How to soften modeling clay?
I bought Rose Art modeling clay for a craft project for my child. We can seem to soften it up. I just grabbed it because it was there and it was fairly cheap. Is there a way or do more expensive brands soften better?
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Flatten it
Then smush it back into a ball.
Repeat.
Add a little water now and then.
Stretch it and rip it and play with it to make it softer.
Failing that wet your hands and rub it. Then stretch it and rip it. It usally works for me.
First, do not use water if this is really “modeling clay” (the old-fashioned kind that’s sold mostly for kids in sticks, is heavy, and never dries out).
Modeling clays don’t have any water in them like air-dry clays for kids do (PlayDoh, salt dough, Model Magic, etc.), so adding water won’t work for softening them (and won’t work for air-dry clays after they dry either).
Modeling clays are oil-based instead so you could “try” adding some cooking oil (I really don’t know about that tho’), but your best bet is to *warm and stretch* them.
To warm, roll out into sheets or long logs (or even bang them with a hammer like we do with polymer clay) just to get the most surface area, then warm them under a lamp, or sit on them (wrapped in plastic), or even put them on a heating pad set on low (on plastic)…. if you get them too hot though, they will *melt* because of the wax that’s been added to them to keep them from ever curing (or drying)!
After they’re a little bit pliable, then work them around by stretching, pulling, smooshing, etc., till they’re smooth and pliable enough to work with… this will also create more heat in the form of friction.
“Better quality” modeling clays probably are easier to work with, but don’t know that for sure. Two commonly available high quality modeling clays are made by Van Aken:
CLAYTOON clay (made primarily for kids, often available at Michaels, etc.)
http://www.vanaken.com/claytoon.html
PLASTALINA clay (made primarily for animators…more expensive and not as easily available at retail stores)
http://www.vanaken.com/plastalina.html
HTH,
Diane B.