Old Clay, New Look!
Air Dry Clay Projects. Here’s What Happened When I Tried It
Sometimes, a good art experiment starts with zero expectations and leftover supplies. In this case, I had a pile of old, air-dried clay pieces gathering dust and a set of Suminagashi marbling inks I hadn’t touched in a while, so I did what every curious artist does—I went all in to see if I could bring these projects back to life.
Was it a genius idea or a total fail?
First, let’s list all the helpful materials you’ll need for this experiment.
Materials
- Old air-dry clay projects (completely dry)
- Suminagashi marbling inks, Sumi Ink, or India Inks to sit on top of the water
- Tray or container for water
- Dawn dish soap
- Nail file or sandpaper
- Soft cloth
- White acrylic paint (optional)
- Triple Thick varnish or similar topcoat
- Metallic acrylic paint (optional)
- Toothpick or skewer for swirling ink
Step-by-Step: Suminagashi on Air Dry Clay
Step 1: Smooth the Surface
Start with completely dry, air-dry clay pieces. If they’ve been sitting for a while, they may feel rough or chalky. Use a nail file or sandpaper to gently smooth the surface. Wipe them clean with a soft cloth to remove any dust—this step helps the ink stick better.
Step 2: (NOT RECOMMENDED) Acrylic Paint Base
I tried coating some pieces with white acrylic paint first. I also tested a watered-down version of the paint. Spoiler alert: Neither worked as well as I had hoped. The unpainted clay was the best surface, but more on that below.
Step 3: Set Up Your Suminagashi Tray
Fill a shallow tray with water. Lightly touch the surface of the water with suminagashi ink, one color at a time. I lightly touched the surface of the water with Dawn dish soap on my brush. This breaks the water surface tension and helps create patterns. Dish soap is the easiest and most readily available method. Then, use a skewer or toothpick to gently swirl the colors together into marbled designs.
Step 4: Time to Dip
Start dipping your clay pieces into the ink patterns. Hold each one gently and press it into the water just enough to touch the surface. Pull it out slowly and let the pattern transfer. It’s unpredictable—and that’s part of the fun. I dipped a small flower frog first. It picked up the ink beautifully. I also tried some smaller pieces that could be used for jewelry or embellishments. All of these had no acrylic paint, and the results were the most vibrant.
Step 5: What Didn’t Work
The pieces that were pre-coated with acrylic paint didn’t absorb the ink well. The designs came out blotchy or faded. Even the watered-down paint version didn’t help much. Lesson learned: Skip the acrylic base if you’re using air-dry clay with suminagashi.
Step 6: Sealing the Color
Once everything was dry, I coated the surfaces with Triple-Thick varnish. It really made the colors pop and protected the ink. I even compared the sealed and unsealed sides. The varnished half looked brighter and more finished.
Final Thoughts: What Worked & What Didn’t
✅ What Worked:
- Unpainted, air-dry clay absorbed the ink beautifully.
- Triple Thick varnish brought out the vibrancy of the marbled ink.
- Dawn dish soap helped open up ink swirls for more interesting patterns.
❌ What Didn’t Work:
- Acrylic paint as a base blocked the ink from absorbing.
- Acrylic ink over clay didn’t produce the same effect.
Would You Try It?
I went into this with no plan and came out with some really exciting results—and ideas for future projects. I can definitely see myself using this technique for decorative pieces, jewelry, or even larger clay sculptures.
Would you try suminagashi marbling on your clay projects? Let me know in the comments! And if you liked this experiment, check out my full YouTube Tutorials
Subscribe on YouTube so you don’t miss any of my upcoming clay + ink experiments!
You may also like:
DIY Suminagashi: The Art of Japanese Paper Marbling
- Momigami Paper Meets Air-Dry Clay: Make This Easy Vase
- Suminagashi on Air Dry Clay!
- Finding Freedom in Abstract Art
- From Walks to Words: Art in the Unexpected
- Reverse Engineering Your Life Needs 1 Thing to be Successful: