- Art Clay is one of two leading brands of silver clay, the other being Precious Metal Clay. Metal clays are made from particles of metal suspended in water and a moldable base made of organic material. The process for creating these clays originated from the recycling of movie film containing particles of real silver and gelatin.
- Sculpting with art clay is similar to modeling with other forms of earthenware, air-dry modeling clay. After you have sculpted a piece, you allow it to air-dry, then refine it using sandpaper and filing tools before firing it into metal. You can fire silver Art Clay using a kiln or hand torch, while other types of metal Art Clay can only be fired in a kiln. The process of firing burns away the organic material and fuses together the tiny particles of metal, leaving a solid metal sculpture.
- The Art Clay company got its start in the United States in 1997 in California. Today, the product is distributed from Art Clay's new headquarters in Illinois. The clay itself, however, is made by a small company in Japan, where it originated in 1994. It is still made from recycled materials.
- Art Clay is sold in many countries. In the United States, it distribution is controlled by Art Clay's North American headquarters, Art Clay World. The clay is available at a select few retail outlets, but you can also buy it through the company's website and catalog suppliers.
- Art Clay is sold in small packages, usually containing only enough clay to equal a large piece of bubble gum. These small quantities of clay are largely used to make small jewelry pieces. Because of to its structure and texture, this type of metal crafting is more limited than metal smithing or casting, so many instructional books and videos deal with discovering specific types of projects that use the medium well.
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