Can gel nail polish make a "non harden clay" hard by using the nail polish as a coating?

Question

m trying to think of ways to get non hardening clay(wax based clay) to harden, or at least a coating to make it hard. I started getting this idea,  maybe a clear coating that gets hard can be put on top thats similar to clear(clear is a see through coating that you put on clay to make it hard and shiny when fired in the kiln). So I thought of gel nail polish; gel nail polish gets hard when put under the uv light and is pretty thick. But my problem is will it really work? My worries are first, will it stick on? Second, will it be hard enough to be considered hard? And third, will the clay melt under the uv light?......Well anyways, if you know or do the experiment please tell me the result and if you also have other ideas that will be a good coating feel free to say it~

edwin · Answer

Non drying clay is oil based so it wont dry. Dont use water based anything on it. Oil and water dont mix. Thats why i makes a good base for naper mache and such. Make a mold with it anyway you like. Plaster bandages, paper mache using linen strips instead of paper, or just use plaster, and after dry , remove the clay in pieces. And cast with resin, or silicone, liquid latex for a wearable mask.  For easy removal of clay and art, just carefully slice mold in half or remove back first.

EricW · Answer

Plasticine and other non-hardening clays are not really meant to be the final material of a sculpture. However, it is very common and traditional to sculpt in plasticine, make a mold of that form, then cast a duplicate in a hard material like plaster or resin. Without an image it's impossible to speculate how difficult it would be for a beginner to cast your work.

? · Answer

I don't know, but I do know that there would be no crafts if there weren't people who are willing to experiment.  Why not give it a try and see what happens.  You might invent a whole new way to craft and become a YouTube sensation.

Diane B. · Answer

Agree with some things Hope said.  It's basically impossible to harden plasticine-type clay, although you could coat with polyurethane or another water-based clear finish (including water-based nail polishes) and then be careful never to move the clay since the dried "shell" of finish on the clay would crack, etc.

There is one guy somewhere who claims to have a way to harden plasticine-type clay but can't say how well his method works and in which situations, how much trouble it is, etc.

In the future, if you want a clay that can be hardened, use another oil-based clay like polymer clay or epoxy clay, or a water-based clay like any of the air-dry clays.  
Polymer clay (brands like Fimo, Sculpey, Cernit, etc) has the advantage though that it won't cure/harden until you do it intentionally by exposing it to sufficient heat (e.g., in a home oven for a short time).  
Air-dry clays will automatically dry with air-exposure, and epoxy clay will cure after its two parts have been mixed together.

Anonymous · Answer

NO, it won't work.

Hope · Answer

I'm no expert on clay or gel nail polish, but I don't think this will work. For one, I'm pretty sure gel nail polish needs something besides clay to adhere to, something more dry than clay. Also, even if it does harden, I don't think it would last long. I think the polish would likely crack and peel off. Plus, just because the surface of the clay is hard doesn't mean the clay itself is, so really any pressure on the clay would likely cause it to squish, thus cracking the gel polish coating. This is all speculation, though. I can't say I've ever tried this.

Can gel nail polish make a "non harden clay" hard by using the nail polish as a coating?

6 Answers