Can you paint polymer clay ?

Question

I'm going to attempt to make embellishments for zipper pulls with polymer clay. What kind of paint should I use? Do you paint before or after baking?

Answer 1

You certainly can paint over baked polymer clay, but generally clayers use pre-colored polymer clays, or they color their own clay before shaping).

If you do paint on it, you can use various paint-type materials --acrylic paint being the most common when using paints. At least two coats are usually required for good opaquess, and the surface should be prepared before painting by removing any oils that might be there from fingers or other things by wiping down with alcohol.

There's much more info about "painting on" polymer clay on these two pages at my polymer clay encyclopedia website, if you're interested:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/paints.htm
(...click especially on the *first few categories* in the list at the top of that page)
http://glassattic.com/polymer/letters_inks.htm
(... click on SURFACE TECHNIQUES, under Uses for Alcohol Inks...)

Baked polymer clay *alone* doesn't need a sealer though unless you want a glossy surface (and don't want to take the time to sand then buff to get the gloss).
If you want though, you can apply a clear (usually acrylic, gloss) finish on the clay itself, or on top of acrylic paint. It may protect acrylic paint a little but the scratches just won't show up as much on the finish as they would on the paint, if the item is abraided a lot.

There's lots of info on using sealers on polymer clay (and which ones are safe to use with it) on this page if you're interested:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/finishes.htm
(....click especially on VARATHANE and FUTURE)

(p.s. fingernail polish would be fine as longs as it's acrylic polish ... "enamel" polishes wouldn't --they'll begin to dissolve the clay over time making it sticky or worse -- sometimes it's hard to tell which are acrylic though, but I believe at least the polishes/sealers made for acrylic nails are usually acrylic... I know Maybelline Wet N Shine is acrylic too for another example)


HTH,

Diane B.

P.S. You can paint before baking, especially when using other materials and pigments, but it's just less complicated to do it afterward.

P.P.S. Btw, here are a few zipper pulls & ceiling fan pulls (same idea since all are basically a "bead" attached to a finding) made from polymer clay, without paint though:
http://www.bronzebulletdesign.com/gallery_zipper_pulls.htm
http://www.good-night-iene.com/FanPullsLatest.html#21
http://www.woodthrushstudio.com/tinyandzipper.html
http://klewexpressions.com/largeimages/zip500.jpg
http://www.emeraldearth.com/servlet/Categories?category=Ceiling+Fan+Pulls



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Answer 2

Painting Polymer Clay

Answer 3

Yes you can paint polymer clay. Acrylic paint
works well. Use a top coat suitable for polymer
clay. Why not just use different colors so you won't have to paint. Just use the top coat
to give them a shine. Paint after you bake and
it cools down completely.

Answer 4

I use acrylic paint after the piece has been baked and cooled. I have found that you can paint directly on the clay after baking it. Because you are making a zipper pull, you'll want to seal it with an acrylic sealant. (I use Future Floor Polish) After that dries, I would use several coats of clear nail polish so your embellishments dont fade or get worn off. If you apply nail polish directly to the clay, in time it will become gummy or tacky, so always seal it first with an acrylic sealant.
Good luck

Answer 5

You certainly can. Bake and let it cool before you do. Don't forget to seal it when you're done.