Polymer clay is one of the most popular materials for creativity in the world. Lightweight and pliable, it resembles plasticine but, unlike it, has the ability to harden when heated, making products from it strong, durable, and easy to process and decorate. This article describes what polymer clay is, its history, and its types.
History of Polymer Clay
Despite the fact that the material appeared on the domestic market relatively recently, it has a rather long and interesting history spanning over 80 years. In short, the first polymer clay appeared in the early 1930s. It was developed and produced by a German resident, Fifi Rehbinder. The new material was called Fifi Mozaic and was intended for making doll heads. For the last 30 years, Frau Rehbinder kept the composition of her clay a secret, but in 1964 she sold the formula to Eberhard Faber. Faber improved the composition, turning his polymer clay into a world-famous brand. Around the same time, on the other side of the world in Argentina, their own recipe for a similar material was developed, the author of which many experts consider Rudolf Reiser, the creator of the Formello and Modello polymer clay brands.
Further, history developed rapidly. Polymer clay gets to the USA, where it quickly becomes mega-popular. In the late 1990s, polymer clay came to domestic stores, where it firmly took its niche of goods for creativity. At first, it was only the products of well-known world manufacturers, but already in the early 2000s, the first very high-quality domestic samples of polymer clay appeared.
Types of Polymer Clay
Today, there are three types of polymer clay: self-hardening, baking, and liquid.
- Self-hardening polymer clay does not require heating and hardens well at normal room temperature. The hardening time is from several hours to several days, depending on the manufacturer. Therefore, when working with such clay, it is necessary to follow the instructions, which avoids losing the working consistency of the material. Self-hardening clay is divided into two categories: heavy and light. Heavy clay or plasticine is similar to ordinary natural clay. If it is overdried, it becomes brittle and begins to crumble, when it is wet, it gets your hands dirty. This clay is usually used for sculpting dolls, figurines, and vases. Light clay is very plastic and delicate. It is pliable, easily stretches and rolls out into the thinnest layer. It is this type of plastic that is the most popular. As a rule, it is used for making flowers and decorations. The color palette of this self-hardening clay is not large. The palette is dominated by the colors: milky white, flesh, and terracotta. Finished products after drying are easily processed, decorated, and painted.
- Baking polymer clay is a modeling material that hardens after heating at a temperature of 100-130 °C. At home, products made from such clay are “baked” in the oven. The plasticizers included in the polymer clay evaporate during heating, and the product becomes hard. Unlike self-hardening polymer clay, thermoplastic comes in a variety of colors and shades, making it a better material for creativity, both for beginners and experienced polymer artists. In addition to a variety of colors, baking clay can be with various fillers that imitate metal, mother-of-pearl, and natural stone. When such clay is heated, the color not only does not fade but also becomes brighter.
- Liquid plastic (gel) allows you to diversify your work, create more complex and interesting products, and is used for bonding parts and various imitations. The gel is baked at the same temperature as polymer clay (110-120 °C), and this can be done repeatedly. It is advisable to bake the gel for at least 20 minutes so that all the plasticizer evaporates.
Polymer clay, its properties, and capabilities allow us to say with confidence that this material has both potential and a future. Remaining both a pleasant pastime and an interesting hobby, it pushes the boundaries of a simple hobby, gradually turning into a full-fledged creative movement.