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Tips & Techniques


How to Achieve Best Results in Removing
Makin's Clay from Inner Packaging :

With the Ultimate Clay Machine

  1. Remove outer plastic vacuum Bag.
  2. Open inner plastic wrapping using craft knife or clay blade and spread package flat on work surface. Do not remove inner plastic wrapping.
  3. Let clay sit for 10-15 minutes.
  4. Use hands or roller to lightly flatten clay against plastic wrapping. Do not remove wrapping.
  5. Insert clay and wrapping material together, clay side up, into Ultimate Clay Machine on #1 setting.
  6. Make one pass through clay machine with wrapping still attached.
  7. Turn clay 90 degrees and make second pass using #2 setting with wrapping attached.
  8. Peel wrapping from clay. If clay does not peel easily from wrapping, run clay with wrapping attached through clay machine one or two more times.
  9. After removing clay from wrapping, cut off amount of clay to be used immediately, and roll remaining clay into log or short plug shape. Store in air-tight container or cover with damp cloth for more immediate use.

Without the Ultimate Clay Machine

  1. Remove outer plastic vacuum bag.
  2. Open inner plastic wrapping and spread out a bit on work surface. Do not remove plastic wrapping.
  3. Let clay sit for approx. 10 minutes.
  4. Use hands or roller to lightly flatten clay against plastic wrapping. Do not remove plastic wrapping.
  5. Use a roller or even a straight sided drinking glass to roll the clay on top of the plastic wrapping for several times.
  6. Peel wrapping from the clay.
  7. After removing clay from wrapping, cut off amount of clay to be used immediately, and roll remaining clay into log or short plug shape. Store in air-tight container or cover with damp cloth for more immediate use.
Techniques:
 
  • Select a clean working area.
  • Take a small piece of clay and place the remainder of the clay in an airtight plastic bag for storage or cover with wet towel while you are working.
  • Knead the clay for few minutes; while the clay is still soft, it can be shaped, rolled, stretched, or sculpted.
  • If the clay starts to dry, you can mist the clay with a water bottle and knead the moisture back into the clay. It dries at normal exposure to air and it sets hard overnight or longer, depending on thickness of clay.
  • Easy clean-up with soap and water.
Hints:
  • Makin's Clay® mixed with water based hand lotion
    If dry hands are absorbing the moisture out of the clay too rapidly a waterbased hand lotion/cream can be used prior to handling the clay. This lotion/cream can also be used for lubricating the push moulds and/or texture sheets.
Rainbow On Clay 
  • Makin's Clay® can be mixed together to make more color.
  • With different techniques, such as etching, slicing, embossing, spiraling, blending, gathering and mosaics, you can create many different looks.
   
Antique On Clay 
  • With techniques such as antiquing, stamping, marbling, mixing, slicing and blending, you can create many different looks with Makin's Clay®.
   
Crystal Reflections® (Plastic Shapes) with Clay 
  • Makin's Clay® molds and bonds to surfaces such as Crystal Reflections®, wood, glass, and plastic. Just add a thin coat of adhesive on the base surface before applying the clay for best adhesion results.
Beginners' Techniques :
With the help of our Makin's® tools, such as Push Molds, Clay Texture Sheets, Clay Cutters, beginners will find it easy to create layered sculptured designs.
 
Intermediate Crafters' Techniques :
Intermediate crafters will find our full set of tools combined with the Clay Mixing Ruler™ creates a large range of colors to expand their horizons. The projects help them to develop new techniques as they work through them.
 
Professional Crafters' Techniques :
Professional crafters can combine their professional skills with Makin's Clay®, and move onto more advanced methods: marbling, texturing, bead making, faux-stone effect and more.
 
Liquifyt Clay Techniques :

Instructions

1. Use a one-gallon size plastic storage bag, zipper type.

2. Roll out 120g package of Makin's Clay® into a sheet on #1 or #2 setting of Makin’s Professional ® Ultimate Clay Machine ® , or roll out with a roller to approximately 6mm or ¼” thickness.

3. Place clay sheet in bag, flat.

4. Place regular paper towel in bag on top of clay sheet.

5. Sprinkle small amount of bottled water into bag onto paper towel - approximately four to eight U.S. teaspoons or 20-40 milliliters.

6. On outside of bag, press paper towel to distribute water and push excess air out of bag. When paper towel is saturated, and excess air is out of bag, zip bag closed.

8. Lay bag with clay and paper towel flat on work surface for at least 20 minutes. (Clay begins liquification process as soon as 5 minutes or less, but practical application requires more time for best liquified consistency).

9. After at least 20 minutes, and while keeping bag and clay flat on work surface, unzip bag and, using gloves if desired, check consistency of clay. Add more water if necessary, but only a small amount at a time.

10. Clay will be partially liquified. Using hand with or without glove, rub lightly over surface of clay to more fully mix clay and water. (Very little mixing is necessary. Clay and water are mostly combined at this point).

11. When clay is fully liquified, it should feel buttery to the touch - very smooth and silky, or creamy like pudding.

12. Makin's Clay® in liquified form can be:
• applied to texture sheets treated with release agent (because clay is in liquid form, use automotive protectant such as ArmorAll® or water base hand cream instead of water or cornstarch) by hand or with paintbrush. Clay can also be poured onto texture sheet. Clay thickness can be adjusted for individual project requirements (liquified Makin's Clay® tends to stay where placed if surface is flat. "Running" is minimal to none, because of clay quality and consistency). When clay is dry, peel from texture sheet and use wherever textured design is desired. Pieces can be stored for later use.

• used as “paint” on most surfaces and can be applied by hand or with paintbrush.

• applied to art paper for enhanced stability (reduces or eliminates accidental tearing), or applied to fabric.
• poured into Makin's® push molds, or poured into Makin's® cutters that are placed on flat surface. When using cutters, a "dam" of clay can be formed around outside bottom of cutter to keep liquified clay from seeping. If clay used to create dam adheres to any clay that seeps out from under cutter, when dried it can be completely removed with regular scissors or craft knife or shaped with decorative scissors as a design element.

16. Sheets of clay without texture can be formed by applying Makin's Clay® in liquified form to ceramic tile or other flat work surface. Thickness is determined by project requirements. Clay can be applied to work surface with or without release agent. When dry, if clay adheres to work surface, it can be removed with minimal or no tearing by carefully sliding blade under edge of clay and working blade slowly until clay sheet is fully removed.

Additional Notes

• Sheets of liquified Makin's Clay® applied to ceramic tile dry with matte finish on surface, and smooth shiny finish wherever clay is in contact with tile. A gloss finish is desirable for many applications and requires no additional sanding, finishing, or use of glaze or varnish. Either side or both sides of clay can be used depending on finish desired. One application results in two finishes.

• Custom colored liquified Makin's Clay® can be achieved by placing two or more sheets of Makin's Clay® into bag as in Step #1, or by adding acrylic paint to bag either before or after liquification. Some additional mixing by hand may be required after clay liquifies.

• Makin's Clay® in liquified form can be stored in plastic bag.

• Makin's Clay® in liquified form should be safely, easily, and conveniently discarded in same plastic bag used for liquifying. Clay should not be poured or flushed down household drains.

During testing, acrylic paint added to Makin’s Clay® did not absorb paint and did not liquify as well as clay with no paint added. Acrylic paint added after clay liquified mixed well with clay

 
During testing, acrylic paint added to Makin’s Clay® did not absorb paint and did not liquify as well as clay with no paint added. Acrylic paint added after clay liquified mixed well with clay
 
Tool Kit:

Tips and Techniques (800kb pdf)


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