Studio Artist Eco-friendly Paperclay TIPS

Some artists make forms in paperclay for installations or out door but never fire them. The high green strength of the pulp fiber and chance to work wet dry, repair, assemble makes transport easy. Clearly this saves emission and power.

AND

Lots of us (like me) require a FIRED light weight paperclay with every kind of color or glaze surface glazes, whether it be for tile, for pots, for long term sculpture or architectural detail.

(Always test first just in case- your local situation is unique) Recycle your own paper to pulp and mix it in with your favorite base clay recipe that fits your glazes.

Forget a bisque fire and apply glaze to bone dry which is tough enough to absorb some glaze if you dip, brush, spray- just this in 5-10 mins before the paperclay re-softens. Let it dry between if applying thick.

Little need to candle it over night water and air escape via touching hollow cellulose tube structures (if you didn't skimp on adding pulp.)  If too little pulp in your mix the old traditional rules apply. You'll see cracking if you didnt add enough.

No slow dry needed save time (also reduce use of plastics for coverings.)

 Which is why don't baby your work.  Forget leather hard assembly it can be done but its not ideal. Let parts or the whole work air dry or even sun dry  to preview simulate the stress they are sure to have in fire. Don't waste a fire unless you did a good job joining. slight shrink-expand of the volume breathing to expect during fire and in its life.  

DON'T fire them just either re-slake down- why waste fuel OR just make a fresh part. Avoid fire pots-forms from students/ or self with weak handles that will end up in trash. Easy fix to save firing time and fuel in classroom settings.

5. Aging is not needed like traditional clay since pulp is distributing water deep inside to every particle efficiently. 

6. STORE SCRAPs of PAPERCLAY DRY  Flatten paperclay scraps or slice to bread thin slice with wire so it will slake back to thin ish pancakes and let them dry totally for storage.  I put in boxes or bag..  Avoid thick balls of dry paperclay scrap they just take longer to slake- break down in water. End the muck bucket idea which is not just heavy and loaded with water- but often gets stinky. Reduce chance of mold, mildew etc. Paperclay slakes down quickly in a bucket of water when ready for another work period.

6. Reclaim scrap glaze and clay and turn it to paperclay. The overall melting point- vitrification point will be lower, color will be change color but there's alot of interesting forms possible to make.

7. Maybe just build a sculpture that doesn't need to be fired as some artists do.

8. As moist paperclay stiffens in open air, I prefer it softer. I'll add a tablespoon of water to bag before sealing- so it stays moist.  It is pretty tough to work with leather hard at a certain point off drying out- better to start over- let it dry completely as scrap see item 6.

9 Consider lowering your firing temperature of your base clay to cone 4-6 oxidation instead of cone 10. About 20% more fuel and power are needed just to get your kiln from orange to white heat. 

10 USE water to reduce airborne dusts, watch for ways to RE-USE WATER. Pulp making water can be reused alot after straining pulp for instance. It an also be a good rinse water. bucket.

Avoid adding so called recycled dry pulp insulation (such as a building material)  treated with any fire retardant which is law in some countries-  in a your home batch paperclay- fire retardant boron etc in fire generates TOXIC foul fumes and extends the burnout smoking time about 6 hours all the  way to the red heat. It seemed like a good idea until.... the firing.... oops.

There's more much more to say but these are a few tips.

Presentation

Oct 7, 2024

Research Questions for Eco Friendly Paperclay