Painting Air Dry Clay

What Is Air-Dry Clay?

Air-dry clay is a natural clay that can come in various forms from earthen to paper-based and epoxy-based varieties.

The clay does not require the use of an expensive kiln and dries naturally in the air. As you do not need any fancy equipment and it is non-toxic, this type of clay is quite popular, and can even be used by kids.

How to Paint  Air-Dry Clay

There are two approaches to painting air-dry clay. You can paint on the dry clay, or color it before it dries. The best clay for painting is your white clay, as it will show up the colors well.

Air-dry clay takes about 24 hours to 72 hours to dry properly, and you should not do any clay painting until it is completely dry. 

To color the clay before it dries, first knead it to warm it up. Then add small amounts of color at a time and knead it through the clay to get an even color.

Applying gesso before starting to paint your clay can provide a more even distribution of the paint. The Gesso is available in white, black, or clear.

Once you have sculpted and allowed your clay piece to dry properly, it is time to paint. Make sure your hands are clean and dry as you do not want to create any smudges.

Once you are done painting the clay, you need to seal it to protect it and make it waterproof. If you do not seal the paint, it will eventually begin to peel off.