Plastiroc - Giotto Das Air Dry Clay

PLASTIROC IS A RE-BRANDED VERSION OF A DAS-TYPE AIR DRY CLAY, MADE BY GIOTTO / FILA

• suitable for use by professional modellers, artists and for use by children and in the school environment. It is suitable for children under 3 under supervision
• choose white or terracotta in the table below
• 4 pack sizes - 500g or 1500g (at 3 for the price of 2 compared to 500g size) and 1kg or 3kg (at 3 for the price of 2 compared to 1kg size)

**********SPECIAL PURCHASE BUY IN BULK AND SAVE WHILE LIMITED STOCKS LAST ************

Guidance tips in working with Plastiroc

Plastiroc is available in White and Terracotta. Both dry somewhat lighter than the supplied colour.

Instructions for use

Always keep the clay in a closed container, sealed from the air (eg the original packaging is ideal if there are no holes in it otherwise double pack). The clay is water soluble and dries in the air. You can add a small amount of water to it to soften it for hand prints. It has a low rate of shrinkage when drying out

Before starting think carefully about making your model and make crude sausage or ball shapes to represent the object, e.g. a dog might comprise a ball for the head, a sausage for the body and thin sausages for the legs. Bearing in mind the clay won’t hold up weight like legs to bodies, think about using wire, sticks (dowel) and other constructions to form your clay around – this also saves weight and clay

Next join the bits up and make sure they are well moulded to each other otherwise something is likely to fall off. Now you can start with surface features like noses, eyes etc. You can also add other materials like wood shavings, leaves, seeds and endless other things to enhance your model. The only limit is your imagination

Larger Models

If you want to make large models, it is unnecessary to make these entirely out of clay, as they might use up too much of your clay and be too heavy. An excellent light weight former is polystyrene slab. You can buy this from your builders merchant – it is used for insulation and can easily be cut to shape with a snap off bladed knife (children beware and use only under adult supervision). The pieces can be glued together with PVA glue. You can also use tightly bunched up old newspapers or chicken wire mesh.

Having got your basic shape you can now start clay modelling in earnest by making long sausages and wrapping your model in it or forming thin slabs and layering your model with it.

If your model is to be left for any time and needs work to continue on it, it must be tightly sealed from the air.

Making containers

When dry, Plastiroc is not waterproof. You can, however, model the clay around a glass or polythene container which will then hold liquid perfectly.

Finishing the Model

Water based paints work very well with Plastiroc but before you finish your model, you can use heavy duty pva glue or acrylic gloss varnish to stick paper, powders, sand, seeds, sawdust, etc.,etc., to the surface.

If you want your colours to glow, coat your model in white, acrylic primer undercoat, then paint it. Good quality water based paints are ideal, e.g. system 3 artists paints or high quality acrylic hobby paints. If you want to paint using metallic paints, undercoat the model in a darker colour to the metallic paint. then top coat and finally, varnish it to bring up the colours and to give it that extra coat of protection. Acrylic water based varnishes work very well and are easy clean (brushes). When dry, acrylic varnish does not wash off and is water resistant.