what kind of glaze would completely waterproof a handmade painted clay figurine?

Question

i am making figurines out of sculpey III clay, baking it, painting it, for snow globes!! what kind of paint, or what kind of glaze/varnish can i apply to Completely waterproof it?

there must be something out there, how about figurines for aquariums? they must be lifetime waterproofed too!!

could i possibly use the marine goop (sealant), epoxy cement , or silicon sealant that dries clear to "seal" the figurine as well as secure the glass to the base, if they dry clear?

Answer 1

The answer to this is a bit tricky, in several ways.

First, "polymer" clay (Sculpey, FimoClassic, FimoSoft, Premo, Kato) are different from "earth" or ceramic clay... also different types of "glazes" are used for them, and the temp for curing is a lot different, so the same things won't apply to both types of "clay." Figurines for aquariums, for example, are ceramic clay that's been fired to a high temp, with a very different "glaze" that will be competely waterproof.

But while polymer clays (after baking/curing) are highly water-resistant even without a finish, they are not totally **water-proof, over time, when completely and continuously immersed in water**.
The natural surface of baked polymer clay is impervious to water for all practical purposes if it's splashed on, or even surmerged awhile. But it is actually a *tiny bit* porous (some brands more than others), so if submerged *continuously over months* it will begin to show a whitish "coating" (mostly on the darker colors) which is where the water is beginning to penetrate the surface just a bit (....or it will leak if it's a plain clay container holding water like a vase).

Now you said you were *painting over* your polymer clay, so if you've used a sufficient coating of acrylic paint over the entire object, it may not be porous or it may (not sure).
The clear finishes that are used over polymer clay are also acrylic (like acylic paints), so some may work especially if they are several coats thick (like Rustoleum's water-based Varathane) or even "marine" finishes (...petroleum-based finishes can't be used directly on baked clay though).
Liquid polymer clay is supposed to decrease the porosity quite well, and 2-part epoxy resins and some epoxy glues might work too.

There's a lot more info about using polymer clay in snowglobes and around other water situations on this page as well, if you want to check it out:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/outdoor_snowglobes_fountains.htm

P.S. I'd also suggest using a stronger polymer clay than Sculpey if you want your items to be less breakable, especially in any thin or projecting areas (e.g., Premo, FimoClassic or Kato --. the strength of the new version of FimoSoft isn't certain yet). And also, Sculpey is probably the most porous of the brands of polymer clay (so very good to draw on with soft colored pencils btw) ...Kato brand might be best since it's the densest and even cures with a slight sheen because of that, but water tests done with Premo have had good results too.


HTH,

Diane B.

Answer 2

Waterproof Polymer Clay

Answer 3

I am unsure about the different types of sculpey. But I believe they are all color fast and water proof after baking. I would avoid paint. But if you must paint, use acrylics and then coat several times completely with polyurethane.

This page by sculpey.com has a link for instructions of mixing sculpeyIII colors.
http://www.sculpey.com/Products/products_poly_sculpeyIII.htm
There are other pages at that site which help with color mixing.

mixing sculpy clay to create colors is the recommended method.

I would not recommend Sculpy, or ANY type of paint or varnish treatment on objects you put in a fish tank. You could very easily poison the fish. Only use things in a fish tank you buy from an aquarium store.

Answer 4

Ebay is probably your best bet. Depending on your style of figurine, you could be considered High Art. Type in OOAK (which stands for One Of A Kind) in the Ebay search - this will bring up mostly very fine and expensive pieces (fairies, mermaids, etc.) this will give you some idea of what is out there, and what people like. ALSO....don't make your stuff like others do. Make your own thing and start with a reasonable price.

Answer 5

all fired glazes are waterproof the trick is getting total coverage with no cracks

as for paint i would think that a marine enamel ( boat paint ) would work or any epoxy that is made for outdoor use

Answer 6

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