Any way to make leather hard water clay workable again?

[steveo]

Just wondering if there's a way to make water based clay, that has dried out enough to be unworkable on a sculpt, workable again without destroying the sculpt? It hasn't dried completely, just to a leathery feel.

 

[Contec]

Just a suggestion that i would try ,but please don't take my word on that it would work.
If you use a waterspray bottle and lightly spray water on the model a couple times a day (over a few days? ) and between times have the model covered with plastic wrap. That would let the water slowly be drawn into the clay and the plastic wrap would hinder the water evaporation.
Just a little water at the times because it need time to suck it up.

 

[steveo]

Thanks for the tip. I currently, and have had, the sculpt covered in plastic and tied to the form, but haven't worked on it in months. I've also soaked a dish towel with water and just placed it over the sculpt, and it's still dried out. I might need to keep doing this for at least once a week.

 

[Contec]

I think the dish towel only keeps the water inside the towel, you need the water to be on the clay and then not be able to escape so too speak. My idee might work better.
Might i ask what sort of sculpt you are doing?

 

[steveo]

I was using paper towels and that worked well. I might go back to that. It's a Chewbacca face that I've been working on since April.

 

[modelnutz]

You may want to add a bit of Glycerin to the water...it will help slow the evaporation. Found at any drugstore.

 

[steveo]

You may want to add a bit of Glycerin to the water...it will help slow the evaporation. Found at any drugstore.

Thank you. I will give it a try.