Conditioning means getting ready the clay to make sure that the manufactured substances are effectively blended and evenly distributed prepared to be used.
Why is conditioning clay necessary? The principle purpose for conditioning is as a result of, if the substances will not be completely and evenly distributed, then this may occasionally lead to a weak and brittle clay as soon as it’s cured. Conditioning additionally has the additional benefit 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 variety of fillers, binders and pigments which change the opacity, color and traits of the clay. Usually, 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 substances of uncooked clay will settle or ‘sink’ and even evaporate, making the clay seem like laborious and crumbly. Some previous clays may be revived to a usable state, so don’t despair! It is going to simply take a while and endurance.
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’s going to have to be conditioned earlier than you begin making your creations. Sure, it may be tiresome, particularly with stiffer clay manufacturers, however I promise it is going to be definitely 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? Nevertheless it you allow it out on a heat day, it goes gentle and gooey. Properly, uncooked clay acts in an identical means. However we’re speaking about bringing it as much as physique temperature, not far more. Merely maintain it in your palms for some time, put it beneath your arm pits, and even sit on it (wrapped in fact)! Don’t be tempted to microwave it or put in scorching water. Endurance is the important thing, so get the clay warming up when you put together your work space.
Subsequent, we have to get the clay shifting. Begin by rolling, flexing and twisting it backwards and forwards. Minimize 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 individuals prefer 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 entire blocks of clay.
By now the clay needs to be feeling prefer it’s able to stretch. Roll it right into a log, fold it and repeat just a few instances. Attempt to keep away from introducing air pockets. It ought to turn into simpler and simpler to control. 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: In case you have a pasta machine, you should 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 probably harm the inner cogs, and that’s a complete new drawback to cope with!
My clay is de facto crumbly, what can I do?
Chop up the clay into actually small items, then go it by way of a pasta machine (PM) on a very skinny setting. The very small hole applies quite a lot of strain, squashing the clay items collectively. Preserve operating it by way of the PM, including extra crumbs as you go till it’s all caught collectively and conditioned.
Fiona Abel-Smith exhibits this system 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 have to be reintroduced. The very best factor so as to add here’s a little clear liquid polymer clay. Once more, minimize the clay into tiny items, put it in a plastic sandwich bag and drizzle just a little liquid clay over it. Seal the bag and manipulate the clay to combine it. Go away it 24 hours after which strive conditioning it once more. You too can 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 most likely a misplaced trigger. It might need been left someplace significantly heat, close to a radiator maybe, and it is partially cured. Nonetheless, somewhat 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 means it received’t go to waste and you’ll be environmentally acutely 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 needs to be saved for not less than six months earlier than use. Often the producer or distributor will do that for you, not releasing the clay onto the market till it’s prepared. Nevertheless 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. Should you perceive the batch codes, you would possibly have the ability to work out how previous your clay is.
Superior tip 2: translucent clays could also be conditioned in a barely totally different means as they are often susceptible to ‘placquing’ or ‘mooning’ whereby small opaque bubbles or crescent shapes appear to seem within the clay. Ginger at The Blue Bottle Tree, goes into extra element right here, however a method is to chop skinny slices from a warmed, manipulated (however not folded) block of clay and run it by way of a PM at a really skinny setting ONCE.
How do you situation your clay?
What ideas do you’ve for conditioning?