What Is The Best Clay For Making Small Things?
What is Clay?
Clay is a natural, earthy material made up of fine-grained minerals such as kaolinite. When mixed with water, clay becomes plastic and moldable. Once it dries or is fired in a kiln, clay hardens and retains its shape.
There are several different types of clay used for sculpting and art projects:
- Earthenware clay – Lower firing temperature clay that can be found in natural deposits. Tends to be porous.
- Stoneware clay – Denser clay that requires higher firing temperatures. Less porous than earthenware.
- Porcelain – Very fine clay that becomes vitrified and non-porous when fired at high temperatures.
- Polymer clay – Man-made modeling clay that cures at baking temperatures instead of firing temperatures.
- Air dry clay – Clay that dries and hardens at room temperature without needing to be fired.
The properties that make clay good for sculpting include plasticity, workability, durability, and ability to retain fine detail. The type of clay chosen depends on the needs of the particular project.
Popular Clays for Sculpting Small Things
When working on small clay projects, some types of clay work better than others. Here are a few of the most popular clays used by sculptors working on small items:
Polymer Clay
Polymer clay is an extremely versatile modeling clay that comes in a variety of colors including solid colors like red, blue, yellow to multi-colors like granite, pearl and translucent. It can be mixed, shaped and molded into many forms. Polymer clay remains workable and pliable until you bake it in the oven to harden it. This makes it an excellent choice for detailed, small sculptures and figures as you can continue reshaping and refining the details even when working on a very small scale.
Air Dry Clay
Air dry clay, as its name suggests, dries naturally and hardens when exposed to air over time. It’s water-based and great for kids as there is no baking required. Air dry clay is easy to work with and inexpensive, making it ideal for small, simple projects. However, because it shrinks and cracks easily as it dries out, it may not be the best for delicate and detailed small sculptures.
Oil-Based Clay
Oil-based clays are popular modeling and sculpting material composed mostly of oils and fillers. This type of clay never fully dries out, meaning you can rework a sculpture made from oil-based clay months or even years later by warming and kneading it. The softness and extremely customizable nature of oil-based clay makes it suitable for miniatures and small figures.
Earthen Clay
Natural earthen clays take more skills and practice to work with, especially on tiny projects with elaborate details. However, in experienced hands, earthen clays like potter’s clay can be shaped into diminutive sculptures. Unlike other clays, earthen clay needs to be fired in a high temperature oven or kiln to permanently harden and set the form you created.
Key Properties to Look for
When selecting clay for small sculptures, there are several key properties to consider:
Pliability
You want a clay that is soft and malleable enough to easily sculpt small details without cracking. Polymer clays are very pliable and easy to condition to the ideal texture for sculpting miniatures.
Finish
Polymer and air-dry clays dry to a nice smooth, matte finish that doesn’t require much additional work. Earthen clays may require sanding, sealing and painting to achieve a finished look.
Durability
Polymer clay bakes into a strong, durable material that resists breakage. Air dry clays are more fragile when thin. Oil-based clays remain workable indefinitely but do not inherently harden.
Detail Retention
Polymer clays will retain the finest details through baking, while softer clays like oil-based clay can lose some definition. Letting air dry clays dry slowly helps the details set up nicely.
Drying Time
Polymer clays cure in a regular oven. Air dry clays set up at room temperature in 1-5 days. Oil-based clays remain workable until intentionally hardened with additives.
Polymer Clay
Polymer clay is made up of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin, plasticizers and pigments. Also known as vinyl resin, PVC is a durable and versatile material commonly used in a variety of products. The PVC resin provides structure and flexibility to the polymer clay. It was originally developed as a moldable plastic that could be hardened by baking in a regular oven. This makes polymer clay ideal for small clay sculptures and figurines.
As a material for sculpting small items, polymer clay offers several benefits:
- It is extremely pliable and smooth right out of the package, making it easy to shape into intricate details.
- Polymer clay remains workable and moldable for an extended period of time. You can continually reshape it until you are satisfied with the design.
- Once hardened in the oven, polymer clay keeps its shape indefinitely while maintaining a lightweight, durable finish.
With its versatility and ease of use, polymer clay is one of the most popular and accessible clays for crafting diminutive sculptures and figures.
Air Dry Clay
One popular choice for sculpting small things is air dry clay. As the name suggests, air dry clay dries naturally via evaporation rather than requiring heat. This makes it a great option for hobbyists and young artists.
Air dry clay is generally affordable and accessible since it doesn’t require any special equipment or tools to work with and use. You can typically find it at any craft store for a low cost. Many different brands offer air dry clays in a variety of colors too, allowing countless options for your creations.
However, there are some limitations with air dry clay to be aware of. Once the clay has hardened and dried, it can become brittle and prone to cracking if handled roughly or dropped. Pieces made from air dry clay generally need to remain at small scales for this reason. Attention needs to be paid during the sculpting process as well, as overworking or manipulating the clay too much before drying can lead to cracking too.
Oil-Based Clay
Oil-based clay is made from minerals mixed with linseed oil or similar oils. Unlike polymer clay or air dry clay, oil-based clays do not harden on their own—they remain highly pliable until baked in a conventional or toaster oven to harden it.
The smooth, buttery texture of oil-based clay makes it ideal for sculpting intricate details. It does not become sticky or dry out while working with it. The clay maintains its softness throughout the sculpting process.
One downside to oil-based clays is they tend to be more expensive than other clays due to the mineral and oil content. However, a little goes a long way, and the high quality makes it worthwhile for detailed, small clay sculptures.
Earthen Clay
Earthen clay is clay dug from deposits in the earth. It is natural clay that has not been processed or refined. Common types of earthen clay used in pottery and sculpture include terracotta red clay and stoneware clay.
Earthen clays consists primarily of silica, alumina, and water. They are porous and more prone to cracking and chipping during sculpting and drying compared to manufactured clays. This is due to the impurities naturally present and uneven distribution of elements in the clay.
Earthen clays must be fired in a high-temperature oven or kiln in order to fully harden. The most common type of earthen clay for sculpting is terracotta clay, known for its rust orange-red color after firing. Terracotta has been used since ancient times for pottery, bricks, and small statues. Other earthen clays include stoneware and raku clays.
Best Clay for Small Sculptures
Polymer clay is generally the best clay option for small sculptures due to its ability to be conditioned to an ideal consistency, fine detail finishing capabilities, durability over time, and wide range of available colors and finishes.
Polymer clay has the ideal balance between durability and pliability that small sculptures require. It can be baked once finished to create rigid sculptures or jewelry pieces that hold their shape extremely well. The material can be conditioned to an ideal sculpting consistency by kneading before use. Polymer clay can capture very fine details because it can be shaped and molded with precision. Beyond sculpting, polymer clay holds up to light sanding and smoothing, allowing for a continuous surface and professional finish.
Polymer clay is also ideal for small sculptures because it air dries much harder than clays like earthen clay or air dry clay. Pieces made with polymer clay will retain crisp edges and not risk deforming under their own weight like softer clays. Polymer clay is therefore recommended for miniature sculptures, jewelry pieces, and other small detailed works.
Tips for Working with Clay for Small Projects
When sculpting small clay projects, there are some useful tips to follow for best results:
Keep clay moist and work in small batches – Clay dries out quickly when exposed to air. Prevent cracking and drying out by keeping unused clay in an airtight container and only exposing small amounts at a time while working. Knead a small lump before beginning and add water drops if it becomes too dry and crumbly.
Allow proper drying time – Small sculptures with intricate details and thin appendages need sufficient time to dry properly to avoid pieces breaking or sagging. Let clay air dry completely before moving or baking. Place on an elevated drying rack and away from direct sunlight or heaters to prevent uneven drying.
Use tools and techniques to retain detail – Avoid excessive handling of sculpted areas to preserve delicate details in small clay models. Refine shapes and etch lines using specialized clay sculpting tools instead of fingers. Brush liquid slip over surfaces to smooth fingerprints and bond appendages like wings or tails without disrupting surrounding areas.
Examples of Small Clay Sculptures
Clay is commonly used for creating miniature sculptures and small detailed pieces. Some examples of small clay projects include:
- Miniature figures: Clay is perfect for crafting tiny custom figurines, like little animals or characters. The malleable nature of clay allows for intricate detailing in miniature.
- Jewelry pieces: Handmade polymer clay jewelry is popular, as the clay can be sculpted into small beads, pendants, earrings and more. These pieces can feature fine sculpted details.
- Ornaments: Intricately designed holiday ornaments are easy to make from clay. The finished products can have lots of tiny details and dimensions.
- Gaming miniatures: Sculpting custom miniatures for tabletop gaming with polymer clay has become very common. The versatility of clay makes it easy to capture the smallest details on tiny models.
- Small pots: Clay that air dries, like earthenware clay, works well for crafting miniature pots. These could be decorative pots as small as an inch across with detailed patterns etched in.
