You couldn’t be more mistaken if you think that clay is only used for making molds. The same clay serves different purposes in the art studio, from making mold boxes to even casting applications.
Clay is a versatile material, if ever there was one! This humble material can be put to varied use in the art studio when making molds and casts.
Indeed, clay is usually favored for making molds from the model before casting. Oil-based plasticine clay is the clay of choice as it is non-drying and does not crack or warp either. The smooth and firm consistency of Plastilina clay makes it easy to mold and use the material as required. Experts advise that it is always better to opt for sulfur-free clays as they are odorless and non-toxic. Also, the presence of sulfur can inhibit the curing of platinum-cured silicone rubber.
However, the usage of clay is not limited to only making molds. Let us take a look at some of the other every day uses of clay:
- Mold box – Thick strips of clay are usually used to make a mold box or containment area before making the mold.
- Sealing – Clay is often used to seal the edges of the mold box. This will prevent the liquid mold making material from leaking out of the box. It can also serve handy for sealing the edges of mold shells.
- Two-part block molds – Clay plays an integral role in the making of two-part block molds. When making one part of the mold, the other part is embedded in clay up to the parting line. Mold rubber is poured over the unembedded portion of the model and allowed to cure before removing it from the clay.
- Blanket molds – Clay serves another purpose in the making of blanket molds. The model is wrapped in plastic before being covered with a layer of clay. A shell is constructed over the clay and allowed to cure. Both the clay and shell are removed before positioning the shell back over the model. The mold making material is poured into the mold shell and will form the mold in place of the clay.
- Keys – The same clay can also be used to form keys that serve to align the different sections of a multi-part mold.
- Modifications – Clay is often used to make certain modifications in the model before beginning the mold-making process. It can also be used to fill holes or other gaps which are not required in the mold.
- Casting – Clay serves well for casting purposes as well. In fact, it is commonly used for making masks, sculptures and animation works. Apart from this, clay is turned into slip and used for making ceramics.
EnvironMolds is the go-to place for sourcing different kinds of clay. It offers a range of top-quality options, right from the Roma Plastilina clay to Del Milano, Chavant and other pottery and self-hardening variants as well. Roma Plastilina comes in several degrees of hardness which makes it suitable for almost any application!