Using Paper Clay In Your Ceramics

This makes it ideal for building complex or delicate ceramic sculpture.

Using paper clay in your ceramics.

One way to make paper clay is to do it yourself. 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. Clay adheres to most surfaces with a dab or two of glue.

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

You can cut this clay while still wet or when it has dried. That s why you can also buy commercially pugged paper clay. Make your own paper clay you ll need clay slip and paper pulp. Paper clay is an ideal solution for building complex or delicate ceramic sculpture.

Then you wedge this paper pulp into your clay. You should get the clay rolled out to about a quarter of thickness or as much as you desire. You should make sure that you have the tools to shape the surface as well. Use a fine sanding paper or emery board to smooth clay edges once clay has dried.

If you re using paper fibers like newspaper or printer paper you will want to prevent mold from developing. As a start you might add about 5 pulp by volume. Pour three handfuls of your. 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.