Learn To Sculpt In
Ceramic Modeling Clay
(Firing Pottery Clay)
And Never Look Back
A free online guide to ceramic modeling clay (pottery clay) from master sculptor, Peter Holland.
The Sculpting Tips page tells you all about your choices of raw materials and how to make an informed choice between ceramic clay (pottery clay), polymer clays and oil based clay (plastiline - sometimes spelled plasteline - not to be confused with 'plasticine' which is a patented modeling clay based on flour, salt and water registered by The Harbutt Company of Bath, England in 1900).
Ceramic Clays (Pottery Clay)
You have to buy specially formulated ceramic modeling clay (pottery clay) for sculpture. You can’t just use any old earthenware, or indeed porcelain. The material has to have specific properties of elasticity & plasticity and not dry out too quickly. Click here to go to a new page which gives useful all round advice about working with and how to dry pottery clay, especially useful if you plan to fire your work rather than make castings. Below I have compiled a list of the best ceramic modeling clay (pottery clay) on the market and tell you where they can be purchased online.
Based in the UK, I personally use is Potclays 1150 (an English firing clay for sculpting & modeling) – this is the ‘secret’ of all top UK ceramic professional modellers. It can be molded and also fired. See www.potclays.co.uk Read on for more advice on ceramic modeling clay:In the US, you can get hold of Potclays 1150, but, at present, your only option is to import it directly from Potclays yourself. See www.potclays.co.uk.The US equivalents, are as follows: Amaco (American Art Co.) is the US equivalent of leading UK firm Potclays. Amaco have great tradition with excellent customer service and a very professional health and safety policy.
Amaco’s Buff Firing Clay No. 46
is a very good modeling clay at a reasonable price (see below for details). Amaco also have
No. 20 Moist White Versa Clay
, which is a tad more expensive, but is my own preference because of the even greater plasticity. Then there is the
Amaco No. 67 Moist Indian Red Firing Clay
- a lovely color, it is particularly useful because it will not slump and warp at low temperatures like other red clays. I like 67-M for certain rougher finish and more 'folksy' sculpts. Be wary of using a porcelain based clay for figure sculpting. if you want a more rich finish you can work with Amaco Porcelains, (eg no. 65) but beware, figure sculpting in porcelain is tricky as porcelain dries out very quickly. If you choose to model with a porcelain clay it will have a good plasticity, but will dry out very quickly, especially on fine areas like hands or thinner ridges.
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Here are the details and
technical comparisons of all the above clays:
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Amaco Buff Firing Clay No. 46:
Excellent pottery clay for sculpture, planters, patio vases and other utility and decorative ware. Ideal for all hand methods of modeling including: slab, push and pull, coil, sculpture, and wheel throwing. AP Non-Toxic in moist form. Bisque is very dense and semi-vitreous and is buff at Cone 5 and soft gray at Cone 10. Firing range of Cone 5-10 with best results at Cone. 46-M can be fired at low temperatures of Cone 06-05 resulting in a porous bisque on which Amaco® high fire glazes are easy to apply or fired to Cone 5 and low fire glazes applied to achieve textures not available with high fire glazes
Amaco Moist White Versa Clay No. 20:
20-M fires to a bright white at cone 4 and is extremely versatile with many uses for sculptors firing their own work, potters and also in the classroom. Its Superior plasticity allows Versa Clay to be used for all types of clay sculpting & modeling, hand building and wheel throwing. It can be used to hand-form delicate flowers paper-thin without cracking, for example and, like Potclays 1150, it can be reworked and shaped much longer than other clays. It can also be used for press molding like 1150.Tech spec for 20-M: * AP Non-Toxic moist formula* Wide firing range of Cone 06 to 5* Bisque is bright white at Cone 04 and cream buff at Cone 02* Decorate with any Amaco® low-fire glazes and decorating colors* Casting slip can be made from No. 25-D by adding water in the amount of 44% of the dry weight of the clay, .50% AMACO N Brand Sodium Silicate and .05% Soda Ash. A liquid white casting slip (15-S) is also available in gallons.
Amaco Moist Indian Red Firing Clay No. 67
A great pottery clay for sculpting, 67-M has a rich red color before and after firing. It is extremely plastic and an ideal clay for all hand methods of modeling: sculpture, slab, push and pull, coil, and also wheel throwing. Most importantly, it will not slump and warp at low temperatures like other red clays Tech spec: • AP Non-Toxic in moist form• CL labeled for safety in dry form• Firing range of Cone 06-02 with best results at Cone 05• Bisque is red at Cone 06 and a rich red brown at Cone 02• Amaco® glazes maturing at Cone 06-04 can be used with this clay. Colored transparent Amaco® LG, LT, O and A series glazes create unique affects on 67-M• A casting slip can be made by adding the following based on the dry weight of the clay: water - 45%, Amaco® N Brand Sodium Silicate -.64%, Barium Sulfate - .5%, and Soda Ash - .14%. No. 67 is also available in liquid form for casting. Potclays 1150 The secret of 1150 is that it’s highly plastic and doesn’t dry out very quickly – it stays moist for a long time. If you choose to model with a porcelain clay it will have a good plasticity, but will dry out very quickly, especially on fine areas like hands or thinner ridges. 1150 is basically a stoneware clay and can be fired from 1100 to 1280. You can therefore use earthenware glazes as well as stoneware glazes. 1150 has a high ‘ball clay’ content which makes it very plastic and flexible. See www.potclays.co.uk.
Don't forget, there is also a Sculpture Lesson: showing the process of how to make a figurine from start to finish and not forgetting the Sculpting Tutorials: which are all about more advanced techniques. The Sculpting Tips page tells you all about your choices of raw materials and how to make an informed choice.
return from Modeling Clay to homepage or alternatively back to Sculpting Supplies
Working Safely With Ceramic Modeling Clayceramic modeling clay in the moist or slip form is considered non-toxic. Always keep in mind to finish the work while the clay is still wet. Finish with a wet sponge: do not sand. In order to use clay safely, dust producing procedures (dry mixing, sanding) should be avoided whenever mixing or working with clays. This can be done very efficiently in either at home or in small or large studio operations. Using ceramic modeling clay and Slip Safely Silica, which occurs naturally in all ceramic clay products, including slip, has been linked to possible environmental health problems – but only the dry dust. Moist there are no health associated problems. These health problems only occur through long term respiratory exposure to dust from the dry clay or dry slip mix. ========================================
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