How Do You Make White Foam Clay?

Clay is a popular modeling and crafting material that has been used by artists for centuries. Traditionally, clay is made from natural earth materials that are dried and fired in a kiln. While regular clay requires special care and equipment, foam clay offers a fun and accessible modeling alternative using household ingredients.

Foam clay, also known as fluffy clay or cloud clay, has a light and airy texture similar to foam. It’s soft and lightweight, yet still moldable and great for sculpting. Foam clay is made by whipping together glue, shaving cream and baking soda. This DIY recipe takes only minutes to prepare. The resulting clay air dries naturally without baking. It’s mess-free, simple to store, and can be reused again and again.

Making your own foam clay at home is an inexpensive way to have a craft material ready for creative projects. Both kids and adults will enjoy sculpting and playing with the soft, squeezable texture. In this tutorial, you’ll learn the easy process of making no-bake foam clay using basic supermarket ingredients.

Ingredients

To make white foam clay, you will need just a few simple ingredients that can easily be found at home or purchased at a craft or grocery store:

• Glue – White school glue or tacky glue works best. Look for an all-purpose white glue that dries clear.
• Shaving Cream – Any brand of plain shaving cream will work, avoid shaving gels. Make sure it is unscented.
• Baking Soda – Plain baking soda, also called sodium bicarbonate. Do not use baking powder.
• Contact Lens Solution – Saline contact lens solution, used to help keep the clay soft and workable.

These basic ingredients come together to create a fluffy white clay that air dries naturally into a lightweight solid material perfect for crafting and sculpting.

Recommended Supplies

To make white foam clay, you will need some basic supplies. Here is what you need:

• Mixing bowl – This will hold all of your ingredients as you mix the clay.
• Spoon for mixing – Use a large spoon to stir the ingredients together into a clay consistency.
• Food coloring (optional) – If you want colored clay, have food coloring on hand to mix in.
• Containers for storage – To store unused clay, use airtight containers or Ziploc bags.

These supplies are all you need to make and store white foam clay. Gather the ingredients and required tools, and you’ll be ready to start crafting with this homemade clay.

Step 1: Mix the Glue

The first step in making white foam clay is to pour the glue into a mixing bowl. Use a bowl that is large enough to accommodate the entire batch of clay you want to make. For a small batch, a standard size mixing bowl should work well.

Elmer’s white school glue or another white craft glue tends to work best for this recipe. Avoid using colored glue as it may dye the clay. Pour about 1/2 to 1 cup of white glue into the bowl, depending on how much clay you want to end up with. More glue will make a larger batch.

Make sure to have the glue poured into the bowl before moving onto the next steps, as you’ll be mixing the other ingredients into the glue.

Step 2: Add Shaving Cream

After mixing the glue thoroughly, you will add an equal amount of shaving cream as the glue you used. For example, if you used 4 ounces of glue, you will also add 4 ounces of shaving cream. Make sure to use a standard shaving cream rather than a gel-based one. The key is to add an equivalent amount so the clay has the right texture and consistency.

Pour the shaving cream into the glue and mix thoroughly with a spoon or spatula until well combined. Make sure there are no streaks or blobs of shaving cream remaining. You want the mixture to have a smooth, consistent texture before moving on to the next step.

Adding the shaving cream gives the clay its white color and fluffy texture. It also allows the clay to be lightweight and easy to mold. Be patient during this step to ensure the shaving cream integrates completely.

Step 3: Add Baking Soda

Once the shaving cream is fully incorporated into the glue, it’s time to add the baking soda. This is what will give the clay its lightweight and airy texture. Add baking soda a little bit at a time, mixing it in completely before adding more. You’ll need around 2 cups total. The consistency should become like dough – slightly sticky but not too sticky to handle. If it becomes too sticky, add a bit more baking soda. If it’s too dry, you can add a touch more shaving cream. The key is to add the baking soda slowly and mix thoroughly as you go until you reach the perfect doughy texture.

Step 4: Knead the Clay

Once all the ingredients are thoroughly combined, it’s time to knead the mixture for a few minutes until smooth. Kneading helps bind the ingredients together and gives the clay a uniform texture.

Use your hands to knead the clay mixture. Press into the clay firmly and fold it over itself repeatedly. Continue kneading for 2-3 minutes, until the clay is completely smooth, with no lumps or dry spots.

Kneading may take some elbow grease at first since the mixture will be quite sticky. But after a few minutes of kneading it will start to take on a smooth, clay-like texture. The clay may still be slightly tacky, but should not stick heavily to your hands anymore.

Once the clay is smooth, it’s ready for the next step! Kneading well in this stage helps ensure you end up with a nice soft, workable homemade clay.

Step 5: Add Contact Solution

Once the clay is formed, you may find it is still a bit sticky. To fix this, add contact solution a teaspoon at a time. Contact solution contains chemicals that will react with the clay and make it less tacky.

After adding a teaspoon of contact solution, knead the clay thoroughly before adding more. Kneading allows the solution to fully incorporate. Continue adding solution a teaspoon at a time, kneading in between, until the clay reaches the desired consistency.

Be careful not to add too much contact solution, as this can make the clay too wet. Go slowly and check the consistency frequently. The clay should be smooth, not sticky, and hold its shape when formed.

Step 6: Color the Clay (Optional)

For added fun, you can color your homemade white foam clay to any shade you’d like. This allows you to create colorful clay creations. To color the clay:

Add a couple drops of liquid food coloring and knead it into the clay to mix in the color. Start with just a couple drops, as a little bit goes a long way. Knead the food coloring into the clay thoroughly until the color is evenly distributed.

For darker or more vibrant shades, add a few more drops of food coloring and continue kneading until you reach the desired color saturation. You can mix colors to create custom shades – for example, adding both blue and red coloring will result in purple clay.

Aim to add just a couple drops at a time and fully knead in between adding more color. Too much food coloring at once can lead to staining on hands and surfaces.

Storing and Using the Clay

Once you’ve made your white foam clay, store it in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag to keep it from drying out. Properly stored, the clay will stay fresh for months.

The clay is great for sculpting and molding all kinds of fun shapes and objects. Let your imagination run wild to create miniature sculptures, decorative bowls, figurines, jewelry, or anything else you can dream up. The smooth, malleable texture makes it easy to mold and shape the clay however you wish.

The clay can also be painted once dry, allowing you to create brightly colored pieces. Acrylic craft paints work well for coloring the clay. Just remember to seal the paint with a clear acrylic sealer when finished.

So be sure to store your homemade white foam clay properly, and enjoy using it for various arts and crafts projects!