Mitzsea Makes’ Cold Porcelain Recipe

I have always liked the concept of polymer clays but never really have liked the end results after baking it; but I had seen what other artists were doing with cold porcelain. So, I turned to the internet for some guidance. I found 4 recipes on Wiki-How (https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Homemade-Polymer-Clay...) , but they weren’t quite right for me.

The thing is that I wanted certain characteristics from more than one recipe. In one version there was for a clay that doesn’t crack and the other was for unbreakable clay. I wanted both so I modified the recipes into what I call a mash-up version.

This recipe that I have created is not on Wiki-How, they were just the informational resource for me. I don’t take credit for inventing a polymer recipe but, I do take credit for the modifications I made and the end results from my experimentations.

I love how smooth and workable the dough comes out and how strong it is. In the above photo are some examples of what can be done with this recipe. I have had these tiny sculptures for a couple of years now and they have not chipped, cracked or faded. I even had another piece have a tennis ball land on it and nothing happened to it!

The clay can be pigmented with any water based colour or painted after it dries.

Please give this recipe a try and share what you make, I would like to see your results.

• 1 Small Stockpot
• 1 Bowl
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Rubber Spatula
• Large Plastic or Metal Spoon
• PVA or White Glue
• Water
• Glycerin
• Lanolin
• Petroleum Jelly
• White Vinegar
• Steric Acid
• Citric Acid
• Cornstarch

Gather Your Ingredients and Supplies

• 1 Small stockpot: It is best to use a stainless steel or heat resistant glass pot.
• Measuring cups and spoons: I use a set different from what is used with food since this is a non-food recipe.
• 4 bottles of PVA or white glue: Enough for 2 cups worth, approximately 4 bottles of the 118 mL or 4 fl.oz. size. I purchase my glue from a dollar store and I always get extra.
• Water: Tap water is fine.
• Glycerin: Can be found almost anywhere. I purchased mine from an online store called Bulk Apothecary (https://www.bulkapothecary.com/). They have pretty good prices.
• Lanolin: Can be purchased online, I liked the prices for lanolin on Bulk Apothecary.
• 1 Jar of petroleum jelly: I also get this from a dollar store.
• White vinegar: Found in any grocery store.
• Stearic acid. This is something else easily purchased online. I also found the best price on Bulk Apothecary. I promise I am not sponsored by them, they just had good prices.
• 1 bottle of citric acid: Found in any store with canning supplies.
• Large bag of cornstarch: I use a dedicated bag of cornstarch that will never be used for food. I found a 5 lbs bag (guess where?) on Bulk Apothecary. You will need enough cornstarch for the recipe and for kneading the dough.

2 Cups (473.18 mL) PVA Glue

0.5 Cups (118.3 mL) Water

2 Tbs. (30 mL) Glycerin

1 Tbs. (13 g) Lanolin

1.5 Tbs. (19 g) Petroleum Jelly

1.5 Tbs. (22 mL) White Vinegar

0.5 Tbs. (6.3 g) Stearic Acid

0.5 Tbs. (6.3 g ) Citric Acid

1 Cup (128 g) Cornstarch

• In a small stockpot pour in all off the glue and water. Set aside on the stove with NO heat.
• In another dish; combine the glycerin, lanolin, petroleum jelly, white vinegar, stearic acid, and citric acid. Set the dish aside, no need to stir the ingredients together.
• Heat up the glue and water on medium heat. Keep stirring. Just before it begins to boil add in the dish of other ingredients.
• Keep stirring the mixture and turn up heat to bring to a boil. Boil for only 2 minutes.
• Turn off heat after 2 minutes of boiling but leave pan on stove.
• Slowly at the 1 cup (128g) cornstarch. Add small amounts at a time so that there is even and complete mixing.
• The dough will get harder to stir but keep going. Continue to add the cornstarch until gone.
• The dough should begin to lift from the sides and bottom of the pot. It should begin to form a large ball of dough.
• Set aside the dough to cool down until it can be handled. Don’t burn yourself!
• Remove the dough from the pot. While the dough is still warm, begin kneading in small amounts of cornstarch.
• Keep kneading and adding cornstarch until the dough no longer sticks to you or the countertop.
• Wrap in plastic and let it rest in the fridge over night.
• Store in plastic container in fridge for later use.

2 Cups (473.18 mL) PVA Glue

0.5 Cups (118.3 mL) Water

In a small stockpot pour in all off the glue and water. Set aside on the stove with NO heat.

2 Tbs. (30 mL) Glycerin

1 Tbs. (13 g) Lanolin

1.5 Tbs. (19 g) Petroleum Jelly

1.5 Tbs. (22 mL) White Vinegar

0.5 Tbs. (6.3 g) Stearic Acid

0.5 Tbs. (6.3 g ) Citric Acid

In another dish; combine the glycerin, lanolin, petroleum jelly, white vinegar, stearic acid, and citric acid. Set the dish aside, no need to stir the ingredients together.

Heat up the glue and water on medium heat. Keep stirring. Just before it begins to boil add in the dish of other ingredients.

Keep stirring the mixture and turn up heat to bring to a boil. Boil for only 2 minutes. Turn off heat after 2 minutes of boiling but leave pan on stove.

Slowly at the 1 cup (128g) cornstarch. Add small amounts at a time so that there is even and complete mixing. The dough will get harder to stir but keep going. Continue to add the cornstarch until gone. The dough should begin to lift from the sides and bottom of the pot. It should begin to form a large ball of dough.

Set aside the dough to cool down until it can be handled. Don’t burn yourself!

Remove the dough from the pot. While the dough is still warm, begin kneading in small amounts of cornstarch. Keep kneading and adding cornstarch until the dough no longer sticks to you or the countertop.

Wrap in plastic and let it rest in the fridge over night.

Store in plastic container in fridge for later use.

I combined the ingredients the way I did to derive a nice smooth non-cracking and unbreakable clay. I learned that the higher ratio of glycerine to PVA glue prevents cracking and that the other ingredients help the polymer to be strong. Together I found a nice workable clay that I like to make.

I pigment the clay with anything water-based. Like acrylic paint, though it takes a lot to make it dark. So if you want something to be the deepest shade you would be better off painting it.

I haven’t tried sanding it after it has air dried, but I am sure one could sand it just fine.

The length of time for it to air dry, of course, depends on how thick or thin the clay is for the piece.

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Homemade-Polymer-Clay