CHAPTER ELEVEN

Critter Clay

ROAR

Patricia Chapman

Slabs of Critter Clay stamped with texture and painted, printed image and embellishments added.

The winner of the “Best Imitation of Traditional Clay” award is … drum roll please … Critter Clay! Critter Clay looks, feels and works like traditional clay. Like traditional clay, with Critter Clay you can do slab work, molding, coiling and even wheel throwing. One of the biggest differences though is that this clay isn’t going anywhere near a kiln. This premium air-dry clay has a 0–1 percent shrinkage rate, is extra-durable, ready to use, cleans up easily with water and will accept any paint. Depending on the thickness of your project, the dry/cure time will be 1–6 days. After it dries, it can be sanded, drilled or carved, and it comes in a basic clay gray and a white color. Wonderfully versatile slabs can be used to create big or small sculptures, vessels, bowls or boxes. So get rolling!

MATERIALS USED IN THIS CHAPTER:

• acrylic paint
• brushes
• canvas (optional)
• craft knife
• Critter Clay
• cup of water
• embellishments (like rusty nails)
• foamcore
• glue
• mark-making tools
• old book pages
• paper patterns of birds
• paper towels or rags
• pattern for mosaic
• posterboard or cardstock
• rolling pin
• skewer or needle tool
• soft gel medium
• stamps
• wood strips (to roll an even slab)

Critter Clay Tips

• The best surface to roll your slabs on is raw canvas laid out on your worktable.
• Use wood strips of equal thicknesses on each side of your clay as you roll it to ensure that you are rolling out a slab of even thickness.
• If you pick up the slab and turn it over and crosswise as you roll, it will dry flat without warping.
• When attaching slab pieces together, it helps to wet and score the backs or edges of the pieces you are working with.
• Thinner modeled elements will be very fragile. Added thickness makes your creations much more durable.