Loved this video. I LOVE her voice! There's such a sweetness to it. It's as if she's endowed with an overflowing supply of patience. And you could do no wrong as long as she's around. I think could listen to her for hours.
Hello Yanire I am so sorry that it has taken me such a long time to reply to your lovely comment! I have been away from home for over two weeks and this was such a nice message to return to. Thank you so much for your kindness ... it has made my day! Have a fabulous day yourself and all the best wishes with any craft projects that you decide to undertake. All the best Sally
Hello Vandana Thank you so much for your positive feedback. I'm really pleased that you have found this video helpful and wish you every success with whatever you create! :o) Sally
After a glorious failure for my first attempt, on the second try I used a glass bowl over a pan of hot water as that allowed me to control the heat more effectively than a saucepan directly on the burner. I warmed the glue, vinegar, glycerin and baby oil first the added the cornflour a tablespoon at a time. No lumps and the mixture came together slowly but smoothly. It was still very tacky when I took it off the heat but once I started kneading the texture changed. Here’s hoping a days rest will give me something like the version in the video 🧐
Hello lindagc Thank you so much for providing details of your experience which is interesting and useful ... you have been persistent and innovative in your thought processes ... brilliant!! I am sure that your method will pay off and don't forget that when you add colour, you are working the clay and drying it further. Best wishes for your success. Sally
My gosh I loved this video. I love The tip about adding your coloring as you go as you go as opposed to adding it in process. I love those little flowers and your sample box is so cute. Everything is just to die for cuteness!! Mad love from the 🇺🇸USA 🇺🇸
Hello NoniOf 3 You have certainly made me smile today with your lovely upbeat comments ... you sound like a very lively, positive person. Thank you so much for getting in touch. Regarding adding colour during the cooking process, whilst I think it could work, I have never actually tried this myself. If you are tempted .. I would say, just do so with a very small batch. :o) Warmest wishes Sally
I have just spent the past month looking into the cold porcelain clay and out of all of the TH-cam tutorial and other internet ones I have found that yours was the best, so much so I have actually used my TH-cam option to download the tutorial so that I will always have it ready for when I want to make the clay. I liked the way you approached it from the very beginning and then after reading some of the many comments and the help that you have provided was the selling point to give this a go. Now as I live in Australia the kind of weather I have here will have an impact on the clay 🤔 but with how you explained the method of cooking and working the clay I should be able to take this into account and rather than make the clay during the day when it is the hottest and as such would tend to dry the clay out too fast, I will make it in the evenings when it is the coolest. As for the brands of PVA I do not have that kind here but I think the brand that I have been using for the past 20 years and as such I am use to the way it is during the different weather shifts I should think this will not be a problem 😹😹 Like you I would use vinegar over lemon or lime as they have natural sugars in them and thus would cause a problem. As for the kind of vinegar I think the standard white distilled vinegar should work out fine. 😸 Thanks for taking the time to share your version of recipe that you have been using 🤗🤗
Hello Angela Thank you so much for taking the time to provide so much positive feedback, which really is appreciated. I would agree with the approach that you are taking with regard to weather, brands of PVA etc. For me, the only time I have had any issue with this recipe is if I have over cooked it, so I think that's the main thing that you need to watch out for. My finished product often slumps a little in the air-tight container and then I thoroughly work it when I add colour to stiffen it up and dry it out it bit. All the very best wishes for your success and happy crafting :o) Sally
GryphonArt 🤗thank you. I will keep in mind the cooking times, I think this is the number one problem with many people doing just that... if I am correct in the idea and that is when cooking scrambled eggs you want to cook them just to the point before the egg yoke goes hard it still has to be soft so that it has that glossy look when plating it up on the toast 😹😹( sorry it was the only example I could think off) eggs are so fickle when it comes to cooking them 😹😹😹 I have been using polymer clay for the past few years now but with the Aussie heat in the summer times it becomes so soft I am not able to work with it until the winter time. I think this clay should work well for me during the summer as it will not get softer as I work with it during the summer times but as it starts to dry out it will become firmer 🤔 I think one of the reasons I have been wanting to use this clay is that it can make the type of flowers that I have just not been able to do with polymer clay. I have tried with many of the different brands of the clay even mixed different brands together which has given me some really good results🙃 as they say one can but only try. I have an old electric pan which I can use as it has a fixed heating system on it from 1 through to 10 and it does keep the temperature even which will work for me. And I prefer cooking at low temps unless cooking Asian foods that is😹😹😹 As I am going into town today I will pickup the cornstarch, glycerin and baby oil as I only have Dads hair oil which is like baby oil but with a smell that men like 😹😹😹😹😹 I use it for my polymer clay when it’s crumbly😹😹 I was looking at some of the other videos that you have made and the details of this clay is so very much like the polymer clay results when it’s not over worked (it makes it too soft like ice cream sometimes to work with and has to be placed in the fridge to cool off and reworked.) I use polymer clay for miniatures I love making these as small as possible 😹😹 I just love the challenge it presents. I have a few projects that I think this style of clay will work well with. Keep up the great work you are an inspiration to many 🤗
Scrambled eggs ... spot on!! :o) You need to keep stirring and stirring on a low heat to avoid lumps (it doesn't matter if some small ones form because you can knead them out). Once the mix starts to clump together you really need to keep an eye on things. If it completely balls together you have gone too far. Keep testing ... if the mix forms peaks and with the aid of cold cream, you can knead it into a ball that holds it's shape fairly well, you are probably about right. I tend to opt for this consistency, because as long as you can handle it, you can add colour and keep working it until it dries to a consistency that really holds it's shape and that you are happy with. This certainly will not soften with handling and it will take extra fine detail that you can't always obtain with clay. I've got my fingers, toes, eyes and heart crossed for you that all goes well :O) Sally
GryphonArt Thank you Sally. I did have to buy cornstarch/flour turned out what I have in the cupboard is wheat starch and really did not want to take a chance with something unknown once I have used the corn starch I might look at the wheat starch and see if it works out the same. Funny I use the same hand cream as you 😹😹 been using that for years as it’s a good cream 😹 Well once I am not baby sitting the friends puppy I will give this a go at the moment the puppy is such a demanding little thing 😹😹 Have a great week 🤗
This recipe, is perfect I did it yesterday. And my clay turned out beautifully, thank you so much for sharing this tutorial. It's saved me lots of money! 😍🙂😃
That's great to know :0) Thank you so much for taking the time to comment ... it really is appreciated. I have made this recipe numerous times now and it has always produced a consistent result ... hopefully you will find that this is the case for you. Hope you end up with lots of wonderful creations! Sally
I've read so many people that have the experience of their creations cracking as they dry or afterwards. I've been reluctant to try Cold Porcelain because of this. Does all Porcelain crack???
Omg I just tried to colour your recipe clay , but with trepidation ! As my bought clays failed. But your recipe coloured magnificently . Not only with acrylic paints , but also with food colour pastes, I mean like really well. I now feel I can achieve any colour I need . Thanks Sally ,you really are the best.
Morning Dorothy ... I am so delighted for you and it is absolutely fabulous to be on the receiving end of your joy 🤗🤗😁. Thank you so much for sharing!! It has made me smile even more broadly as I decorate the Christmas tree 😁🎄🎄🎄 Have a good day today. Best wishes. Sally
Thank you so much for this. I don't know I'd have had success cooking clay without your instructions. It took nearly an hour to get to kneading stage. I was despairing. But knew what to watch for, thanks to you. I hope I do as well with modeling. Thank you.
Hello Hollie I can't tell you how much pleasure it gives me to learn that you have had success with this recipe. The first time that you make the clay is always the worst so it will be better for you the next time around and if you end up making it regularly ... it just all happens naturally without any stress! I wish you all the best with your projects, which I'm sure will turn out well, not least of all because it sounds as if you have oodles of patience If you are new to cold porcelain ... just remember that it does shrink a little when it dries. Happy crafting! Sally
Hi Sally, first let me say a big thanks to you for the detailed step-by-step instructional video. It was awesome and you have a very soothing voice that is calming to the ears. That said, I have tried other recipes and I've always found tiny cracks in the end product. I am going to try this recipe and will let you know how it turns out. My only worry is that I live in India and we get what is called Fevicol. I think it is like your PVA glue. Let me try it and see how it turns out. Thanks for everything.
Hello Ushasree What a lovely message to wake up to first think in the morning! Thank you so much for getting in touch and for such kind words. Just a pointer on cracking ... this can occasionally happen with this recipe and I am still trying to understand fully, the reasons. I have my suspicions that it is associated with the ratio of cornflour to PVA. It is very easy to compact the flour in a cup and end up with more than the recipe requires. If PVA glue, on it's own dries out, then it never cracks and is always flexible, so logic tells me that the cornflour is the problem. Try to keep the flour loose in the cup when you are measuring and I think you will be okay. Additionally, don't be tempted to omit the glycerine because this also helps stop the product from being brittle. Hope that you have success. Very best wishes Sally
I used a different recipe, but all your troubleshooting tips were very helpful! I was scared to overcook it, so my batch ended up too sticky to knead. I decided to take a third of it and overcook it, then mixed bit by bit of the undercooked batch in to create the right texture. New things can be intimidating for me when there's a risk of wasting materials, but your calm explanation of everything really made me feel more comfortable with it. The whole batch was a success! 🥳❤
Hello Pour Some Suga On Me .... great name by the way!!! You are obviously very innovative and not a quitter! Brilliant thinking on your part and I am so glad that everything came together for you in the end. I can tell you that I had the same fears the first time that I made cold porcelain and I definitely cannot afford to waste materials. Having gone through this process time and time again, I am now comfortable with my approach ... it makes such a difference when you know what to expect 🤣 I wish you all the best with your project, but I get a sense that you have a knack for making things work anyway. 🤗 Sally
Well, this is a material I wasn't familiar with!!! I'm so glad I checked it out!!! And once more, such a detailed video tutorial!!! And what a great help this is!! I really enjoy watching your videos!! They are so helpful and well explained, answering so many questions that may come to mind!!THANK YOU!! :) I will try to test it out, as soon as possible!!
Morning Katerina ... You are such a treasure and your enthusiasm is a tonic!! Cold porcelain is great for making small or thin embellishments and is so fine that you can get a really smooth finish and add in plenty of fine details. You can colour it with anything that provides colour, including paints, dyes and food colouring. (Some people have even used makeup). If you want to make larger or thicker items, it can take a while for it to dry out, so I usually start with a thinner shape, wait for it to thoroughly dry out and then build up the shape in stages. It means that you have more control over any shrinkage as well. I do hope that you have fun with it. I have found it to be a really useful medium, making tree decorations, heart shapes for gifts, flowers, leaves and ... I am currently working on a very large sculpture of a hare, so it is very diverse. :o) I hope that you enjoyed the carnival and the reunion with family members. Have a fabulous weekend and thank you so much for all your support! Sally x
Good morning dear Sally! 😊 Thank you ever so much for your kind comments and for even more information!! No need to thank me for the support as I do it with such a great pleasure!!! 😊 And it's me that must thank once more for the all the things you have already taught me!!! I would love to see your sculpture when finished!! I'm sure that it will be gorgeous, like your boxes!! Have a nice weekend, you too!!! 😊😘❤
Hello Lilly It's always so helpful to know how a video tutorial is being received, so thank you so much for taking the time to send your comments. :o) I hope that the cold porcelain works out well and that you have success with your projects. Very best wishes Sally
Hello 7andearth (Great tagname!) I'm so pleased that you had success with this recipe and it's very kind of you to take time out to let me know. I hope that your Sakura flowers turn out to be as beautiful as they sound and that you are even more pleased with them than you expected to be when you started out. Have fun and success with all your crafts. Sally x
Hello Jim I just wanted to thank you so much for taking the time to provide such a positive comment ... it's very kind of you! It sounds to me as though you are a very creative individual and I wish you every success with all your projects ... I wish had more time to work with cold porcelain myself 🙂 All the best wishes. Sally
@@GryphonArt hi Sally just wanted to tell you. I made your mixture again this morning and you said you had no microwave so I did it in the microwave it turned out great just the same. I gave it 20 seconds at first to get it started then down to 10 then 5 to get it to the end got a few lumps but blended in at the end. I’m into a lot of art if you wish to see some I can leave an email so you can touch base. Keep up the good work. 😎👍
Good morning Jim ... well at least it is 8:30am where I am 😂. Thank you so much for sharing your success with a microwave version of this recipe ... you are obviously not afraid to experiment! I am always interested in all mediums of other peoples creativity, so yes any provision to see examples of your work would be appreciated. I may not always be able to respond in a timely way because I have full-time work now and that does diminish my leisure hours ... it's life. Take care and best wishes. Sally
Thank you so much for an extremely helpful tutorial! I have tried making the clay and it came out almost exactly as shown. This cold procelain clay looks like exactly the kind of clay I can use for my sculptures! Again, thank you for all the wonderful help!
Hello Heather, thank you so much for sending such a positive, encouraging message which was a delight to receive ... you have made my day!! I am so pleased that you have had success in making the cold porcelain and I hope that you enjoy using the medium for your sculptures. If it's of any help at all, if you are creating large items, which are at worst, at risk of shrinking and at best, will take ages to dry, I have found that it works better for me, to create little bricks of cold porcelain, allowing them to dry, before using them with wet porcelain as a mortar, to build larger shapes. When the project gets to a certain size, thin layers of the medium can be applied over the surface of the whole piece. It's a method I like, and one I thought was worth sharing :0). Have a lovely day and best wishes for happy crafting! Sally
@@GryphonArt Thank you so very much, Sally for your response to my comments! You are very kind! I will take your advice about using the cold porcelain carefully with my sculptures. Thank you! I would like to show you some of my sculptures when I am finished completing one or more with the cold porcelain, is it alright to email you some pictures, and may I have your email, or a way to get the pictures to you, please? Thanks!
Hello Christina It's very lovely of you to spare the time to send me such positive feedback, so my own "thank you" is coming right back your way :0) Best wishes for successful craft projects. Sally
Thank you so much. I made more dough with half the quantities. While still a bit ‘wet’ I did exactly as you advise. Lost a few ounces with all that kneading and I think I have managed a workable dough. It has been well wrapped in cling wrap and stored safely in an airtight box.fingers crossed🤞🏼It will be ready to work with after a couple of days. Very grateful and indebted, 🥰 Fatima siddiqui
Ahhh ... thank goodness for that Fatima and well done you for persevering! Many would have given up at the first hurdle. By the way ... you are not wrong about the kneading! 😂🤣. All the best with your projects, hopefully it will be plain sailing now! Sally
Just thought I would mention, I made the clay Weeks ago put it in the fridge with all the construction going on in the house I forgot it. TodY I pulled it out though I’ll throw it out but pulled a bit of rolled it in my hands, go figure it’s as good as the day I made it. So happy to have found this recipe. 👍
Good morning Jim Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a positive comment, which is really appreciated. To be honest, as long as you keep the clay in an air-tight container and only add colour when you need to use the clay, it can be kept at room temperature. One tip though is to grease the container with cold cream so that the wet clay can be more easily released from it. Happy creativity and all the best with your house project too. Sally
Hi again. I have made this recipe so many times now it’s great. However this time I made it I experimented “ nothing to loose lol” I had an old block of air dry clay that dried out . A cheap one from $ store clay not great but soaked it down added a few large spoonfuls to your mixture. It was a big surprise I thought it would ruin it , it sculpts great holds its shape and it dries a lot faster. You may want to try it, I have two I can use now your original and my modified clay. TY again for your great recipe ❤
I have just found your tutorial and found it the best i have seen, i will be trying this tomorro, thankyou i enjoyed listening to you and your clay looks lovely.
Hello Beverley Thank you for your kindness in sending such positive feedback, it really is appreciated. I shall be keeping all fingers and toes crossed that you have success with the recipe ... maybe I'll cross my eyes too :o) Just be careful not to pack in the cornflour when you are measuring a cupful .. leave it loose or you may find that the end product cracks ... it is the PVA that is flexible and the glycerine that adds a little more assurance. One of these days I will work out the measurements in actual weights ... as always .. it's a case of finding the time to get around to it!! Very best wishes Sally
Ahh Beverley, ... you are a sweetheart for letting me know this ... thank you so much! I am so pleased for both of us :0) Hope that you enjoy working with it and have lots of successful projects! Best wishes Sally
Thank you Sally that’s just what I needed to hear, I use airbrushing quite a bit so that’s fine. Thank you so much for being so patient with me . All the best . Dorothy
GryphonArt hi ever snice i watched your video i just enjoy making my own clay..i get 4 cup at end once weaved and store it Until it use. once a week im constantly making a patch.. I want to thank you for your encouragement..i love all my items that I made for the holiday the most time i make my santa on an ornament as he taken a bite of the cookies chip on the plate that he hold as he look sitting on the ornaments..:) Look beautiful on my trees oh raindeers too with name tag for my grandkids and family.
Hello Evelyn It was so lovely to read your message this morning and I am delighted that you have mastered this recipe! Your ornaments sound really delightful ... injected with humour which I'm assuming, comes from their creator - lovely! It sounds as though you are starting to prepare for Christmas but in the meantime, have a wonderful summer and I hope that you always have lots of time to enjoy your creativity. Best wishes Sally
What a lovely message to receive Lidia ... thank you so much! I hope that you have success with whatever craft project led you to watch this tutorial :0) All the best Sally
Hello Mayra This is a big "THANK YOU " to you for taking the time to post such a positive comment. It's really lovely of you and very much appreciated 🤗🤗. Best wishes for success in whatever craft project you are working on. Sally
This is new to me and I will certainly be giving it a try. You gave such lovely clear direction I believe I'll have success. Now to watch your other videos to see in what ways this material can be used! I've been on a paper clay kick, making little lighted Fairy houses and ran across your tutorial! New subscriber here! Thank you! Now I'm off to explore your body of tutorials.
Hello Sunriser Lark I was just about to head off for work when I found your lovely comment ... it has made the start of my day a very good one, so thank you! Your little, lighted fairy houses sound delightful and you are obviously very creative. Have great fun making things and thanks for your subscription, which is much appreciated. Sally :o)
Thank you sally , you have been so helpful, cross your fingers I can produce something that looks like a hedgehog, for my very little friend , whom I think believes I can make anything, I hate to shatter her illusions but she’s got that soooooooo wrong. Best wishes Dorothy.
Hello Seema Thank you so much for leaving such a positive comment ...it's really lovely of you and very much appreciated. All the best wishes for successful craft projects. Sally
Thank you so much for this! It's so detailed. I have a few questions if it's ok. Does it form cracks in the drying process? If so, are there ways to prevent it?
Hello DA Thank you for taking the time to get in touch .... you have taught me something today! People have often asked me about the glycerin and although I have known that it would keep the clay soft in the same way that it does for royal icing, I had no idea that it helped to retain moisture ... I love to learn, so thanks so much for the education!! 😊🤗😊 I'm really glad that you have found that this recipe works for you and wish you every success with it! Happy creativity!! Sally
Hello Larchmont Breeze How lovely of you to take the time to send such a positive comment .. really kind and much appreciated this end ... glad to know that you didn't find the video boring! 🤣🤣 I have worked with cold porcelain for time in the same way ... ie generally making very large or very small items. I am now starting to experiment with it and as I learn different techniques I will share, so lots of cold porcelain based videos coming up if you are thinking of getting into the medium yourself. Either way, all the best wishes for success in whatever craft you enjoy. Take care and thanks once again. Sally
Hello Angelique (what a beautiful name!!) I am so sorry that I have not responded to your comment before ... life sometimes gets in the way! I am very pleased that you liked the flower samples book and will bear in mind that a video would be welcome ... I will put it on my list. :o) I have been in contact with some wonderful people through my TH-cam channel and look forward to a time when I can dedicate a little more time to it once again. Personal situations are taking up much more of my time currently but more videos will be forthcoming once things settle down ... sadly not before the end of this year though. I don't know if you are hoping to make some cold porcelain or if you have a specific craft project on at the moment, but whatever is taking your focus at the moment, it's my wish for you that you have success and enjoy the process. All the best and thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Sally
Thank you for a great tutorial, you explained everything so brilliantly. I have one question though. Is there any alternative to using Nivea as it's not vegan friendly? Could I use any lotion? I do make my own petroleum jelly alternative which is just made from any plant oil, olive wax and castor oil...do you think this would be ok to use?
Hello Roo Gray Thanks you so much for your kind comments and the honest answer to your question is that I don't know, although in your position I might be thinking in terms of coconut oil or something beeswax based. It's all about trying to prevent the PVA glue in he medium, sticking to your hands and utensils. Testing with small amounts of cold porcelain is possibly the only way to find out. Sorry that I couldn't be of more help to you. All the best wishes Sally. By the way, Google have changed the rules and although I have worked hard to build my channel they are now dictating that you have to add a video regularly, in order to monetise a channel and unfortunately, now that I work full time, this is not an option so I am planning to use my videos elsewhere and this channel will be taken down, along with my website. If you want to retain the recipe for this cold porcelain, do download the .pdf file whilst it is still available on GryphonArt.co.uk.
@@GryphonArt Hi Sally, thanks so much for your reply. I guess I'll just have to try a few things out and hope for the best 😄🤞 except beeswax as that's not vegan ☺️ So sorry to hear TH-cam are forcing you to have to shut down your channel 😠 that's really unfair, especially as I've only just found it. I'll head over to your website to watch your vids instead then😀 Thanks again and take care.
Sally, thank you once again for a fantastic tutorial. I'm going to try your little flowers, but what I'm really going to use it for is making some Christmas embellishments. I look forward to future TH-cam videos from you.
Hello Frances It's so lovely to hear from you again and I do hope that you have had lots of lovely craft projects to keep you occupied. I have returned to full time work with the National Trust and whilst I love it, it has sadly, significantly impacted my ability to produce new videos. However, my hours of work reduce from five days a week to two over the winter period and I am hoping that this will give me the opportunity to submit some more material to TH-cam. All the very best with your Christmas embellishments ... they sound intriguing! Just be aware that I have found if you are producing anything that uses significant thicknesses of cold porcelain, they will dry out much more quickly if you start with a thin layer that dries overnight and then add subsequent layers to it. I learnt the hard way .. having created a heart shape that was about 5mm thick .. it took over a week to dry! All the best wishes always. Sally
GryphonArt Thank you for the warning, I was thinking of making some small Christmas trees, snowflakes, and stars with flat backs and a small hole for use on tags and Christmas cards etc. I have some rather attractive punches used in sugar work. Fingers crossed.
GryphonArt p.s. I can understand how much work is required for one of you videos, they are the most comprehensive I have seen on TH-cam. Whereas I'm glad you've found a full time job with the National Trust, several friends of mine work for or volunteer with them and love it, selfishly I cannot wait for a new tutorial. Regards Frances.
You are really lovely Frances ... I promise you it is my plan to continue creating videos for years to come! :o) By the way, your Christmas decorations sound as though they will be absolutely delightful and a lovely thing to be on the receiving end of! All the best with those. Sally
You should try it in your smart phone...😀😀😀 Thanks for your help and sharing your experiences.. I think i will be having lots of queries in the future...😁😁😁
I have just managed to find out how to reply using my phone, so thanks for the motivation!😊😊😁 I'm here to help if I can, so never hesitate to contact me! Happy crafting 😊 Sally
Hello dhanaaz .... thank you so much for taking the time to send such a lovely comment, it is very generous of you! Have a lovely day today and all the very best wishes for successful craft projects. Sally
Hello CyberHippie Thank you for getting in touch. I have to say that this product has been known to wrinkle and shink when used in larger amounts. It doesn't always happen and for the life of me, I haven't been able to understand the inconsistencies :( The approach that I take with large items is a wierd one, but it does seem to enable me to have more control over the rate of shrinkage and any associated cracking. It also helps with drying times. Basically, I create little building bricks and allow them to dry. These range in size but are often 1" x 0.5" x 0.5" and dry without cracking although there is some shrinkage. I then build with these blocks using wet cold porcelain as a mortar. I can finish the shape with wet cold porcelain adding a complete layer (without joins) over the top to finish off. I am currently working on a fairly large piece using this method. It is solid, about 10 inches high, and 4 inches by three inches at it's widest point. I am really pleased with the progress. I know that this doesn't answer your question with clarity, but I hope that it helps a little. All the best with your projects Sally
Thanks! I guess I have to pit vaseline or lotion everytime i use it... I'm still treading... Its my first time to do this...😀😀😀😀 Btw the smileys came from the emojis on my phone 😃 thanks for the reply 😊😊😊
Ahh ... that explains things - perhaps I should try using my phone for TH-cam ... I do like emojis! The first time with cold porcelain can be a steep learning curve, because it does not behave like clay. Hope that you persevere, and end up enjoying working with the medium as much as I now do. I am sorry if it is not clear in the video that you do always need to use a barrier cream with it ... I'm learning all the time too! Best wishes Sally
Hello Jay Thank you so much for taking the time to send me such an upbeat comment. It really is appreciated!! :0) I have missed producing videos but at the moment, life has taken a turn that has also taken up significant amounts of my time. Once I get back on track, I will take into account that additional videos on cold porcelain would be welcome. I have to say that I love working with the medium, so it is likely that they will start to feature much more on my channel. Have a lovely today and all the best with your creative projects. Sally
Thank you so much for such an informative tutorial. It was so helpful to me for you to continue bringing the pot back through the various stages as it cooked; I now know what to look for. Your flowers are so cute! You're a lady of many talents. I was wondering if I could use "Elmer's glue" rather than the one you used in the video. It's a white glue. Do you know, just offhand? If not, I'll look it up. I'm "across the pond" from you (I love that figure of speech!) so Elmer's glue is readily available to me. Thank you again; I can't even find words to tell you how excited I am to have found this tutorial!
Hello Waya What a delightful message to wake up to ... here across the pond 😄. Elmer's glue is definitely a PVA glue, so as far as I am concerned, it should be absolutely fine, although research is always reassuring, so if you want to do some googling just to double check, it wouldn't do any harm. All the very best wishes for success with this medium and above all, for a fun filled journey of discovery! 😄😊 Sally
Hello BeppyCat Thank you so much for your positive comment! :o) It's very kind of you. Hope that you find this recipe works well for you and that you have successful creations. All the best wishes Sally
Hello imissNiCK PLUR ... it's so lovely of you to get in touch and yes ... I can confirm that the little sample book is one of my designs. I keep meaning to produce a video to share the method but life has rounded a corner and time is currently in short supply :( ..... one for the future when I can get around to it. All the best wishes for happy and successful crafting :). Take care. Sally
@@GryphonArt - oh, you're quite the talented crafter, it would be cool to see a tutorial on your sample book. i hope your situation improves & whatever youre dealing with gets better, or if not, can at least mend as best as possible. ....blessings to you & thanks for your response.
hello, many thanks for the recipe. Do you think it would be possible to use this clay for layered relief work such as similar to the layering of leaves and fruits in a della robbia surround? I suppose what I am asking is how well if sticks to itself at the modelling stage? Thanks again.
The first time I made it I did it in the microwave and it got overcooked because you really have to keep stirring and watch it closely and you can't do that in a microwave, had to that throw that one, then I did or a non stick fry pan on our BBQ and it was quite soft and I decided that would be enough it worked well it gives the cold porcelain a bit more drying time. I wouldn't bother cooking in a microwave again.. Thank you!
Hello Nicole I am sooo pleased that you have had success with this recipe. I do love it myself! Thanks so much for letting me know. I think that your instincts are possibly right with regard to doubling up the batch, but perhaps it depends how strong your wrists are. My thoughts are that the bulk may sit too long on the bottom of the pan because you won't be able to shift it off the heat quickly enough. Stirring in the final stages can require strength, even with a single batch. I am probably more likely to rinse out the pan and create two single batches in a row but ... I will leave the decision up to you. Do let me know how you get on if you decide to give it a go :0) All the best with your creations and thanks again for getting in touch. Saly
Thank you so much for this tutorial, and especially the detailed explanation at the beginning (so I'd understand better what and **why**). This is the first I've heard of this medium and I can't wait to get the ingredients to give it a try. Does this clay have a shelf life? How long will it keep? Once completely dry, can it be painted with enamel paints? Is Vegetable Glycerine okay to use (it is sold here in the USA at Walmart in the beauty section). How long does it generally take to completely air-dry (for example a 3-inch solid figurine)?
Hello Amy It's lovely of you to get in touch and I will try and answer your questions in order 1. I have kept this clay for months on end, over a year, in a lock & lock box (available in the UK) but as far as I am aware, any airtight container will allow you to store the medium for a significant period of time. The vinegar prevents it from going mouldy. 2. My advice is to add colour to the medium only just prior to using it in order to extend the shelf life. When you add colour, you have to work the clay and this dries it out. As long as the clay contains moisture, it will last. 3. Just be aware that once cold porcelain is dry, moisture will reactive it to a very limited extent. It is fine to use water based paints - I often use acrylics, but you might want to carry out your own experiments. If your paint contains moisture, it will soften the medium sufficiently to change the shape of the dried product, you will just need to allow it to thoroughly dry. I would definitely recommend sealing against moisture if your project is likely to be at risk from it. 4. Test, test, test ... I have found it best to experiment with scenarios, before investing large amounts of time on a project ... it helps you to understand the limitations of the medium. If you are new to cold porcelain, then I can tell you that one of the outstanding benenfits of this air dried clay, is that it will allow you to incorporate fine detail into your work. If you are thinking of creating items that are big ... be aware that lumps of cold porcelain can take ages to dry and can distort as it shrinks back. If I am building large items, I make small bricks out of the medium and allow it to dry out before using more cold porcelain as a mortar. Once you have something big enough, you can continue to build in thin layers. (I am hoping to do a video on this subject when life allows me to :o) ) I do hope that you manage to get to grips with this medium and that you make some wonderful things with it. Thanks for being in touch. Very best wishes Sally
Any substitute for glycerine and can we use cooking oil ? Thank you for explaining in detail 🙏 how long can we store this clay and should it be stored in the fridge.
try to use stearin and cellulose (sorry for my english, I'm from Russia) I also add this ingredients in my porcelain. stearin U can take from candles, and cellulose of pampers
Hello Sofia Thank you for this information. It's very kind of you to take time to provide insight which may be helpful to others. I hope that you have a good Christmas Season and a prosperous and creative 2018. Sally
Hi Charlotte .. Cold porcelain will dry extremely hard but if the item is thin .. 2mm for example then the PVA content gives the medium flexibility. If you bear in mind the PVA content, then this also means that whilst lumps will dry very hard, they will not shatter like traditional clay when dropped. One of the main benefits of working with cold porcelain is that you can achieve really fine detail with it. The reason for this is that the granule size of corn flour / starch is extremely small. There are downsides and the main one is shrinkage which can cause distortion of your items. I get around this myself by layering. I use smaller dry elements of the medium and combine them with wet cold porcelain like a mortar and this means that shrinkage is not really an issue and the drying time is significantly reduced. If you are creating large items using this method (I am building a life-size hare), then you can apply a layer of cold porcelain to the dry project and then thoroughly wet the surface of the wet layer down, to smooth it and prevent curling along any edges as it dries. The only other think that I can think of to forewarn you, is that once the cold porcelain is dry, it is not water-proof and will take on moisture again if it is exposed to it. You could not submerge an unprotected project in water. I hope that this helps and that you have lots of fun and plenty of success with the medium. Sally
Hello Carole ... thank you so much for your wonderfully positive feedback. I hope that you have success with the recipe and you enjoy working with the medium. All the best of wishes. Sally
My clay has the perfect consistency but somehow it is way too soft to work with. It is impossible to make sculptures etc., what should I do to make it firmer? Should I add more cornflour??
Thank you sally for your reply, I have one more question, Would I be right in thinking , the less water in the mix the better.? And also dose the finished product have a shelf life. I would also like to say I love your teaching style. It’s like Jamie Oliver very relaxed yet confident . Many thanks.
Hello again Dorothy, lovely to hear from you and many thanks for your very kind comments! They have put a smile on my face!! To answer your question, you are absolutely right in my opinion, the less water in the medium at the time of forming your shape, the better. This means that you will minimise shrinkage. Just be careful not to overwork the medium or you may suffer with a cracked / wrinkled surface layer. To clarify though, and in relation to your shelf-life question, when you are cooking the recipe, you don't want to remove too much water, otherwise the shelf-life will be shortened ... it's always about balance. :) My approach, is to not overcook the product and this means that it does level out somewhat in a lock & lock plastic box ( which is how I store my product). The reason why I prefer this, is because you remove moisture when you work the clay, particularly when adding colour to it. I would rather work harder at this stage, than end up with the medium being too dry after the colour has been added. Shelf life: In order to achieve the maximum shelf life, you need to make sure that the medium is not overcooked in the first place and then it must be stored in an air-tight container. I use small lock & lock boxes and I usually grease them with cold cream (Nivea), before placing the cold porcelain in the box. This means it doesn't stick to the sides of the box and can more readily be removed. Store the cold porcelain without adding colour as we have already established that this dries the medium. If when you are working you have coloured portions of cold porcelain to spare, these can be stored for some time in cling film, that has been greased with cold cream (Nivea). Even better, place the cling film packages in an air-tight container. I have stored my cold porcelain for in excess of two years, so have yet to establish whether it does have a shelf life. Hope that goes some way to answering your questions. Have a good day and successful craft projects. All the best wishes Sally
Hi thank you for your video it's amazing and you are very informative. This is the first time that I have made this medium and I think it's gone ok on the first try. Although I do have a couple of questions is it meant to be very stretchy? I dont think it's as firm as it should be also what do you use to stick pieces together or does it just stick anyway ? How long does it take to dry? And lastly rather than adding paint before making something does it take on paint when dried ? Many thanks . Jay
Hello Jay What a delightful message and I am so pleased that you seem to have had success with the recipe. Okay, so let's try and address some of your questions .... First of all, don't worry if the medium slumps a bit, this is far better than it being too firm and stiff. The likelihood is you followed the advice I provided and erred on the side of not over cooking which will dry the medium ... great, that's the way to do it! Definitely, the medium can appear to be stretchy, so don't worry about that, it's another sign that you haven't over cooked it ... it's a good sign in my opinion. As far as sticking cold porcelain items together, generally, I work with dried and wet medium. So, for example ..... if I am making a cold porcelain flower that requires a round centre (usually ball shaped), then I make the little centre balls first and allow them to dry. Assuming the flower has five petals, I make five balls in wet porcelain and place the dry centre ball in the middle of them, squashing them up against the centre ball, before flattening and shaping them as required. The moisture from the wet porcelain reactivates the outer surface of the dry shape and forms a bond. (I choose this method because it enables me to keep a round ball shape in the centre of the flower. Otherwise pushing the outside petals against a wet centre ball would push the centre out of shape). If you had two dry sections of cold porcelain that you wanted to stick together, then I would use a good quality PVA glue. One of your main ingredients in the cold porcelain is PVA glue and so it is a very happy marriage and one I have found works well. Drying times vary and are very dependent on the size of the project. Tiny cold porcelain flowers, approximately 1cm in diameter and 3mm thick, will dry in an afternoon, but if you were to build a shape 1cm thick by say, 4cm square, this might still be drying at the end of a week. If you are planning on making larger projects then it might be useful for you to know that I build in layers to decrease drying time and limit shrinkage. For example, ... if I needed the 1cm thick 4cm square shape, I would probable form a shape that was a few mm thick by 3cm square, allow it dry and then start to increase the dimensions, allowing each application of medium time to dry. At the very end I would totally encase this foundation shape in a coating of cold porcelain ... I have found that this gives me much greater control over my projects. Regarding painting .... yes of course, if you prefer to build a shape to take paint once your project is dry, that works too :o) Just be aware that without the addition of any colour at all, cold porcelain will dry a strange translucent colour, so if you don't intend to paint the whole thing, you might want to add a base colour anyway. Hope that this helps you and that you have fun with this medium. It is quirky and takes a bit of getting used to, but I find it very versatile and fantastic for taking detail. All the best wishes for lots of successful projects. Sally
Wonderful Tutorial, so well explained. Can I please ask if the finished product shrinks at all. I tried another stove top recipe that was very similar a while ago and it shrunk to half the size.
Hello Sean B and a big thank you for your positive input. It is very much appreciated! Regarding shrinkage, the answer is yes ... there will be some but the extent of shrinkage can be controlled as follows: 1. Work the cold porcelain as much as you dare after you have added colour so that it starts to become drier. The less water the clay contains, the less shrinkage will occur. 2. If the size of your item allows, work in layers. I often create a basic shape and allow it to thoroughly dry, then at this stage I add a layer over the top. Using this method, because the core is dry there is already less to shrink. (On really large pieces I layer upon layer and then if necessary, I wet the surface of the final layer to form almost a slip that will cover the whole surface and give a smooth finish. Although this last layer is very wet, because it is extremely thin, it does not take long to dry and does not really shrink). I hope that this helps you and that you have great success with this medium. Happy crafting. Sally
i have decided to try your video first. Do you know if i can use elmers multi purpose glue? i dont know how to get that "pva" glue....also can i color this the same way as ive seen all other people color their cold porcelain?
Is corn flour diferent to corn starch?? As you know in uk we can get both but I never know if there is a diference.i had to purchase my glycerin on holiday in Spain I couldn't find it anywere.thank you for a clear tutorial uk
Hello Jeannette As far as I am aware they are one and the same but I have only ever purchased and used cornflour. I hope that helps. By the way, I always do a google search for the best price on Glycerin. It's generally available on eBay and Amazon. Happy crafting! Sally
Hello Sally, This is an amazing tutorial. The best I've seen. I have a question...I need to put the clay over styrofoam to create a creature. I read that it shrinks quite a bit any suggestions? I made the Clay last night so I probably won't get around to using it until tomorrow night Sunday morning. I was thinking maybe if I do some thin layers and let it dry then I can reapply over it to cover any spots that shrunk that it's not covering. Do you think that's doable? I wonder if a papier-mâché would be a better option? Thanks Liana
Hello Liana I am in complete agreement with your instinctive approach but I would also suggest that it might depend on whether you want a totally smooth finish to your item, or you want texture. I am in the process of making a large hare and this is a solid item. I started by making lots of small shapes that I allowed to dry out and then used them like building blocks to create a rough base shape. This meant that I was only using small amounts of wet cold porcelain, just a a mortar / glue and that meant it dried quickly (overnight). I am now building that base shape in thinner layers because I can cover the whole thing ... there is no cracking but I am creating a textured piece. The glycerin should help to prevent cracking but the only other thing that I can think of, which might help, is for you to work the medium as much as you can just before using it, so that you have removed the maximum amount of moisture. The dryer the product the less shrinkage you will get. I hope that this helps you a little and please do let me know how you get on if you can spare the time to do so. My fingers and toes are crossed that your project is a successful one :0) Sally
Hello Elynn From the research that I have done, I think you are probably okay using a white wood glue, especially if it looks the same as the glue in the video. I am beginning to wonder if it is only called "PVA" over here in the UK ... apparently, it is often also known as wood glue, white glue, carpenter's glue, school glue and Elmers glue. I do hope that this is of help to you and that you find your end product is successful. All the best and many thanks for your kind comments. Sally
Hello again Junwell You are absolutely right about the Elmer Glue ... I believe this is the equivalent to what we call PVA here in the UK. Thanks for being so thoughtful and helpful in pointing this out! Sally
Hi sally one last question , I hope , but can’t promise . Can small figures be made with this type of clay? With thanks. Dorothy. Ps I’ve made my clay as per your instruction , I think it worked out great I’m well pleased.
Morning Dorothy First of all .. I have no problems with answering your questions if I am able to so please don't hesitate to get in touch 😊. I am so delighted that you appear to have had success with the recipe .. thanks for letting me know 🤗🤗. I have not made small figures but, one of the main advantages of cold porcelain is that it is very good at taking fine detail, so I'm sure that it would be excellent for that kind of project. It is also where you can use shrinkage to your advantage .... whenever I want to make something really fiddly and small, I keep the medium more moist (within reason), knowing that the item will become smaller as it dries. Hope that helps you. Enjoy your day today. Sally
Thank you so much for a great tutorial the best I have seen, I also make flowers but I been using bread dough, my question to you is, can I use this porcelain one, to make roses? or would it be too soft for it. Thank you again
Hello Margarita First of all, I just wanted to thank you for your kind comments; I'm so glad that the tutorial has been helpful for you :0). In answer to your question, I can tell you that a great deal of people use cold porcelain for making flowers because it allows you to include some very fine detail. The medium does dry hard but it has a flexibility to it which means when it is in a thin leaf or petal form, it is more likely to bend than break ... it is certainly not brittle. On the downside (and life generally comes with some form of trade off), there can be considerable shrinkage and you will need to allow for this. If you need to achieve a regular size repeatedly, I find it best to use an outline on cellophane or plastic, so that each leaf can be the same size. Perhaps it would be best to create just one petal, allow it to dry and see what you think about the result. I do have another video tutorial which covers making vine leaves and stems, which, if you haven't already seen it, may give you a little more insight. If you are interested, the link is here: www.gryphonart.co.uk/portfolio-items/cold-porcelain-grape-vine/?portfolioCats=21 I do hope that this helps you and that you have great success with your project. Take care and all the best wishes. Sally
Question please...I've been following the tutorial here but mine seems to either tear like a sort of bread (no teardrop shape) or not tear and hang down in a loooong string downward between the main pieces - there's no inbetween lol What...am I doing wrong ^^;
Hi,it's an amazing tutorial.I am in UK,I can easily find the ingredients.My question is,can I use it in moulds to make mouldings embellishments for furniture for example? .Like IOD (iron orchid moulds) or prima moulds..How long it will take to dry? Does it shrink when it's dry?Is it flexible when it's dry? Can I glue it on the furniture when they are still flexible?Can I paint when the mouldings are still wet? So many questions,I know.thank you already xx
Hello Canan Oguz Thank you so much for getting in touch and for your kind words. It is lovely to be included in such enthusiasm!! First of all I can confirm that I have used cold porcelain in silicone moulds, so you should be fine in that respect, however, if the moulds are large, I would probably try and use the minimum amount of wet cold porcelain. This is quite difficult to explain so bear with me ... The larger the piece of cold porcelain the longer it will take to dry and the less control you will have over shrinkage. As an example, if you were to make a two inch square rectangle that was half an inch thick, all out of wet porcelain, depending on the drying environment, this could take more than a week to thoroughly dry and there would definitely be some shrinkage as the moisture evaporated. An alternate would be to make a few two inch square rectangles that were only an eighth on an inch thick, allowing them to thoroughly dry. These would probably dry in a day and they would shrink, so the dry shape would be less than two inches square. You can then sandwich these together with wet cold porcelain to build the thicker rectangle, working the cold porcelain over the entire external area for a seamless surface, so that the dry shapes are completely encased. The advantage of this approach is that the overall drying time is significantly reduced because most of the shape is already dry and because there is less moisture content, shrinkage is also less. The other way to reduce shrinkage is to work the cold porcelain when adding colour so that you reduce as much of the moisture as possible, but not so much that it dries out as you are working on your project ... it's a fine line :o). Cold porcelain is very flexible when dry and even thin layers when bent slightly will not crack in the way that conventional clay would. You can certainly glue cold porcelain onto timber. As the medium contains PVA glue, I tend to use glue with a PVA content. Evo Stick wood glue would be appropriate for timber. I would not recommend painting the mouldings when they are still wet as the cold porcelain is much softer than conventional clay and even with light pressure, if it is not thoroughly dry, you will change its shape. Additionally, do bear in mind that cold porcelain is not water resistant without a protective coating. When exposed to water, a dry project will soften again. (The PVA in the medium will absorb the water). If you are using water-based paints, you might want to seal the project first. Hope that this answers all your questions, but please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any more :o). I am not available tomorrow, but will get back to you at the earliest opportunity. Best wishes for success in all your projects! Sally
This looks like the various stages of my mother-in-law's mashed potatoes. Right to the cement stage. Add plenty of butter and gravy to assist swallowing, and prevent blockage.
Hello Humblehombre .... thank you so much for bringing joy to my day!! This has to rank as the funniest comment ever! 🤣🤣🤣 Have a day that is as fabulous as you have just made mine! Best wishes Sally
Hubiese deseado saber Inglés. No captó su información qué es vital para realizarla. Pero le felicito, observó productos Originales para la : Porcelanicron. Gracias.
Muchas gracias por ponerse en contacto. Lamento mucho que solo hable inglés. He usado Google Translate, así que espero que puedas entender esto. Los mejores deseos. Sally
Thank you Sally , I’m learning such a lot from you. But maybe I need to explain myself better. When I asked you about the shelf life , I was referring to the absolute finished form , after moulding drying painting or whatever, will it keep like a regular ornament , do I even make sense here . Thank you once again . Dorothy.
Hello Dorothy You make absolute sense! :o) Apologies for my misunderstanding regarding shelf-life. On this matter, as far as I am concerned, a finished project, in the correct environment, should last forever! To clarify, cold porcelain without any surface treatment at all, remains porous and the surface will become soft if exposed to extreme humidity, so dunking in the washing up water, will likely damage it. There are all kinds of treatments that could be applied to cold porcelain to add a layer of water protection, including varnishes, but I have yet to really experiment with these and can only promise to share as this knowledge becomes available to me. Depending on the colouring additive, UV protection may be another consideration. An American based company, Createx do produce some fabulous water-based paints and clear coatings that I believe would be beneficial to cold porcelain, against water damage, but I think that they are really designed for airbrush application and brush application may not be advisable. Createx Wicked Color is exterior grade. There is also a product called SSR Scenix Clear, which is as the name suggests, a transparent layer and can be applied with a brush or roller. It is expensive though and not easy to get hold of in the UK. This product is aimed at the automotive industry, is exterior grade and has great adhesive properties as a primer layer. So, in summary, any project made out of cold porcelain will last forever, given the appropriate care. Hope that this helps. Happy crafting Sally
Fantastic tutorial! I am wondering if when this clay is dry, is it waterproof? Can it be on a piece that would be outdoors over a prolonged period of time exposed to the elements like rain, sun, snow, etc.,?
Hello Jennifer I do apologise for taking a little time to respond to you .. it was necessary to spend some time with ailing family. Sadly, this clay is not waterproof and I am unable to recommend it for outdoor use. Having said that ... it might be possible to swap out the PVA glue for a glue of similar consistency that is waterproof and that would most likely make a difference, but as I haven't experimented myself, if you consider giving this a try, I would definitely just put a lump of the dry clay outside to see what the result is ... it would be a great shame to have hours of creativity go to waste! If you do come up with any results, I would love to know! All the very best wishes for success with all your craft projects and thank you so much for getting in touch! Sally
Hello mini nayyar Thank you for getting in touch and for your kind comment. As long as you don't colour the clay before you need to, and store it in a very good, air-tight container, it well keep for months 😃. I use a Lock & Lock box. Hope this helps you. Best wishes. Sally
Hello Dorothy Thank you for getting in touch, and for your suggestion regarding another tutorial. Life is such that I am unable to produce videos at this time, but I can tell you that cold porcelain can be coloured with many things that contain a dye. I have used acrylic paints, makeup, and food colourings (the gels are great), to provide some examples. It is best to colour the cold porcelain just before you are going to use it, because you work the medium when you apply the colour, which removes some of the moisture and it can mean that it doesn't last as long. (If I have any coloured medium left, I usually coat some cling film with cold cream ... Nivea is my preference, roll the porcelain into a ball and thoroughly seal it in the cling film. This method does seem to preserve the necessary moisture levels). When applying colour, I tend to flatten the porcelain in the palm of my hand and place the colouring agent onto one edge, I can then roll this up (like a cigarette) so that the colour is in the middle of the medium. I then repeatedly fold the length in half and roll it back into a cigarette shape, until the colour is evenly mixed. This is just a method I prefer, which may or may not work for you. I hope that this helps answer some questions that you may have though. All the best wishes. Sally
Thank you Sally , common sense prevails, what a splendid idea. All I can do is try it and see , it is a learning curve after all . I’m not a natural that’s for sure , but I do like to try. So thank you . Ps what spines ? Ha ha
Hi Janet I'm so pleased that this recipe has worked for you ... that's great!! In answer to your question, unless you add colour to this medium, it will be translucent when it dries. I tend to use Acrylic paints to colour mine, but you can use food colouring, eyeshadows and other makeup, dyes, etc. I haven't yet found anything that doesn't work. Just be aware, that because you work then product when you add colour, it does dry it out and that can mean that it doesn't last as long. As a consequence, if possible, I would recommend that you add your colour just before you need to use the cold porcelain. Hope that this helps you. Happy crafting!
Hello, I have been using your recipe now and it is great. I do sculptures of birds. I do a Cardinal (actual size). The surface with the cold porcelain is uneven when it dries, how do I make it smooth? Is it when I am applying the clay or do I need to sand the sculpture? The clay is so hard to sand. I would like a professional look to the bird, one that has an entirely smooth surface. I also would like to do larger birds like Flamingos (actual size). If you could possible give me names of sculptors who do large cold porcelain subjects I would really appreciate it. Thank you for your time. Again, I am very grateful to you for your video.
Hello Heather Your work sounds absolutely amazing!! I would love to see it!! Hmmmm ... obtaining a smooth layer .... this is one of the downsides of using cold porcelain in my experience. It takes fine detail exceptionally well and therefore, also retains wrinkles and crinkles that we would rather not have in our projects. I have never attempted to sand cold porcelain, so I have no idea what happens in this instance although my instinct tells me that you would end up with scuffing. When I am working on a large item, I tend to finish with a single thin coverage of cold porcelain as a final, seamless layer. This is applied to a completely dried project which I dampen slightly with water before applying that thin layer over the total surface. This is the only solution that I have found to work, but others may be able to provide alternatives. I am unaware of specific artists who work with cold porcelain, even though I have seen large peices in some galleries. I am working on a large hare myself (not recogniseable as a hare at this stage, even though it is very heavy and probably 12" x 4" x 3" in its current state. I learnt the hard way, that cold porcelain can take forever to dry when you form it in significant amounts and then, because of shrinkage, you can end up with unwanted surface wrinkles. As a consequence, I build little building blocks of cold porcelain which I allow to totally dry. I then build my shape out of these dry blocks, using wet cold porcelain as a mortar. Allowing each layer to dry, before building further. The dry blocks draw moisture from the wet porcelain, reducing shrinkage and speeding up the drying time. Once I am happy with the overall shape, I can start applying my thin layers of cold porcelain over the whole of the surface area, adding in any markings on the final layer as necessary. This is something I have just done myself, so someone with more experience may be able to provide a better approach. Hope that this helps you in some way. Very best wishes for success with your amazing projects! Sally
@@GryphonArt Thank you so much, Sally for answering my inquiry so wonderfully and quickly! I don't know how to send pictures to you through TH-cam, if you could tell me I will send pictures of some of my sculptures. I threw out all but one cold porcelain sculpture I did. I was doing paper mache' sculptures. I still do the sculptures but than wanted to cover them with cold porcelain. I love the cold porcelain. Sanding doesn't really work, the porcelain is so hard. I will attempt to apply the thin layer over a hardened layer and see how that goes, I did a penguin that is about 15" tall and I did four layers of cold porcelain on the penguin and they all cracked. The last layer didn't crack that much so I will see about putting cold porcelain in the cracks and putting another final layer on. I am just inexperienced with working with the cold porcelain and don't know what to expect, I guess. I am anxious to succeed with a good sculpture. It would help with contacting an experienced sculptor who does large pieces. Maybe I will find someone. I need to be patient. I very much appreciate you helping me! Thank you so much, Sally! Bye. Heather
@@heatherforster8434 They say that experimentation is the mother of invention ... it sounds as though you are making progress ... don't give up ... everything you discover adds to the data and will be of benefit 😊. Nothing is lost!
Hi Sally, Thank you so much for this tutorial. It's really helpful. I have a question for you, what is pva glue? Is it the same with white glue for wood? I like the end result of your cold porcelain. Looks so pliable. Can it be rolled into a very thin layer, to make realistic clay flowers? Thank you, Sally.
Hello Kunyitkulagi I am so glad that you have found the tutorial of some use and thank you so much for your kind comments. :0) In answer to your question, PVA as I understand it, is often also known as wood glue, white glue, carpenter's glue, school glue and Elmers glue, so I suspect that what you are thinking of falls into one of these categories and whilst I can't guarantee that it is exactly the same, I hope that helps provide you with confidence to use your product. I have never actually rolled cold porcelain myself, but I do know that you can achieve very thin layers of it and certainly have seen very lifelike flowers made out of it. As long as you don't overwork it, the end result is very smooth and glossy. Additionally, it will take fine detail, so if you create thin knife cuts for leaf veins, for example, they will be apparent when the product dries. I wish I could give you more information on this but hope that you have a go ... I don't think that you will be disappointed. All the best Sally
Love this tutorial, and esp. your sample book. Did you make it yourself? Also, do you need a non-stick pan or can you use a regular pan and what kind of colour do you add and how much? Thanks!
Good morning Marilyn Thank you for getting in touch and for you generous comments. I will strive to answer your questions below: I have always used an old non-stick pan, but I don't think it really matters because it is more to do with controlling the heat - much like making a sauce that you don't want to become lumpy :0). By the way, there will be lumps, but these can be kneaded out in the final stage. You can use all sorts of things to colour the cold porcelain, but my two favourites are gel food colouring which come in a vast array of shades and acrylic paint. I always tend to add some white, because cold porcelain without colour is translucent. Thereafter, the amount you used depends on the depth of colour required. It will always dry darker. The little book was something that I designed myself at a time when I was holding craft courses from home :o) I hope that this helps. Best wishes for happy crafting. Sally
if it's too soft what should ido ??? what's the best colors to color it and does not affect my clay ?? what kind of varnish ibdo and how to let it dry ?? pllllz reply sweety
Hello Rania Nina, if the cold porcelain is too soft it is likely to be one of two problems. 1. Too much moisture in the medium. You could try cooking it again to reduce this. 2. Not enough cornflour in the recipe. You could add a tiny amount and then cook for a little while. You can use whatever colours you like, including acrylic paint, food colouring and even makeup ... just have a play 😁. Additionally any varnish should provide a seal. Just consider whether you want a gloss or Matt finish. Hope this helps. Sally
Hello Marcus ... that's fantastic, thank you! I started to go out to work in March and have been unable to produce videos since then as a consequence. However my hours should diminish significantly in November for a few months and it is my intention to add some more videos in that time frame. With any luck, they will include something of interest to you :o) Take care and all the best for successful creativity. Sally
Hello Wendy In answer to your question .... no, this is an air drying product and I wouldn't recommend baking it. Just be aware that large items can take an absolute age to dry ... days and sometime weeks! If you are creating large projects I have found that it is better to build them in layers. This process can be speeded up by creating small blocks that are allowed to dry and then you can cement these together with wet porcelain. One you have a framework, you can cover that base shape and build on it from there. I hope that this helps :0) Happy crafting! Sally
Hi sally , i want to try and make a rabbit, I will be using polystyrene rounds and am concerned how the shrinking process will effect the clay once stretched over the rounds , eg , dose it shrink uniformally or would it distort the rabbit. Ps my hedgehog was errm very average.
Hello Dorothy First of all, don't worry about the hedgehog ... I think they would be very difficult to render because of the spines ... you set yourself quite a challenge there! 🤔😏 Regarding the use of polystyrene ... unfortunately it's something that I haven't tried so it's difficult to advise you. My instinct suggests that as long as you get an even thickness of porcelain, you should be fine. I would probably aim for a 3mm thickness and you might want to use a cocktail stick or panel pin to keep it off the ground whilst it is drying, otherwise you will get a flat side. All the best wishes and crossed fingers for your success!! 🤞🤞🤞 Sally
Hi sally , just to give you an update , not doing to well just yet, my efforts still resemble something from fragile rock. But I will keep trying ? All the best to you and family for Xmas.
Ahh Dorothy, you are so lovely!! 😊 Thank you so much for the Season's Greetings ... may your own Christmas be magical with lots of gifts under the tree! 🎄 Do not sell your work short, I'm sure you are your worst critic ... your narrative has made me chuckle though, so I'm grateful to you for spreading some joy 🤣. Stay warm, happy and contented in your creativity. Sally ⛄⛄❄❄🎄🎄
Hy..great tutorial...very well explained ..i tried a couple of times to make cold porcelain with a recipe that is similar (without glicerine) and i don.t know what i.m doing wrong because when the figurines dry they crack :((((...please help me if you can ..
Hell Anca and thank you for getting in touch. Cracking is a common problem with many people, particularly if you are creating large pieces and it is a difficult one to answer but ... there are a couple of things to try:- 1. Keep any eye on the cooking process and avoid overcooking which will dry the product out. 2. If in doubt, alter the ratio of cornflour to PVA. The cornflour will also dry the medium so reducing it enables you to retain more of the elasticity provided by the glue. (When measuring a cup of flour, keep it loose and airy) Hope that this helps you in some way and all the best with you creative projects :o) Sally
Can I use an Elmer glue instead of PVA? We don't have anything like that here. And can I use lemon juice instead of the vinegar? The clay really looks good and I wanna try it. Thank you.
Hello Little Big I've had a look on the internet for you and from all the reports, it does appear that Elmer glue is basically the same as PVA glue, so you shouldn't have a problem substituting it ... that's the good news. :0) As far as the lemon is concerned, my opinion is that whilst it probably would provide anti-mould functionality, which is the main purpose of the vinegar, it is also likely to be more sticky and may colour the finished product. I probably wouldn't substitue this ingredient myself, but I am certainly not going to deter you from carrying out your own experiment ... do let me know how it goes :0). Hope that this is of some help to you and that your recipe is successful. Sally
Hello again It is certainly true that cold porcelain shrinks as it dries. The percentage relates to the moisture content remaining in the medium at the point it is left to dry. The only way to minimise this is to work the porcelain as much as you dare, before forming it into the required shape. There is a balance though .. if you work it too much and dry it out too much, the surface will start to crack 😕. This is something that I was concerned about when I first started to use the medium, so I really understand your concerns. It might be worth you taking a small piece and working it to a set size, so you can measure the shrinkage. 🤔 As with most things, as you become more familiar with the medium you will start to instinctively know what allowance you need to build in, for shrinkage. Hope this helps you a little. All the best. Sally
Good morning Roy You need to leave the Cold porcelain 24 hours to settle after making it and if it isn't holding a shape then you may not have cooked it enough. You could add colour and work it to remove excess moisture and this should resolve the problem. I would recommend testing a small piece to see if you can improve the situation rather than trying to work with the whole batch. Hope that this helps Sally
Hello Karen You have posed a very interesting question, one that I had not considered. I have not had experience of this but I always use a very low heat, treating the mix like a sauce that I don't want to end up lumpy. My instinct says that if the clay has overheated then it will be too dry and to some extent already cured. I doubt that there is a way back from this ... if you have absolutely nothing to lose, then you could add some water and leave the mix overnight (don't flood it), this might reabsorb into the dried sections and allow you to recreate a smooth mixture. If you can achieve this, then you can go back to a gentle heat to gradually reduce the moisture as is required with this recipe. PVA glue is very susceptible to water so if it is only the glue that has been impacted, then this could be rectified. If however, the cornflour has been overcooked, that could alter things. I do hope that you are not in this predicament, but if you are, I also hope that this provides a way forward for you. I wish that I could offer more assistance. Very best wishes to you ... hope that your project is successful. Sally
@@GryphonArt Sally, just wanted you to know that, despite my concerns, the clay was not overheated. After kneading the clay, I wrapped it as you instructed and left it to rest for several days. I have been successfully creating flowers, practicing techniques with the goal of achieving consistency and realism but your recipe yields a clay that is just lovely! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Hello again Karen ... so great to hear from you, especially when you are delivering good news! 😊 I cannot tell you how pleased I am to learn that the clay has been a success for you. It sounds as though you are becoming increasingly familiar with it and although an experimental approach can sometimes lead to disappointment, I find that in the end, you have a far broader knowledge. Your flowers sound delightful and because cold porcelain is so good at taking fine detail, I am sure that they will be beautiful! Thanks for the update and all the best wishes for happy creativity! Sally
Thank you.I must try it. I made without glycerin untill i will buy. maybe the glycerin will help. its keep falling down. can i put the glycerin after i cooked it?
Hello there I have only made the cold porcelain from scratch using the full ingredients but .... if you have a batch that is problematic because of a lack of glycerin, it might be worth making a half batch with a little more glycerin in it than the recipe requires, cooking it up and then kneading the two batches together. I can't guarantee that this will work, but it is probably the approach that I would take in an effort to avoid wastage. If I have ever overcooked a batch, so that it is too dry, I make a second batch that is undercooked an combine the two .... this definitely works. Hope that this helps. Happy crafting Sally
Fantastic video. Thank you for sharing. I'm having an issue that when I comes to kneading I don't get the nice teardrop when pulled appart and it doesn't seem to look the right consistency. Would you think that it is over or undercooked? It was quite sticky whilst working it.😢
Morning Rachel I have only just picked this message up as I woke, so I'm very sorry that I did not get back to you more quickly. Without actually seeing the medium it's a little difficult for me to comment but ... 1. If you have managed to knead it and it is relatively smooth, I suspect that you have a reasonable product. 2. Test for slump ... if you put it in an air-tight container for an hour and it doesn't lose any of it's shape then it is possible that you have cooked it more than you needed to, but as long as it is pliable it should be fine ... just be careful adding colour as this can dry the product further. 3. If you put the product in an air-tight container and it flattens out completely, then you have probably not cooked it for long enough. Before re-cooking, you could store as required for 24 hours and then add colour to a small test piece, leaving this to dry overnight. If you are happy with the result .. job done :o) This recipe can produce different results if the glue is from a different manufacturer but generally, you end up with something that works fine. Don't forget that you will need to store it in an air-tight container for 24 hours before using it because this does allow the mixture to settle and I find it does alter the consistency in a small way. The first time you make this, in my experience is definitely the worst ... thereafter, you have an idea of what you are looking for. By the way, if you have cooked the product more than you needed to .... it won't shrink as much when it dries, so that's a bonus :o) I hope that this helps you a little and wish you every success with your craft project. Sally x NB: If it is your dog in the picture then he looke lovely! We used to have two Rhodesian Ridgebacks and he reminds me of them.
GryphonArt thanks Sally. I am questioning if it's the glue that is not very good so have bought the same evo stik pva as you. I noticed another video from a girl who used tapioca starch and was having a similar rubbery result to mine. I have used Asda cornflour but again questioning the quality of the product so I will visit tesco instead. I don't feel like I am over cooking as it ball was still very sticky. I have a lot of the clay sticking to the pan and didn't ball up as nicely as yours. P.S. Yes the picture is of my boxer. He's a gentle giant 😍. Ridgebacks are beautiful too. His best friend is a Vizsla. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll let you know when I finally get a successful batch. 🤞
I am already keeping everything crossed for you and hope that you have success. Try keeping the heat as low as possible ... it always reminds me of making a smooth sauce ... lumps do tend to occur, but low heat will keep them to a minimum. All the best Sally
Thank you for the video. Hoping yoy can give some advise on how to avoid cracking. I managed to make basket some with no crackes and other time the basket cracked so bad..i had to throw it away. I really dont know whats as i an using the same recipe. Pls need some advise of you may.. thank you very much
Hello lemon yellow ... it's good to hear from you :o) I am so sorry that you have experienced some bad cracking with a batch of cold porcelain .. that can be very discouraging. The only information that I can provide which may help is as follows:- I have come to the conclusion that it is the ratio of cornflour / cornstarch to PVA Glue that is critical when it comes to cracking. Even quite a large amount of PVA will not crack when dried .. it has very flexible properties, so when making your cold porcelain, try not to pack the cornflour/cornstarch into the cup, so that there is less cornflour to glue, proportionately. Additionally, definitely use glycerin in the recipe. Glycerin is used in royal icing to prevent it from being too brittle and cracking and therefore, it is reasonable to assume that it will serve the same purpose in the cold porcelain recipe. I do hope that this helps you move forward and I have my fingers crossed that you don't have to throw out any more of your work! All the very best wishes Sally
Hello Junwell ... I'm so sorry that I neglected to indicate that this is an air-dried medium ... no need to bake. Just be aware that if you are making large items they will take ages to dry and the product does shrink. For large or thick amounts of the cold porcelain, I tend to use a layering system so build a think layer first (no more than 3mm thick) allow it to dry overnight and then add layers on a daily basis. If you want really large, solid items then again, I build small bricks first and allow them to dry and then use the wet clay as a mortar. You can then cover the whole item with wet clay and finish off any detail. Hope that this helps you in some way and thank you for getting in touch. Sally
Hello Suenette I was really delighted to read your lovely message and feel very privileged to have you as a subscriber. Thank you so much for taking the time to get in touch! Have fun with your cold porcelain projects Sally
Hello 04Ammy04 Thank you for getting in touch :0). To answer your question, the glycerin helps to stop the cold porcelain from becoming brittle as it dries ... thus preventing cracking. (This is the same reason why glycerin is also used in royal icing ... without, you struggle to get a knife into traditionally iced Christmas cakes :o). I hope that this helps. Best wishes. Sally
So glad I found this I have much to say. I’ve just started making cold porcelain and I am having a problem with cracking in the drying process. Now the items I’ve been trying to make are kind of thick as I’ve been watching tutorials on cute ways to decorate jars and jar lids. I asked one lady why it might be cracking and she said I must knead it very well and I did which helped some but not 100%. The recipe I followed differed slightly from yours in having zinc oxide, lemon juice, glycerin only, not baby oil. I also used cold cream instead of Nivea. Do you think any of what I used could be the cause? Thank you for any advice you may have to offer.
Morning Missi R Cracking can definitely be an issue with Cold Porcelain and even with my recipe, I have experienced this with thicker items but ... I have devised a method to avoid this, which might help you. It does mean that you have to be a little bit patient, but it gets a good result. First of all, the more moist the cold porcelain is, the more it will shrink and this impacts on cracking. The advice that you were given to knead the product was sound, because this not only makes it smooth, but removes moisture. When you are making something, add the colour and then work the medium until it is quite stiff, not sticky and as dry as you dare make it. In addition to this, I layer. I am making a really large sculpture of a hare at the moment and as I wanted this to be solid, for weight, I started out by making tiny bricks out of Cold Porcelain which I allowed to dry. I then built these into a basic shape, using wet cold porcelain to glue the dry blocks together. This helps in two ways, because the air dries the outer surface and the dry bricks draw in some of the moisture for a quicker and more even dry. As the piece has grown, I apply overlapping layers by rolling small, pea sized balls of cold porcelain and flattening them onto the dry surface of my project. You can apply this layering technique with smaller pieces, by starting out with a thin shape, allowing it to dry overnight and then applying wet cold porcelain over the top. Using this method, I have not experienced any cracking with my recipe. Also, the overall drying time is much quicker. I do hope that this helps you to move forward with your own projects and wish you every sucess with those. Have lots of fun experimenting. Sally x
GryphonArt thank you so much for responding in such a quick manner 😃 It would be neat if you recorded just a quick shot of your brick building process. But no pressure lol. I was thinking maybe I didn't cook the porcelain long enough as I was afraid of overcooking, or maybe the fact I used acrylic paint instead of oil paint to color it, etc. What confuses me is all these people making these thick items do not seem to be having a problem with cracking. They do, however, cover Styrofoam balls for the heads and bodies of the figurines they make, though. But I have seen some where they don't do it for the head. Right now I have been struggling with the head of a little lamb. I even used a little Styrofoam ball. The first one I made cracked all over. The 2nd one I kneaded really well and it only cracked a little. Bit it still cracked. So I took the remainder of my flesh colored porcelain and rolled it out and then wrapped the whole head with it. I covered it with a plastic bag to slow down the drying process (as I heard quick drying can cause the cracking. ) The next morning I checked it and it was covered in cracks. I couldn't believe it. I peeled it off. So I'm hoping somehow to fill the cracks smoothly. If not I will make more porcelain and try a 3rd time. I will try your recipe, too. Do you have any idea why it calls for glycerin And baby oil? Instead of just one or the other? Also the first couple of batches I made was very lumpy. So the next batch I sifted the cornstarch. Do you think that's ok to do? Does it matter if I used white distilled vinegar without the malt? I used lemon juice and lime juice from a couple of recipes on you tube. They actually called the porcelain Lamasa Clay. And there wasnt an exact measurement for the juice. It would just say half of a lemon squeezed. Thank you for all your help.
Morning Missi R Thank you for all this information and ... I'm so sorry that you are experiencing so many issues. I will try and respond with the knowledge that I have gained, but please be aware that I have only every used the recipe that I have provided in my video. I do intend doing a video of the brick process, but I am now out at work and find that this is getting in the way ... not so much time left for TH-cam :o( Let's talk recipe first .... As far as I am aware, the glycerin helps to provide a smooth surface in the same way that it does for royal icing on wedding cakes. It should help to prevent cracking so I believe it is an important ingredient. I'm not so sure about the oil, but again, I think that this is for smoothness. Oil tends to settle flat and probably helps to add a degree of flexibility and shine to the medium. I use white vinegar and I believe that this ingredient is just to prevent mould whilst the product is in a wet form, which is why some people substitute with lemon juice. I personally prefer vinegar because lemon juice does contain some sugar and can be sticky. If its' any help, to reduce lumps, I usually put the cornflour in the pan first and make a well in the centre. I Add one cup of glue and the other liquids into the centre well and gradually draw the flour in as I stir in the middle of the pan. One this is thoroughly combined, I add the second cup of glue. If you still have lumps, allow the mixture to sit in the bottom of the pan, so that the moisture in the glue has time to penetrate into the flour and then stir again before placing on the heat. Use a very low heat and if the porcelain cooks too quickly on the bottom, keep removing from the heat as you stir. The mixture should form a fairly compact ball when it is ready, although this generally slumps a little when left in the pan. Now let's talk projects .... As I mentioned previously, I would definitely create the lamb's head in stages - it will reduce drying time and go a long way to prevent cracking. I would probably start with a pea-sized ball, leave it to dry and then put it in the middle of another piece of porcelain and and roll into another ball, etc. (If you want to go slightly bigger and risk cracking, it's probably fine at this stage, it is the finish layer that you are concerned with). For your final layer, make this about 2mm or 1/8" inch thick and completely enclose your dried shape. Whilst this thin layer is wet, you should be able to add features, but make sure that these layers are also thin. When I made a small rabbit head, I made the ears seperately and built them in during the final stages. I think that's all the information I have for you and really hope that this helps you. My view of cold porcelain is that it is about experimenting with the medium to gain an understanding of it and accepting that there are some projects that it is not best suited too. There are definitely times when I would use something like Fimo instead. All the best wishes ... I'm off to work now :o) Sally
GryphonArt it was so kind of you to take time to try and help me. I really really appreciate it and hope some day to be able to conquer this cracking problem and be able to make these adorable creations I see people making tutorials for all over you tube. It seems cold porcelain is a big hit for people in Spanish speaking countries like polymer clay is here in the states and a few other places. I’ve been into polymer clay since 2011 and wish I had discovered it a lot earlier in life lol. I recently discovered I enjoy clay painting and fairy making. A lot of Italian you tube girls are into the fairy making. They make pendants with them attached to mini picture frames made from either clay or resin. They’re very lovely but I don’t have a use for a pendant so I make a wall hanging instead. Anyway I wanted to give cold porcelain a go when I saw all the adorable jars and it would take an incredible amount of polymer clay to make those. I hope I figure it out. I recently bought some food coloring gel to try as I heard it was a great colorant. Have you tried those? I hope I didn’t already ask this as I’m getting so forgetful now a days but do you use oil paint to color your porcelain? I would think different colorants would affect the porcelain. Like alcohol inks. I bet that would dry it up too fast. Sorry you have to work too much. My older sister does too and is always so tired and depressed because she has no energy left to enjoy life. Well, thanks again Sally for all your advice. What a sweet person you are and you have a lovely voice too! I love it! I hate my accent so if I ever start making tutorials like I want to, they’ll be silent!
Well, Missi R ... you have made me smile today and ... I'm sure that you have a lovely voice! I have used all sorts of things to colour my cold porcelain, including food colouring, Winsor & Newton Alkyd Oil Paint, Acrylic Paints and even glittery golden eye-shadows! All seem to work on some level and ... if it's a nice colour then I will give it a go :0) Your fairy projects sound lovely and I do hope that with a little trial and error, you find your feet with the cold porcelain. All the best wishes. Sally
Hi, i love your video, thaks so much. I want to ask, does somebody use pasta maschine with cold porcelain? What do you do with its stickiness? Mines working with hands is perfect, but can't work with pasta maschine. Sticks to it a lot. What do you do?
Hello Dsauskelnes Daugkartines I confess that I have never used a pasta machine with this product and although I have searched to see if there is anyone out there that has, so that I can help you, I have been unsuccessful. I would say that I often use teflon baking sheets (which you can cut to size), when I am using cold porcelain, because it does not stick to these. If you want to flatten out you material, you could try putting some between two of these sheets before rolling the top sheet with a rolling pin. I think that would be my approach. Sorry that I can't provide more help and many thanks to you for your kind comments. Best wishes Sally
You can try putting the two sheets of teflon with your porcelain in between through your pasta machine, instead of rolling it with a pin, too. (Does this stick to wax paper? Maybe you can use that if you have no teflon.) Also, it may be possible to just add more cornstarch to the sheet of porcelain you want to go through the machine without any problems; I'm not sure since I've never tried that with mine.
Hello SassyNot4u Thanks for your input which is really useful! I wouldn't have thought to use the pasta machine with two teflon sheets, instead of the rolling pin and you're right ... it could work. Really good thinking. Thank you. Happy crafting. Sally
Hello Dorothy Cold Porcelain is an air drying clay medium. Thin pieces will retain some flexibility when dry and thicker pieces will be very hard when dry. You might also need to know that the dried clay will take on moisture and soften, if there has not been an application of a waterproofing layer. I hope that this helps and that you have fun working with the medium. All the best wishes Sally
Hi Chris ... thanks for getting in touch and for your positive input which is much appreciated :o). "Bioplastic"?? .... Interesting .. I shall have to look it up! Have a good day today. Sally
Loved this video. I LOVE her voice! There's such a sweetness to it. It's as if she's endowed with an overflowing supply of patience. And you could do no wrong as long as she's around. I think could listen to her for hours.
Hello Yanire
I am so sorry that it has taken me such a long time to reply to your lovely comment! I have been away from home for over two weeks and this was such a nice message to return to. Thank you so much for your kindness ... it has made my day!
Have a fabulous day yourself and all the best wishes with any craft projects that you decide to undertake.
All the best
Sally
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نشفسعفف1اني ن
2
No one has explained this recipe in just detail. Thank you
Hello Vandana
Thank you so much for your positive feedback. I'm really pleased that you have found this video helpful and wish you every success with whatever you create! :o)
Sally
After a glorious failure for my first attempt, on the second try I used a glass bowl over a pan of hot water as that allowed me to control the heat more effectively than a saucepan directly on the burner. I warmed the glue, vinegar, glycerin and baby oil first the added the cornflour a tablespoon at a time. No lumps and the mixture came together slowly but smoothly. It was still very tacky when I took it off the heat but once I started kneading the texture changed. Here’s hoping a days rest will give me something like the version in the video 🧐
Hello lindagc
Thank you so much for providing details of your experience which is interesting and useful ... you have been persistent and innovative in your thought processes ... brilliant!! I am sure that your method will pay off and don't forget that when you add colour, you are working the clay and drying it further.
Best wishes for your success.
Sally
My gosh I loved this video. I love The tip about adding your coloring as you go as you go as opposed to adding it in process. I love those little flowers and your sample box is so cute. Everything is just to die for cuteness!!
Mad love from the 🇺🇸USA 🇺🇸
Hello NoniOf 3
You have certainly made me smile today with your lovely upbeat comments ... you sound like a very lively, positive person. Thank you so much for getting in touch.
Regarding adding colour during the cooking process, whilst I think it could work, I have never actually tried this myself. If you are tempted .. I would say, just do so with a very small batch. :o)
Warmest wishes
Sally
This is one of the most detailed and amazingly explain videos out here in TH-cam. Thank you so much for sharing 🌷
I have just spent the past month looking into the cold porcelain clay and out of all of the TH-cam tutorial and other internet ones I have found that yours was the best, so much so I have actually used my TH-cam option to download the tutorial so that I will always have it ready for when I want to make the clay.
I liked the way you approached it from the very beginning and then after reading some of the many comments and the help that you have provided was the selling point to give this a go. Now as I live in Australia the kind of weather I have here will have an impact on the clay 🤔 but with how you explained the method of cooking and working the clay I should be able to take this into account and rather than make the clay during the day when it is the hottest and as such would tend to dry the clay out too fast, I will make it in the evenings when it is the coolest. As for the brands of PVA I do not have that kind here but I think the brand that I have been using for the past 20 years and as such I am use to the way it is during the different weather shifts I should think this will not be a problem 😹😹
Like you I would use vinegar over lemon or lime as they have natural sugars in them and thus would cause a problem. As for the kind of vinegar I think the standard white distilled vinegar should work out fine. 😸
Thanks for taking the time to share your version of recipe that you have been using 🤗🤗
Hello Angela
Thank you so much for taking the time to provide so much positive feedback, which really is appreciated. I would agree with the approach that you are taking with regard to weather, brands of PVA etc.
For me, the only time I have had any issue with this recipe is if I have over cooked it, so I think that's the main thing that you need to watch out for. My finished product often slumps a little in the air-tight container and then I thoroughly work it when I add colour to stiffen it up and dry it out it bit.
All the very best wishes for your success and happy crafting :o)
Sally
GryphonArt 🤗thank you.
I will keep in mind the cooking times, I think this is the number one problem with many people doing just that... if I am correct in the idea and that is when cooking scrambled eggs you want to cook them just to the point before the egg yoke goes hard it still has to be soft so that it has that glossy look when plating it up on the toast 😹😹( sorry it was the only example I could think off) eggs are so fickle when it comes to cooking them 😹😹😹
I have been using polymer clay for the past few years now but with the Aussie heat in the summer times it becomes so soft I am not able to work with it until the winter time. I think this clay should work well for me during the summer as it will not get softer as I work with it during the summer times but as it starts to dry out it will become firmer 🤔
I think one of the reasons I have been wanting to use this clay is that it can make the type of flowers that I have just not been able to do with polymer clay. I have tried with many of the different brands of the clay even mixed different brands together which has given me some really good results🙃 as they say one can but only try. I have an old electric pan which I can use as it has a fixed heating system on it from 1 through to 10 and it does keep the temperature even which will work for me. And I prefer cooking at low temps unless cooking Asian foods that is😹😹😹
As I am going into town today I will pickup the cornstarch, glycerin and baby oil as I only have Dads hair oil which is like baby oil but with a smell that men like 😹😹😹😹😹 I use it for my polymer clay when it’s crumbly😹😹
I was looking at some of the other videos that you have made and the details of this clay is so very much like the polymer clay results when it’s not over worked (it makes it too soft like ice cream sometimes to work with and has to be placed in the fridge to cool off and reworked.) I use polymer clay for miniatures I love making these as small as possible 😹😹 I just love the challenge it presents. I have a few projects that I think this style of clay will work well with.
Keep up the great work you are an inspiration to many 🤗
Scrambled eggs ... spot on!! :o) You need to keep stirring and stirring on a low heat to avoid lumps (it doesn't matter if some small ones form because you can knead them out). Once the mix starts to clump together you really need to keep an eye on things. If it completely balls together you have gone too far.
Keep testing ... if the mix forms peaks and with the aid of cold cream, you can knead it into a ball that holds it's shape fairly well, you are probably about right. I tend to opt for this consistency, because as long as you can handle it, you can add colour and keep working it until it dries to a consistency that really holds it's shape and that you are happy with.
This certainly will not soften with handling and it will take extra fine detail that you can't always obtain with clay.
I've got my fingers, toes, eyes and heart crossed for you that all goes well :O)
Sally
GryphonArt Thank you Sally.
I did have to buy cornstarch/flour turned out what I have in the cupboard is wheat starch and really did not want to take a chance with something unknown once I have used the corn starch I might look at the wheat starch and see if it works out the same.
Funny I use the same hand cream as you 😹😹 been using that for years as it’s a good cream 😹
Well once I am not baby sitting the friends puppy I will give this a go at the moment the puppy is such a demanding little thing 😹😹
Have a great week 🤗
This recipe, is perfect I did it yesterday. And my clay turned out beautifully, thank you so much for sharing this tutorial. It's saved me lots of money! 😍🙂😃
That's great to know :0) Thank you so much for taking the time to comment ... it really is appreciated.
I have made this recipe numerous times now and it has always produced a consistent result ... hopefully you will find that this is the case for you.
Hope you end up with lots of wonderful creations!
Sally
I've read so many people that have the experience of their creations cracking as they dry or afterwards. I've been reluctant to try Cold Porcelain because of this. Does all Porcelain crack???
Omg I just tried to colour your recipe clay , but with trepidation ! As my bought clays failed. But your recipe coloured magnificently . Not only with acrylic paints , but also with food colour pastes, I mean like really well. I now feel I can achieve any colour I need . Thanks Sally ,you really are the best.
Morning Dorothy ... I am so delighted for you and it is absolutely fabulous to be on the receiving end of your joy 🤗🤗😁. Thank you so much for sharing!! It has made me smile even more broadly as I decorate the Christmas tree 😁🎄🎄🎄
Have a good day today. Best wishes. Sally
Thank you so much for this. I don't know I'd have had success cooking clay without your instructions. It took nearly an hour to get to kneading stage. I was despairing. But knew what to watch for, thanks to you. I hope I do as well with modeling. Thank you.
Hello Hollie
I can't tell you how much pleasure it gives me to learn that you have had success with this recipe. The first time that you make the clay is always the worst so it will be better for you the next time around and if you end up making it regularly ... it just all happens naturally without any stress!
I wish you all the best with your projects, which I'm sure will turn out well, not least of all because it sounds as if you have oodles of patience If you are new to cold porcelain ... just remember that it does shrink a little when it dries.
Happy crafting!
Sally
Hi Sally, first let me say a big thanks to you for the detailed step-by-step instructional video. It was awesome and you have a very soothing voice that is calming to the ears. That said, I have tried other recipes and I've always found tiny cracks in the end product. I am going to try this recipe and will let you know how it turns out. My only worry is that I live in India and we get what is called Fevicol. I think it is like your PVA glue. Let me try it and see how it turns out. Thanks for everything.
Hello Ushasree
What a lovely message to wake up to first think in the morning! Thank you so much for getting in touch and for such kind words.
Just a pointer on cracking ... this can occasionally happen with this recipe and I am still trying to understand fully, the reasons. I have my suspicions that it is associated with the ratio of cornflour to PVA. It is very easy to compact the flour in a cup and end up with more than the recipe requires. If PVA glue, on it's own dries out, then it never cracks and is always flexible, so logic tells me that the cornflour is the problem. Try to keep the flour loose in the cup when you are measuring and I think you will be okay. Additionally, don't be tempted to omit the glycerine because this also helps stop the product from being brittle.
Hope that you have success.
Very best wishes
Sally
I used a different recipe, but all your troubleshooting tips were very helpful! I was scared to overcook it, so my batch ended up too sticky to knead. I decided to take a third of it and overcook it, then mixed bit by bit of the undercooked batch in to create the right texture. New things can be intimidating for me when there's a risk of wasting materials, but your calm explanation of everything really made me feel more comfortable with it. The whole batch was a success! 🥳❤
Hello Pour Some Suga On Me .... great name by the way!!!
You are obviously very innovative and not a quitter! Brilliant thinking on your part and I am so glad that everything came together for you in the end.
I can tell you that I had the same fears the first time that I made cold porcelain and I definitely cannot afford to waste materials. Having gone through this process time and time again, I am now comfortable with my approach ... it makes such a difference when you know what to expect 🤣
I wish you all the best with your project, but I get a sense that you have a knack for making things work anyway. 🤗
Sally
Well, this is a material I wasn't familiar with!!! I'm so glad I checked it out!!! And once more, such a detailed video tutorial!!! And what a great help this is!! I really enjoy watching your videos!! They are so helpful and well explained, answering so many questions that may come to mind!!THANK YOU!! :) I will try to test it out, as soon as possible!!
Morning Katerina ...
You are such a treasure and your enthusiasm is a tonic!!
Cold porcelain is great for making small or thin embellishments and is so fine that you can get a really smooth finish and add in plenty of fine details. You can colour it with anything that provides colour, including paints, dyes and food colouring. (Some people have even used makeup).
If you want to make larger or thicker items, it can take a while for it to dry out, so I usually start with a thinner shape, wait for it to thoroughly dry out and then build up the shape in stages. It means that you have more control over any shrinkage as well.
I do hope that you have fun with it. I have found it to be a really useful medium, making tree decorations, heart shapes for gifts, flowers, leaves and ... I am currently working on a very large sculpture of a hare, so it is very diverse. :o)
I hope that you enjoyed the carnival and the reunion with family members. Have a fabulous weekend and thank you so much for all your support!
Sally x
Good morning dear Sally! 😊 Thank you ever so much for your kind comments and for even more information!! No need to thank me for the support as I do it with such a great pleasure!!! 😊 And it's me that must thank once more for the all the things you have already taught me!!! I would love to see your sculpture when finished!! I'm sure that it will be gorgeous, like your boxes!! Have a nice weekend, you too!!! 😊😘❤
Hello, I'm used to using polymer clay..and do lots of texture. .can anyone tell me if I can get plenty of texture with this holding it's shape?..
I began to try this yesterday for the first time. This video is very good. Well explained. Thank you :)
Hello Lilly
It's always so helpful to know how a video tutorial is being received, so thank you so much for taking the time to send your comments. :o)
I hope that the cold porcelain works out well and that you have success with your projects.
Very best wishes
Sally
Fabulous! Cooked it! It came out beautifully! Can't wait to make my Sakura flowers... thank you
Hello 7andearth (Great tagname!)
I'm so pleased that you had success with this recipe and it's very kind of you to take time out to let me know. I hope that your Sakura flowers turn out to be as beautiful as they sound and that you are even more pleased with them than you expected to be when you started out.
Have fun and success with all your crafts.
Sally x
Made a lot of recipes for clay, this is the best I have found yet. It’s the best.
Hello Jim
I just wanted to thank you so much for taking the time to provide such a positive comment ... it's very kind of you!
It sounds to me as though you are a very creative individual and I wish you every success with all your projects ... I wish had more time to work with cold porcelain myself 🙂
All the best wishes.
Sally
@@GryphonArt TY Sally I know this clay will come in handy .😎👍🏼
@@GryphonArt hi Sally just wanted to tell you. I made your mixture again this morning and you said you had no microwave so I did it in the microwave it turned out great just the same. I gave it 20 seconds at first to get it started then down to 10 then 5 to get it to the end got a few lumps but blended in at the end. I’m into a lot of art if you wish to see some I can leave an email so you can touch base. Keep up the good work. 😎👍
Good morning Jim ... well at least it is 8:30am where I am 😂.
Thank you so much for sharing your success with a microwave version of this recipe ... you are obviously not afraid to experiment!
I am always interested in all mediums of other peoples creativity, so yes any provision to see examples of your work would be appreciated. I may not always be able to respond in a timely way because I have full-time work now and that does diminish my leisure hours ... it's life.
Take care and best wishes.
Sally
Thank you so much for an extremely helpful tutorial! I have tried making the clay and it came out almost exactly as shown. This cold procelain clay looks like exactly the kind of clay I can use for my sculptures! Again, thank you for all the wonderful help!
Hello Heather, thank you so much for sending such a positive, encouraging message which was a delight to receive ... you have made my day!! I am so pleased that you have had success in making the cold porcelain and I hope that you enjoy using the medium for your sculptures. If it's of any help at all, if you are creating large items, which are at worst, at risk of shrinking and at best, will take ages to dry, I have found that it works better for me, to create little bricks of cold porcelain, allowing them to dry, before using them with wet porcelain as a mortar, to build larger shapes. When the project gets to a certain size, thin layers of the medium can be applied over the surface of the whole piece. It's a method I like, and one I thought was worth sharing :0). Have a lovely day and best wishes for happy crafting! Sally
@@GryphonArt Thank you so very much, Sally for your response to my comments! You are very kind! I will take your advice about using the cold porcelain carefully with my sculptures. Thank you! I would like to show you some of my sculptures when I am finished completing one or more with the cold porcelain, is it alright to email you some pictures, and may I have your email, or a way to get the pictures to you, please? Thanks!
I never seen this Cold Porcelain and the flowers you made are so small and beautiful
thank you for this You tube.
Hello Mary
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment ... it is appreciated :o)
Best wishes for successful crafting projects.
Sally
Thank you so much for this tutorial. So, well explained and thorough
Hello Christina
It's very lovely of you to spare the time to send me such positive feedback, so my own "thank you" is coming right back your way :0)
Best wishes for successful craft projects.
Sally
Thank you so much. I made more dough with half the quantities. While still a bit ‘wet’ I did exactly as you advise. Lost a few ounces with all that kneading and I think I have managed a workable dough. It has been well wrapped in cling wrap and stored safely in an airtight box.fingers crossed🤞🏼It will be ready to work with after a couple of days. Very grateful and indebted, 🥰 Fatima siddiqui
Ahhh ... thank goodness for that Fatima and well done you for persevering! Many would have given up at the first hurdle. By the way ... you are not wrong about the kneading! 😂🤣.
All the best with your projects, hopefully it will be plain sailing now!
Sally
GryphonArt thank you so much! Wish there was some way you could my completed work of art😉take care 🥰
Just thought I would mention, I made the clay Weeks ago put it in the fridge with all the construction going on in the house I forgot it. TodY I pulled it out though I’ll throw it out but pulled a bit of rolled it in my hands, go figure it’s as good as the day I made it. So happy to have found this recipe. 👍
Good morning Jim
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a positive comment, which is really appreciated.
To be honest, as long as you keep the clay in an air-tight container and only add colour when you need to use the clay, it can be kept at room temperature. One tip though is to grease the container with cold cream so that the wet clay can be more easily released from it.
Happy creativity and all the best with your house project too.
Sally
Hi again. I have made this recipe so many times now it’s great. However this time I made it I experimented “ nothing to loose lol” I had an old block of air dry clay that dried out . A cheap one from $ store clay not great but soaked it down added a few large spoonfuls to your mixture. It was a big surprise I thought it would ruin it , it sculpts great holds its shape and it dries a lot faster. You may want to try it, I have two I can use now your original and my modified clay. TY again for your great recipe ❤
I have just found your tutorial and found it the best i have seen, i will be trying this tomorro, thankyou i enjoyed listening to you and your clay looks lovely.
Hello Beverley
Thank you for your kindness in sending such positive feedback, it really is appreciated. I shall be keeping all fingers and toes crossed that you have success with the recipe ... maybe I'll cross my eyes too :o)
Just be careful not to pack in the cornflour when you are measuring a cupful .. leave it loose or you may find that the end product cracks ... it is the PVA that is flexible and the glycerine that adds a little more assurance. One of these days I will work out the measurements in actual weights ... as always .. it's a case of finding the time to get around to it!!
Very best wishes
Sally
@@GryphonArt thankyou for replying as soon as i have been out and bought the ingredents i will let you know how i got on
Thank you and ... all the best! Sally
@@GryphonArt Hello sally i must let you know that i made your cold porcelain last night and it is brilliant thankyou so much x
Ahh Beverley, ... you are a sweetheart for letting me know this ... thank you so much! I am so pleased for both of us :0)
Hope that you enjoy working with it and have lots of successful projects!
Best wishes
Sally
Thank you Sally that’s just what I needed to hear, I use airbrushing quite a bit so that’s fine. Thank you so much for being so patient with me . All the best . Dorothy
You are very welcome ... anytime 😊.
GryphonArt hi ever snice i watched your video i just enjoy making my own clay..i get 4 cup at end once weaved and store it
Until it use. once a week im constantly making a patch..
I want to thank you for your encouragement..i love all my items that I made for the holiday the most time i make my santa on an ornament as he taken a bite of the cookies chip on the plate that he hold as he look sitting on the ornaments..:)
Look beautiful on my trees oh raindeers too with name tag for my grandkids and family.
Hello Evelyn
It was so lovely to read your message this morning and I am delighted that you have mastered this recipe!
Your ornaments sound really delightful ... injected with humour which I'm assuming, comes from their creator - lovely!
It sounds as though you are starting to prepare for Christmas but in the meantime, have a wonderful summer and I hope that you always have lots of time to enjoy your creativity.
Best wishes
Sally
GryphonArt hi im so happy to your homemade clay gosh thank
So great tutorial, very well explained! Thanks so much for this gift; it was so enjoyable to watch your video while learning. Best success!
What a lovely message to receive Lidia ... thank you so much!
I hope that you have success with whatever craft project led you to watch this tutorial :0)
All the best
Sally
I love this it’s so detailed in comparison to others
Hello Mayra
This is a big "THANK YOU " to you for taking the time to post such a positive comment. It's really lovely of you and very much appreciated 🤗🤗.
Best wishes for success in whatever craft project you are working on.
Sally
This is new to me and I will certainly be giving it a try. You gave such lovely clear direction I believe I'll have success. Now to watch your other videos to see in what ways this material can be used! I've been on a paper clay kick, making little lighted Fairy houses and ran across your tutorial! New subscriber here! Thank you! Now I'm off to explore your body of tutorials.
Hello Sunriser Lark
I was just about to head off for work when I found your lovely comment ... it has made the start of my day a very good one, so thank you!
Your little, lighted fairy houses sound delightful and you are obviously very creative. Have great fun making things and thanks for your subscription, which is much appreciated.
Sally :o)
Thank you sally , you have been so helpful, cross your fingers I can produce something that looks like a hedgehog, for my very little friend , whom I think believes I can make anything, I hate to shatter her illusions but she’s got that soooooooo wrong. Best wishes Dorothy.
🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞 ... but ... I'm sure you will be fine 😁
Excellent tutorial. Finest explanation.. very detailed info. Great job❤❤❤❤
Beautifully explained
Hello Seema
Thank you so much for leaving such a positive comment ...it's really lovely of you and very much appreciated.
All the best wishes for successful craft projects.
Sally
Thank you so much for this! It's so detailed. I have a few questions if it's ok. Does it form cracks in the drying process? If so, are there ways to prevent it?
I like your recipe. The glycerin actually draws moisture in from the air, so it doesn't dry out as quickly. That's why your final mixture is so moist.
Hello DA
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch .... you have taught me something today! People have often asked me about the glycerin and although I have known that it would keep the clay soft in the same way that it does for royal icing, I had no idea that it helped to retain moisture ... I love to learn, so thanks so much for the education!! 😊🤗😊
I'm really glad that you have found that this recipe works for you and wish you every success with it!
Happy creativity!!
Sally
Excellent Teacher ... and not boring lol. Loved this video
Hello Larchmont Breeze
How lovely of you to take the time to send such a positive comment .. really kind and much appreciated this end ... glad to know that you didn't find the video boring! 🤣🤣
I have worked with cold porcelain for time in the same way ... ie generally making very large or very small items. I am now starting to experiment with it and as I learn different techniques I will share, so lots of cold porcelain based videos coming up if you are thinking of getting into the medium yourself.
Either way, all the best wishes for success in whatever craft you enjoy.
Take care and thanks once again.
Sally
Please make a video on how to make that flower samples book, what a beautiful book!
Hello Angelique (what a beautiful name!!)
I am so sorry that I have not responded to your comment before ... life sometimes gets in the way!
I am very pleased that you liked the flower samples book and will bear in mind that a video would be welcome ... I will put it on my list. :o)
I have been in contact with some wonderful people through my TH-cam channel and look forward to a time when I can dedicate a little more time to it once again. Personal situations are taking up much more of my time currently but more videos will be forthcoming once things settle down ... sadly not before the end of this year though.
I don't know if you are hoping to make some cold porcelain or if you have a specific craft project on at the moment, but whatever is taking your focus at the moment, it's my wish for you that you have success and enjoy the process.
All the best and thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
Sally
Thank you for a great tutorial, you explained everything so brilliantly. I have one question though. Is there any alternative to using Nivea as it's not vegan friendly? Could I use any lotion? I do make my own petroleum jelly alternative which is just made from any plant oil, olive wax and castor oil...do you think this would be ok to use?
Hello Roo Gray
Thanks you so much for your kind comments and the honest answer to your question is that I don't know, although in your position I might be thinking in terms of coconut oil or something beeswax based.
It's all about trying to prevent the PVA glue in he medium, sticking to your hands and utensils.
Testing with small amounts of cold porcelain is possibly the only way to find out.
Sorry that I couldn't be of more help to you.
All the best wishes
Sally.
By the way, Google have changed the rules and although I have worked hard to build my channel they are now dictating that you have to add a video regularly, in order to monetise a channel and unfortunately, now that I work full time, this is not an option so I am planning to use my videos elsewhere and this channel will be taken down, along with my website. If you want to retain the recipe for this cold porcelain, do download the .pdf file whilst it is still available on GryphonArt.co.uk.
@@GryphonArt Hi Sally, thanks so much for your reply. I guess I'll just have to try a few things out and hope for the best 😄🤞 except beeswax as that's not vegan ☺️
So sorry to hear TH-cam are forcing you to have to shut down your channel 😠 that's really unfair, especially as I've only just found it. I'll head over to your website to watch your vids instead then😀 Thanks again and take care.
Thank you, loved watching and listening (very nice voice/accent).Best wishes M.
You are very kind with your comments and I really appreciate you taking the time to make them.
All the best
Sally
Sally, thank you once again for a fantastic tutorial. I'm going to try your little flowers, but what I'm really going to use it for is making some Christmas embellishments. I look forward to future TH-cam videos from you.
Hello Frances
It's so lovely to hear from you again and I do hope that you have had lots of lovely craft projects to keep you occupied.
I have returned to full time work with the National Trust and whilst I love it, it has sadly, significantly impacted my ability to produce new videos. However, my hours of work reduce from five days a week to two over the winter period and I am hoping that this will give me the opportunity to submit some more material to TH-cam.
All the very best with your Christmas embellishments ... they sound intriguing! Just be aware that I have found if you are producing anything that uses significant thicknesses of cold porcelain, they will dry out much more quickly if you start with a thin layer that dries overnight and then add subsequent layers to it. I learnt the hard way .. having created a heart shape that was about 5mm thick .. it took over a week to dry!
All the best wishes always.
Sally
GryphonArt Thank you for the warning, I was thinking of making some small Christmas trees, snowflakes, and stars with flat backs and a small hole for use on tags and Christmas cards etc. I have some rather attractive punches used in sugar work. Fingers crossed.
GryphonArt p.s. I can understand how much work is required for one of you videos, they are the most comprehensive I have seen on TH-cam. Whereas I'm glad you've found a full time job with the National Trust, several friends of mine work for or volunteer with them and love it, selfishly I cannot wait for a new tutorial. Regards Frances.
You are really lovely Frances ... I promise you it is my plan to continue creating videos for years to come! :o)
By the way, your Christmas decorations sound as though they will be absolutely delightful and a lovely thing to be on the receiving end of! All the best with those.
Sally
You should try it in your smart phone...😀😀😀 Thanks for your help and sharing your experiences.. I think i will be having lots of queries in the future...😁😁😁
I have just managed to find out how to reply using my phone, so thanks for the motivation!😊😊😁
I'm here to help if I can, so never hesitate to contact me!
Happy crafting 😊
Sally
Just loves your video. I can't thank you enough. 😍
Hello dhanaaz
.... thank you so much for taking the time to send such a lovely comment, it is very generous of you! Have a lovely day today and all the very best wishes for successful craft projects. Sally
Thank you! Very informative
Looks promising. What is the structural integrity of larger cured portions of this material? Does it crack in larger quantities?
Hello CyberHippie
Thank you for getting in touch. I have to say that this product has been known to wrinkle and shink when used in larger amounts. It doesn't always happen and for the life of me, I haven't been able to understand the inconsistencies :(
The approach that I take with large items is a wierd one, but it does seem to enable me to have more control over the rate of shrinkage and any associated cracking. It also helps with drying times. Basically, I create little building bricks and allow them to dry. These range in size but are often 1" x 0.5" x 0.5" and dry without cracking although there is some shrinkage. I then build with these blocks using wet cold porcelain as a mortar. I can finish the shape with wet cold porcelain adding a complete layer (without joins) over the top to finish off. I am currently working on a fairly large piece using this method. It is solid, about 10 inches high, and 4 inches by three inches at it's widest point. I am really pleased with the progress.
I know that this doesn't answer your question with clarity, but I hope that it helps a little.
All the best with your projects
Sally
@@GryphonArt Thanks for your reply.
Thanks! I guess I have to pit vaseline or lotion everytime i use it... I'm still treading... Its my first time to do this...😀😀😀😀 Btw the smileys came from the emojis on my phone 😃 thanks for the reply 😊😊😊
Ahh ... that explains things - perhaps I should try using my phone for TH-cam ... I do like emojis!
The first time with cold porcelain can be a steep learning curve, because it does not behave like clay. Hope that you persevere, and end up enjoying working with the medium as much as I now do.
I am sorry if it is not clear in the video that you do always need to use a barrier cream with it ... I'm learning all the time too!
Best wishes
Sally
This was a very nice tutorial and your voice is very easy on my ears! ;-)
Hello Dan
I confess that you have brought a smile to my face today ... thanks for both of your positive comments :o)
Be happy in your creations.
Sally
@@GryphonArt It truly is a great day when I am able to put a smile on anyone's face. and I'm glad to do it. cheers!
Thank you for all the tips!!! Hope you will upload more tutorials on cold porcelain..
Hello Jay
Thank you so much for taking the time to send me such an upbeat comment. It really is appreciated!! :0)
I have missed producing videos but at the moment, life has taken a turn that has also taken up significant amounts of my time. Once I get back on track, I will take into account that additional videos on cold porcelain would be welcome. I have to say that I love working with the medium, so it is likely that they will start to feature much more on my channel.
Have a lovely today and all the best with your creative projects.
Sally
Thank you so much for such an informative tutorial. It was so helpful to me for you to continue bringing the pot back through the various stages as it cooked; I now know what to look for.
Your flowers are so cute! You're a lady of many talents.
I was wondering if I could use "Elmer's glue" rather than the one you used in the video. It's a white glue. Do you know, just offhand? If not, I'll look it up. I'm "across the pond" from you (I love that figure of speech!) so Elmer's glue is readily available to me.
Thank you again; I can't even find words to tell you how excited I am to have found this tutorial!
Hello Waya
What a delightful message to wake up to ... here across the pond 😄.
Elmer's glue is definitely a PVA glue, so as far as I am concerned, it should be absolutely fine, although research is always reassuring, so if you want to do some googling just to double check, it wouldn't do any harm.
All the very best wishes for success with this medium and above all, for a fun filled journey of discovery! 😄😊
Sally
Thank you so much for this detailed overview!
Hello BeppyCat
Thank you so much for your positive comment! :o) It's very kind of you.
Hope that you find this recipe works well for you and that you have successful creations.
All the best wishes
Sally
20:28 - that sample book is really neat. i imagine you crafted it yourself, its really nice.
Hello imissNiCK PLUR ... it's so lovely of you to get in touch and yes ... I can confirm that the little sample book is one of my designs. I keep meaning to produce a video to share the method but life has rounded a corner and time is currently in short supply :( ..... one for the future when I can get around to it.
All the best wishes for happy and successful crafting :). Take care. Sally
@@GryphonArt - oh, you're quite the talented crafter, it would be cool to see a tutorial on your sample book. i hope your situation improves & whatever youre dealing with gets better, or if not, can at least mend as best as possible. ....blessings to you & thanks for your response.
@@imissnickplur4964 You are very kind ... thank you. Blessings to you in return 😊. Sally
hello, many thanks for the recipe. Do you think it would be possible to use this clay for layered relief work such as similar to the layering of leaves and fruits in a della robbia surround? I suppose what I am asking is how well if sticks to itself at the modelling stage? Thanks again.
The first time I made it I did it in the microwave and it got overcooked because you really have to keep stirring and watch it closely and you can't do that in a microwave, had to that throw that one, then I did or a non stick fry pan on our BBQ and it was quite soft and I decided that would be enough it worked well it gives the cold porcelain a bit more drying time. I wouldn't bother cooking in a microwave again.. Thank you!
Hi Cathie
Thanks as always for your feedback. This is good to know :o)
Sally
Made this yesterday turned out great. Can not wait to start using it. Can you make a double batch or is this far too hard to work?
Hello Nicole
I am sooo pleased that you have had success with this recipe. I do love it myself! Thanks so much for letting me know.
I think that your instincts are possibly right with regard to doubling up the batch, but perhaps it depends how strong your wrists are. My thoughts are that the bulk may sit too long on the bottom of the pan because you won't be able to shift it off the heat quickly enough. Stirring in the final stages can require strength, even with a single batch.
I am probably more likely to rinse out the pan and create two single batches in a row but ... I will leave the decision up to you. Do let me know how you get on if you decide to give it a go :0)
All the best with your creations and thanks again for getting in touch.
Saly
Thank you so much for this tutorial, and especially the detailed explanation at the beginning (so I'd understand better what and **why**). This is the first I've heard of this medium and I can't wait to get the ingredients to give it a try. Does this clay have a shelf life? How long will it keep? Once completely dry, can it be painted with enamel paints? Is Vegetable Glycerine okay to use (it is sold here in the USA at Walmart in the beauty section). How long does it generally take to completely air-dry (for example a 3-inch solid figurine)?
Hello Amy
It's lovely of you to get in touch and I will try and answer your questions in order
1. I have kept this clay for months on end, over a year, in a lock & lock box (available in the UK) but as far as I am aware, any airtight container will allow you to store the medium for a significant period of time. The vinegar prevents it from going mouldy.
2. My advice is to add colour to the medium only just prior to using it in order to extend the shelf life. When you add colour, you have to work the clay and this dries it out. As long as the clay contains moisture, it will last.
3. Just be aware that once cold porcelain is dry, moisture will reactive it to a very limited extent. It is fine to use water based paints - I often use acrylics, but you might want to carry out your own experiments. If your paint contains moisture, it will soften the medium sufficiently to change the shape of the dried product, you will just need to allow it to thoroughly dry. I would definitely recommend sealing against moisture if your project is likely to be at risk from it.
4. Test, test, test ... I have found it best to experiment with scenarios, before investing large amounts of time on a project ... it helps you to understand the limitations of the medium.
If you are new to cold porcelain, then I can tell you that one of the outstanding benenfits of this air dried clay, is that it will allow you to incorporate fine detail into your work.
If you are thinking of creating items that are big ... be aware that lumps of cold porcelain can take ages to dry and can distort as it shrinks back. If I am building large items, I make small bricks out of the medium and allow it to dry out before using more cold porcelain as a mortar. Once you have something big enough, you can continue to build in thin layers. (I am hoping to do a video on this subject when life allows me to :o) )
I do hope that you manage to get to grips with this medium and that you make some wonderful things with it.
Thanks for being in touch.
Very best wishes
Sally
Any substitute for glycerine and can we use cooking oil ? Thank you for explaining in detail 🙏 how long can we store this clay and should it be stored in the fridge.
try to use stearin and cellulose (sorry for my english, I'm from Russia)
I also add this ingredients in my porcelain.
stearin U can take from candles, and cellulose of pampers
Hello Sofia
Thank you for this information. It's very kind of you to take time to provide insight which may be helpful to others.
I hope that you have a good Christmas Season and a prosperous and creative 2018.
Sally
stearin = Wax? воск ?
расплавленный воск ?
Hello, dear Sally! I am a newbie to clay and l would like to know If the final product is durable and hard. Thank you so much!! ✨
Hi Charlotte .. Cold porcelain will dry extremely hard but if the item is thin .. 2mm for example then the PVA content gives the medium flexibility. If you bear in mind the PVA content, then this also means that whilst lumps will dry very hard, they will not shatter like traditional clay when dropped.
One of the main benefits of working with cold porcelain is that you can achieve really fine detail with it. The reason for this is that the granule size of corn flour / starch is extremely small.
There are downsides and the main one is shrinkage which can cause distortion of your items. I get around this myself by layering. I use smaller dry elements of the medium and combine them with wet cold porcelain like a mortar and this means that shrinkage is not really an issue and the drying time is significantly reduced. If you are creating large items using this method (I am building a life-size hare), then you can apply a layer of cold porcelain to the dry project and then thoroughly wet the surface of the wet layer down, to smooth it and prevent curling along any edges as it dries.
The only other think that I can think of to forewarn you, is that once the cold porcelain is dry, it is not water-proof and will take on moisture again if it is exposed to it. You could not submerge an unprotected project in water.
I hope that this helps and that you have lots of fun and plenty of success with the medium.
Sally
Such beautifully clear instructions... thank you .
Hello Carole ... thank you so much for your wonderfully positive feedback. I hope that you have success with the recipe and you enjoy working with the medium. All the best of wishes. Sally
My clay has the perfect consistency but somehow it is way too soft to work with. It is impossible to make sculptures etc., what should I do to make it firmer? Should I add more cornflour??
Thank you sally for your reply, I have one more question, Would I be right in thinking , the less water in the mix the better.? And also dose the finished product have a shelf life. I would also like to say I love your teaching style. It’s like Jamie Oliver very relaxed yet confident . Many thanks.
Hello again Dorothy, lovely to hear from you and many thanks for your very kind comments! They have put a smile on my face!!
To answer your question, you are absolutely right in my opinion, the less water in the medium at the time of forming your shape, the better. This means that you will minimise shrinkage. Just be careful not to overwork the medium or you may suffer with a cracked / wrinkled surface layer.
To clarify though, and in relation to your shelf-life question, when you are cooking the recipe, you don't want to remove too much water, otherwise the shelf-life will be shortened ... it's always about balance. :)
My approach, is to not overcook the product and this means that it does level out somewhat in a lock & lock plastic box ( which is how I store my product). The reason why I prefer this, is because you remove moisture when you work the clay, particularly when adding colour to it. I would rather work harder at this stage, than end up with the medium being too dry after the colour has been added.
Shelf life: In order to achieve the maximum shelf life, you need to make sure that the medium is not overcooked in the first place and then it must be stored in an air-tight container. I use small lock & lock boxes and I usually grease them with cold cream (Nivea), before placing the cold porcelain in the box. This means it doesn't stick to the sides of the box and can more readily be removed.
Store the cold porcelain without adding colour as we have already established that this dries the medium.
If when you are working you have coloured portions of cold porcelain to spare, these can be stored for some time in cling film, that has been greased with cold cream (Nivea). Even better, place the cling film packages in an air-tight container.
I have stored my cold porcelain for in excess of two years, so have yet to establish whether it does have a shelf life.
Hope that goes some way to answering your questions.
Have a good day and successful craft projects.
All the best wishes
Sally
Hi thank you for your video it's amazing and you are very informative. This is the first time that I have made this medium and I think it's gone ok on the first try. Although I do have a couple of questions is it meant to be very stretchy? I dont think it's as firm as it should be also what do you use to stick pieces together or does it just stick anyway ? How long does it take to dry? And lastly rather than adding paint before making something does it take on paint when dried ? Many thanks . Jay
Hello Jay
What a delightful message and I am so pleased that you seem to have had success with the recipe. Okay, so let's try and address some of your questions ....
First of all, don't worry if the medium slumps a bit, this is far better than it being too firm and stiff. The likelihood is you followed the advice I provided and erred on the side of not over cooking which will dry the medium ... great, that's the way to do it!
Definitely, the medium can appear to be stretchy, so don't worry about that, it's another sign that you haven't over cooked it ... it's a good sign in my opinion.
As far as sticking cold porcelain items together, generally, I work with dried and wet medium. So, for example ..... if I am making a cold porcelain flower that requires a round centre (usually ball shaped), then I make the little centre balls first and allow them to dry. Assuming the flower has five petals, I make five balls in wet porcelain and place the dry centre ball in the middle of them, squashing them up against the centre ball, before flattening and shaping them as required. The moisture from the wet porcelain reactivates the outer surface of the dry shape and forms a bond. (I choose this method because it enables me to keep a round ball shape in the centre of the flower. Otherwise pushing the outside petals against a wet centre ball would push the centre out of shape).
If you had two dry sections of cold porcelain that you wanted to stick together, then I would use a good quality PVA glue. One of your main ingredients in the cold porcelain is PVA glue and so it is a very happy marriage and one I have found works well.
Drying times vary and are very dependent on the size of the project. Tiny cold porcelain flowers, approximately 1cm in diameter and 3mm thick, will dry in an afternoon, but if you were to build a shape 1cm thick by say, 4cm square, this might still be drying at the end of a week. If you are planning on making larger projects then it might be useful for you to know that I build in layers to decrease drying time and limit shrinkage. For example, ... if I needed the 1cm thick 4cm square shape, I would probable form a shape that was a few mm thick by 3cm square, allow it dry and then start to increase the dimensions, allowing each application of medium time to dry. At the very end I would totally encase this foundation shape in a coating of cold porcelain ... I have found that this gives me much greater control over my projects.
Regarding painting .... yes of course, if you prefer to build a shape to take paint once your project is dry, that works too :o) Just be aware that without the addition of any colour at all, cold porcelain will dry a strange translucent colour, so if you don't intend to paint the whole thing, you might want to add a base colour anyway.
Hope that this helps you and that you have fun with this medium. It is quirky and takes a bit of getting used to, but I find it very versatile and fantastic for taking detail.
All the best wishes for lots of successful projects.
Sally
Wonderful Tutorial, so well explained. Can I please ask if the finished product shrinks at all. I tried another stove top recipe that was very similar a while ago and it shrunk to half the size.
Hello Sean B and a big thank you for your positive input. It is very much appreciated!
Regarding shrinkage, the answer is yes ... there will be some but the extent of shrinkage can be controlled as follows:
1. Work the cold porcelain as much as you dare after you have added colour so that it starts to become drier. The less water the clay contains, the less shrinkage will occur.
2. If the size of your item allows, work in layers. I often create a basic shape and allow it to thoroughly dry, then at this stage I add a layer over the top. Using this method, because the core is dry there is already less to shrink. (On really large pieces I layer upon layer and then if necessary, I wet the surface of the final layer to form almost a slip that will cover the whole surface and give a smooth finish. Although this last layer is very wet, because it is extremely thin, it does not take long to dry and does not really shrink).
I hope that this helps you and that you have great success with this medium.
Happy crafting.
Sally
i have decided to try your video first. Do you know if i can use elmers multi purpose glue? i dont know how to get that "pva" glue....also can i color this the same way as ive seen all other people color their cold porcelain?
Great video❤
Is corn flour diferent to corn starch?? As you know in uk we can get both but I never know if there is a diference.i had to purchase my glycerin on holiday in Spain I couldn't find it anywere.thank you for a clear tutorial uk
Hello Jeannette
As far as I am aware they are one and the same but I have only ever purchased and used cornflour. I hope that helps.
By the way, I always do a google search for the best price on Glycerin. It's generally available on eBay and Amazon.
Happy crafting!
Sally
Hello Sally,
This is an amazing tutorial. The best I've seen. I have a question...I need to put the clay over styrofoam to create a creature. I read that it shrinks quite a bit any suggestions? I made the Clay last night so I probably won't get around to using it until tomorrow night Sunday morning. I was thinking maybe if I do some thin layers and let it dry then I can reapply over it to cover any spots that shrunk that it's not covering. Do you think that's doable? I wonder if a papier-mâché would be a better option?
Thanks Liana
Hello Liana
I am in complete agreement with your instinctive approach but I would also suggest that it might depend on whether you want a totally smooth finish to your item, or you want texture. I am in the process of making a large hare and this is a solid item. I started by making lots of small shapes that I allowed to dry out and then used them like building blocks to create a rough base shape. This meant that I was only using small amounts of wet cold porcelain, just a a mortar / glue and that meant it dried quickly (overnight).
I am now building that base shape in thinner layers because I can cover the whole thing ... there is no cracking but I am creating a textured piece.
The glycerin should help to prevent cracking but the only other thing that I can think of, which might help, is for you to work the medium as much as you can just before using it, so that you have removed the maximum amount of moisture. The dryer the product the less shrinkage you will get.
I hope that this helps you a little and please do let me know how you get on if you can spare the time to do so.
My fingers and toes are crossed that your project is a successful one :0)
Sally
Hi ,i'm from Belgium and can not find pva glue. Can i use woodglue instead? Btw thanks for the good explanation in your video!👍
Hello Elynn
From the research that I have done, I think you are probably okay using a white wood glue, especially if it looks the same as the glue in the video. I am beginning to wonder if it is only called "PVA" over here in the UK ... apparently, it is often also known as wood glue, white glue, carpenter's glue, school glue and Elmers glue.
I do hope that this is of help to you and that you find your end product is successful.
All the best and many thanks for your kind comments.
Sally
@@GryphonArt might also use the same stuff that childrenb use in school here its called elmer glue but can be o9ff brands as well
Hello again Junwell
You are absolutely right about the Elmer Glue ... I believe this is the equivalent to what we call PVA here in the UK.
Thanks for being so thoughtful and helpful in pointing this out!
Sally
@@GryphonArt no problem as we also have gernic brands to
Hi sally one last question , I hope , but can’t promise . Can small figures be made with this type of clay? With thanks. Dorothy. Ps I’ve made my clay as per your instruction , I think it worked out great I’m well pleased.
Morning Dorothy
First of all .. I have no problems with answering your questions if I am able to so please don't hesitate to get in touch 😊.
I am so delighted that you appear to have had success with the recipe .. thanks for letting me know 🤗🤗.
I have not made small figures but, one of the main advantages of cold porcelain is that it is very good at taking fine detail, so I'm sure that it would be excellent for that kind of project. It is also where you can use shrinkage to your advantage .... whenever I want to make something really fiddly and small, I keep the medium more moist (within reason), knowing that the item will become smaller as it dries.
Hope that helps you. Enjoy your day today.
Sally
Thank you so much for a great tutorial the best I have seen, I also make flowers but I been using bread dough, my question to you is, can I use this porcelain one, to make roses? or would it be too soft for it. Thank you again
Hello Margarita
First of all, I just wanted to thank you for your kind comments; I'm so glad that the tutorial has been helpful for you :0).
In answer to your question, I can tell you that a great deal of people use cold porcelain for making flowers because it allows you to include some very fine detail. The medium does dry hard but it has a flexibility to it which means when it is in a thin leaf or petal form, it is more likely to bend than break ... it is certainly not brittle.
On the downside (and life generally comes with some form of trade off), there can be considerable shrinkage and you will need to allow for this. If you need to achieve a regular size repeatedly, I find it best to use an outline on cellophane or plastic, so that each leaf can be the same size.
Perhaps it would be best to create just one petal, allow it to dry and see what you think about the result.
I do have another video tutorial which covers making vine leaves and stems, which, if you haven't already seen it, may give you a little more insight. If you are interested, the link is here: www.gryphonart.co.uk/portfolio-items/cold-porcelain-grape-vine/?portfolioCats=21
I do hope that this helps you and that you have great success with your project.
Take care and all the best wishes.
Sally
Question please...I've been following the tutorial here but mine seems to either tear like a sort of bread (no teardrop shape) or not tear and hang down in a loooong string downward between the main pieces - there's no inbetween lol
What...am I doing wrong ^^;
Is this the clay I woul duse in silicone molds?
Hi,it's an amazing tutorial.I am in UK,I can easily find the ingredients.My question is,can I use it in moulds to make mouldings embellishments for furniture for example? .Like IOD (iron orchid moulds) or prima moulds..How long it will take to dry? Does it shrink when it's dry?Is it flexible when it's dry? Can I glue it on the furniture when they are still flexible?Can I paint when the mouldings are still wet? So many questions,I know.thank you already xx
Hello Canan Oguz
Thank you so much for getting in touch and for your kind words. It is lovely to be included in such enthusiasm!!
First of all I can confirm that I have used cold porcelain in silicone moulds, so you should be fine in that respect, however, if the moulds are large, I would probably try and use the minimum amount of wet cold porcelain. This is quite difficult to explain so bear with me ...
The larger the piece of cold porcelain the longer it will take to dry and the less control you will have over shrinkage. As an example, if you were to make a two inch square rectangle that was half an inch thick, all out of wet porcelain, depending on the drying environment, this could take more than a week to thoroughly dry and there would definitely be some shrinkage as the moisture evaporated. An alternate would be to make a few two inch square rectangles that were only an eighth on an inch thick, allowing them to thoroughly dry. These would probably dry in a day and they would shrink, so the dry shape would be less than two inches square. You can then sandwich these together with wet cold porcelain to build the thicker rectangle, working the cold porcelain over the entire external area for a seamless surface, so that the dry shapes are completely encased.
The advantage of this approach is that the overall drying time is significantly reduced because most of the shape is already dry and because there is less moisture content, shrinkage is also less.
The other way to reduce shrinkage is to work the cold porcelain when adding colour so that you reduce as much of the moisture as possible, but not so much that it dries out as you are working on your project ... it's a fine line :o).
Cold porcelain is very flexible when dry and even thin layers when bent slightly will not crack in the way that conventional clay would.
You can certainly glue cold porcelain onto timber. As the medium contains PVA glue, I tend to use glue with a PVA content. Evo Stick wood glue would be appropriate for timber.
I would not recommend painting the mouldings when they are still wet as the cold porcelain is much softer than conventional clay and even with light pressure, if it is not thoroughly dry, you will change its shape.
Additionally, do bear in mind that cold porcelain is not water resistant without a protective coating. When exposed to water, a dry project will soften again. (The PVA in the medium will absorb the water). If you are using water-based paints, you might want to seal the project first.
Hope that this answers all your questions, but please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any more :o). I am not available tomorrow, but will get back to you at the earliest opportunity.
Best wishes for success in all your projects!
Sally
This looks like the various stages of my mother-in-law's mashed potatoes. Right to the cement stage. Add plenty of butter and gravy to assist swallowing, and prevent blockage.
Hello Humblehombre .... thank you so much for bringing joy to my day!! This has to rank as the funniest comment ever! 🤣🤣🤣
Have a day that is as fabulous as you have just made mine!
Best wishes
Sally
Hubiese deseado saber Inglés. No captó su información qué es vital para realizarla. Pero le felicito, observó productos Originales para la : Porcelanicron. Gracias.
Muchas gracias por ponerse en contacto. Lamento mucho que solo hable inglés.
He usado Google Translate, así que espero que puedas entender esto.
Los mejores deseos.
Sally
Thank you Sally , I’m learning such a lot from you. But maybe I need to explain myself better. When I asked you about the shelf life , I was referring to the absolute finished form , after moulding drying painting or whatever, will it keep like a regular ornament , do I even make sense here . Thank you once again . Dorothy.
Hello Dorothy
You make absolute sense! :o)
Apologies for my misunderstanding regarding shelf-life. On this matter, as far as I am concerned, a finished project, in the correct environment, should last forever!
To clarify, cold porcelain without any surface treatment at all, remains porous and the surface will become soft if exposed to extreme humidity, so dunking in the washing up water, will likely damage it.
There are all kinds of treatments that could be applied to cold porcelain to add a layer of water protection, including varnishes, but I have yet to really experiment with these and can only promise to share as this knowledge becomes available to me. Depending on the colouring additive, UV protection may be another consideration.
An American based company, Createx do produce some fabulous water-based paints and clear coatings that I believe would be beneficial to cold porcelain, against water damage, but I think that they are really designed for airbrush application and brush application may not be advisable. Createx Wicked Color is exterior grade.
There is also a product called SSR Scenix Clear, which is as the name suggests, a transparent layer and can be applied with a brush or roller. It is expensive though and not easy to get hold of in the UK. This product is aimed at the automotive industry, is exterior grade and has great adhesive properties as a primer layer.
So, in summary, any project made out of cold porcelain will last forever, given the appropriate care.
Hope that this helps.
Happy crafting
Sally
Fantastic tutorial! I am wondering if when this clay is dry, is it waterproof? Can it be on a piece that would be outdoors over a prolonged period of time exposed to the elements like rain, sun, snow, etc.,?
Hello Jennifer
I do apologise for taking a little time to respond to you .. it was necessary to spend some time with ailing family.
Sadly, this clay is not waterproof and I am unable to recommend it for outdoor use. Having said that ... it might be possible to swap out the PVA glue for a glue of similar consistency that is waterproof and that would most likely make a difference, but as I haven't experimented myself, if you consider giving this a try, I would definitely just put a lump of the dry clay outside to see what the result is ... it would be a great shame to have hours of creativity go to waste!
If you do come up with any results, I would love to know!
All the very best wishes for success with all your craft projects and thank you so much for getting in touch!
Sally
Hi, very helpful tutorial . Thanx so much. Do we need to keep it in the fridge and how long we can store this clay .
Hello mini nayyar
Thank you for getting in touch and for your kind comment.
As long as you don't colour the clay before you need to, and store it in a very good, air-tight container, it well keep for months 😃. I use a Lock & Lock box.
Hope this helps you.
Best wishes.
Sally
Can you show us beginners how to colour the clay , once it’s made please. Many thanks.
Hello Dorothy
Thank you for getting in touch, and for your suggestion regarding another tutorial. Life is such that I am unable to produce videos at this time, but I can tell you that cold porcelain can be coloured with many things that contain a dye. I have used acrylic paints, makeup, and food colourings (the gels are great), to provide some examples.
It is best to colour the cold porcelain just before you are going to use it, because you work the medium when you apply the colour, which removes some of the moisture and it can mean that it doesn't last as long. (If I have any coloured medium left, I usually coat some cling film with cold cream ... Nivea is my preference, roll the porcelain into a ball and thoroughly seal it in the cling film. This method does seem to preserve the necessary moisture levels).
When applying colour, I tend to flatten the porcelain in the palm of my hand and place the colouring agent onto one edge, I can then roll this up (like a cigarette) so that the colour is in the middle of the medium. I then repeatedly fold the length in half and roll it back into a cigarette shape, until the colour is evenly mixed. This is just a method I prefer, which may or may not work for you. I hope that this helps answer some questions that you may have though.
All the best wishes.
Sally
Thank you Sally , common sense prevails, what a splendid idea. All I can do is try it and see , it is a learning curve after all . I’m not a natural that’s for sure , but I do like to try. So thank you . Ps what spines ? Ha ha
You are funny!! 🤣😁
I remember we made something like this, in art classes in primary school almost 50 years ago. Think we used potato starch.
That's really interesting and something that I will try and look into ... thanks for the information :0)
Sally
Finally, I found a recipe that works! I need to ask you though, should it be translucent when it dries? I was expecting an opaque white.
Hi Janet
I'm so pleased that this recipe has worked for you ... that's great!!
In answer to your question, unless you add colour to this medium, it will be translucent when it dries. I tend to use Acrylic paints to colour mine, but you can use food colouring, eyeshadows and other makeup, dyes, etc. I haven't yet found anything that doesn't work.
Just be aware, that because you work then product when you add colour, it does dry it out and that can mean that it doesn't last as long. As a consequence, if possible, I would recommend that you add your colour just before you need to use the cold porcelain.
Hope that this helps you.
Happy crafting!
Hello, I have been using your recipe now and it is great. I do sculptures of birds. I do a Cardinal (actual size). The surface with the cold porcelain is uneven when it dries, how do I make it smooth? Is it when I am applying the clay or do I need to sand the sculpture? The clay is so hard to sand. I would like a professional look to the bird, one that has an entirely smooth surface. I also would like to do larger birds like Flamingos (actual size). If you could possible give me names of sculptors who do large cold porcelain subjects I would really appreciate it. Thank you for your time. Again, I am very grateful to you for your video.
Hello Heather
Your work sounds absolutely amazing!! I would love to see it!!
Hmmmm ... obtaining a smooth layer .... this is one of the downsides of using cold porcelain in my experience. It takes fine detail exceptionally well and therefore, also retains wrinkles and crinkles that we would rather not have in our projects.
I have never attempted to sand cold porcelain, so I have no idea what happens in this instance although my instinct tells me that you would end up with scuffing.
When I am working on a large item, I tend to finish with a single thin coverage of cold porcelain as a final, seamless layer. This is applied to a completely dried project which I dampen slightly with water before applying that thin layer over the total surface. This is the only solution that I have found to work, but others may be able to provide alternatives.
I am unaware of specific artists who work with cold porcelain, even though I have seen large peices in some galleries.
I am working on a large hare myself (not recogniseable as a hare at this stage, even though it is very heavy and probably 12" x 4" x 3" in its current state.
I learnt the hard way, that cold porcelain can take forever to dry when you form it in significant amounts and then, because of shrinkage, you can end up with unwanted surface wrinkles. As a consequence, I build little building blocks of cold porcelain which I allow to totally dry. I then build my shape out of these dry blocks, using wet cold porcelain as a mortar. Allowing each layer to dry, before building further.
The dry blocks draw moisture from the wet porcelain, reducing shrinkage and speeding up the drying time. Once I am happy with the overall shape, I can start applying my thin layers of cold porcelain over the whole of the surface area, adding in any markings on the final layer as necessary. This is something I have just done myself, so someone with more experience may be able to provide a better approach.
Hope that this helps you in some way.
Very best wishes for success with your amazing projects!
Sally
@@GryphonArt Thank you so much, Sally for answering my inquiry so wonderfully and quickly! I don't know how to send pictures to you through TH-cam, if you could tell me I will send pictures of some of my sculptures. I threw out all but one cold porcelain sculpture I did. I was doing paper mache' sculptures. I still do the sculptures but than wanted to cover them with cold porcelain. I love the cold porcelain. Sanding doesn't really work, the porcelain is so hard. I will attempt to apply the thin layer over a hardened layer and see how that goes, I did a penguin that is about 15" tall and I did four layers of cold porcelain on the penguin and they all cracked. The last layer didn't crack that much so I will see about putting cold porcelain in the cracks and putting another final layer on. I am just inexperienced with working with the cold porcelain and don't know what to expect, I guess. I am anxious to succeed with a good sculpture. It would help with contacting an experienced sculptor who does large pieces. Maybe I will find someone. I need to be patient. I very much appreciate you helping me! Thank you so much, Sally! Bye. Heather
@@heatherforster8434 They say that experimentation is the mother of invention ... it sounds as though you are making progress ... don't give up ... everything you discover adds to the data and will be of benefit 😊. Nothing is lost!
Hi Sally,
Thank you so much for this tutorial. It's really helpful. I have a question for you, what is pva glue? Is it the same with white glue for wood? I like the end result of your cold porcelain. Looks so pliable. Can it be rolled into a very thin layer, to make realistic clay flowers? Thank you, Sally.
Hello Kunyitkulagi
I am so glad that you have found the tutorial of some use and thank you so much for your kind comments. :0)
In answer to your question, PVA as I understand it, is often also known as wood glue, white glue, carpenter's glue, school glue and Elmers glue, so I suspect that what you are thinking of falls into one of these categories and whilst I can't guarantee that it is exactly the same, I hope that helps provide you with confidence to use your product.
I have never actually rolled cold porcelain myself, but I do know that you can achieve very thin layers of it and certainly have seen very lifelike flowers made out of it. As long as you don't overwork it, the end result is very smooth and glossy. Additionally, it will take fine detail, so if you create thin knife cuts for leaf veins, for example, they will be apparent when the product dries.
I wish I could give you more information on this but hope that you have a go ... I don't think that you will be disappointed.
All the best
Sally
Thank you for you information. I will try this recipe, especially because this recipe requires only using stove, not microwave 😆👍😍
Love this tutorial, and esp. your sample book. Did you make it yourself? Also, do you need a non-stick pan or can you use a regular pan and what kind of colour do you add and how much? Thanks!
Good morning Marilyn
Thank you for getting in touch and for you generous comments. I will strive to answer your questions below:
I have always used an old non-stick pan, but I don't think it really matters because it is more to do with controlling the heat - much like making a sauce that you don't want to become lumpy :0). By the way, there will be lumps, but these can be kneaded out in the final stage.
You can use all sorts of things to colour the cold porcelain, but my two favourites are gel food colouring which come in a vast array of shades and acrylic paint. I always tend to add some white, because cold porcelain without colour is translucent. Thereafter, the amount you used depends on the depth of colour required. It will always dry darker.
The little book was something that I designed myself at a time when I was holding craft courses from home :o)
I hope that this helps.
Best wishes for happy crafting.
Sally
@@GryphonArt Thank you!!!
if it's too soft what should ido ???
what's the best colors to color it and does not affect my clay ??
what kind of varnish ibdo and how to let it dry ?? pllllz reply sweety
Hello Rania Nina, if the cold porcelain is too soft it is likely to be one of two problems.
1. Too much moisture in the medium. You could try cooking it again to reduce this.
2. Not enough cornflour in the recipe. You could add a tiny amount and then cook for a little while.
You can use whatever colours you like, including acrylic paint, food colouring and even makeup ... just have a play 😁.
Additionally any varnish should provide a seal. Just consider whether you want a gloss or Matt finish.
Hope this helps.
Sally
@@GryphonArt thaaaanks sweety thanks fr ur time😍😍😍😍 love u
Hi Sally, thank you for your reply, you just gained another subscriber. Best wishes Marcus.
Hello Marcus ... that's fantastic, thank you!
I started to go out to work in March and have been unable to produce videos since then as a consequence. However my hours should diminish significantly in November for a few months and it is my intention to add some more videos in that time frame. With any luck, they will include something of interest to you :o)
Take care and all the best for successful creativity.
Sally
GryphonArt hi do you have to bake this in the oven after you made item? Ty for any help
Hello Wendy
In answer to your question .... no, this is an air drying product and I wouldn't recommend baking it.
Just be aware that large items can take an absolute age to dry ... days and sometime weeks! If you are creating large projects I have found that it is better to build them in layers. This process can be speeded up by creating small blocks that are allowed to dry and then you can cement these together with wet porcelain. One you have a framework, you can cover that base shape and build on it from there.
I hope that this helps :0)
Happy crafting!
Sally
GryphonArt thanks for your quick reply I am pleased that it is air dry x
Hi sally , i want to try and make a rabbit, I will be using polystyrene rounds and am concerned how the shrinking process will effect the clay once stretched over the rounds , eg , dose it shrink uniformally or would it distort the rabbit. Ps my hedgehog was errm very average.
Hello Dorothy
First of all, don't worry about the hedgehog ... I think they would be very difficult to render because of the spines ... you set yourself quite a challenge there! 🤔😏
Regarding the use of polystyrene ... unfortunately it's something that I haven't tried so it's difficult to advise you. My instinct suggests that as long as you get an even thickness of porcelain, you should be fine. I would probably aim for a 3mm thickness and you might want to use a cocktail stick or panel pin to keep it off the ground whilst it is drying, otherwise you will get a flat side.
All the best wishes and crossed fingers for your success!! 🤞🤞🤞
Sally
Hi sally , just to give you an update , not doing to well just yet, my efforts still resemble something from fragile rock. But I will keep trying ? All the best to you and family for Xmas.
Ahh Dorothy, you are so lovely!! 😊 Thank you so much for the Season's Greetings ... may your own Christmas be magical with lots of gifts under the tree! 🎄
Do not sell your work short, I'm sure you are your worst critic ... your narrative has made me chuckle though, so I'm grateful to you for spreading some joy 🤣.
Stay warm, happy and contented in your creativity.
Sally ⛄⛄❄❄🎄🎄
Thank you! Great video.
You're very welcome ... thank you in return for letting me know that you found it useful! :o)
Sally
Hy..great tutorial...very well explained ..i tried a couple of times to make cold porcelain with a recipe that is similar (without glicerine) and i don.t know what i.m doing wrong because when the figurines dry they crack :((((...please help me if you can ..
Hell Anca and thank you for getting in touch. Cracking is a common problem with many people, particularly if you are creating large pieces and it is a difficult one to answer but ... there are a couple of things to try:-
1. Keep any eye on the cooking process and avoid overcooking which will dry the product out.
2. If in doubt, alter the ratio of cornflour to PVA. The cornflour will also dry the medium so reducing it enables you to retain more of the elasticity provided by the glue. (When measuring a cup of flour, keep it loose and airy)
Hope that this helps you in some way and all the best with you creative projects :o)
Sally
Thank you so much for your response ..all the best as well xx
GryphonArt i
Can I use an Elmer glue instead of PVA? We don't have anything like that here. And can I use lemon juice instead of the vinegar? The clay really looks good and I wanna try it. Thank you.
Hello Little Big
I've had a look on the internet for you and from all the reports, it does appear that Elmer glue is basically the same as PVA glue, so you shouldn't have a problem substituting it ... that's the good news. :0)
As far as the lemon is concerned, my opinion is that whilst it probably would provide anti-mould functionality, which is the main purpose of the vinegar, it is also likely to be more sticky and may colour the finished product. I probably wouldn't substitue this ingredient myself, but I am certainly not going to deter you from carrying out your own experiment ... do let me know how it goes :0).
Hope that this is of some help to you and that your recipe is successful.
Sally
Is it true homemade Porcelain clay shrinks up to 10 to 20% during drying. Is there anyway to stop it happening or a least reduce it . With thanks.
Hello again
It is certainly true that cold porcelain shrinks as it dries. The percentage relates to the moisture content remaining in the medium at the point it is left to dry.
The only way to minimise this is to work the porcelain as much as you dare, before forming it into the required shape. There is a balance though .. if you work it too much and dry it out too much, the surface will start to crack 😕.
This is something that I was concerned about when I first started to use the medium, so I really understand your concerns. It might be worth you taking a small piece and working it to a set size, so you can measure the shrinkage. 🤔
As with most things, as you become more familiar with the medium you will start to instinctively know what allowance you need to build in, for shrinkage.
Hope this helps you a little.
All the best.
Sally
Do you let it harden a bit before using it. I find it hard to shape with it being so soft and squishy
Good morning Roy
You need to leave the Cold porcelain 24 hours to settle after making it and if it isn't holding a shape then you may not have cooked it enough. You could add colour and work it to remove excess moisture and this should resolve the problem.
I would recommend testing a small piece to see if you can improve the situation rather than trying to work with the whole batch.
Hope that this helps
Sally
@@GryphonArt thanks a lot I'll try that ^__^
Is it possible to overheat the clay? If so, is it possible to correct?
Hello Karen
You have posed a very interesting question, one that I had not considered. I have not had experience of this but I always use a very low heat, treating the mix like a sauce that I don't want to end up lumpy.
My instinct says that if the clay has overheated then it will be too dry and to some extent already cured. I doubt that there is a way back from this ... if you have absolutely nothing to lose, then you could add some water and leave the mix overnight (don't flood it), this might reabsorb into the dried sections and allow you to recreate a smooth mixture. If you can achieve this, then you can go back to a gentle heat to gradually reduce the moisture as is required with this recipe.
PVA glue is very susceptible to water so if it is only the glue that has been impacted, then this could be rectified. If however, the cornflour has been overcooked, that could alter things.
I do hope that you are not in this predicament, but if you are, I also hope that this provides a way forward for you. I wish that I could offer more assistance.
Very best wishes to you ... hope that your project is successful.
Sally
@@GryphonArt Sally, just wanted you to know that, despite my concerns, the clay was not overheated. After kneading the clay, I wrapped it as you instructed and left it to rest for several days. I have been successfully creating flowers, practicing techniques with the goal of achieving consistency and realism but your recipe yields a clay that is just lovely! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Hello again Karen ... so great to hear from you, especially when you are delivering good news! 😊
I cannot tell you how pleased I am to learn that the clay has been a success for you. It sounds as though you are becoming increasingly familiar with it and although an experimental approach can sometimes lead to disappointment, I find that in the end, you have a far broader knowledge.
Your flowers sound delightful and because cold porcelain is so good at taking fine detail, I am sure that they will be beautiful!
Thanks for the update and all the best wishes for happy creativity!
Sally
Thank you.I must try it. I made without glycerin untill i will buy.
maybe the glycerin will help. its keep falling down. can i put the glycerin after i cooked it?
Hello there
I have only made the cold porcelain from scratch using the full ingredients but .... if you have a batch that is problematic because of a lack of glycerin, it might be worth making a half batch with a little more glycerin in it than the recipe requires, cooking it up and then kneading the two batches together. I can't guarantee that this will work, but it is probably the approach that I would take in an effort to avoid wastage.
If I have ever overcooked a batch, so that it is too dry, I make a second batch that is undercooked an combine the two .... this definitely works.
Hope that this helps.
Happy crafting
Sally
GryphonArt thank you :)
Fantastic video. Thank you for sharing. I'm having an issue that when I comes to kneading I don't get the nice teardrop when pulled appart and it doesn't seem to look the right consistency. Would you think that it is over or undercooked? It was quite sticky whilst working it.😢
Morning Rachel
I have only just picked this message up as I woke, so I'm very sorry that I did not get back to you more quickly.
Without actually seeing the medium it's a little difficult for me to comment but ...
1. If you have managed to knead it and it is relatively smooth, I suspect that you have a reasonable product.
2. Test for slump ... if you put it in an air-tight container for an hour and it doesn't lose any of it's shape then it is possible that you have cooked it more than you needed to, but as long as it is pliable it should be fine ... just be careful adding colour as this can dry the product further.
3. If you put the product in an air-tight container and it flattens out completely, then you have probably not cooked it for long enough. Before re-cooking, you could store as required for 24 hours and then add colour to a small test piece, leaving this to dry overnight. If you are happy with the result .. job done :o)
This recipe can produce different results if the glue is from a different manufacturer but generally, you end up with something that works fine. Don't forget that you will need to store it in an air-tight container for 24 hours before using it because this does allow the mixture to settle and I find it does alter the consistency in a small way.
The first time you make this, in my experience is definitely the worst ... thereafter, you have an idea of what you are looking for.
By the way, if you have cooked the product more than you needed to .... it won't shrink as much when it dries, so that's a bonus :o)
I hope that this helps you a little and wish you every success with your craft project.
Sally x
NB: If it is your dog in the picture then he looke lovely! We used to have two Rhodesian Ridgebacks and he reminds me of them.
GryphonArt thanks Sally. I am questioning if it's the glue that is not very good so have bought the same evo stik pva as you. I noticed another video from a girl who used tapioca starch and was having a similar rubbery result to mine. I have used Asda cornflour but again questioning the quality of the product so I will visit tesco instead. I don't feel like I am over cooking as it ball was still very sticky. I have a lot of the clay sticking to the pan and didn't ball up as nicely as yours.
P.S. Yes the picture is of my boxer. He's a gentle giant 😍. Ridgebacks are beautiful too. His best friend is a Vizsla. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll let you know when I finally get a successful batch. 🤞
I am already keeping everything crossed for you and hope that you have success. Try keeping the heat as low as possible ... it always reminds me of making a smooth sauce ... lumps do tend to occur, but low heat will keep them to a minimum.
All the best
Sally
Thank you!!😊😊😊
Thank you for the video.
Hoping yoy can give some advise on how to avoid cracking. I managed to make basket some with no crackes and other time the basket cracked so bad..i had to throw it away. I really dont know whats as i an using the same recipe.
Pls need some advise of you may.. thank you very much
Hello lemon yellow ... it's good to hear from you :o)
I am so sorry that you have experienced some bad cracking with a batch of cold porcelain .. that can be very discouraging.
The only information that I can provide which may help is as follows:-
I have come to the conclusion that it is the ratio of cornflour / cornstarch to PVA Glue that is critical when it comes to cracking. Even quite a large amount of PVA will not crack when dried .. it has very flexible properties, so when making your cold porcelain, try not to pack the cornflour/cornstarch into the cup, so that there is less cornflour to glue, proportionately.
Additionally, definitely use glycerin in the recipe. Glycerin is used in royal icing to prevent it from being too brittle and cracking and therefore, it is reasonable to assume that it will serve the same purpose in the cold porcelain recipe.
I do hope that this helps you move forward and I have my fingers crossed that you don't have to throw out any more of your work!
All the very best wishes
Sally
do you bake the end product or just air dry ? you didn't make that clear?
Hello Junwell ... I'm so sorry that I neglected to indicate that this is an air-dried medium ... no need to bake. Just be aware that if you are making large items they will take ages to dry and the product does shrink. For large or thick amounts of the cold porcelain, I tend to use a layering system so build a think layer first (no more than 3mm thick) allow it to dry overnight and then add layers on a daily basis.
If you want really large, solid items then again, I build small bricks first and allow them to dry and then use the wet clay as a mortar. You can then cover the whole item with wet clay and finish off any detail.
Hope that this helps you in some way and thank you for getting in touch.
Sally
@@GryphonArt thank you i did not bake as i know its air dried clay thanks
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS!!! Thank you so much for this! I don't sub to many chanels.... but I'm subbing to you! ;-D
Hello Suenette
I was really delighted to read your lovely message and feel very privileged to have you as a subscriber. Thank you so much for taking the time to get in touch!
Have fun with your cold porcelain projects
Sally
What does the glycerin Do? First time I have seen it used in a recipe.
Hello 04Ammy04
Thank you for getting in touch :0). To answer your question, the glycerin helps to stop the cold porcelain from becoming brittle as it dries ... thus preventing cracking. (This is the same reason why glycerin is also used in royal icing ... without, you struggle to get a knife into traditionally iced Christmas cakes :o).
I hope that this helps.
Best wishes. Sally
So glad I found this I have much to say. I’ve just started making cold porcelain and I am having a problem with cracking in the drying process. Now the items I’ve been trying to make are kind of thick as I’ve been watching tutorials on cute ways to decorate jars and jar lids. I asked one lady why it might be cracking and she said I must knead it very well and I did which helped some but not 100%. The recipe I followed differed slightly from yours in having zinc oxide, lemon juice, glycerin only, not baby oil. I also used cold cream instead of Nivea. Do you think any of what I used could be the cause? Thank you for any advice you may have to offer.
Morning Missi R
Cracking can definitely be an issue with Cold Porcelain and even with my recipe, I have experienced this with thicker items but ... I have devised a method to avoid this, which might help you. It does mean that you have to be a little bit patient, but it gets a good result.
First of all, the more moist the cold porcelain is, the more it will shrink and this impacts on cracking. The advice that you were given to knead the product was sound, because this not only makes it smooth, but removes moisture.
When you are making something, add the colour and then work the medium until it is quite stiff, not sticky and as dry as you dare make it.
In addition to this, I layer. I am making a really large sculpture of a hare at the moment and as I wanted this to be solid, for weight, I started out by making tiny bricks out of Cold Porcelain which I allowed to dry. I then built these into a basic shape, using wet cold porcelain to glue the dry blocks together. This helps in two ways, because the air dries the outer surface and the dry bricks draw in some of the moisture for a quicker and more even dry. As the piece has grown, I apply overlapping layers by rolling small, pea sized balls of cold porcelain and flattening them onto the dry surface of my project.
You can apply this layering technique with smaller pieces, by starting out with a thin shape, allowing it to dry overnight and then applying wet cold porcelain over the top. Using this method, I have not experienced any cracking with my recipe. Also, the overall drying time is much quicker.
I do hope that this helps you to move forward with your own projects and wish you every sucess with those.
Have lots of fun experimenting.
Sally x
GryphonArt thank you so much for responding in such a quick manner 😃 It would be neat if you recorded just a quick shot of your brick building process. But no pressure lol. I was thinking maybe I didn't cook the porcelain long enough as I was afraid of overcooking, or maybe the fact I used acrylic paint instead of oil paint to color it, etc. What confuses me is all these people making these thick items do not seem to be having a problem with cracking. They do, however, cover Styrofoam balls for the heads and bodies of the figurines they make, though. But I have seen some where they don't do it for the head. Right now I have been struggling with the head of a little lamb. I even used a little Styrofoam ball. The first one I made cracked all over. The 2nd one I kneaded really well and it only cracked a little. Bit it still cracked. So I took the remainder of my flesh colored porcelain and rolled it out and then wrapped the whole head with it. I covered it with a plastic bag to slow down the drying process (as I heard quick drying can cause the cracking. ) The next morning I checked it and it was covered in cracks. I couldn't believe it. I peeled it off. So I'm hoping somehow to fill the cracks smoothly. If not I will make more porcelain and try a 3rd time. I will try your recipe, too. Do you have any idea why it calls for glycerin And baby oil? Instead of just one or the other? Also the first couple of batches I made was very lumpy. So the next batch I sifted the cornstarch. Do you think that's ok to do? Does it matter if I used white distilled vinegar without the malt? I used lemon juice and lime juice from a couple of recipes on you tube. They actually called the porcelain Lamasa Clay. And there wasnt an exact measurement for the juice. It would just say half of a lemon squeezed. Thank you for all your help.
Morning Missi R
Thank you for all this information and ... I'm so sorry that you are experiencing so many issues. I will try and respond with the knowledge that I have gained, but please be aware that I have only every used the recipe that I have provided in my video.
I do intend doing a video of the brick process, but I am now out at work and find that this is getting in the way ... not so much time left for TH-cam :o(
Let's talk recipe first ....
As far as I am aware, the glycerin helps to provide a smooth surface in the same way that it does for royal icing on wedding cakes. It should help to prevent cracking so I believe it is an important ingredient.
I'm not so sure about the oil, but again, I think that this is for smoothness. Oil tends to settle flat and probably helps to add a degree of flexibility and shine to the medium.
I use white vinegar and I believe that this ingredient is just to prevent mould whilst the product is in a wet form, which is why some people substitute with lemon juice. I personally prefer vinegar because lemon juice does contain some sugar and can be sticky.
If its' any help, to reduce lumps, I usually put the cornflour in the pan first and make a well in the centre. I Add one cup of glue and the other liquids into the centre well and gradually draw the flour in as I stir in the middle of the pan. One this is thoroughly combined, I add the second cup of glue. If you still have lumps, allow the mixture to sit in the bottom of the pan, so that the moisture in the glue has time to penetrate into the flour and then stir again before placing on the heat.
Use a very low heat and if the porcelain cooks too quickly on the bottom, keep removing from the heat as you stir. The mixture should form a fairly compact ball when it is ready, although this generally slumps a little when left in the pan.
Now let's talk projects ....
As I mentioned previously, I would definitely create the lamb's head in stages - it will reduce drying time and go a long way to prevent cracking.
I would probably start with a pea-sized ball, leave it to dry and then put it in the middle of another piece of porcelain and and roll into another ball, etc. (If you want to go slightly bigger and risk cracking, it's probably fine at this stage, it is the finish layer that you are concerned with).
For your final layer, make this about 2mm or 1/8" inch thick and completely enclose your dried shape. Whilst this thin layer is wet, you should be able to add features, but make sure that these layers are also thin.
When I made a small rabbit head, I made the ears seperately and built them in during the final stages.
I think that's all the information I have for you and really hope that this helps you. My view of cold porcelain is that it is about experimenting with the medium to gain an understanding of it and accepting that there are some projects that it is not best suited too. There are definitely times when I would use something like Fimo instead.
All the best wishes ... I'm off to work now :o)
Sally
GryphonArt it was so kind of you to take time to try and help me. I really really appreciate it and hope some day to be able to conquer this cracking problem and be able to make these adorable creations I see people making tutorials for all over you tube. It seems cold porcelain is a big hit for people in Spanish speaking countries like polymer clay is here in the states and a few other places. I’ve been into polymer clay since 2011 and wish I had discovered it a lot earlier in life lol. I recently discovered I enjoy clay painting and fairy making. A lot of Italian you tube girls are into the fairy making. They make pendants with them attached to mini picture frames made from either clay or resin. They’re very lovely but I don’t have a use for a pendant so I make a wall hanging instead. Anyway I wanted to give cold porcelain a go when I saw all the adorable jars and it would take an incredible amount of polymer clay to make those. I hope I figure it out. I recently bought some food coloring gel to try as I heard it was a great colorant. Have you tried those? I hope I didn’t already ask this as I’m getting so forgetful now a days but do you use oil paint to color your porcelain? I would think different colorants would affect the porcelain. Like alcohol inks. I bet that would dry it up too fast.
Sorry you have to work too much. My older sister does too and is always so tired and depressed because she has no energy left to enjoy life. Well, thanks again Sally for all your advice. What a sweet person you are and you have a lovely voice too! I love it! I hate my accent so if I ever start making tutorials like I want to, they’ll be silent!
Well, Missi R ... you have made me smile today and ... I'm sure that you have a lovely voice!
I have used all sorts of things to colour my cold porcelain, including food colouring, Winsor & Newton Alkyd Oil Paint, Acrylic Paints and even glittery golden eye-shadows! All seem to work on some level and ... if it's a nice colour then I will give it a go :0)
Your fairy projects sound lovely and I do hope that with a little trial and error, you find your feet with the cold porcelain.
All the best wishes.
Sally
Hi, i love your video, thaks so much. I want to ask, does somebody use pasta maschine with cold porcelain? What do you do with its stickiness? Mines working with hands is perfect, but can't work with pasta maschine. Sticks to it a lot. What do you do?
Hello Dsauskelnes Daugkartines
I confess that I have never used a pasta machine with this product and although I have searched to see if there is anyone out there that has, so that I can help you, I have been unsuccessful.
I would say that I often use teflon baking sheets (which you can cut to size), when I am using cold porcelain, because it does not stick to these. If you want to flatten out you material, you could try putting some between two of these sheets before rolling the top sheet with a rolling pin. I think that would be my approach.
Sorry that I can't provide more help and many thanks to you for your kind comments.
Best wishes
Sally
You can try putting the two sheets of teflon with your porcelain in between through your pasta machine, instead of rolling it with a pin, too. (Does this stick to wax paper? Maybe you can use that if you have no teflon.)
Also, it may be possible to just add more cornstarch to the sheet of porcelain you want to go through the machine without any problems; I'm not sure since I've never tried that with mine.
Hello SassyNot4u
Thanks for your input which is really useful! I wouldn't have thought to use the pasta machine with two teflon sheets, instead of the rolling pin and you're right ... it could work. Really good thinking. Thank you.
Happy crafting.
Sally
Hi I’m new to this , is this air dry or oven . Thank you .
Hello Dorothy
Cold Porcelain is an air drying clay medium. Thin pieces will retain some flexibility when dry and thicker pieces will be very hard when dry. You might also need to know that the dried clay will take on moisture and soften, if there has not been an application of a waterproofing layer.
I hope that this helps and that you have fun working with the medium.
All the best wishes
Sally
Good Work. Your recipe also follows a Bioplastic recipe I've seen
Hi Chris
... thanks for getting in touch and for your positive input which is much appreciated :o). "Bioplastic"?? .... Interesting .. I shall have to look it up!
Have a good day today. Sally