Will storing clay in a refrigerator help prolong the shelf life? I have had no problems with the critter clay, but sometimes the big chunks of potters clay want to dry out even though they are sealed tightly.
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I put it in a double plastic bag. When I finish, I twist the bags and fold the tag end under and set it on the shop table. I'm useing a bag I've had for 6 months and it's still soft and supple as it was the day I opened it. Evaporation kills clay, not temperature. Funny, Critter Clay always seems to dry quicker on me than regular potters clay. I stopped using it for that reason.
All water base clays will dry out in time unless kept in an airtight heavy plastic wrap. If they do dry out, toss the chunks into a container of water and allow to soak for several days. This is called slaking in the pottery trade. After the clay is compleatly saturated, it needs to be "batted" or piled on a slab of plaster to allow the excess moisture to percolate out. Following the drying on a plaster bat, the clay is "wedged". Wedging is nothing more than body slamming the wad of clay against a wooden surface to pack the particles and force out more moisture and render the clay workable. Most sculpting clays have a high content of ball clay and become very hard when dry. The slaking, draining and wedging will turn the chunks into useful product once again. I store mine in a heavy plastic bag, twist tied at the top and placed in an airtight container. Regrigeration will possibly extend the life of polymer clays, but it has no effect on ball and potter's clay.
I don't know if it is a proper artist's technique, [Bill would know] but I always spray the surface of my clay with water before re-sealing it. It takes a LONG time to use a 25lb. block of clay doing only birds, but I've never had one dry out on me.
Nancy M.
Good Morning Richard,
I always soak a rag in water and a bactericide, lay it on the clay and reseal the bag.This will keep your clay nice and moist and the Bactericide will help prevent any molding after a long period of time of not using.
Have a good weekend,
Dave>Van Dyke's