CLAYMORE® AIR DRY FOAM CLAY - GENERAL QUESTIONS

Does hot glue stick to this foam clay? Would it rip if you tried to sew it onto something?

Once our Claymore® Air-Dry Foam Clay has dried, you will be able to use both hot glue and sewing to attach your pieces to other items.
For hot glue, you will want to make sure the item is dried before attempting to adhere to another object. For sewing Claymore® Air-Dry Foam Clay to other items, we would recommend sealing and priming before attempting to sew to give the sculpture additional surface tension for the stitches to grip.  Combinations of hot glue and sewing are preferred to only thread-based application since the entire support of the foam with  sewing applications will be held on by the stitches.
If you want your Foam Clay design to be more flexible, don’t wait for the Clay to completely dry before Priming it. We suggest applying the Primer after about 24 hours or the initial Curing stage where it starts to form its outer skin.

Is Claymore® Air-Dry Foam Clay waterproof when dry?

Short answer... kind of.  Not by itself.
Longer answer... Claymore® Air-Dry Foam Clay is a water based clay and over time, even a cured foam will dissolve in water.  The way around this is to completely seal your props, costumes, set pieces, and sculptures.  Once sealed, if done properly, water should never come in contact with the foam again and will be waterproof. We suggest you experiment thoroughly with the product before you attempt taking a finished piece and introducing it to a wet environment
If you don’t want to seal the product and are worried about taking the item out in rain, it should be fine.  It would take an extended amount of contact with water to dissolve the foam clay once it has dried/cured, but you will notice a slimy layer of the foam comes in contact with water as it starts to rehydrate.

Do you have any tips or tricks for working with Claymore® Moldable Air-Dry Cosplay Foam Clay?

Absolutely.  While Claymore® moldable foam clay is one of the favorite supplies we provide when making unique cosplay props and costumes, if you have never worked with it we understand how it can be intimidating to think about adding it to your workflow.
    • It is important to remember that this is an air-dry clay.  Manipulating the wetness of the clay is crucial.  If the clay feels too dry, you can add water with your fingers or with a spray bottle.  If it feels to wet, you can work/pull the clay to dry it out enough to better hold the shape.  Getting to know the dryness and consistency of the clay by touch is important.
    • You can use a bit of water on your fingertips to help smooth the surface of any creases or lines in the clay.
    • If the clay starts to dry out while you are working with it, you can add water to extend the working life, just don’t go overboard. A little goes a long way.
    • Air-Dry clay dries linearly from the surface to the core.  We recommend playing around with small spheres and allowing them to dry for different lengths to better learn about Claymore’s drying times.  For a spongier foam, sealing the clay after 24 hours traps a bit of the moisture in allowing for a spongy feel.  For a dry and firm finished product, allow more time for the clay to completely dry before sealing.  Claymore® Foam Clay is quite versatile.
    • There are many ways to seal Claymore® Air-Dry Foam Clay.  A few that we have used are:
      1.  Mod Podge – This water-based glue is great for sealing and priming if you are seeking a glossy finish with a stiffer and less flexible finish making it perfect for guns and tech props.
      2. Water-based flexible paints – While we normally don’t like to suggest brand names, we have used Hex Flex with great results if you want a durable and flexible design that is available in clear coat of in various colors.
      3.  Plasti-Dip – Saving our favorite for last, this product (conveniently available in spray cans) adds ease and convenience because it can be purchased in-person at your local hardware store.  It dries exceptionally fast with an even coating and leaves a durable finish without impeding the flexibility of the foam.
To learn more, there are countless videos on YouTube and forum posts available made by the passionate cosplay community!

What kind of paint is beset for coloring this foam?

After sealing and priming Claymore® Air-Dry Foam Clay, you can use pretty much any kind of paint for the final color layers, although we find that acrylic tends to work the best. Many cosplayers layer an oil-based grime layer over the initial acrylic layer to add visible age, wear, and damage.  Just be sure to avoid painting water or acrylic based layers over oil based paints.

Does Claymore® Foam Clay adhere to metal?

Short answer, not directly.  While Air-Dry Foam Clays adhere wonderfully to other foams, it needs a porous surface with which it can bond while drying.
The best way to bond this product to metals, non-porous plastics, glass, and other similar materials is to let the material dry to the desired firmness and then use a contact adhesive, hot glue, or similar binding method.

How much does this shrink from wet to dry?

Claymore® Air-Dry Foam Clay tends to shrink less than 5% or its original shape as it dries, however it will drop most of its weight.

Can foam clay be mixed with acrylic paints while wet?

Great question, this is something we have yet to try. But I am assuming it should be fine since they are both water based products I believe there shouldn’t be a problem. Though adding the acrylic paint may alter the drying time one way or the other and will probably make molding and sculpting the product much messier.