Make an Air-Dry Clay Trinket Dish with 3 Unique Techniques

Introduction

If you’re into fun and slightly unconventional DIYs, this one’s for you. Today, we’re making an air dry clay trinket dish using a bowl, a cushion, watercolor paints, and a temporary tattoo. It sounds unusual, but it totally works. Here’s how it came together, step by step.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Roll Out the Air-Dry Clay

Start with a small slab of air-dry clay. I used a plastic rolling pin and rolled the clay fairly thin, thinner than the standard 1/4 inch, just because I was experimenting.

Make sure the rolled clay is large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the bowl you’ll be shaping it around. I had to roll out a bit more to get the right fit.

Step 2: Shape Clay Over a Cushion

This part is a bit unusual, but trust me, it works. Place the rolled-out clay on a soft cushion (I used a craft cushion with some give). Then take your bowl and press it into the clay, pushing it gently into the cushion. This molds the clay around the bowl in a really clean and effortless way.

Flip it over and trim the excess clay around the edge. Don’t worry about perfect lines, just get close. You can smooth the edges later.

Step 3: Smooth and Dry

Dip your finger in water and gently smooth the edges. Let the clay dry completely, which usually takes about 1 to 2 days, depending on your local weather conditions.

Step 4: Sand the Edges

Once dry, lightly sand the edges and surface to clean up any rough areas. It’s a good idea to wear a mask while sanding. Wipe away the dust, and you’re ready to move on to painting.

Step 5: Apply Watercolor Ground

Before using watercolor, I applied Daniel Smith Watercolor Ground in Titanium White. It turns the clay into a surface that works beautifully with watercolor—and it helps seal the clay from absorbing too much moisture.

Let the ground dry completely before painting.

Step 6: Watercolor Painting

I used a Winsor & Newton watercolor palette and spritzed the colors to wake them up. I also used metallic watercolors for some shimmer. I started by adding blues to the outside, going for a soft, cloudlike effect.

Step 7: Add Depth with Watercolor Pencils

To add more dimension to the design, I used a Faber-Castell Indigo Watercolor Pencil. I shaved it over the dish with sandpaper, then spritzed it to dissolve. The first attempt pooled a bit too much, but I tried again using less water, and it worked better. I also mixed the watercolor pencil with water directly on my palette to paint the Indigo on.

Step 8: Paint the Inside

For the inside, I added warm yellows and metallic golds to hint at a sun or sunflower design. Again, no real plan, just layering colors and seeing what happens. Let everything dry before moving on.

Step 9: Apply a Temporary Tattoo

This part was tricky but fun. I trimmed a temporary tattoo to fit in the center, removed the backing, and placed it in the center of my trinket dish. With a wet cloth, I pressed it on the tattoo. By saturating the tattoo, the paper backing came off to reveal the tattoo, just like you’d do on your skin. I needed more water than expected, which caused some of my paint to pull up, so I repainted and reapplied it. Worth it.

Step 10: Seal the Dish

To finish it off, I used Triple Thick Gloss Glaze. I don’t recommend using a sponge brush (mine fell apart); a regular brush works much better. Seal the front and back to protect the paint and give it a glossy, ceramic-like finish. It also seals in the tattoo and protects the paint.

Final Thoughts

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