Sculpey Ultra Light Oven Bake Clay | Lightweight Polymer Clay Beads
It Even Floats!
Well I finally got around to trying the Sculpey UltraLight clay that arrived with my Studio by Sculpey stuff last month. Wow, what a weird and wonderful polymer clay! So different from the Premo Sculpey I am so used to.
Here's some notes for you about this unique product. First of all, Sculpey Ultra Light comes in a great big package 292 g (10.3 oz). But since it is incredibly light compared to regular clay, the package is quite large. It's actually about the size of 8 (2 oz) packages put together. And at around $10 or so, it is good pretty good value.
This Ultra Light clay only comes in white and feels like a super soft marshmallow, though it is not at all sticky. When you pull it apart it looks quite grainy… almost powdery. Yet the texture is smooth and papery to the touch.
In terms of ranking Polymer Sculpey clays for softness and smooth texture, I would place them in this order: UltraLight >> Studio by Sculpey >> Premo.
Mixing Premo and Ultra Light together produced a blend that felt much like Studio by Sculpey. Who knows, maybe that's how Polyform came up with the Studio Sculpey formula.
It was fun to discover that the Ultra Light clay actually floats on water. That means it can be used for floating candle holders and other such projects.
Mixing Ultralight with Polyform's other clays is how you can add color. You can also use Ultra Light to form the core of your larger beads, as a way to make them lighter (and cheaper). Covering this super light weight core or base bead with a layer of Premo, Studio or Sculpey III clay, works just fine.
In the past I've suggested using a ball of tinfoil as a way to not have to use as much clay when making large polymer clay beads. But using Ultralight is a better way to go if you can get a hold of some.
A chemist from Polyform (makers of Sculpey products), recently suggested you pre-bake your Ultra Light pieces before covering with other raw clays. The clays will chemically bond together during the baking process and make them strong and crack resistant.
This information was obtained by Anna Sabina at the International Polymer Clay Association (IPCA) retreat, just held in Chicago. You can read Anna's conference notes at these 2 links: Polymer Clay Bead Ideas and Bead Making Projects
Now I tried it raw to raw and had no problems. But since the ultra light is so soft and squishy, it was a lot easier to pre-bake the core, and then add the cane slices afterwards.
UltraLight clay can be drilled, sanded, carved and painted just like most any other polymer clay. It bakes up to a very hard and flexible product. Even large pieces won't easily break or crack.
It is a strange clay to work with though, if you're used to Premo. I wouldn't think of using it to make polymer canes. And detailed sculpting with it would be tricky. But I am definitely going to use it now as a core or foundation for larger projects, since it is lighter and cheaper than normal polymer clay.
Using it with Christmas ornaments and floating candle holders is what comes to my mind. What kind of ideas do you have for using a lightweight and floatable polymer clay like Sculpey Ultra Light?
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Comments on Sculpey Ultra Light Oven Bake Clay | Lightweight Polymer Clay Beads
5:27 am
Just want clarify what I learned from other clayers and the chemist from Polyform.
You MUST bake Ultralite before covering it with raw clay. Ultralite expands more than PC and your piece will break during the curing process.
Ultralite is great for larger pieces because and is frequently used in sculpting and then covering the final form with PC. I have never heard of using Ultralite in caning.
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5:38 am
I also received a lot of Ultra light sculpey just yesterday! :))) Thanks for this post and links! I'll go and take a good look at the info :))
6:45 am
I have tried the ultra light and I didn't care for it. When I used it, it stayed very crumbly. One good thing about it though, if you like it, is that Wal-Mart has it. So it is easy to get!
10:06 am
Wow, I will have to check Walmart. Have never seen it there.
If you are interested in making hollow beads you can use Blue Tack, avaibale at hardware stores. Be sure to score the bead all the way around as the Blue Tack expands, this allows a natural breaking point. After baking remove the Blue Tack and glue the bead back together. Just another handy tidbit form the IPCA retreat.
10:47 am
@Anna: Thanks for the info! That is very interesting about the pre-baking. I covered my raw Ultra Light with raw Studio by Sculpey, so maybe they were close enough to the same product there wasn't an issue. Very important to know that it expands like that though. That would be a disappointing mistake to make!! Also, I must go get some of that Blue Tack… sounds like a very handy material to have around the studio! Thanks so much for coming back and sharing this all with us! A thousand hugs your way Anna! :-)
@Zuleykha: Perfect timing! Let us know what you think of it!
@Carrie: Was it the old Ultra Light? I heard bad stuff about it being brittle. The stuff I have is the new formula in the purple package like the one above. I didn't find it crumbly at all. You found it at Walmart? Excellent!
11:51 am
Hi Cindy! It could be used for keepsakes.
12:49 pm
I found Ultra Lite and a few Sculpy III kids kits in the craft section of at Walmart!!!!! These are definately new additions. Wonder if they will be carrying PC in the future? That would be great for people who do not live by a Michael's or Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's.
2:20 pm
I hope so Anna! I am 30 minutes from my nearest clay retailer! And the closest Hobby Lobby to me is terrible at restocking! I bought them out of Sculpey III Vanilla Creme 1 month ago and was there 2 days ago, they still haven't restocked!!
@Cindy: Yes it was the new stuff, same package. Maybe I got a bad batch!
Also at Wal-Mart, if you ever need a little more of one color in a pinch, they have the Sculpey III Variety Pack. 1 ounce each of 30 colors.
5:45 pm
I used it to make a tiny boat for kids and it floats very well.
I also used it as the body for a character I do often and I had to redo it because the permo split during curing.
When I used it cured the premo stayed put.
I love the litghness of it.
Contrary to you I think it is expensive as core for beads though.
8:32 pm
@Carrie: Are you baking it for an hour?
@Louise: Did you see the update from Anna? She said the chemist from Sculpey said that you must bake the Ultra Light before covering it with Premo because the Ultra Light expands and cracks the Premo. That is probably what happened to you. As far as it being expensive, it is more expensive than tin foil for sure, but definitely cheaper than using Premo as your core bead.
9:19 pm
Cheese louise, I added up my "must haves" out of my next check and I am in the hole. LOL!
Must add this to the list.
I see floating rubber duckies in my future…..only made out of polymer clay. Think you have to weight them to get them to sit properly in the tub water?
Ahem, any body try this already?
Thanks Cindy. Another great reason to substantiate the small amount of money sent to you!!!!
8:21 am
Yes they are quite a bit alike and I love the strength and flexibility of the studio clay..that may be what allowed the raw to raw application….
11:10 am
I don't know if you are like me Cindy but I don't allways read the info on the packaging.
Since I did that when the clay got out is it last year I leaned from my mistake.
For Jocelyn :
As for the floating I did a very tiny boat to float in a cup.Can't brig a lot of water in a classroom.
I would try one to see what gives with your ducky but it would be a great idea.
8:38 pm
@Louise
Thanks for the encouragement. These are going in the birdbath right outside the window…..and I cannot lie, in my bathtub, LOL!
9:12 pm
@Zuleykha
You are a very talented lady! Love your site, and have learned some great new tips and techniques. The tulips are beautiful!
9:10 am
Cindy,
Thanks for checking out my LifeChain video series (we just posted the next 'episode' this morning)– I came over to see what you're doing here and am blown away by the amount of info you've assembled on your blog – way to go!
Now if I only had time between my work and kids to explore working in clay– like a lot of jewelers I know, I actually started out with beads and beading back at the beginning!
Keep up the great work,
Heather