Using Paper Clay In Your Ceramics

Clay adheres to most surfaces with a dab or two of glue.

Using paper clay in your ceramics.

Use a fine sanding paper or emery board to smooth clay edges once clay has dried. Paper clay improves joining capabilities and decreases warping and shrinkage all the while reducing the heft of the work. But when it sits around it can get rather stinky. Generally you will need two gallons of recycled clay slip to make 10 to 15 pounds.

Pour three handfuls of your. Make your own paper clay you ll need clay slip and paper pulp. As a start you might add about 5 pulp by volume. First wash your hands and make sure that the surface is clean.

You should get the clay rolled out to about a quarter of thickness or as much as you desire. That s why you can also buy commercially pugged paper clay. You should make sure that you have the tools to shape the surface as well. Sound like a lot of work.

Here is a simple procedure to help you learn how to use paper clay. You select the right paper without shiny coatings for example soak the paper in water then use a paint mixer to blend the mixture into pulp. If you re using paper fibers like newspaper or printer paper you will want to prevent mold from developing. Then you wedge this paper pulp into your clay.

Made by mixing any type of clay body earthenware stoneware raku or porcelain with paper pulp paper clay improves joining capabilities and decreases warping and shrinkage all the while reducing the heft of the work. One way to make paper clay is to do it yourself. Use a wet fingertip to smooth rough edges while clay is still wet. Paper clay is an ideal solution for building complex or delicate ceramic sculpture.