Can i make molds out of clay

Pour the mixed plaster into the box. Sit it aside to dry. Allow the plaster to dry thoroughly. Step 5. Place the plaster mould on the bottom of the box and replace the object. STEP 6. Step 6. Coat the object and sprout with lubricant. STEP 7. Pour more plaster on top and allow to dry thoroughly might take a day or so.

Step 7. Pour more plaster on top and allow to dry thoroughly. STEP 8. Cut off the box and gently pry apart your mould to remove the object. You might need to chip away at the edge with a tool to get it open at first. STEP 9. Grease up the mould again. Make your paper pulp by soaking the tissue in a tray of water. Gently lay the paper strip by strip onto the object.

Step 2. Pat down gently to capture the object detail with a brush. Notify me of new posts via email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Skip to content Howdy folks.

Here are some of my handmolded buttons: Scrap clay is the leftover scraps of polymer clay you save after you finish a project. I think making homemade molds and buttons is a great way to spend an evening! Like this: Like Loading So Lazy…. You can save that for the really detailed things you want to mold; Like Like. You have the best ideas! I love the button suggestion. Love this.

Thanks for sharing. How do you get the clay out of the mold if it sticks and not ruin the design Like Like. Do not use water if using paper clay, matha stewart clay or play doy like clays, Remeber you baked the mold so the mold will be fine: Like Like. I use an old toaster oven for my clay: Like Like. Pingback: Tutorial: Make your own clay molds! Tell me what YOU think! Cancel reply Enter your comment here Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:.

Email required Address never made public. Name required. Follow Following. The Frugal Crafter Blog Join 30, other followers. Sign me up. Already have a WordPress. Log in now. Loading Comments Email Required Name Required Website. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Now, life has slowed down a bit and I'm figuring out how to be a good husband and dad. More About blksheep ». Push the original object you want to cast into the clay and pull it out.

Did you make this project? Share it with us! I Made It! Reply Upvote. RobinD64 blksheep Reply 5 years ago. RobinD64 5 years ago. Part 1. Many different polymer clay molds can be made for texture molds, see below. After baking to harden, the molds can then have new raw clay pressed into them to create corresponding shapes "casts" of polymer clay, or of other clays, to use in all kinds of ways.

See one of the Tips below for descriptions of the types and techniques used in this image. Condition any polymer clay until it's smooth and pliable. Most will require at least some kneading and warming.

The firmest brands and lines of polymer clay will make molds with the highest detail Kato Polyclay, Fimo Classic, Premo, etc but any brand or line can be used with good results.

Image doesn't show Kato Polyclay, Cernit, Souffle or Craftsmart, or other doll and flesh-colored clays. Roll the clay into a smooth ball between palms after conditioning. Then form the ball into another shape if needed perhaps a teardrop or log. No release will be necessary for mold materials that won't easily stick to polymer clay. Brush or blow until no pockets of cornstarch remain in crevices. Cornstarch will rinse off the casts later if necessary.

Water - Mist or wipe the mold lightly with water. It's best not to use water when using certain brands of raw clay such as Fimo and Cernit since one of their fillers may absorb water causing stickiness.

Other powders - Apply metallic-colored powders, colored chalk powders, etc, to the clay with a soft brush. Metallic leaf - Apply to the clay, making sure to adhere the leaf well.

Note that metallic leaf and the colored powders will change the color of the clay's surface. Oils - Mineral oil, etc, can also work though may make the clay slippery. ArmorAll spray is effective too but the silicone in it may prevent paints and clear finishes used after baking from adhering to the clay.

Push the item being used to create the mold into a ball or a slab of raw clay. Or instead press the clay onto or partly-around the item, whichever works best to create the mold. Gently remove the item from the clay. Sometimes removing the item from the clay is not necessary if it's able take the baking temperatures of polymer clay and also won't swell, stick, etc in the mold while baking, but usually clay molds are baked alone.

Place the raw clay mold on a metal baking tray or on another oven-safe carrier. Use a carrier that's rigid so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven without disturbing the clay and one that won't warp in the heat. Position the raw clay mold on the carrier on any of its flat sides. If the mold is not flat or thick, place it instead on a wad of tissues or stuffing or in a pile of baking soda or cornstarch-- all are heat safe at polymer clay temperatures.

If the raw clay mold is thin in any area, first lightly stuff its interior with tissues, polyester stuffing, etc or just re-make the mold so it's thicker. Polymer clay softens slightly with heat and may droop where thin so stuffing will add support. If desired, avoid the shiny spots that show up on polymer clay after it's been heated in direct contact with very smooth surfaces like metal baking sheets, aluminum foil, glass or ceramic dishes, etc.

To do that or any time polymer clay is baked , place another material on the carrier before adding the clay. A flat material like a sheet of ordinary blank paper, patty paper for separating hamburger patties , parchment paper or deli paper work well; or a non-flat material may sometimes be wanted like a sheet or wad of tissues, bit of polyester stuffing, pile of baking soda or pile of cornstarch, etc.

None of those materials will change the natural texture of cured polymer clay which is similar to ordinary paper. When making molds, shiny spots may not be a problem though. Bake the clay in a preheated oven. Some polymer clays will darken at those higher temperatures, but darkening isn't important when making molds. There are other ways to cure polymer clay, too, but using a regular oven or toaster oven is the most common.

Allow enough time for the clay to polymerize throughout, but polymer clay just becomes stronger the longer it's heated. Bake the clay in the center of an oven or a toaster oven. Remove the hardened mold from the oven on its carrier and allow it to cool.

Or leave it in the oven until cool. Make as many molds as you want once you've gotten the hang of it. Purchase rigid or silicone molds readymade, if desired. They will be molds "for polymer clay" or molds made for other purposes candy molds, etc. The molds may be faces, body parts, geometrics, flowers, trims, etc; most are small molds but some may be large. If you want, make casts from your molds with scrap clay then number the matching molds "innies" and casts "outies" on their back sides to keep matching molds and casts straight.

This can be very helpful for faces in particular. Part 2. Roll the clay into a smooth ball as described in the previous method. Form into a teardrop or log or any shape that will best fit into the mold. If needed, use a release on the clay or in the mold or both. Firmly press the clay ball into the mold, especially in the center to make sure all crevices will be filled if there's a particularly deep and narrow depression inside the mold, put the tip of a clay teardrop in that spot first.

Remove the cast from the mold. It may come out easily and without distortion or it may not depending on the shape of the mold, the stickiness and warmth of the clay used, etc. If there is excess clay on the back side, grab it like a handle and pull. If not, pull gently with your fingers from one edge or all around the outer edges till the cast is free.