Looking After Your Clay Sculpture

Thank You!

Thank you so much for joining one of my clay workshops. I hope you've had as much fun creating your sculpture as I have teaching it!

Your sculpture has been carefully designed to be achievable in a single session, but it will continue changing over the next few days as it dries. Please read the guidance below to give it the very best chance of drying successfully.

Drying Your Sculpture

Air-dry clay dries naturally as the water slowly evaporates.

As a guide:

Small sculptures usually take 5–7 days to dry.
Larger or thicker sculptures can take 7–14 days, sometimes a little longer depending on the weather.
Humid or cold conditions will slow drying.

The most important thing is not to rush it!

Where Should I Dry It?

Place your sculpture somewhere:

✓ Indoors

✓ On a flat surface

✓ Out of direct sunlight

✓ Away from radiators, heaters or log burners

✓ Somewhere with good airflow

Avoid trying to speed up drying with heat. Drying too quickly is the biggest cause of cracking.

Turning Your Sculpture

During the first few days, gently turn your sculpture every day or so if possible.

This allows air to reach all sides and helps it dry more evenly.

Be gentle when moving it, especially during the first couple of days while the clay is still soft.

How Do I Know When It's Dry?

Your sculpture is ready to paint when:

• It feels room temperature rather than cool to the touch.

• The colour becomes much lighter than when you made it.

• There are no darker damp patches.

• It feels firm all over.

If you're unsure, simply leave it another day or two. It's always better to wait than paint too early.

Don't Worry About Small Cracks!

Tiny cracks are completely normal with air-dry clay.

Almost every sculptor gets them!

Most can be repaired very easily.

Using Slip

Slip is simply clay mixed with a little water to make a smooth paste.

To repair a crack:

Mix a small amount of your leftover clay with a few drops of water.
Stir until it becomes a thick yoghurt-like consistency.
Push the slip into the crack using your finger or a small tool.
Smooth the surface with a damp finger or soft brush.
Leave it to dry again.

For larger cracks, you may need to repeat the process once the first repair has dried.

If Something Breaks...

Don't panic!

Most pieces can simply be glued back together once they are completely dry using a strong craft glue or superglue.

If a join separates while the clay is still damp, you can usually:

Score (scratch) both surfaces.
Apply some slip.
Press firmly back together.
Smooth the join.

Painting Your Sculpture

Once your sculpture is completely dry, you're ready for the really fun part!

Approximately 7 days after your workshop, you'll be able to watch my FREE step-by-step painting guides, showing you exactly how I paint each sculpture using the paints and brushes included in your kit.

The videos are completely free for everyone who has attended one of my workshops.

Take your time, pause the videos whenever you need to, and remember...

Progress over perfection.

Since we began, people have been opting for different colours to that of the videos so just paint away and enjoy! It is just the same as normal pottery painting apart from, there is no need to have the finished result fired.

A Few Helpful Tips

Keep any leftover clay sealed in an airtight bag if you wish to use it for repairs.
Wash brushes in clean water immediately after painting.
Acrylic paint becomes permanent once dry, so wear old clothes and protect your table.
If your sculpture wobbles slightly once dry, a little felt pad underneath can often solve the problem.