Polymer clay looks simple and reveals extraordinary depth the more you work with it. Fimo — made by Staedtler in Germany since the 1950s — is the starting point most makers reach for, and with good reason. In this complete beginner's guide we cover the Fimo Soft, Easy Metal, and Form and Play ranges we stock at Craft and Canvas, how to condition and work the clay, colour blending, joining pieces, the baking process at 110°C for 30 minutes, and finishing with sanding, painting, and varnishing. Fimo Soft individual blocks at £3.75, Fimo Modelling Tools at £5.99.

Traditional oil-based printmaking inks produce the finest results — but they require solvents for cleanup, which makes them impractical outside a properly equipped studio. Caligo Safe Wash inks solve this entirely. Oil-based, heavily pigmented, and equivalent in print quality to traditional inks — but cleaned up with soap and water. In this post we cover the difference between the Relief Inks (for lino, woodcut, and monoprint) and the Etching Inks (for intaglio techniques), how the Safe Wash Oil and Wiping Compound work, and what the inks mean in practice for home printmakers, schools, and professionals. In stock at Craft and Canvas from £10.57.

Not all air dry clays are the same — and choosing the right one for your project matters more than most people realise. In this guide we cover DAS Air Dry (£8.25 — paper-reinforced, strong, carveable, ideal for sculpture), Jovi Patmache (£7.99 — lightweight paper clay, perfect for armature work and fine surface detail), Silk Clay (£8.45 — foam-based, pre-coloured, ideal for small figures and children's projects), and Fimo Soft individual blocks (£3.75 — oven-bake polymer clay for jewellery and miniatures). Clear guidance on which to choose for your project. All stocked at Craft and Canvas.