[Grace] resin-like clay

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Cons: Health concerns, yellows with time, annoying to use, cannot be rebaked. Visual Comparison of Resin Alternatives Best for: Sealing surface treatments, creating a glossy effect, and enriching translucent projects. Acrylic Varnishes Both epoxy and UV resins have a short shelf life, typically a year or less. Older resin turns yellow while in the bottle and if it’s old enough, might not cure completely. Yellowing Air-dry clay is not food safe and it should be used for decorative purposes only. There are some sealants available for air-dry clay pots that are food-safe, but even if these are applied we would not recommend using air-dry clay for eating or drinking. Can you wet air-dry clay while sculpting?

If you want to create a shiny surface on plain, smooth polymer clay, there is no better approach than to create a sanded and buffed finish. This technique enhances the natural beauty of polymer clay, has a wonderful tactile feel, and avoids the chemical and performance issues that you face when adding a product to the surface of polymer clay. Metallic clays are enhanced and come to life when they’re sanded and buffed, too. Final Thoughts Don’t pour your UV resin while sitting near a sunny window or even with strong light. Even ambient light has some ability to begin the cure process. UV Resin should always be kept in a dark cabinet and preferably in a dark bottle because strong light can cause it to cure, especially over time. Brands of UV Cure Resin No, the paint will become the sealant for the air dry clay.For best results, use acrylic or other water-based paints. This will help the paint apply well to your clay and give it a nice finish. Air-dry clay doesn’t need a kiln to cure; it dries by allowing the moisture in the clay to evaporate naturally in the air. Unfortunately, this means that if the clay is reintroduced to moisture, it will become soft again. As such, air dry clay isn’t naturally waterproof.If everything looks good you can continue to add layers of sealant till you get the look you are looking for. It is generally a good idea to apply at least three coats of sealant to avoid leaving any thin spots. Don’t rush this phase and only add additional layers according to your sealant’s directions. Varnish (sometimes called glaze or sealer) is just wood varnish or the varnish that’s used to coat acrylic paintings. On wood, it soaks into the fibers to form a super-durable surface. On polymer, however, it merely forms a super thin skin on the surface of your clay. A popular brand of varnish is Varathane. I also like a newcomer on the market, Brite Tone, that you can read about in my article here. Best for: Deepening and enriching dark colors, giving a warm sheen to smooth clay. Liquid Polymer Clay

One of the most versatile sealants on the market, Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating can be used on just about anything from air-dry clay to dried flowers. It is easy to apply in very light coats and provides a deep color-enhancing finish when built up. Some crafters feel that oven drying removes more moister from the clay, making it harder. Others believe that this makes it more fragile. Based on personal experience, we can’t support either side of the argument. Choosing the right clay for your project and conditioning it properly is more important to determining the strength of your work than the drying methods. Neither epoxy nor UV resin is acutely toxic (technically speaking). It will not poison you. However, because the material in BOTH UV and Epoxy resin is highly allergenic, you should absolutely minimize your exposure. Some people become intensely hypersensitized and have severe allergic reactions. Therefore, organic vapor respirators are recommended but not required. You should also prevent skin exposure (use gloves!) and use proper ventilation when mixing and pouring resin. Once you are sensitized to this material, you will always have an intense allergic reaction to it. And the more exposure you have, the more likely your body will become hypersensitized to it.

Doodlecraft

UV resin uses ultraviolet light to trigger, or catalyze, the chemical reaction that causes the resin to become hard. You can use a light with a special ultraviolet bulb, such as a nail lamp or an ultraviolet flashlight. Because the sun also emits ultraviolet light, you can use the sun to cure your UV resin as well. I have the Lisa Pavelka UV Light and it works well. You can now apply your first coat of sealant. If all you are wanting to accomplish is making your air-dry clay waterproof, then one coat may be enough. The purpose of this initial layer is to fill and seal all of the pores in your clay work. Unless you are using epoxy resin as a sealer, it is best to apply as light a coat as will provide complete coverage. Two brands of epoxy resin, Little Windows Brilliant Resin and another one called Art Resin both advertise that they’re non-toxic. They’re not made from something particularly unique. They’re both made of the same general ingredients as the other brands of epoxy resin. Remember, resin is NOT toxic. They’re not lying. But it’s a bit of marketing sleight of hand to avoid mentioning this hypersensitivity issue.

Liquid Fusion is a urethane glue that is slightly amber-colored and crystal clear. It can be poured onthe surface of flat polymer clay and left to dry. It will take several days, but you’ll be left with a smooth, glossy, hard finish similar to resin. Sanding and Buffing Regardless, here are the primary concerns you need to keep in mind when buying varnishes to seal air dry clay. Use There are also opaque and tinted sealants available or you can create them on your own by blending clear sealants and paints. Any holes or missed patches in the varnish seal will weaken the water resistance and make your pottery more susceptible to water damage. Acrylic Or Water-Based Paints Pros: Easy once you know how, has a wonderful feel. Removes flaws and textures. No worries about chemical incompatibility.All types of finishes can be applied with a sponge. We like this method for projects that have flowing lines and organic curves. It works best with thinner sealers that absorb well into the sponge and flow evenly. Let’s review the different options for sealing your air dry clay to give you the right level of water resistance for your decorative pottery. Types Of Sealants For Making Air Dry Clay Water-Resistant Liquid epoxy resin is by far the strongest water-resistant seal you can use for air dry clay. It will provide you with the most protection, but it’s also the most difficult to use. The best part of acrylic paints as a water-resistant seal is that you get to add decoration and color to your artwork.

Acrylic paint will seal air dry clay but only to a certain extent. Most acrylic paint is water-resistant but will not make your air-dry clay pots waterproof. Unlike polymer clay, air dry clay is water-soluble. To be made waterproof it has to be completely coated with a waterproof coating like epoxy or polyurethane. Most Acrylic paints, including outdoor acrylics, are water-resistant not waterproof. Will Air-Dry Clay dissolve in water? Kato Liquid Polyclay, Sculpey Liquid Clear, and Fimo Liquid will all cure clear and glossy when they’re fully cured. They do, however, need to be cured quite hot to create this effect. You just apply the liquid clay to the surface of the clay and then bake it in a hot oven, about 300F/148C. In most cases, though, a heat gun is required for the best clarity. It’s a process with a steep learning curve ( here’s a paid tutorial from Debbie Crothers), and it can be quite difficult to avoid getting bubbles and blisters, especially if an item is large. Now, start heating your oven. Be sure that it is set on bake, not broil, and the thermostat is no higher than 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 Celsius). Again, we can not overstress the importance of not exceeding these temperature settings. Doing so can result in personal injury, damage to your home, and the loss of your work. The exception to this is the opaque and tinted sealants that are available, Some of these can be quite stunning and might suit your taste. There are other waxes that work just as well. Neutral shoe polish and paste wax both work nicely on polymer clay to create a warm, enhancing sheen. But frankly, so does Vaseline, at a tiny fraction of the cost.Because air dry clay dries by allowing the moisture in the clay to naturally evaporate in the air, the material in the clay is still susceptible to moisture. Once you reintroduce a liquid to dried air dry clay, it will become soft again through reabsorption of moisture. Both doming and coating resins contract during the curing process and some brands are worse than others at giving poor coating coverage. If you’re frustrated with one brand, try another. Also be aware that some brands of polymer clay will be better at “grabbing” the resin than others. Doming resin can also cause thin polymer clay pieces to curl upward. These Holo Effect cutter ornaments were coated with the Chinese UV resin mentioned above. The strong contracting effect cause the thin polymer clay to curve upward. Coating vs. Casting Resin You can find varnish in different levels of finish from matte to glossy, so read the label and choose the one that will give you the finish you’re looking for.