Can You Use Air Dry Clay For Jewelry?

What is Air Dry Clay?

Air dry clay, also called modeling clay, is a lightweight, easy to mold material that hardens naturally as it dries. Unlike traditional clays that require firing in a kiln, air dry clays cure at room temperature. Some of the most popular brands of air dry clay include Crayola Model Magic, Activ-Clay, and Darwi Oven Bake Clay.

Air dry clays are made from a variety of materials like cellulose, glue, and non-toxic hardeners. This gives the clay lightweight and moldable properties that are perfect for crafting and jewelry making. The clay can be shaped by hand or cut into customized designs. As it dries, the moisture evaporates, causing the clay to harden into a ceramic-like material.

Key properties that make air dry clay ideal for jewelry and crafts include its soft and pliable texture, smooth surface when dry, lightweight and durable finished product, and simple air drying without baking. It also comes in a variety of colors from neutral tones to bold hues.

Is Air Dry Clay Suitable for Jewelry?

Air dry clay can be an excellent material for making jewelry pieces like pendants, charms, earrings, rings, and bracelets. Some key advantages of using air dry clay for jewelry are that it is lightweight, easy to color and paint, affordable, and accessible. However, there are also some downsides to be aware of.

Because air dry clay is porous and fragile even when fully cured, jewelry pieces made from it can be prone to cracking or breaking, especially if subjected to pressure or impact. The clay remains somewhat soft after drying and is not as durable as jewelry made from materials like polymer clay or precious metals.

Additionally, unless properly sealed, air dry clay is porous so unglazed pieces may absorb dirt and oils from skin contact over time. Pieces must be thoroughly sealed with acrylic sealer, varnish or glue to protect the clay and prevent staining.

So while air dry clay is fun to work with and can produce cute jewelry components like beads, pendants and charms, makers should bear in mind its fragility and porosity compared to other jewelry materials. With proper sealing and care, air dry clay can certainly be used successfully for making jewelry, but likely works better for pieces worn occasionally rather than everyday.

Making Pendants and Charms

Air dry clay is an extremely versatile material for making pendants and charms. Its moldable texture makes it easy to shape by hand or press into molds to create dimensional designs. Here are some techniques for achieving beautiful results:

Shaping and Molding

– Roll ropes, balls, and teardrop shapes by hand


– Press clay into silicone molds or found objects like seashells

– Cut out shapes using cookie cutters or craft punches


– Flatten and smooth clay between your palms or with a rolling pin

Adding Texture

– Press designs into clay using stamps, stencils, or handmade textures


– Create patterns by pressing with lace, burlap, leaves, or other found objects

– Roll over clay with a textured rolling pin

– Use a clay extruder to create unique shaped beads and details

Incorporating Glitter

– Fold fine glitter into the clay before shaping

– Apply glitter on wet clay using a paintbrush


– Coat finished pieces with glaze containing glitter

– Brush extra glue on baked clay and sprinkle with glitter while still tacky

With some creativity and simple techniques, air dry clay can be used to handcraft beautiful, lightweight pendants and charms.

Crafting Earrings

Air dry clay is a versatile medium for creating earrings in a variety of shapes and sizes. When crafting earrings, it’s important to keep them lightweight to prevent stretching and tearing of earlobes. Here are some techniques for sculpting high-quality air dry clay earrings:

For stud earrings, roll small balls of clay between your fingers. Use a straw or skewer to poke holes before inserting findings and letting the clay fully cure. Consider imprinting the studs with textures using rubber stamps, carving tools, or found objects.

To make dangle earrings, sculpt free-form shapes or cut out clay with cookie cutters. Attach eyepins before curing. For extra support, insert short pieces of light gauge craft wire into the top before attaching findings.

For hoop earrings, roll thin coils and connect the ends to form circles. Use wire cutters to trim any uneven edges. Lightly pinch the hoops into shape while the clay is still pliable. Insert eyepins or attach findings with jewelry pliers after curing.

When incorporating wire into air dry clay earrings, use light gauge craft wires (22-24 gauge). Thicker wires can cause excessive weight and may not fully adhere to the clay. Carefully insert the wires when clay is still soft, allowing a portion to extend for attaching ear wires or other findings.

Forming Rings

Air dry clay is an extremely versatile material for handcrafting rings. With practice, you can shape bands, decorative rings, and other ring forms entirely by hand. When making bands designed to fit fingers, leaving enough space is crucial. Create a rounded band, then use a tapered dowel, straw, or other circular object with a diameter similar to a finger to pierce a hole through the center of the band. Remove the dowel and refine the shape and edges of the ring band as needed.

For consistent sizing, you may want to use a ring mandrel. These tools come with size markings, allowing you to shape bands to a precise finger width. Mandrels also help form the rounded profile of ring bands. Place a ball of clay over the mandrel and use your fingers or clay shaping tools to achieve a uniform thickness and contour.

In addition to bands, air dry clay can be molded into statement rings with decorative shapes atop the band. Make the band first using a mandrel, then attach and shape the decorative form. Let the structure dry fully before attempting to wear the ring.

Creating Bracelets

Bracelets are a fun and easy jewelry project to make with air dry clay. You can mold the clay directly on your wrist to create customized cuffs or bangles. Roll snakes of clay and connect them to form patterns, or make clay beads to string together.

For cuff bracelets, drape a sheet of clay around your wrist in a circle. Overlap the ends slightly and smooth the seam together. Allow the clay to dry completely before removing the cuff from your wrist so it keeps its shape. Add texture by pressing designs into the clay with stamps, rolling over it with a brayer, or engraving patterns.

For shaped bangles, roll out a snake of clay about 1/4 inch thick. Wrap it around your wrist, overlapping the ends by about 1/2 inch. Smooth the seam together and allow to dry completely before removing from your wrist. Bangles can be decorated in the same way as cuff bracelets.

To make beads for stringing, roll small balls of clay between your palms or cut short segments of clay snakes. Pierce holes through the beads with a skewer or dollmaker’s needle before allowing them to dry. String the finished beads together using elastic cord, thread, or chain. Mixing bead sizes and shapes creates visual interest.

Applying Sealants

Once your air dry clay jewelry pieces are fully cured and hardened, it is highly recommended to apply a protective sealant. Air dry clays are water-soluble in their unsealed state, so applying a sealant is an important final step for functionality and durability. There are several types of sealants that work well with air dry clay:

Varnish – An acrylic varnish provides good surface protection and light water resistance. It dries with a glossy finish to highlight the colors and textures of the clay. Acrylic varnish is easy to apply with a brush and available in various finishes from matte to high gloss.

Glaze – Glazes designed for polymer clay can also work for air dry varieties. They provide a harder, glass-like surface that is water-resistant. Glazes often contain a suspension medium like mica powder to add pearlescent sheen. Multiple coats are needed for full coverage and maximum protection.

Polyurethane – A water-based polyurethane varnish provides excellent all around protection with a durable clear finish. It seals against moisture while enhancing the look with added shine and depth. Polyurethane is easy to apply and quick to dry.

Applying a quality sealant provides many benefits for air dry clay jewelry. It waterproofs the piece for greater durability and prevents staining. It gives surfaces a polished, professional look. And it helps the vibrant colors of the clay pop with a glossy sheen. Take the time to properly seal air dry clay jewelry, and the results will be worth the effort.

Adding Hardware

After your air dry clay jewelry pieces have completely dried and cured, you can add hardware like clasps, pins, and earring hooks to finish them off. Proper drying time is crucial – don’t attach hardware to clay that is still soft or tacky. The clay must be fully dry and hard before adding anything that will put stress on the piece.

For pendants and charms, use jewelry findings like bail attachments, jump rings, and necklace chains. Carefully glue on the findings with a strong adhesive like E6000 or jewelry glue. Avoid super glue since it can leave white residue on the clay surface.

Earring hooks can be inserted into holes made with a needle tool or screwback findings can be glued on. Allow the adhesive to fully cure before wearing the earrings.

Pins and brooch clasps can be glued to the back of clay pendants, charms or focal beads. Use a generous amount of adhesive and ensure the hardware is securely attached.

For bracelets, glue on the clasps or use jewelry cord or elastic beading cord to attach ends together. Always check that the hardware is tightly affixed and allow any glues or adhesives to fully cure before wearing your air dry clay jewelry pieces.

Avoiding Cracking and Breakage

When working with air dry clay to create jewelry, it’s important to take steps to prevent cracking or breakage. Here are some tips:

Allow proper drying time. Air dry clay needs sufficient time to fully dry and harden before handling. Drying times can range from 24-72 hours depending on the thickness of the clay piece. Allow your clay jewelry pieces to air dry completely before wearing or handling them. Rushing the drying process can lead to cracks.

Handle gently while still soft. When your clay is still soft during the creation process, handle it gently and avoid putting too much pressure or stress on pieces. This can help prevent cracking or chipping while the clay is in its fragile soft state before fully hardened.

Bake for added durability. Once your air dry clay piece has fully dried, you can optionally bake it in the oven for added strength and durability. Follow the baking instructions on the clay package, usually around 130°F for 1-2 hours. Baking helps harden the clay fully and prevents breakage when wearing the finished piece.

By allowing proper drying time, handling softly, and baking for durability, you can help your air dry clay jewelry creations avoid unsightly cracks and breakage. This allows you to enjoy wearing your handmade clay designs for years to come!

Air Dry Clay Jewelry Inspiration

Here are some examples of beautiful jewelry pieces made with air dry clay that showcase the possibilities of this versatile medium:

Bowl Earrings by Etsy shop CharmLab – These unique carved bowl earrings are light and comfortable to wear. The artisan cleverly uses the natural white color of air dry clay as a neutral backdrop for the pops of color in the bowls.

Geometric Pendant by Instagram artist @hand_sculpted – The stacked triangles in this pendant almost look like shards of glass. It goes to show you can use simple shapes in bold colors to create eye-catching designs.

Snake Ring by TikTok creator @diyjeweller – This coiled snake ring is an edgy and artistic design. The white clay really makes the details pop against the black paint.

Hopefully these examples offer some inspiration for the kinds of jewelry pieces you can design and handcraft using air dry clay!