Why Hearty Air Dry Clay?
Because Hearty clay is so light, it’s perfect for anything that needs to hang or sit on a card. It’s also very beginner-friendly: is easy to condition, and presses cleanly into the mould without leaving residue on fingers. While resin will always give the ultimate in sharpness and durability, Hearty still captures impressive detail for a paper-based clay and is much easier to work with. For this technique, a dark colour of Hearty clay is used (black or a dark custom mix), as metallic mica colours really shine when applied to a dark base.
Preparing the Clay and Mould
Break off a piece of Hearty Air Dry Clay, then wrap the rest straight back in its foil and pop it into an airtight container or resealable bag. Knead the working piece of clay in your hands for a few minutes until it feels soft and pliable – smooth, squishy and not sticky. At that point it’s ready for the Cosmic Shimmer Guardian Angel Silicone Mould. To help with release, rub a tiny amount of vegetable shortening (such as Crisco or Trex) over the mould, especially into the finely detailed areas. You only need a thin coat so you don’t clog the detail.
Casting the Guardian Angel
Press the conditioned clay firmly into the mould, starting with the most detailed and important areas like the face and wings. Work the clay into all the recesses so it makes full contact with the mould surface, then add more clay as needed to fill the dress and the rest of the design. Neaten the edges by gently pushing excess clay back into the mould so there are no frills or bridges over the recessed details. If you like, you can briefly flatten the back of the clay against your work surface to give a smoother finish on the reverse. To remove the angel, flex the silicone mould and carefully bend it back, easing out the wings and finer parts without stretching the clay. You’ll see how well Hearty Air Dry Clay picks up the detail on the feathers and folds in the dress.
Drying the Clay Cast
Place the cast angel on kitchen paper and leave it to dry. Hearty Air Dry Clay shrinks a little as it dries, which is completely normal. Allow it to dry for several hours or overnight, turning it over part-way through so both sides dry evenly. Once fully dry, the angel feels surprisingly sturdy but remains wonderfully light.
Using Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powders as Paint
For the metallic finish, this project uses Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powders in gold, copper and silver. These powders are actually a paint in powdered form – they contain both pigment and a powdered binder. Tap a small amount of each colour into a mixing palette. Avoid dipping a wet brush into the jars so the powder in storage stays completely dry. Dampen a flat brush with clean water and mix a little mica powder in the palette to create a smooth metallic paint.
Dry Brushing the Metallic Finish
The angel is coloured with a simple dry-brushing technique that leaves the recesses dark and makes the raised areas shine. Load a flat brush with the Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powder paint, then wipe most of it off on scrap paper so the brush is almost dry. Holding the brush flat, gently brush across the raised details of the angel, working across ridges rather than into them. This way, the colour catches only the high points and doesn’t flood into the recesses. Gold over black creates a classic, rich angel. Copper over brown gives a beautiful warm, vintage look. Silver over a dark khaki or warm grey base looks like aged pewter. Build the colour in light layers – a soft metallic sheen over a dark base looks far more like real metal than a heavy, solid coat. Once the first layer is dry, you can add more interest by layering other metallics on top: silver just on the wings and hair of a gold angel, for example, or a touch of copper at the hem of the robe. You can even mix a rose-gold effect by blending a little copper with the gold in the palette.
Finishing as a Christmas Decoration
When the metallic finish is completely dry, the angel is ready to turn into a decoration. Attach a small loop, bail or folded ribbon tab to the back with a strong adhesive, then thread with ribbon, twine or fine cord. Thanks to Hearty Air Dry Clay, the finished piece looks like cast metal but is light enough to hang beautifully on a Christmas tree or sit on the front of a card. Paired with the Cosmic Shimmer Guardian Angel Silicone Mould and Cosmic Shimmer Mica Powders, it makes a festive embellishment that feels special and looks like it could have been passed down for generations.
