You’ve heard it stated many occasions in polymer clay books, in tutorials, and most certainly 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 put up was a query I received 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 various 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 today. To ensure that this methodology to work for me, I’ve divided my clay by basic clay colours: pink, 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 retaining 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 gained’t change the colour of your clay that a lot. I take advantage of all totally different manufacturers of clay however primarily keep on with 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 certainly 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 a kind of…if not…GET ONE! Right here’s my scrap pile. This has been collected over roughly two months….let me let you know, there’s a LOT of clay right here, it’s simply arduous 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 shade palettes. No matter you determine 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 quite a lot of pink, so there have been fairly a couple of totally different pink colours floating round my scrap pile. Subsequent time this won’t be the case. Significantly although, use what you will 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 prime 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 brighten up the colours in order that they don’t boring and grow to be too murky. *Keep in mind, white acts as a brightener.*
Subsequent, you will take all these items (beginning with the lightest in order to not shade 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 may assist carry out its polymer properties. Then roll them into unfastened balls. You possibly can see all my balled-up clay right here on this image. Seems to be sort of gross, doesn’t it?! Belief me…that is a part of the method! 🙂
Now that you just’ve completed the arduous half (which was getting all these tiny bits in order that they had been sticky and in order that they weren’t arduous 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 when you’re “completed.” In my “scrap clay” piles are the BEAUTIFUL colours I received. I’ll present close-ups in a minute, however have a look at these! Earlier than they had been grungy, ugly, horrifying 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 may as well mix the darker or extra single-toned colours with a contact of pearl to offer it pizazz and a luster that’s merely hanging. However that is the purpose: USE YOUR SCRAP CLAY!
Now the large 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 important to do is USE IT!
Let your creativeness run wild and revel in this new endeavor of “no scrap left behind!”
Right here’s crucial 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 will have retained colours & their properties and given a second life to what might need grow to be “trash.”
Sculpting Blessings,
