Q&A for How to Use Air Drying Clay

It depends on the size of your model. Smaller pieces can be placed under a fan, but larger pieces can crack, so let it dry naturally.

The easiest way is to use a rolling pin, preferably not a wooden one since they tend to leave marks from the grain. Ideally you want to use a smooth, non-porous material (such as metal, glass, or acrylic) to get a smooth clay surface.

It takes at least 24 hours to dry. If it's thicker, it takes longer to dry.

Not really, although wetting the clay really helps you to give it the desired form.

Yes! If you plan on making a large statue, make a "base" out of wire, chicken wire, and/or foil. This will cut down on the drying time, prevent cracking, and make the statue less heavy.

You can make your own! You mix clear nail polish (nothing fancy, the cheap kind from a dollar store works), acrylic paint (optional), water, and Elmer's glue (or PVA glue). Pour the bottle of nail polish into a bowl. Stir in two tablespoons of glue, three tablespoons of water, and mix well. If you just want a clear glaze you can stop now, but if you want to add color, add a teaspoon of paint.

Not exactly, unless it says that it can be cured using both air drying or oven drying. If so, then you have an option to leave it air dry or bake it. Otherwise, don't bake air drying clay.

Try using high temperature hot glue, as a warmer temp may dry too quickly, before you achieve a firm hold. Or, if that doesn't work, try using an epoxy adhesive. They are fairly cheap to purchase, dry clear, and provide a firm hold. Just make sure that you purchase one that is designed for glass and clay. If all else fails, try gorilla glue.You can buy varieties that dry clear, and almost all of them are designed to bond even the most stubborn surfaces.

No. Air dry clay is toxic and not fit for consumption. Fondant or other edible materials would be best.

Yes, it can. You might need to bake it before doing so, but the clay will hold water, and you can even drink that water.

Using hot glue or super glue would work well for that, but make sure the clay piece is 100% dry before doing so.

You could always use a base made of wire or foil to help larger pieces stand up. Smaller pieces can usually stand on their own if you sculpt them balanced and on the flat surface.

Yes. But make sure that your bowls and cups are fully dried and sanded.

You need to slow down the drying process. The figures may have thick and thin areas that dry at different rates. Thicker areas will shrink on the outside before the inside if they dry too fast, so slowing down the drying by keeping it cool and out of moving air may help prevent that. You'll need to be patient; give it a day of slow drying and then normal drying after that.

Clay will shrink slightly over time, so get a few more inches than you think you'll need.

It will take a few days to dry. In my opinion, that is plenty of time to work with it.

You can try contact adhesive or super glue. The best thing would have been to try to stick them together with soft clay, but hopefully super glue will work.

You do not have to glaze air dry clay. You can always put a glaze on it if you want, but you would have to make sure the glaze does not need to be baked to dry it. Air dry clay will crack or break when baked after already dried.

It's best to wait until your air dry clay piece has dried completely before adding color. Adding food coloring into the wet clay will likely make the coloring come off on your hands as you construct the piece.

Use a hot glue gun.

Definitely! Just remember to keep them in an area with low traffic. When they dry completely and are ready to paint, the clay should look chalky.

I do not think there is any way to make air dry clay food safe. It is clearly written on the back of air dry clay packets, "Not Edible."

Yes, of course! Polymer clay might dry faster, but air dry clay is good to use if you have the time.

You could try, except the clay would soak the paint up quickly and it would difficult, as the shape of the piece would alter if you put too much pressure on it.

I have been using tightly rolled tin foil as a skeleton, it helps to keep the shape and uses less clay so that it dries quicker.

I wouldn't think that you could as air dry clay is quite light and wouldn't have a completely smooth and water resistant suface. You could try clay you bake in a kiln.

It would probably take at least 36 hours, but it depends on how thick the piece of clay is too.

No, but you could always build your model around something else, let it dry, and then scoop out the "insides."

Use a wax type of material and let it dry, then remove the wax by heating it up.

Take a small spray bottle and squirt the clay; work it in your hands until it's soft.