Technical Design Solutions for Theatre

Jon Lagerpist

High-Volume, Low-Cost Modeling Clay

 

The need for large amounts of modeling clay in several productions at Cal State Long Beach spurred research into low-cost clays. The local art school had an easy-to-make clay recipe using easily found ingredients.

MATERIALS

These ingredients will yield one 150-pound batch:

3 slabs Microcrystalline Wax (a slab weighs 11 pounds)10 quarts of new Non-detergent 30-weight Motor Oil100 pounds of Talc (hydrated magnesium silicate)

DIRECTIONS

Using a large, clean tub, melt the wax into the oil over a medium flame. Add the talc slowly while stirring and heating to keep the mixture fluid. When ingredients are fully mixed, pour the clay into forms or onto a plastic sheet on a cement floor and let cool ...