You’ve heard it stated many instances in polymer clay books, in tutorials, and most definitely many different locations that there’s “no such factor as scrap clay.” However there’s a trick to gaining usable scrap clay and never only a mess of murky, brown, soiled ugliness.
Rewritten, edited, & reposted: 7/22/23
What prompted this publish was a query I obtained from one other crafter: “How do you retailer your clay?”
They had been extremely on this as a result of many individuals retailer their clay in many alternative methods. First, I retailer partially used clay blocks in a divided beading storage bin. I’ve completed this since 2007 and nonetheless proceed this methodology to this present day. To ensure that this methodology to work for me, I’ve divided my clay by normal clay colours: purple, fuchsia-esque, pinks, yellow, orange, whites, purples, blues, black, browns, specialty, greens, metallics, darkish browns, and pastels. I actually don’t fear about clay touching, mixing, and even maintaining manufacturers separated. Why? As a result of by the point it’s correctly conditioned, these little tiny bits get all absorbed and blended into the clay; and in actuality, these tiny bits received’t change the colour of your clay that a lot. I take advantage of all totally different manufacturers of clay however primarily follow Premo by Sculpey, Cernit, & Fimo. If the clay is rolled into balls, it has already been blended with one thing. Whether it is nonetheless in its block kind, it’s unblended, straight from the manufacturing facility.
- TIME (From Begin to End): Roughly 35 minutes for each 4 ounces of scrap clay.
- MATERIALS: Scrap Clay (Not less than 4 ounces)Pasta Machine
Now for the reality: How lengthy does it take you to have little tiny bits of clay floating far and wide? A few of these little bits can be utilized for particulars in your items, however most definitely even the tiniest of bits (particularly from customized marble blends and mokume gane) find yourself within the “scrap pile.” I’m praying that you’ve got a type of…if not…GET ONE! Right here’s my scrap pile. This has been gathered over roughly two months….let me inform you, there’s a LOT of clay right here, it’s simply laborious to inform! In whole what I’ve proven right here is about 6oz. of “scrap clay” items, parts, balls, and nubby ends (an equal of three blocks of clay).
Right here’s step one…separate all these bits of clay from one another and put them into coordinating coloration palettes. No matter you resolve will work nice…don’t stress or fear over this, simply do it! Each time you do that your “piles” can be totally different. For my scrap pile, I had a customized order that used lots of pink, so there have been fairly just a few totally different pink colours floating round my scrap pile. Subsequent time this won’t be the case. Critically although, use what you may have, and don’t stress about your piles. This half takes the longest typically, so don’t fear or panic, take your time. Pictured at proper are my separated scrap piles (clockwise from high left): pinks, browns, darks, brights, whites & tiny bits too small to separate, reds, and yellows. You’ll additionally discover in every pile I’ve some white or blended white clay with pearl in it. That is too is scrap clay, however I’ve added it to every pile to enliven the colours so that they don’t uninteresting and develop into too murky. *Bear in mind, white acts as a brightener.*
Subsequent, you’ll take all these items (beginning with the lightest in order to not coloration taint your arms) and put them in your hand. Now shut your hand round all these items and start to squeeze gently and heat the clay. Barely “smoosh” it as you might be working, once more this can assist carry out its polymer properties. Then roll them into free balls. You possibly can see all my balled-up clay right here on this image. Seems sort of gross, doesn’t it?! Belief me…that is a part of the method! 🙂
Now that you just’ve completed the laborious half (which was getting all these tiny bits in order that they had been sticky and in order that they weren’t laborious little rocks) it’s time to situation and mix the balls of clay collectively. That is the simplest half, nevertheless it takes probably the most time. Simply flatten the balls and plop them into your pasta machine and mix, mix, mix till there are NO streaks remaining. You’ll be actually stunned what you get if you end up “completed.” In my “scrap clay” piles are the BEAUTIFUL colours I obtained. I’ll present close-ups in a minute, however take a look at these! Earlier than they had been grungy, ugly, scary tiny bits and lumps of clay. Now they’re stunning usable colours. As a result of most of my customized blends comprise pearl, most of those colours have beautiful shimmery metallic palettes to them. The brown on the underside proper had embossing powder and glitter in one of many mixes, so this mix can have a particular contact when baked. You can too mix the darker or extra single-toned colours with a contact of pearl to provide it pizazz and a luster that’s merely hanging. However that is the purpose: USE YOUR SCRAP CLAY!
Now the massive query…”What do you do with them?” That’s the fantastic thing about it: you are able to do something you wish to with it! You should use them to make customized Mokume Gane blends, design sculptures with them, make distinctive jewellery parts and use them as a base for one more newer mix, it actually doesn’t matter. All it’s a must to do is USE IT!
Let your creativeness run wild and luxuriate in this new endeavor of “no scrap left behind!”
Right here’s an important key to recollect: Had you taken all these tiny bits, bumps, and items of clay within the first image and balled them up all collectively you’d have had a murky, ugly, non-usable grayish/brownish mess! By following this tremendous easy tutorial you can also have usable scrap clay. By doing this tutorial you may have retained colours & their properties and given a second life to what might need develop into “trash.”
Sculpting Blessings,
