Of all the kneading masses that are available on the market, cold porcelain is a very special one. It can be processed very thinly, dries in the air, and can be made in any color with pigment powders, chalk, or acrylic paint. In this article, I am going to explain to you what cold porcelain is, how to make it, and the things you can do with it plus a small tutorial.
What Is Cold Porcelain?
Cold porcelain is a grain-based product. You can find recipes to make it yourself on the internet and in various books. It is not very expensive and you can make it with things that everyone usually has around the house. Handy when there are small children who want to clay. Recipe here : 3 ways to make cold porcelain
However, for more sophisticated work, it is recommended to pick out cold porcelain that is factory-made. It stores longer and has a finer structure. And of course, it saves a load of dishes.
Among all the brands that can be found on the market, Sculpey Model Air Porcelain Clay ( found on Etsy) is a very pleasant one to work with.
Fresh out of the package, it dries semi-transparently, shrinking another 20% while drying, making your miniature creations even smaller than they already were.
Also, I got another question, so I'm diving more into depth about it :
How long does cold porcelain last?
Cold porcelain paste is often combined with preservatives to try to extend the shelf life (and make sure it doesn't get moldy), which is at least 1 week without preservatives at normal household temperatures if the material is properly packed.
Preservatives in recipes include witch hazel, lemon juice, citric acid powder, and clove oil. Sodium benzoate is used in some recipes.
Some previous recipes contain formalin/formaldehyde as a preservative, which should be avoided as it is a health risque! Check the commercial porcelain clay mixes on the preservatives before purchase!
Cold porcelain should be wrapped in cling film and stored in a cool room after mixing it in an airtight plastic bag/container. It should not be kept in the fridge or freezer as this can affect the PVA glue.
Some recipes that contain glycerin are said to be kept in the freezer for up to 3 years. This can be affected by the brand of PVA glue you use, so experiment with freezing your favorite recipe.
Some dyes can reduce the shelf life of cold porcelain by drying it out faster, so avoid mixing in color (including white) until you are ready to work with your cold porcelain mix.
Cold Porcelain - How To Use It?
When bought, the clay will be well packed in several layers of foil. The most convenient way is to use an airtight sealable box, especially for porcelain. Open the package and divide the clay into several small pieces. Pack each piece well in cling film and keep them in this box.
The piece of clay that you are going to use can be placed on your worktop under a cap so that it does not dry out while you are working on it. Pigment powders are offered when purchasing the porcelain. These are small pots that contain a colorant, which can be kneaded through the porcelain with very little bits.
During the drying of the clay, the color will become even more intense. Decide which colors you want to use before starting a workpiece. The tip of a piece of porcelain can be pressed into a little pigment powder and then kneaded.
It is preferable to wash hands between two colors, especially with yellow and red powders. Place the clay under caps on your work surface and you can start your project! Have a look at this Youtube video on how to make DIY cold porcelain projects as well:
Cold Porcelain - What To Do With It.
You can, of course, just model the porcelain. The clay will dry faster on the outside than on the inside. This will smooth out a rough texture (think of fingerprints). If the object is made too big or too thick, the clay can crack. For large projects, it is better to make a structure of other materials, such as aluminum foil, and to coat it with porcelain clay.
Cold porcelain is very suitable for very fine workpieces, such as flowers. Because the clay can be rolled out super thin with a roll-out piece, very beautiful shapes can be obtained with punches or cutters, which can then be modeled.