How to Make Porcelain Clay
Create miniature flowers and more with this material.
Make Cold Porcelain at Home
Porcelain clay, or cold porcelain, is one of the best materials for a craft project available. If you have chosen to work on a delicate craft project, then this material is by far the best choice. It is very pliable and soft, which makes it ideal in many situations.
Porcelain clay gets its name from its shiny resemblance to porcelain (once the clay dries). One great advantage of this type of clay is that it can be fairly inexpensive and easy to make. Another advantage is that you can add a particular color to enhance whatever project or piece of art you are inspired to create.
Porcelain Clay Recipe
The first step in making porcelain clay is to get the required ingredients and equipment for the process.
Ingredients
The ingredients include:
- 3/4 cup of white glue
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 tsp (about 5 mL) of glycerin
- 1 cup of cornstarch
- acrylic paint for color (optional)
Equipment
The only equipment required is:
- a plastic container
- a wooden spoon
- a couple of hand towels
- a saucepan
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix the water, glue, and glycerin in your saucepan over medium heat. The goal is to heat it up and mix it until it becomes creamy and smooth. Make sure to remove any clumps.
- After this, you can begin slowly adding the cornstarch as you continue mixing. The mixture should begin to take on a cottage cheese form.
- Remove the mixture from the saucepan and into a towel or something similar. Form the mixture into a ball.
- At this point, you should place a cold wet towel on a plate and then put the ball on top of that. Begin kneading the clay until it is cool to the touch.
- You can now remove the towel, but continue to knead the ball for a few more minutes.
- If the ball feels sticky, then cornstarch should be added. If you would like to add color, this is the best time.
Keep the porcelain clay in an airtight container for up to three days.
What Is Cold Porcelain Used For?
- Miniature Flowers: The most common creation that is made with porcelain clay is miniature flowers. This was actually what it was originally invented for.
- Other Miniatures: This material is best for smaller projects, like flowers. Some people prefer to make statues or other pieces of miniature art.
Enjoy Your New Creations!
This type of clay can be a fun and creative material to work with—just be sure to take your time when making it, and take care of your project after it is finished.
You can use the comments section to leave any suggestions regarding porcelain clay or discuss your projects.
Also, if you find this article useful, share it with your friends!
More Air-Dry Clay Ideas
- What to Know Before Making Clay Jewelry at Home
Have you decided to try making clay jewelry at home but have no idea where to start? Here are some tips and tricks that will help! - How to Make Miniature Clay Animals
This is a craft idea to do on a lazy afternoon. Make little bitty animals out of clay! Fun for kids using air-dry clay.
Comments
Kelly on November 17, 2019:
Lol someone actually said 'aint porcelain ' ..its cold porcelain it's just faux porcelain ,def looks like it, and this is crazy best recipe I've found out of five i have tried recently it dries so smoothly and i made snowflake ornaments with it. Just added Swarovski crystals and glazed over. It was fun and im gonna make more seeing these are strong and i thank whomever added this recipe..i did however use a dab of shampoo in place of glycerin it contained it so luckily it worked.
Simone on June 22, 2017:
I'm going to be purist and say this ain't porcelain, and it should be named something else to save confusion.
Miranda 195 on September 04, 2014:
I have made the most amazing corn starch clay yet water does not go in the recipe after it is cooked and cooled I add Lepage spackling just kneed it in the clay and it becomes elastic never craks when drying
Gitzy Mum on August 04, 2014:
This is "Cold Porcelain". An air dry version.
Angie Power from North Cali on May 18, 2013:
This must be different from the Porcelain Clay that is fired in a kiln and glazed. What are you supposed to seal this clay with so that it will not get water damage?
DMPottery from Sydney, Australia on April 08, 2013:
I found this hub confusing as it doesn't clarify immediately that it is not talking about porcelain clay - the ceramic material. You should be more specific about what this 'porcelain clay' actually is. Real porcelain clay is made up of Kaolin, silica, felspar etc and is fired in a kiln.