Using Paper Clay In Your Ceramics

Paper clay improves joining capabilities and decreases warping and shrinkage all the while reducing the heft of the work.

Using paper clay in your ceramics.

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. Use a wet fingertip to smooth rough edges while clay is still wet. Sound like a lot of work. One way to make paper clay is to do it yourself.

Pour three handfuls of your. As a start you might add about 5 pulp by volume. You should get the clay rolled out to about a quarter of thickness or as much as you desire. You can cut this clay while still wet or when it has dried.

Generally you will need two gallons of recycled clay slip to make 10 to 15 pounds. Ceramic artist lisa merida paytes has found paper clay to be a great tool with which to build her ceramic sculptures. Then you wedge this paper pulp into your clay. Paper clay is an ideal solution for building complex or delicate ceramic sculpture.

This makes it ideal for building complex or delicate ceramic sculpture. But when it sits around it can get rather stinky. Use a fine sanding paper or emery board to smooth clay edges once clay has dried. Here is a simple procedure to help you learn how to use paper clay.

That s why you can also buy commercially pugged paper clay. If you re using paper fibers like newspaper or printer paper you will want to prevent mold from developing. Clay adheres to most surfaces with a dab or two of glue. You should make sure that you have the tools to shape the surface as well.