please help? I have a few questions about clay?

Question

I have a question that I would be very appreciated if answered.
Regarding polymer clay and air dry clay, which one is more durable,?
I know polymer clay has a great finish, but I find its to much work. It costs more, and takes a lot of steps just to create some. P.S I have tried polymer clay, and I really didn't like it, I spent 15.00 dollars on it, and I was very upset.

Well, on air-dry clay, I find it more.....well.....great! I find that it is VERY cheap in my case, and works great!

so my question is:
Which one do you find more effective, and more easy to use? I'm just curious.

BONUS: Can I use glaze on air dry clay? Will it make it hardened and be exactly like polymer clay? Do you think if I did it well, people will buy it on Etsy? Thanks!

Answer 1

I admit air-dry clay has a reputation for being easy to break

You will have a problem with the reputation



There are better modeling compounds coming out

La Doll

Paperclay ( This is also a brand name)

DaisyClay

There are several epoxy clays but they are more expensive



There is another class that is part clay and part plaster. It comes dry and is activated with water

Alley Stone

Art Stone Decoration Powder

Aves Paper Maché

Paverplast



Polymer clay seems to be more durable than air dry clay and for some applications polymer clay is more durable than ceramic clay

If you hit polymer clay with a hammer it can dent or shatter - Ceramic clay would shatter



I have worked with both air-dry and polymer clay



I prefer ceramic clays and ceramic paper clay Both are fired in a ceramic kiln

If you want to try ceramic clay, the best way is lessons

After that there are a few Pottery Guilds around the country

The Pottery Guild I joined was started by one of my teachers



Here are some places with classes

http://ceramicartsdaily.org/education/classes/



http://www.claytimes.com/classes.html

Answer 2

Polymer clay is more durable than air dry clay - though there are brands of air dry clay that cures to a fairly durable finish.

You can probably glaze air dry clay, but you can't make it exactly like polymer clay.



I don't have much experience with air dry clay but I am a huge fan of polymer clay and the many advantages it brings - eg. the long working time.

I hope you find a clay you like working with.

scs-craft.blogspot.com

Answer 3

First, polymer clay is "more durable" than any of the air-dry clays because it's basically plastic--that is, IF you don't underbake the clay, do thoroughly condition, and don't use certain lines of polymer clay when the clay will be thin after baking...in those circumstances, even polymer clay can be less "durable" but you'd have a hard time breaking it if not. Pieces can break off if they weren't properly joined though of course.

When polymer clay hardens, it does it by the chemical reaction of "polymerization" with heat, which means that the ingredients join together into long chains on a molecular level--which is what makes plastics strong, and especially the kind of plastic that polymer clay is.



As for which kind of clay is "more effective," that depends entirely on what you want to do with your clay.

There are many things that polymer clay can do that no air-dry clay can do**, it's easier to work with once its properly conditioned than air-dry clay, and it will create greater finer detail (if you need detail) because of its handling characteristics and also because it won't begin hardening at all while working (it's oil-based rather than water-based like air-dry clays).



As for extra "steps," here are some step and time differences between polymer clays and air-dry clays:

....polymer clays need to be conditioned; air-dry clays less so

....air-dry clays don't often come in colors so they must be colored when raw, or must be painted after hardening

....air-dry clays will take a long time to dry naturally (which is the best way to harden them); polymer clays can be hardened in 20 minutes or so though that requires preheating an oven

....air-dry clays must be sealed if not painted with a permanent paint (and the sealer/paint must be dried); polymer clays don't need sealing and are naturally waterproof (they can be painted if desired though)



There are other differences between them including their strength, weight, finesse, etc, after hardening in my previous answer here:

https://answersrip.com/question/index?qid=20100606134234AAlJaN0

.

Answer 4

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