Air dry clay for beginners: DAS, Jovi Patmache, and Silk Clay — which should you choose?
Air dry clay is one of the most immediately satisfying modelling materials available. No kiln, no oven, no specialist equipment — you open the packet, start working, and leave the finished piece to harden at room temperature. Once dry it can be painted, varnished, sanded, and decorated in almost any way you choose.
But air dry clay is not a single material. The products sold under that description vary considerably in how they feel to work with, how strong and how heavy the dried result is, and what kinds of project they suit. Choosing the right one before you start makes a real difference to how the process feels and how the finished piece turns out.
We stock three air dry modelling clays at Craft and Canvas — DAS, Jovi Patmache, and Silk Clay — alongside Fimo Soft polymer clay for oven-bake projects. This guide covers each one clearly so you can make the right choice for what you want to make.
DAS Air Dry Modelling Clay
£8.25 per 1kg block — available in white, terracotta, and stone
DAS is the most widely used air dry clay in the world, and its reputation is entirely deserved. Made in Italy since the 1960s, it has earned the trust of everyone from primary school children to professional sculptors and model makers through consistent quality and reliable, predictable behaviour.
DAS is a paper-reinforced clay — the clay body contains fine paper fibres that give the dried result considerably more strength and resistance to cracking than pure mineral clay alternatives. This reinforcement is what makes DAS so versatile: the dried material is robust enough to be carved with a knife, sanded smooth, drilled, and painted, which puts it in a different category from most air dry clays in terms of what you can do with the finished piece.
The working consistency is smooth and plastic — responsive to both hand modelling and tool work, with enough body to hold shapes and surface detail clearly. It joins well to itself while wet, which means pieces can be built up in stages or assembled from separately modelled parts, as long as joining surfaces are scored and moistened before pressing together. For larger pieces, DAS works well over armatures of wire, cardboard, or crumpled foil — the armature provides the basic structure and the clay builds up over it in layers.
DAS dries white in the white version — a clean, neutral surface that takes acrylic paint, poster paint, and gouache well without any priming. The terracotta version dries to a warm, earthy tone that looks attractive left entirely unpainted, and the stone version produces a cool grey with a slightly textured, mineral character. All three versions dry hard and hold their shape well. Thin pieces may be touch-dry within 24 hours; thicker pieces need 48 to 72 hours or more depending on ambient conditions.
One practical point: DAS must be kept tightly sealed between working sessions. Once exposed to air it begins to dry, and a block that has been left open will develop a hard crust on the surface that cannot be reintegrated. Store opened blocks in an airtight bag or wrap tightly in cling film.
DAS is best for: sculpture and figurines, architectural and scale models, jewellery and beads, relief panels and decorative tiles, mask making, and any project where a strong, carveable, paintable dried result is needed.
Jovi Patmache — ready-to-use paper clay
£7.99 per 680g tub
Jovi Patmache is a ready-to-use paper clay from the Spanish craft brand Jovi — a smooth, workable material that comes straight from the tub with no mixing or preparation required. Where DAS is a mineral clay reinforced with paper fibres, Patmache is primarily a paper-based material — its main constituent is paper pulp rather than clay — and this gives it a quite different character in both working and dried form.
The consistency of Patmache sits between a stiff paste and a soft clay. It can be applied to an existing surface or armature as a coating, built up in thin layers to create form, or worked more directly for smaller, flatter pieces. It is particularly well suited to applying over a base of card, cardboard, or paper — the paper pulp bonds readily to these surfaces without any specialist adhesive, which makes it a natural companion to papier mâché construction. Build the basic structure from card or balloons, let it dry, and apply Patmache as a smooth finish coat. The result is considerably lighter than an equivalent DAS piece and has a finer, smoother surface that takes paint cleanly with minimal sanding.
The lightness of Patmache in dried form is one of its most distinctive and useful qualities. Decorative pieces that will be hung on a wall, masks, jewellery, and ornaments all benefit from a material that does not add unnecessary weight. The smooth, fine surface that Patmache produces when dry is also notably clean — it requires very little preparation before painting and holds fine detail and surface texture well.
Like DAS, Patmache needs to be kept sealed between sessions to prevent it drying out. The tub format makes this straightforward — simply press the surface flat, add a small amount of water if the surface has begun to dry, and replace the lid.
Patmache is best for: surface coating over card or papier mâché armatures, masks, decorative wall panels, lightweight jewellery and ornaments, fine surface detail work, and any project where a light, smooth, easily painted result matters.
Silk Clay
£8.45 — assorted colours
Silk Clay is a foam-based modelling material from the Creativ Company, and it is quite different from both DAS and Patmache in ways that make it suited to a very specific range of projects. The most important difference is that Silk Clay comes already coloured — the pack contains multiple bright colours that can be used as they are or blended together by kneading to create new shades. For many projects this means no painting is needed at all.
The material itself is ultra-lightweight, extremely soft and easy to work with, and dries to a result that is flexible and slightly spongy rather than hard and rigid. It does not crack when drying, holds fine surface detail and modelled features well, and is non-toxic and easy to clean from hands and surfaces. The foam-based structure — which contains air within the material — gives the dried result its characteristic lightness, and because colours are integral to the material rather than applied to the surface, they do not chip or flake with handling.
Silk Clay is not a structural material in the way DAS is — it is not suitable for large pieces or anything that needs to bear weight or resist physical stress. What it excels at is small-scale decorative work where lightness, bright colour, and a quick, enjoyable working process are the priorities. Small figures, flowers, food models, miniature objects, jewellery and charms, fridge magnets, and decorative pieces are all natural fits.
It is also one of the most accessible modelling materials available for children. The softness means very little hand strength is needed to work it, the pre-mixed colours produce immediate, attractive results, and the absence of painting keeps the process simple and achievable for younger makers.
Colours blend smoothly by kneading two pieces together, which makes Silk Clay a good way to explore colour mixing in a tactile and immediate way. Primary colours mixed together produce predictable secondary results, and the gradients achieved by partially blending two colours produce attractive marbled effects.
Silk Clay is best for: small figures and miniatures, flowers and botanical models, food modelling, jewellery and charms, decorative pieces, children's projects, and any work where pre-coloured, lightweight, flexible results are wanted without painting.
Fimo Soft polymer clay
£3.75 per 57g individual block
Fimo Soft is not strictly an air dry clay — it requires baking in a domestic oven to cure — but it is a natural companion to the air dry products above and completes the picture of what we stock in the modelling range at Craft and Canvas.
Fimo Soft is one of the world's most established polymer clay brands, trusted by jewellery makers, miniaturists, and crafters at every level for its consistent quality, wide colour range, and reliable behaviour in the oven. Individual 57g blocks are available at £3.75, making it practical to buy single colours for specific projects or to build a colour collection gradually.
Like Silk Clay, Fimo comes pre-coloured and colours can be blended by kneading. The big difference is what happens after working — Fimo is baked at 110°C for 30 minutes, and the cured result is very hard, durable, and slightly flexible. It is considerably stronger than any air dry clay product, can be sanded through progressively finer grits to a high polish, drilled, carved, and painted, and the cured surface is water resistant. For jewellery, beads, buttons, miniature details, and any small project where maximum strength and durability matter, Fimo Soft is the right choice.
We also stock Fimo Easy Metal (gold) at £10.65 for metallic effects, Fimo Form and Play Farm at £13.99 as a complete children's kit, and Fimo Modelling Tools at £5.99 — a set of tools designed for working with polymer clay that also work well with DAS and Patmache.
Fimo Soft is best for: jewellery, beads, buttons, miniatures, and small detailed projects where a strong, durable, water-resistant cured result is needed.
How to choose
Do you want to sculpt freely without a base structure? DAS is the most versatile free-standing modelling clay — it holds its shape, joins well, and produces a strong dried result.
Are you building over a card or papier mâché base? Patmache bonds naturally to paper surfaces and produces a lighter, smoother result than DAS over an armature.
Do you want colour without painting? Silk Clay and Fimo Soft both come pre-coloured and produce attractive results without any paint. Silk Clay is air dry and flexible when cured; Fimo requires oven baking and cures very hard.
Is the project for a child? Silk Clay is the most immediately accessible — soft, colourful, and quick. DAS and Patmache both work well for older children and school projects.
Do you need maximum strength and durability? Fimo Soft baked in the oven produces the hardest, most durable result of anything we stock.
Is weight important? Patmache and Silk Clay both produce significantly lighter dried results than DAS. For hanging pieces, jewellery, and ornaments, both are worth considering over DAS.
Frequently asked questions
Does air dry clay crack when drying?
Cracking is most common when pieces dry too quickly, are too thick, or have very uneven wall thickness. Dry pieces slowly at room temperature rather than near heat or in direct sunlight, keep wall thickness as even as possible, and cover pieces loosely overnight to slow the drying rate. DAS is particularly resistant to cracking due to its paper fibre reinforcement.
Can I paint air dry clay?
Yes — DAS and Patmache both accept acrylic paint, poster paint, and gouache well once fully dry. Seal with varnish to protect the surface. Silk Clay can be painted once dry but is usually left in its natural colours. Fimo Soft accepts acrylic paint after baking.
How long does air dry clay take to dry?
Thin pieces can be touch-dry in 24 hours; thicker pieces take 48 to 72 hours or more. Do not rush drying with artificial heat — slow room temperature drying gives the best results and reduces cracking.
Is air dry clay waterproof?
No — air dry clay products are not waterproof. A coat of waterproof varnish improves water resistance but is not a complete solution. Air dry clay is not food safe and should not be used for vessels that will hold food or liquid.
Can I join dried pieces of air dry clay?
Pieces joined while still wet make the strongest bond — score and moisten both surfaces before pressing together. Fully dried pieces can be joined with PVA glue for DAS and Patmache. For a very strong join between dried pieces, a two-part epoxy adhesive is the most reliable option.
How do I stop my clay drying out between sessions?
Keep all clay products tightly sealed between sessions — wrap DAS in cling film or an airtight bag, replace the lid on Patmache tightly, and keep Silk Clay sealed in its packaging. If DAS has begun to dry slightly on the surface, knead in a small amount of water to restore workability.
Shop clay and modelling supplies at Craft and Canvas
We stock DAS Air Dry Modelling Clay at £8.25, Jovi Patmache at £7.99, Silk Clay at £8.45, and Fimo Soft individual blocks at £3.75, alongside Fimo Modelling Tools at £5.99, at Craft and Canvas in Hebden Bridge and online at craftandcanvas.co.uk.
Craft and Canvas | 3 Carlton Street, Hebden Bridge, HX7 8ER | craftandcanvas.co.uk