Polymer Clay

[nightglow]

Anyone here work with polymer clay?
I never have, but I have heard about people using it many times. I've seen some cute stuff made with it on Etsy. How hard is it to work with? Is there a special kind of paint to use on it? Some sort of sealant when finished?
Curious about it for simple necklace pendants with imprints. How does it hold up long term with skin contact?
A better clay out there?

 

[Clock]

I used to make a lot of small figures out of polymer clay, but that was years ago. Most of the time, it was easy to work with when it comes to molding, but its best to have ventilation when baking the clay in the oven. Not sure about the best sealant though.

 

[Coach]

I used to play with FIMO clay, a brand of polymer at my nans house! She has some dollhouses so we used to make little cakes and other foods to put on the dining room tables in them. Oven baking worked well and I don't think anything was fragile enough to break easily. Unfortunately I can't answer too much about your other questions but this thread really brought back fond memories.

 

[Firesquids]

I work with polymer clay a lot! Sculpy III specifically. I find it pretty easy to work with, though sometimes it gets too soft and you have to set the project down for a while to cool off and firm up. I don't think there is a specific kind of paint you have to use, but I use acrylics. I don't usually make jewelry, but I know countless people use polymer clay to make pendants and earrings and the ones I own have held up well to prolonged skin contact. Varnish is honestly a whole can of worms and something I've struggled with. I've found success with Golden brand polymer varnish (not the spray kind) but I'm not convinced it's the best. I found this great in depth article that has a lot of recommendations based on different types of clay that I found intriguing. https://thebluebottletree.com/testing-polymer-clay-sealers

 

[Mistreil]

I play with polymer clay a little -- I don't usually paint mine, though, and just buy/mix colours as needed. As a result, I haven't seen a need to use a sealant (since I like the texture of the clay as is, and it's already pretty much waterproof)?

It's very easy to get into, and fun to fiddle with!

These were made with fimo soft! I definitely recommend just picking up one colour and just... trying to play with it. Make poop, or cheese, or something small and shapely.

Also: baking in an air fryer is a lot more convenient than an oven.