Hmm, if you use oil instead of water in pottery clay, then it will turn into modeling clay. In sculptural projects, this modeling clay is widely used as the clay gets malleable day by day.
Therefore, you can use this modeling clay in stop-motion animation filmmaking because this clay ensures flexibility so that you can move the character parts according to your needs.
But, look, when you fire an oil-based clay, then no doubt, this clay will be melt with the heat it gets from the fire, and the oil will be burning, and finally, you will find no structural design or anything else of the clay.
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What Is Water-based Clay?
Generally, water-based clays are clays blended with water. These water-based clays are so inexpensive, and you will need to keep them surfaced, or they will dry out in the end. They are soft and easily usable in your hands.
When you have the right amount of water, then water-based clays are easy to work, soft to handle. By using a water sprayer, it’s pretty easy to remove from a model.
What Is Oil-based Clay?
Oil-based clays are one kind of clays that comes from a diverse combination of waxes, oils, and clay substances. As you know, oil never evaporates like water, so this oil-based clay remains flexible if you leave it in a dry place for a long time.
Things created out of oil-based clays will never gets fired, reason being it declines oil viscosity as the temperature increases, and then the flexibility is affected by cooling or boiling the clay. Remember, the Oil-based clays are never water-soluble.
These oil-based clays are popular items for animation artists because these clays help them to move their models as they want to do. You will find oil-based clays in different colors, and they all are non-toxic materials. Oil-based clays are suitable for making sculptures.
By using industrial-grade modeling clay, world-class manufacturers are creating cars and airplanes.
Why the Oil-based Clay And Water-based Clay Are Not the Same Things?
There are many differences. Actually, clay is the part of the soil that comes out with the flat scraps, which can skim over each other and cliffs. After that, the clay can hold a unique shape. Indeed, shaped clays can’t be oil-based at all.
So yeah, it’s easy to say that if you have an oil-based clay, that is integrated, not clay. Think of it, clay mixed with water has some individual attributes. Like- it’s easy to form, you can dry it, and then you can fire it in a kiln.
But what happens when it’s oil-based? Simple. Let’s guess it, you have oil-based clay, and you want to dry it, then you will find no results as oil doesn’t evaporate.
So, these TWO are not the same things.
Humid pots have a risk when they are in the kiln because they may leave from the pan freely when it doesn’t have time to dry before it arrives at the boiling point.
When it comes to oil, it can catch fire though the pot is heated, and the sudden flames on the pan may raise the surface temperature and then lead to damage due to tepid clash.
Oil-based Clay VS Water-based Clay
If you are thinking about technical needs, then oil-based clays are the most significant. But remember that water-based clays work incredibly fantastic for particular tasks.
Now let’s get deeper into water-based clay and oil-based clay features to understand why they suit you.
Water-based Clay Features!
By using water-based clay, you can create a sculpture in a super-fast way. It doesn’t include any toxic elements, and you don’t need a flame. These water-based clays can be re-decorate later if they become firmer once.
One of the most eye-catching parts of water-based clay is that this clay can dry out our hands while working with it.
After the water-based clay dries out once, they become firmer and more solid. After that, you can put it into the fire and then naturally get a ceramic sculpture.
One water-based clay you may like most is WED clay, as it dries a little bit slower than other water-based clays, and you will love its glycerin content.
At a glance at water-based clay:
- Reusable
- Sculps quickly
- Smooths perfectly
- Creates eye-catching ceramic sculptures
Oil-Based Clay Features!
The oil-based clays protect you from dust and keep you away from the sunlight and heat sources. If you go with this clay, then you’ll experience no cracking or no drying while they are not on an open surface.
Oil-based clays work great on thin applications as they are durable and very bending at room temperature. These clays are convenient for creating static sculptures and making action fingers because of their more natural and practical approach.
With these clays, smoothing can be quickly done with solutions but remember that they are toxic. However, monster clay is one of the best oil-based clay you may love very much. Because of its easy melting feature in the crockpot and microwave oven, you can be a fan of this clay!
These clays can shape very well and conducive for tools or fingers. What about its smell? Hmm, they have a soft and pleasant fragrance.
Their marvelous colors excellently reveal their details and they look just outstanding on photographs. One of the disadvantages of this clay is that it takes a much time to smooth.
At a glance at oil-based clay:
It does not dry
Solid and stable
Looking elegant
Works great in the firmer state
In the write-up, we have discussed oil-based clay and water-based clay. Probably, you have already understood how they are and what happens if you use oil instead of water in pottery clay!
To sum up, Oil-based clay and water-based clay are different things.
These two have various characters. Clays are minerals formed of hydrated aluminum silicates that often carry a large amount of crystalline silica. Sometimes, they also include pollutions like organic elements or sulfur compounds.
