A Beginner’s Guide on Air Dry Clay Crafts

With handcrafts exploding into popularity across socials over the years, it’s not surprising to see a growing interest in niche crafts. From easy resin art tutorials to woodcarving walkthroughs, more and more people are realizing that crafting doesn’t require as much material and knowledge. If you’re a beginner, you’ve come to the right place - read on to get the perfect starter’s guide!

What is air dry clay?

Air dry clay is a fine natural earth clay. It’s perfect for anyone looking to get into clay craft because it dries naturally instead of needing to be baked or fired. This makes it an ideal material for anyone just starting out or for people looking for a way to get the whole family crafting.

Air dry clay is gentle on tiny hands with only a little mess, easy to clean and more forgiving on any mistakes. With its composition, you can form and reform your project until it’s exactly as you envisioned it.

Making the most out of the material

Since this particular clay dries out without the need for a kiln or any specialty equipment, air itself can be a problem. To make sure you make the most out of your material, only remove the amount you need and store the rest in an airtight container.

Once you’re set with the amount of clay you want and need, prepping it is the next step. Take some time to warm up the material by kneading it - make sure not to handle it for too long! The more time it’s out in the air, the more it will harden over time.

This is when you might want to get started right away but taking the time to roll your clay out with a rolling pin will help ensure you get smooth, even surfaces with consistent thickness.

While pliable and easily moldable, air dry clay also tends to be fairly sticky. To keep it from sticking to your hands, use a little water or hand lotion to keep most of the mess off of yourself.

For your work surface, be sure to use a non-stick product! Tools like cutting mats are especially helpful since they’ll keep your tables clean and reduce the amount of dust and debris from getting onto your clay.

Finally, you’ll want to take some time and make some simple clay slip. This is basically your clay watered down into a paste-like consistency. This is basically the glue that will hold your craft together so be sure to have this done and set aside before any projects!

Our tool recommendations

• Embossing Tool Set
• K1 Craft Knife
• Rotary Cutter
• Pounce Wheels
• Tweezers
• Cutting Mats
• Mini Pin Vise
• Needle Point Scribe Tool
• Sanding Tools
  
  
  

Getting crafty

Now that you’re ready to get crafting, be sure to keep these important tips in mind!

1. Project taking longer than expected? Cover your project in a damp towel or cling film to keep it soft and from drying out mid-crafting.
2. Before attaching pieces of clay together, make sure to both score the surface and use slip to ensure proper adhesion.
3. Dry times for your project will vary based on the clay you use, the size of your project, clay thickness, and how detailed it is.

Tip: A general rule of thumb is to let your project “cure” for 24 hours - this will allow your craft to set and get leather hard. The air dry clay, however, will not be fully dried until at least 72 hours to a week! Give your craft the time it needs to dry and avoid handling it unless flipping it over to allow it to dry on all sides.

1. Perfect your project before sealing with something like acrylic paint, mod podge or glaze. Sanding tools and pine vises are essential for getting tiny details absolutely perfect.

FAQ

• Does air dry clay need to be baked or fired?

No, air dry clay is a fine earth clay that doesn’t need to be baked or fired in order for it to harden!

• Is air dry clay an appropriate material for beginners?

Air dry clay is the perfect material for beginners interested in clay crafts. With its long dry time and no need for baking or firing, it’s more forgiving than other clays like stoneware or porcelain.

• What kind of tools do you need to make air dry clay projects?

You can easily make air dry clay projects with any tools! Using tools like craft knives, rotary cutters and embossing tools, however, help you perfect and add fine details that may have been difficult or more time consuming to do by hand. Sanding tools and files also help smooth surfaces and create an even, consistent texture.

• How long does it take for air dry clay to fully dry?

It takes about 24 hours for an air dry clay project to fully set but it can range from 72 hours to a week for a project to fully harden depending on clay thickness, project size and detail.