MAKE YOUR OWN DIY GLAZE FOR AIR DRY CLAY CRAFTS
/Learn how to glaze your air dry clay projects with your own homemade glaze. All you need are a few simple ingredients to make a cheap, colourful varnish to seal your clay crafts.
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Air Dry Clay Glaze.
One of the questions I get asked the most is how do I glaze my air dry clay craft projects and up until now the answer has always been that I don't. I really love the chalky, matte finish you get with the clay so in the past I've always liked to leave mine as they are.
Recently, however, I shared a round-up of some of my favourite clay crafts and I fell in love with a faux glazed pot. It looked so good it made me rethink my love of the chalky matte finish and made me want to glaze everything I've ever made using air dry clay.
Why Should You Varnish Air Dry Clay?
There are a lot of good reasons why you would want to seal your clay crafts. Not only because of how it looks but also because it can help preserve your finished piece.
A varnish can protect it from dust and chipping. It can also help to even out a patchy surface and create a unified surface.
DIY Varnish.
You can buy plenty of glosses and glazes that do this but if you want to go the DIY route and make your own this is the recipe for you. The good thing about making your own is that you can leave it clear or colour it using acrylic paint to make a tinted gloss.
It’s cheap, quick to make and can be made using a lot of supplies that you probably already have at home. All you need is some glue, clear nail varnish, water and the paint of your choice.
Recommended Varnishes, Sealants and Glazes.
If you don’t want to make your own glaze make sure to go read my how to glaze air dry clay post. It contains tips and tricks as well as my recommended for my favourite store bought varnishes and acrylic sealers.
Note: This glaze is not suitable for polymer clay crafts as the nail varnish will erode the polymer clay over time.
If you’re looking to glaze a polymer clay craft (like Fimo or Sculpey) I recommend using the Sculpey Studio Glossy Glaze or the FIMO Soft Liquid and Gloss Varnish.
Supplies:
Clear Glue
Water,
Acrylic paint (this set is similar to the one I used if you’re a fan of the neon colours),
A bowl,
A wooden craft stick to mix the glaze,
And a clay project to decorate.
Air Dry Clay Glaze Recipe.
1. Pour the whole bottle of clear nail varnish into a bowl.
2. Add two tablespoons of clear craft glue.
3. Next add three tablespoons of bottled water and mix together.
Don't worry if the mixture looks lumpy at the beginning. Keep mixing until all the ingredients come together.
3. If you've already painted your clay or maybe stamped it like I did with these bowls and want a clear glaze then stop now. The glaze looks a little cloudy but does dry clear.
4. If you want a single colour tinted glaze add 1 teaspoon of your chosen acrylic paint.
I separated my mixture and made three different colours.
For the pink and orange glazes, I added about a third of a teaspoon of paint but for the yellow glaze, I added half a teaspoon. The yellow glaze didn't look any different from the other 2 but it needed fewer layers for a more opaque finish so try playing around with it and see what you prefer.
If you're not sure how transparent you want your glaze try adding a small amount of paint at a time. It's always easier to add more paint rather than trying to dilute your mixture back down.
How To Use Air Dry Clay Glaze.
To start you’re going to need an air dry clay project. The glaze works best on textured clay. In this example, I made some air dry clay discs similar to these stamped clay magnets.
I stamped a design into the clay and then cut it out using a cookie cutter. Make sure to press firmly and leave behind a good solid indentation for the glaze to fill. And don’t forget to prepare your clay by sanding down any rough edges for a smooth finish.
Glazing the clay.
1. Apply the first layer of the glaze. The glaze will flood the indentations and leave a thin layer over the raised design letting the white of the clay show through.
Air-dry clay is porous so the first layer will soak into the clay and dry quickly.
2. Once it’s dry apply a second layer.
3. Keep building up the layers of glaze.
Be careful not to build up to many layers. I found no more than 3 worked best. Any more than that and the glaze remained sticky and tacky when dry.
4. To paint the sides of the discs place them on a piece of scrap paper and raise them up using small balls of sticky tack. You don't want your glaze glueing your clay to your work surface.
5. Leave to dry for a glossy finish.
Please note this glaze is for decorative purposes only and is not food safe.
Is Air Dry Clay Food Safe?
No, even though the clay itself is non-toxic, it is still porous when dry. It can be made water-resistant but not totally waterproof like a traditionally glazed pot would be.
So while you shouldn’t eat any fruit or crisps and chips out of an air dry clay bowl (definitely no liquids) you can still use it to hold any wrapped sweets and treats.
If you’ve got any questions please ask them in the comments below or check out my post on HOW TO GLAZE AIR DRY CLAY for more tips and tricks.
