Fimo Polymer Clay - Soft

FIMO polymer clay is popular for model making and for other arts and crafts items, even some jewellery. Its popularity stems from it being easy to use, even for beginners, ideal for hardening in a domestic oven and extremely durable once hardened.

Using Polymer Clay

As long as you store polymer clay away from sources of heat and keep it free of dirt and contaminants, it will remain workable for a long time. Plastic boxes and sandwich bags are great for this and you should, ideally, keep different colours separate.

Over time, polymer clay can become hard and crumbly but it can easily be restored to a pliable form. Warm it slightly, possibly in a waterproof bag submerged in hot water, but not too much so that it cures.

You can also, if necessary, add liquid clay or mineral oil to soften the clay, and then knead it to restore it to full pliability. Some people use a pasta maker, or similar device with rollers, to condition the polymer clay and create thin slices for easy use.

Once ready for use, shape the clay into whatever form you want; it will remain pliable throughout the process. When your artwork is complete to your satisfaction, it needs to be baked thoroughly to harden it so it will last.

This can be done in a normal domestic oven but you must be careful to follow the manufacturer’s instructions properly to ensure optimum hardness.

A temperature of 129-135⁰ C, maintained for fifteen minutes per 0.25 inches of thickness, is normally sufficient for curing the clay. Pre-heat the oven before you start and don’t worry about baking too long since this won’t harm the product and may even be beneficial. However, don’t go above 170⁰ C as this may cause the clay to burn.

Once baked, the polymer clay will be strong and water resistant, with no need for any sealer or glaze. However, you can apply acrylic paint (test first to ensure compatibility) and may then wish to apply a coat of varnish to protect the paint against scrapes and knocks.

Polymer clay is non-toxic and so is safe in general use. But it’s not suitable for use with food so don’t use it to make plates and dishes.

Buying with Confidence

FIMO is, we believe, the best polymer clay due to it being soft, easily kneaded and simply hardened in a domestic oven. As such, it’s suitable for all ages and abilities so you can buy with confidence and get started straightaway.

We supply various pack sizes and different colours, and you can mix the clay with FIMO effects to achieve all sorts of outcomes.

Do you know where to buy polymer clay?

If you care about quality and value, you'll know that the best place to buy polymer clay is Art Shed, Australia's number one art materials supplier.

We take quality seriously, which is why we stock and recommend FIMO brand polymer clay. This world famous brand is a favourite of artists because it is so exceptionally workable, comes in a fabulous range of colours, and hardens perfectly every time.

It's also wonderfully inexpensive. FIMO is a great modelling clay and you can save even more money when you buy yours from Art Shed.

What is special about FIMO polymer clay?

There are two main types of clay that artists use (not including plaster, which can be used in similar ways but is also significantly different), these are mineral clay and polymer clay.

Mineral clay is more traditional and may suit a certain sense of aesthetics, but in truth, there isn't very much you can do with it that can't also be done with polymer clay. Of the two types, polymer clay is much easier to work with.

Polymer clay vs mineral clay

There can be good reasons to choose either type of clay, but polymer clay offers many advantages over mineral clay.

• To maintain workability, mineral clay needs to be kept wet (working with dry mineral clay gives lumpy results that look the outcome was created in a kindergarten art class). Polymer clay does not require constant wetting to maintain its workability, because it is based on plastic and is inherently more elastic.
• Mineral clay is a naturally occurring substance that comes out of the ground and is a component of dirt. The organic component of it may give it a characteristically unpleasant odour, and it is very messy to work with. None of these negative characteristics are present in polymer clay.
• It's necessary to either wear gloves or keep your hands constantly wet while working with mineral clay, or it will begin to dry on your skin. This creates a most unpleasant sensation. Polymer clay does not have this problem.
• Mineral clay may be available in different colours, but they will always be the natural colours of the rock or earth that they came from. FIMO polymer clay is available in a huge range of colours.
• FIMO polymer clay is really soft and easy to work with. You can easily sculpt and shape it, either by hand or with tools. You can make anything with it that you could make from mineral clay, but with much less mess and difficulty. Once your creation is the shape you desire, you simply bake it in an oven or kiln.
• FIMO polymer clay is often used in the animation industry to make stop-motion animation characters. It's easy workability, vibrant colours, and reliable consistency make it a naturally good selection for this purpose. Mineral clay can also be used, but it's more difficult to work with and usually requires painting.

Buy your polymer clay from Art Shed

Art Shed always has the best value deals on FIMO polymer clay, and you can rely on us to supply authentic products without compromise. You can find many more art products and accessories at Art Shed to help you complete your tasks, and shopping with us is as easy as  can be. Browse our product range and see for yourself what a great experience it is. art supplies with Art Shed.

At Art Shed, we’re a one-stop shop for all your polymer clay supplies.

Art Shed supply art supplies online in Australia including canvas art supplies, acrylic paint, kids craft supplies and plenty more. Shop online with Art Shed and save big on your art supplies.