How to use & work with Translucent Polymer Clay
Translucent polymer clay is an uncolored clay that allows some light to pass through it. You can use this clay to create beautiful see-through glass looking jewelry, especially earrings.
The closest you can come to a glass effect in your craft projects, without actually using glass, is to use translucent polymer clay.
Translucent polymer clay allows some light and color to shine through it once it is baked. Therefore it is great for projects where you want to create that glass effect.
Most translucent clay looks pretty white or slightly beige before you bake it. But baking the clay makes it more transparent and opaque.
Most of the major brands of polymer clay offer a translucent version. Some also offer colored translucent versions.
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A Round up of Available Translucent Polymer Clays
There are several brands that produce a translucent polymer clay. So which brand is best and what are the pros and cons of each different brand?
Pardo Translucent Polymer Clay
Pardo’s translucent polymer clay comes in two different versions – translucent and agate.
The translucent line comes in 8 different colors, one of which is without a color tint.
Pardo has the clearest translucent clay by far. Look for the Pardo Translucent color to get the most clear color clay.
The Pardo Agate clay is a great translucent clay color. It is not as translucent as the regular Pardo translucent clay, but it does have a lovely opaque finish to it.
This clay can be difficult to work with however, and it also tends to be far more expensive than the other translucent clay brands.
Cernit Translucent Polymer Clay
Cernit Translucent clay is a white color when unbaked, and has a great translucent quality to it when baked.
Cernit’s translucent polymer clay tends to be more taffy-like and sticky in texture. This can make it hard to work with.
However, Cernit translucent clay really takes top honors in being a great translucent clay. When it is fully baked it contains no tints and is purely translucent.
Sculpey Premo Translucent Clay
Sculpey Premo has a great translucent polymer clay. It is easy to work with, and it is very transparent when baked.
If you use this clay too thickly however it can have a yellow tinge to it. If you are using it rolled very thin you will like the clear result.
It is very easy to burn Premo clay, which does not bode well for translucent and more opaque colored projects.
Premo does also do a white translucent clay. It does not have such a yellow tint when baked as the regular Premo translucent clay. It also does not burn as easily as the regular translucent, and it is easy to work with.
Fimo Translucent Polymer Clay
Fimo’s whole range of special effects clay includes several translucent colored clays. Fimo’s translucent clays are not the clearest of all the translucent clays, but they can be good for many projects that you can create.
When baked the translucent clay has no tint whatsoever, especially no yellow tints, which makes it a great choice for a clearly baked clay.
It is not as translucent as the Cernit and Pardo clays. It can also scorch more easily in the oven when baking.
Sculpey III Translucent Clay
This translucent clay is very soft to work with. It gets far more sticky the longer that you work with it.
You cannot make things too thin with this clay, as it can break easily and be brittle once baked.
Kato Polyclay Translucent
This clay is not the most popular for creating translucent crafts. It can be very stiff to work with and it is also hard to condition.
After baking this is also not the clearest translucent clay, but it does bake up quite hard.
I would say that this is the lowest option of translucent clay that you should choose. It is not as translucent as other brands, and sometimes when it has been baked it can have a yellow tinge to it.
What is the Clearest Translucent Clay?
Viewing all types of translucent clay myself and reading what most people feel is the clearest translucent clay, it would seem that the clear winners are the Pardo and Cernit clays.
How to get the Clearest Translucent Clay
The thicker you roll your clay, the less clear it will be. Try to roll your clay as thinly as possible, depending on what you are making and creating of course.
Don’t over-bake your clay. Over-baking can make any clay appear browner. Stick to the recommended baking time and follow the baking instructions fully.
Also choose the more highly recommended translucent polymer clay brands, as mentioned above.
Colored Translucent Polymer Clay
Colored translucent polymer clay looks and is similar to regular colored polymer clay, but the difference is that translucent colored clay will turn more clear when it is baked.
You can also color any regular translucent clay by adding colorants to it. The best colorants to use for this are other regular colored clay, paint, ink and pigment.
Tips for Working with Translucent Polymer Clay
Translucent polymer clay tends to be more sticky and soft than other types of polymer clay. That does make it fairly difficult sometimes to work with, and if you are used to a more firm consistency with the other types of polymer clay you may find this a challenge.
Translucent clay is hard to work with because it can quickly get dirty or take on other colors. To use translucent clay you must have a super clean work surface and clean hands. Gloves are highly recommended.
Check out all these other polymer clay tutorials here:
Baking & Setting Polymer Clay: All you need to know
Using a Pasta Machine to Condition Polymer Clay
How to Create and Mix your own Polymer Clay Colors
Polymer Clay Knot Paperweight DIY
Minimal Geometric Incense Holders DIY
Speckled Ceramic Look Bowl
Tattoo Polymer Clay Bowls
What to Make with Translucent Polymer Clay
Translucent polymer clay is perfect for making jewelry. You can create some beautiful pieces of jewelry, especially earrings, with translucent clay.
Translucent polymer clay can be used to create beautiful glass-like beads and faux stones. It makes wonderful faux gemstones and crystals.
Where to Buy Translucent Polymer Clay
You can buy translucent polymer clay at most craft stockists, such as Michaels and Hobby Lobby. You can also buy them on Amazon.
A great place to purchase translucent polymer clay is Etsy. See here for available polymer clays through Etsy.
Overall, translucent polymer clay is a great choice for creating some unique and wonderful craft projects.
Translucent polymer clay is an uncolored clay that allows some light to pass through it. You can use this clay to create beautiful see-through glass looking jewelry, especially earrings.