into a log, fold it and repeat a number of occasions. Attempt to keep away from introducing air pockets. It ought to turn into simpler and simpler to govern. The take a look at to see whether it is totally conditioned is to roll it out flat and skinny. If the perimeters stay easy, it’s totally conditioned. In the event that they don’t, carry on folding and rolling. TIP: You probably have a pasta machine, you need to use it to situation the clay as soon as it has been warmed up. Don’t attempt to put chilly clay right into a pasta machine, as you’ll seemingly harm the inner cogs, and that’s a complete new drawback to take care of!
My clay is actually crumbly, what can I do?
Chop up the clay into actually small items, then move it by means of a pasta machine (PM) on a extremely skinny setting. The very small hole applies a number of stress, squashing the clay items collectively. Maintain operating it by means of the PM, including extra crumbs as you go till it’s all caught collectively and conditioned.
Fiona Abel-Smith exhibits this method right here in a video she kindly made for the Guild.
“Nope, it’s nonetheless crumbly!”
On this case, it’s possible that the plasticizers have leached out and should be reintroduced. One of the best factor so as to add here’s a little clear liquid polymer clay. Once more, reduce the clay into tiny items, put it in a plastic sandwich bag and drizzle somewhat liquid clay over it. Seal the bag and manipulate the clay to combine it. Depart it 24 hours after which strive conditioning it once more. You can too strive including mineral oil (equivalent to child oil) which helps to melt the clay however use it sparingly as an excessive amount of can weaken the construction of the clay.
It’s nonetheless grainy and never conditioning in any case that! Argh!
Then sadly it’s in all probability a misplaced trigger. It may need been left someplace significantly heat, close to a radiator maybe, and it is partially cured. Nonetheless, relatively than throw it away, chop it into small items and add a small quantity to scrap clay to make use of as bead or armature cores. That approach it gained’t go to waste and you’ll be environmentally aware. Don’t add greater than about 10% otherwise you would possibly weaken your creation.
Superior tip 1: It is suggested that freshly manufactured clay must be saved for not less than six months earlier than use. Normally the producer or distributor will do that for you, not releasing the clay onto the market till it’s prepared. However it has occurred earlier than and folks complain that it’s too gooey. It simply wants time for the composition of the clay to bind collectively. When you perceive the batch codes, you would possibly be capable of work out how outdated your clay is.
Superior tip 2: translucent clays could also be conditioned in a barely completely different approach as they are often liable to ‘placquing’ or ‘mooning’ whereby small opaque bubbles or crescent shapes appear to look within the clay. Ginger at The Blue Bottle Tree, goes into extra element right here, however a technique is to chop skinny slices from a warmed, manipulated (however not folded) block of clay and run it by means of a PM at a really skinny setting ONCE.
How do you situation your clay?
What suggestions do you may have for conditioning?
