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Basic Instructions
This Movie Clip shows you how step-by-step. (20 seconds)
Our great technique will help you to make a perfectly flat backed mold casting,
without distorting your casting when removing it from the mold.
What are Clay Push Molds?
The term Clay Push Molds, refers to pressing softened clay or other casted material into a mold. Dozens of highly
detailed impressions can be made in minutes. Our simple process allows even novice crafters to create pieces that look
like they took hours to make. We hope this helps you make the most of your molds and see how fun molding can be!
SO ARE YOU READY? HERE WE GO!
Start by conditioning and rolling a ball of clay to fit your mold.
Warm up the clay by rolling it around in your hands and
kneading it until it is pliable and soft.
Here’s the casting that
we are demonstrating.
Make it yourself by
following our simple
directions.
After conditioning your clay, dust the inside of the mold with
corn starch or baby powder using a fluffy artist brush or make-
up brush. Dip brush in powder, then tap off the excess. Lightly
dust mold cavity in a pouncing motion. Blow out excess powder
if needed to maintain detail.
Mold Release Powder is our favorite
mold release. It’s safe and completely
non-toxic. You can purchase it here.
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Now place a ball of
conditioned clay in
the center of the
mold.
If you are using a shallow
mold you can place a sheet
of clay over the mold
instead.
Next place a transparent sheet of plastic on the top of the ball of
clay. A clear page from a book report cover or one layer of a
page-protector works well. Or any other type of clear plastic
sheet that you have on hand that is sturdy, but not too sturdy
that it won't peal off the back of the clay later. Read on to see
why.
Clear Release Sheets are perfect for lifting your
mold casting from your molds. Once you discover
how to use these, you will wonder what you ever
did with out them. You can purchase this item here.
Acrylic Square Tiles are helpful
for making mold castings with
perfectly flat backs, as shown in
the instruction video, and
mentioned in the step-by-step
instructions. Once you use it,
you will never mold without it.
You can purchase this item here.
Now place a clear glass or Plexiglas tile on top of the clear release sheet.
Press the clear tile and release sheet down slowly filling in
the mold, allowing the excess clay to flow-over the edges.
You will be able to see what's going on underneath since
your tile is clear. Be sure to press down until you are happy
with the thickness of the back. Also, if you are concerned
about making the back perfectly level, glue four small Lego
pieces to each corner of the tile. This controls how far
down the tile will go, and keeps it level. You can add or
remove the Lego pieces to control the height of the tile and
the thickness of your casting.
Now remove the tile and set it aside. Lift a corner of the transparent paper carefully, so it pulls the
clay out with it. Remember that any over flow of clay can be cut off later, or sanded off after
baking.
To remove your clay casting from the clear release sheet without distorting it, pop it in the freezer for
about 15 to 20 minutes. When you take it out it will be easy to peal the transparent paper off your
casting without distorting the clay. First I like to cut off the edges with a craft knife before removing the
release sheet so it does not slide around on your work surface when you cut it off. By keeping it on the
sheet you can turn and stabilize the casting while cutting off the excess clay. If you need to freeze it
again to peel off the sheet from the back it is well worth the extra effort and easy to do. I also like to
smooth out the clay edges with my finger or with a clay tool to reduce the need for sanding after the
piece is baked.
Before baking you might want to use a sharp
craft knife to remove any openings that you
wish to remove. This is the time to add any
cavities for stones or embeds so that you have
a nice indentation to attach them into after
baking.
Remember to add the stones or accents after
baking or it will melt. I like to make the cavities with
a nail head since you can get many sizes of nail
heads for little or nothing.
If your object is going to be a charm or ornament,
insert your wire loop or eye screw before baking. Pin
backs, earring backs, buttons back can also be used.
Use your
imagination and
have fun!
Click here for instructions on our Flexible Molds
Click Next to go to our Advanced Instructions where you can
learn about different ways to use our molds and much more!
