Sculpey III® Galaxy Swirl Dish

Getting Started:

Please make sure your work area is covered and you are not working on an unprotected surface. We recommend working on the Sculpey® Oven-Safe Work Mat, wax paper, metal baking sheet, or disposable foil. Uncured clay may damage unprotected furniture or finished surfaces. Be sure to cover your crafting area appropriately.

Start with clean hands, unwrap and knead clay until soft and smooth, or condition by running clay though a Pasta Machine. We recommend using a designated machine for clay purposes only. When working with multiple colors, clean hands with soap and water or baby wipes (we have found that baby wipes work best) before switching colors. Shape clay, pressing pieces firmly together. Wash hands after use.

Baking:

Begin by preheating oven to 275 °F (130 °C). After you are done creating; for best results bake clay on an oven-proof surface such metal, aluminum foil, an index card or the Sculpey® Clay Mat at 275°F (130 °C) for 30 minutes per 1/4" (6 mm) thickness according to package directions. Oven safe glass or ceramic surfaces are also acceptable for baking; however please note that the baking times may take longer as the glass or ceramic surfaces take longer to heat up. For best baking results, use an oven thermometer. DO NOT USE MICROWAVE OVEN. DO NOT EXCEED THE ABOVE TEMPERATURE OR RECOMMENDED BAKING TIME.

Condition and shape 1/8 bar of each color into a thick log. This amount of clay will make a little dish that is approximately 2.5”-3” in diameter. You can use more clay if you want a larger dish. Stack the thick logs together as shown.

Knead the four colors together and then form a large ball.

If you want to add glitter, do so at this step. Just sprinkle some glitter on your work surface and roll the ball around in it until it is picked up by the clay.

Place the plate over the ball. Grasp the plate at the sides and level the plate on top of the ball. The ball will be trapped between your work surface and the plate. Begin swirling the plate around in circles applying enough pressure that after a few turns, you will notice the ball is becoming a bi-cone shape. I have found that this swirling motion actually takes quite a bit of practice. Don't be discouraged if it doesn’t work out on the first try. Just scramble the clay up and try again!

Keep swirling the bi-cone in large circles to make the clay colors swirl around each other. When you are happy with the swirling, reduce the size of the circle you are swirling with the plate and the bi-cone will turn into a lentil shape - a perfectly formed circle with slightly beveled sides.

If the lentil shape is really thick, thin it by applying pressure with the glass plate. This will spread the clay out a bit but still keeps it in a nice even circle.

Carefully peel the clay away from the glass plate. Decide which side of the swirled clay you like best. I like to make my favorite side be the inside of the dish because you will see the inside of a shallow dish more often than the outside. Press your favorite side to the hemisphere baking bowl. Press it down from the center going outward pushing air bubbles out from between the clay and the bowl.

Push the edges of the clay tightly to the sides of the bowl to create a thin lip all the way around. You can make this lip as thin or as thick as you like. If you intend to paint it later, making a little thicker lip will help the painted edge to show better.

Use the plate to push a flat bottom to the bowl

Bake the dish on the bowl form following the baking instructions in Step 1 above. When the dish and the form are completely cool, carefully pop the clay off of the form. Clean the form with water and dry with paper towels for the next use. Here’s a look at a bowl I made that incorporates gold glitter into the color scheme.

This dish sample does not have glitter added. Paint the lip edge of the bowl with gold acrylic paint and allow to dry completely before use.