NARA Ceramic Clay | Terracotta | 500g - Pottery & Hand Building Clay

Real pottery clay, not a craft dough, in a 500g pack that suits one bowl or a set of small pieces. This is NARA ceramic clay in terracotta, soft enough to pinch and coil by hand and smooth enough to throw on a wheel. Dry it in the air for a decorative piece or fire it in a kiln for a true ceramic finish.

Specifications

Ideal For

• Beginners starting pottery at home
• Students on a ceramics course
• Hand building and pinch pot work
• Small studios making one off pieces

Perfect for

• Pinch pots, coil bowls and slab trays
• Wheel thrown cups and small vessels
• Sculpted figures and busts
• Textured tiles and wall pieces
• Practice work before a studio firing

Compatibility

Works with: hand building by pinch, coil and slab, a pottery wheel, clay modelling tools, a rolling pin and a sponge, and a kiln if you have access to one.

Pairs well with: clay modelling tools, a turntable and acrylic paint for an unfired finish.

Not suitable for: holding water or food once air dried rather than fired, since an unfired piece stays porous and softens if it is soaked.

How to Use

1. Wedge the clay first, pressing and folding it on a board to drive out air pockets that crack a piece later.
2. Build by pinching, coiling or rolling slabs, or centre it on a wheel if you throw.
3. Score and slip every joint, which means scratching both faces and wetting them, so the parts do not separate as they dry.
4. Dry slowly under a loose cover for a day or two, then leave it uncovered until it is bone dry.
5. Paint and seal for a decorative finish, or fire it in a kiln if you want a true ceramic result.

Before You Buy

• Air dried and kiln fired give very different results. An air dried piece stays porous and is decorative only.
• We state no firing temperature for this clay, so check with your kiln or studio before you fire a batch.
• Wedge before you start. Trapped air is the usual reason a piece cracks or bursts.
• Keep the unused clay sealed with a damp cloth. It stiffens quickly once air reaches it.
• 500g is one bowl or a handful of small pieces. Plan on more than one pack for a full set.

You will Need

• clay modelling tools
• acrylic paints

You may also like

• air dry clay
• polymer clay
• foam clay

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this without a kiln?
Yes. Air dry it and the piece holds its shape, then paint and seal it. It stays porous, so treat it as decorative rather than something that holds water or food.

Does it work on a pottery wheel?
Yes. It is a natural ceramic clay, smooth enough to centre and throw once it is properly wedged.

How is this different from air dry craft clay?
Craft air dry clay is a made up compound for models. This is real ceramic clay, so it behaves like studio clay on the wheel and can be fired if you have a kiln.