Not many figures cannot be replicated by clay. The malleable substance, when shaped, can form almost any object or shape. Kids and ornament makers are the primary users of clay. Kids use clay to form objects picked up by their senses or their imagination. Ornament makers, on the other hand, shape clay in creating figurines and pottery. With its array of uses, clay is a good item to create during your free time.

Substitute Ingredients

Clay is made of various minerals that, when processed, show plasticity. Collecting these minerals would involve splitting rocks and scourging mountainsides. Those activities are too complex, so let’s just use substitute items to create an exact replica of real clay.

Types of Clay

On the market, you will find two basic types of clay. One is modeling clay (toy clay) and the other is ceramic clay (for making pottery and ceramics). Beneath each category is a number of subcategories that caters to different uses.

• flour clay (modeling)
• Kool-Aid clay (modeling)
• bread clay (modeling)
• cornstarch and shellac clay (modeling/ceramic)
• paper clay (ceramic)
• sawdust clay (ceramic)

Flour Clay

Flour is a good material for clay since it thickens naturally when mixed with a little water. It does not require many additional ingredients to form the properties of actual modeling clay. When the clay hardens, you can return it to its malleable state by adding a little water.

Materials Used:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup water
• food coloring
• mixing bowl
• ziplock bag

Procedure:

Place the flour, salt and water in a mixing bowl.

Mix the ingredients thoroughly, until the mixture thickens.

When the resulting mixture becomes solid and feels slightly rubbery, remove it from the bowl and then transfer it in a ziplock bag. The bag will preserve your clay flour’s properties.

To harden a figure created from flour clay, just bake it for an hour at 350 degrees Celsius. You can paint and decorate the figure right afterwards.

Among all the modeling clay types, flour clay is the easiest to make. You can make this type of clay anytime you want, since the entire creation process lasts for only thirty minutes or even less.

Edible Kool-Aid Clay

Kool-Aid comes as an unconventional ingredient for making clay. It does not thicken instantly but it helps create the general consistency of clay. Mixing the juice powder with a thickening agent is essential. Just combine the powder to flour or starch and water, and then you’ll be able to form an edible version of modeling clay.

Materials Used:

• 1 pack Kool-Aid
• 2 tbsp cream of tartar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• pot
• oven
• airtight container

Procedure:

Set your oven to medium heat.

Place the Kool-Aid, cream of tartar, flour and salt in a pot. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.

Slowly add the oil and water while continuing to stir the mixture.

Stir the solution for about three to five minutes. The solution will eventually solidify inside the pot.

When the clay has cooled down, get it from the pot and then knead it until it becomes smooth.

Place the clay inside an airtight container.

Store it inside the refrigerator, when not in use.

Kool-Aid clay is slightly harder to create than basic flour clay but its properties are maintained for a longer period. If you are free during the weekend, this clay is more advisable to create. It is also edible, so you can munch on it whenever you feel hungry.

Bread Clay

Contrary to what its name suggests, bread clay is not edible. You will need a chemical-based adhesive when creating bread clay, which rules out the possibility of snacking on the toy. The adhesive will hold the bread slices together until the clay is formed.

Materials Used:

• 2 sliced loaves of bread
• 1 tbsp craft glue
• food coloring
• mixing bowl
• ziplock bag

Procedure:

Place the bread slices in a mixing bowl.

Add the craft glue, then mix the ingredients. Use your hands to the squeeze and knead the mixture, until it forms a sticky “ball.” If the mixture falls apart, add more glue. You can also add more bread if the mixture gets too sticky.

Add food coloring to the mixture. Continue kneading until the color spreads throughout the “ball.”

When your clay is ready, place it in a ziplock bag.

Store the bag inside the refrigerator.

Repeat the entire process if you want to make clay of different colors.

Bread clay is soft but it hardens easily because of the glue. Keep the clay stored inside the fridge whenever you don’t plan to use it. If the clay hardens, just apply a little water and knead it again.

Cornstarch and Shellac Clay

Cornstarch and shellac clay is the most versatile among all the options since it can function as both modeling and ceramic clay. Cornstarch softens the clay, which enables kids to use it for shaping figures. Shellac, on the other hand, hardens the clay when heated at a high temperature.

Materials Used:

• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 cups bicarbonate soda
• 1 ½ cups water
• ½ cup shellac
• pots
• oven
• airtight container

Procedure:

Set your oven to medium heat.

In one pot, place the cornstarch, bicarbonate soda and water. Mix the solution thoroughly.

Place the shellac in a different pot filled with water. Wait for the shellac to dissolve.

Once the shellac liquefies, add it to the cornstarch solution.

Stir the solution until it resembles the consistency of dough.

Use a piece of cloth to dry the clay.

When not in use, place the clay inside an airtight container and put it inside the refrigerator.

After creating the cornstarch and shellac clay, you can set aside a portion for the kids to play with, then save some for ceramic making. You always have a ton of options with this clay type.

Paper Clay

At first glance, paper does not seem to be a probable ingredient for clay. Paper is simply too solid to create a soft and malleable substance such as clay. If you dampen the paper with water then apply clay slip, it becomes a decent holding and designing agent for clay.

Materials Used:

• clay slip mixture
• sheet of wire mesh
• ¾ bucket paper shreds
• hot water
• butcher paper
• bucket
• stick
• airtight container

Procedure:

Put the paper shreds in the bucket then add the water.

Use the stick to stir the water and to further soften the paper.

Place the paper bits on the wire mesh. Wait until the shreds dry.

When the paper strips dry, add them to your clay slip mixture.

Stir the mixture until it thickens. Add more shreds until the clay’s consistency forms.

Once the clay is ready, place it on a layer of butcher paper until it dries.

Store the clay in an airtight container, then place it inside the refrigerator.

You can form your paper clay into pots or ceramic figures. The dimension of paper in clay gives you many designing options for this clay type. You can color the paper strips or douse the whole thing in glaze. To harden, just heat the clay figure you made in a kiln for several hours.

Sawdust Clay

Sawdust clay makes a good platform for making pots, vases, or sculptures. Sawdust, when pressed together, forms a sturdy base, perfect for fairly large structures. The dust’s unique texture also gives a pleasantly unique twist to the fixtures borne out of sawdust clay.

Materials Used:

• 3 cups fine sawdust
• 2 cups wallpaper paste
• mixing bowl
• airtight container

Procedure:

Place the prepared wallpaper paste and the sawdust in a mixing bowl.

Stir the mixture thoroughly until it thickens.

Squeeze, roll and knead the clay to smooth it.

Place the clay in an airtight container, then store it in the refrigerator.

When forming pottery or any ornamental figure, you can seal your creation with a generous coating of wallpaper paste. Use sandpaper to smooth the figure’s surface. Once smooth, let your creation dry for about 4 days, then coat it with acrylic paint.

Clay is generally fun to create. Making clay is just like forming bread dough. Most of the processes are quick and easy to follow. You will surely enjoy making clay as much as you’ll love playing with it.

Watch The Video

How To Make Clay

Clay Making