No kiln. No oven. No specialist equipment of any kind. DAS Air Dry Clay is one of those genuinely accessible, genuinely reliable products that has earned its place as a staple of art rooms, craft studios, and kitchen tables the world over — and has been doing so since 1963. Made in Italy from a natural base, it is a smooth, pliable modelling clay that hardens simply by exposure to air, producing solid, durable objects that can be painted, sanded, drilled, and varnished to a professional finish.
The texture is fine and even throughout — pleasingly smooth to work with, neither sticky nor dry, and soft enough to shape comfortably by hand without lengthy conditioning. It can be moulded entirely by hand, worked with any standard modelling tool, rolled into sheets, pressed into moulds, and applied over armatures or other surfaces including wood, cardboard, metal, and glass — to which it adheres well. Because it dries slowly, there is generous working time to refine and rework a piece before it sets. Small cracks that appear during drying can be repaired by smoothing fresh wet clay into the gap before the piece is fully dry.
Drying time is approximately 24 hours per centimetre of thickness under normal conditions, though this varies with the environment — thicker pieces, colder rooms, and higher humidity will all slow drying. The dried clay shrinks minimally — around 1 to 2% — which significantly reduces the risk of cracking. Once fully dry, the surface is matt and slightly chalky in character, and takes acrylic paint, poster colour, markers, and most surface treatments extremely well. A coat of varnish over the finished, painted piece gives a durable and water-resistant result.
DAS is non-toxic, acid-free, dermatologically tested, gluten-free, and non-staining — it washes easily from hands and most fabrics in a machine wash. Suitable for all ages from 3 upwards. Made in Italy.
We stock three colours in 1kg packs — White, Terracotta, and Stone — and two colours in 500g packs — White and Terracotta. All colours are fully compatible and can be blended together.
White is the most versatile and widely used colour — a clean, neutral base that shows painted colour accurately and suits any subject matter.
Terracotta has the warm, earthy reddish-brown tone of traditional fired clay — it looks beautiful left unpainted and is particularly well suited to garden ornaments, botanical subjects, and rustic decorative work.
Stone is a cool, mid-grey neutral — available in the 1kg size only — that has a calm, contemporary quality and works well for architectural models, sculptural pieces, and anything where a natural stone-like finish is the aim.
Does DAS Air Dry Clay need baking or firing? No — it hardens naturally by exposure to air with no oven, kiln, or heat-setting process required. Simply shape your piece and leave it to dry at room temperature.
How long does DAS take to dry? Approximately 24 hours per centimetre of thickness under normal room conditions. Thicker pieces, cooler temperatures, and higher humidity will extend drying time. Thin pieces such as rolled sheets may dry within a few hours.
Can it be painted? Yes — once fully dry, DAS takes acrylic paint, poster colour, and markers extremely well. A coat of varnish over the finished painted piece gives a durable, water-resistant result. The white and stone colours provide the most neutral base for painted decoration; terracotta can be left unpainted for a natural finish.
Can DAS be applied over other surfaces? Yes — it adheres well to wood, cardboard, metal, glass, and existing terracotta, making it useful for covering armatures, adding texture to surfaces, and mixed media applications.
What sizes do you stock? We stock 1kg packs in White, Terracotta, and Stone, and 500g packs in White and Terracotta. The 1kg size is the better choice for larger projects or regular use; the 500g pack is a practical starting size for occasional use or smaller projects.
How should unused clay be stored? Seal tightly in the original packaging or in a plastic bag and store at room temperature away from heat. Once exposed to air the clay will begin to dry — keeping it well sealed between sessions preserves it for a long time.
