INFORMATION ON POLYMER CLAY

By Garie Sim

Garie Sim's Information On Polymer Clay

Polymer clay is nontoxic, man-made non- toxic modeling clay material that work and feel like ceramic clay, it would not dry out when exposed to the air. The clay can be bake in a regular or toaster oven at a temperature of 270º F / 130º C as compared to ceramic clay which are fired in a kiln at 1500º F. Once baked polymer clay can be sand, carve, drill, buff and rebake eg.(when required to replace or duplicate broken parts or features to your clay project).

The clay is PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic. Similar plastics are frequently used in today's plumbing and water piping. Tiny grains of PVC are mixed with plasticizers and pigments. With the new formulation the Phthalates are removed from the polymer clay. When the clay is baked at the proper temperature, varying from 230 to 270 º F (110º C to 130º C) depending upon the make and color), chemical changes occur and the particles fuse into a solid mass without shrinking. If heated again, the clay will soften slightly but not melt (technically it is similar to "thermosetting" plastics, but still has some characteristics of "thermoplastics"). Like many other plastics, if heated too hot 350º F to 390º F (180º C to 200º C) it will darken, give off noxious fumes and possibly catch fire. Polymer clay are available in more than hundreds of color. The different types and colors of the clay can be intermix. The colors may darken slightly when baked at higher temperature.

Liquid polymer clays are now available under Fimo Decorative Liquid Gel, Kato Liquid and Liquid Sculpey. Todate, there are even more types of polymer clay Sculpey has improved its formula for Sculpey 3, UltraLight clay that float on water, BakShop a friendly clay for kids, Pluffy its a fluffy clay for children. Another new product Pardo Jewellery Clay from Germany.

With such a wide varieties of clay, there are many option for artists, crafters and kids using it. Polymer clay can combined with other materials and accessories to enrich your creation/project. Modeling with polymer clay can be time-consuming, but it is your passport to a rich and imaginative world of shapes, textures and colors. You will be a happy and less stressful person and it will help children to develop their fine motor skills and improve hand eye coordination, motivate, encourage interaction, and turn the conceptual design into reality. Creative play with clay build the confident in the kids. It is the most versatile clay art medium, for the professional artists and crafters.

Polymer clay works well with surfaces like paper, aluminum foils, metal, glass, ceramic, marble, granite, do not work well with plastic and lacquer finish wood surface. You can paint your polymer clay model or creation with acrylic water based paints. Varnishing your clay creation with water based glaze (matt or shine) will improve the clay model and also removed some of your finger prints. When gluing polymer clays, used super glue gel or super glue. Beside super glue you can also use plastic cement, silicon glue, epoxy glue and hot melt glue gun.

Adding to the above, you don't need to use all the various brands of polymer clay, just concentrate on your creative skills, it is important to understand and know your clay medium that you are using, just get a good quality polymer clay. After all, a great guitarist don't have to aquire the most expensive guitar to play good music.

For More Information Visit,

http://www.garieinternational.com.sg/clay/clay.htm