Sculpting at Home with Polymer Clay

Sculpting with polymer clay is a great way to focus creative energy. It is a relatively inexpensive hobby that can be done at home and provides hours of fun. What is polymer clay? It’s a soft, brightly colored modeling clay that’s very malleable. Unlike other clays, it doesn’t dry out quickly at room temperature so it’s easy to work with for beginner sculptors.

The manmade material does not actually contain natural clay minerals, but it is just as pliable and easy to work with as earthen clays. Best of all, unlike earthen clays, polymer clay doesn’t have to be fired in a kiln at high temperatures. It can be baked and hardened in a home oven or even in a toaster oven. There are also air-dry polymer clays. With these clays, projects harden after being exposed to air in an open area for a few hours or more.

You can create a variety of items out of polymer clay, like pottery, sculptures, jewelry, figurines, picture frames, and all types of decorations. If desired, after polymer clay projects have hardened, they can be further enhanced by sanding, painting, and other techniques.

All you really need to get started with polymer clay is your imagination… and your hands. Polymer clay art pieces can be molded using your hands only, but a variety of tools also can be used to help achieve your desired result. Tool sets can be purchased at almost any craft or art store. Plenty of items around the house can also be used when working with polymer clay, like rolling pins, sewing needles, toothpicks, toothbrushes, and drinking straws.

Plenty of polymer clay kits are available for beginners. Starting out with one can make tackling your first projects easier. You can also find a plethora of “how to” videos online to help you learn the basics of modeling with polymer clay.