Whether for a school project, play, or hobby, clay is a popular medium in expressing our artistic side. We were fond of our clay dough as childhood toys that we can mold in unlimited ways. However, if someone prefers his or her clay artworks to be more permanent, air dry clays are the better material for such craft projects or fancy ornaments and jewelry.
Budding craftsmen and skilled artists enjoy air dry clays because they are low-priced but high-quality. The best part? They only need air exposure to dry up and harden for a few days – no kiln or oven-baking needed. In this article, allow us to help you select the best air dry clays for you through a buying guide and product recommendations.
Air-dry clays are unquestionably versatile and multi-functional for creating beautiful masterpieces. Whatever final products you would like to build out of them, here are the things that you should keep in mind before purchasing air-dry clays.
Air dry clays can be classified as either paper-based or resin-based. Both types are easy to mold, even to kids and people with a loose grip, because of its sponge-like texture. It all boils down to purpose, price, and preference.
Paper-based air dry clays are affordable, so they are preferred more when doing bigger crafts. Upon opening, they are easier to manipulate, and when pulled apart, they resemble cotton candy or a gooey marshmallow freshly out of the campfire. When dried, they become hard but remain lightweight.
On the other hand, the prime and dainty resin-based air dry clays are a better choice for small decorative pieces like trinkets and jewelry.
Also known as porcelain-based, they are more expensive since the final products are denser and very close to polymer clays. They are relatively easy to shape as well – just think of a chewy toffee or caramel when breaking them off.
Initially, air dry clays come in neutral, earth colors – white, gray, or brown. It is up to the artist if they just decide to stick with the natural pigments or paint them with bright-hued dyes once dried. However, many manufacturers are now offering air dry clays in sets of different colors, with the addition of mellow pastels and eye-popping shades.
Whatever your choice is, always have a clear vision of the final output and stick to that. No matter how many color sets you have, the clay art's beauty depends on your interpretation and artistic expression.
If there is one caution for air dry clays, they easily dry once opened or left uncovered and not properly closed. Don’t give the air, not even a small hole, to penetrate your clay unless you are already drying up your finished product.
With this in mind, you really have to envision your craft's size, estimating how much clay you need, so there will not be too much excess. Of course, you have to factor in any room for error, so having an extra amount of air dry clay will not hurt. It avoids the hassle when you run out of clay only to realize that you still need more.
Should you really have a significant amount of leftover clays? Place them in an airtight container or zip-lock plastics, and make sure to press and release the air inside. They will still be usable, but it would take extra effort to mold them.
Air dry clay art entails constant practice to develop the skill of creating different masterpieces. But to some who are just starting or maybe those who fall in love with the intricate designs but not the idea of making them, air dry clays with free shapers or patterns are the way to go!
These molders add more artistic value to the artwork without additional money, time, and effort. Whether large or tiny crafts, they are surely a hit among clay artists across all skill levels. As they say, great items include something extra!
Set aside your carving knives and shapers first and allow us to walk you through our ten recommended air dry clays that are available online. Checkout every entry and weigh in things, so you can select the best one for your projects.
CSC-Jovi
From ₱149.75
Base | Paper |
---|---|
Color Per Set | 1 in White, Grey, or Terracotta |
Content Amount | 500 grams |
With Tools | No |
Recommended Minimum Age | 4 Years Old |
MMSP0005-6
From ₱239
Base | Paper |
---|---|
Color Per Set | 1, White or Terracotta |
Content Amount | 500 grams |
With Tools | No |
Recommended Minimum Age | 7 Years Old |
From ₱208
Base | Paper |
---|---|
Color Per Set | 1, White |
Content Amount | 100 grams |
With Tools | No |
Recommended Minimum Age | Not Specified |
From ₱349
Base | Paper |
---|---|
Color Per Set | 24 |
Content Amount | Not Specified |
With Tools | Yes |
Recommended Minimum Age | 3 |
From ₱574
Base | Plasticine Resin |
---|---|
Color Per Set | 1, 3, 6, 24 |
Content Amount | 15 grams - 20 grams Per Cup |
With Tools | Yes |
Recommended Minimum Age | 4 Years Old |
From ₱650
Base | Resin / Porcelain |
---|---|
Color Per Set | 10 |
Content Amount | 25 grams each |
With Tools | Yes |
Recommended Minimum Age | 7 Years Old |
From ₱720
Base | Plasticine Resin |
---|---|
Color Per Set | 24 |
Content Amount | 20 grams per color |
With Tools | Yes |
Recommended Minimum Age | 3 Years Old |
A1189
From ₱515
Base | Not specified |
---|---|
Color Per Set | 36 |
Content Amount | 460 grams (total) |
With Tools | Yes |
Recommended Minimum Age | 5 Years Old |
From ₱1,138
Base | Paper |
---|---|
Color Per Set | 12, 24, 36 |
Content Amount | |
With Tools | Yes, Optional |
Recommended Minimum Age | 3 |
From ₱165
Base | Paper |
---|---|
Color Per Set | 1 |
Content Amount | Not Specified |
With Tools | No |
Recommended Minimum Age | 6 Years Old |
Image | 1 ![]() Jovi | 2 ![]() Mont Marte | 3 ![]() Sakura | 4 ![]() HelloKimi | 5 ![]() | 6 ![]() FairyCharms | 7 ![]() | 8 ![]() KVVDI | 9 ![]() | 10 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Air Dry Clay | Air Hardening Clay | Air Dry Clay | Colored Clay Set | Soft Light Air Dry Clay | Air Dry Clay | Modeling Air Dry Clay Set | Air Dry Clay | Air Dry Fluffy Clay | Super Lightweight Air Dry Clay |
Features | Non-Staining, Earth-Colored Clays for Creating Different Figures | A Slow Drying Clay Ideal for Sculpting and Pottery | Lighter Than the Usual Paper Clay | A Color-filled Hobby for Young Kids to Minimize Screen Time | Express Your Artistic Side With an Environment-Friendly Clay Set | A Complete Set of Air Dry Clay and Tools for Making Keychains and Souvenirs | Bond With the Whole Family Using Clay | A Set of Multicolored Clays That Are Soft and Safe | Develop Motor Skills and Color Recognition | Bulk-Buy for Future Projects |
Price Starts at | ₱149.75 | ₱239 | ₱208 | ₱349 | ₱574 | ₱650 | ₱720 | ₱515 | ₱1,138 | ₱165 |
Base | Paper | Paper | Paper | Paper | Plasticine Resin | Resin / Porcelain | Plasticine Resin | Not specified | Paper | Paper |
Color Per Set | 1 in White, Grey, or Terracotta | 1, White or Terracotta | 1, White | 24 | 1, 3, 6, 24 | 10 | 24 | 36 | 12, 24, 36 | 1 |
Content Amount | 500 grams | 500 grams | 100 grams | Not Specified | 15 grams - 20 grams Per Cup | 25 grams each | 20 grams per color | 460 grams (total) | Not Specified | |
With Tools | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, Optional | No |
Recommended Minimum Age | 4 Years Old | 7 Years Old | Not Specified | 3 | 4 Years Old | 7 Years Old | 3 Years Old | 5 Years Old | 3 | 6 Years Old |
Link |
Thinking of an idea for a clay project? Try this DIY air dry clay donut keychain from Ventuno Art YouTube Channel! It is not only a feast on the eye but also a creative way of giving your family and friends a gift with your personal touch.
Materials:
Procedure:
Relieve yourselves from dull quarantine moments and replace them with productive, colorful activities to produce visual artworks. Who knows? This can be a source of extra income for you or fund-raising activity to help less privileged people!
Expressing oneself is one of the best methods to show your craftsmanship and personality to the people around you. Definitely, air dry clays are an exceptional medium to display your talent. They work best at present if you want to try something new or kill boredom, especially that we are still under quarantine and asked to stay home.
We hope that we have helped you in choosing air dry clays that will work best for you! While the brand, quality, and price are important considerations, the beauty of the final output depends on a creative mind, a passionate heart, and skillful hands. Cheers for beautiful clay artworks!
Author: Roel Pillas Malubay
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