We’ve all been there. You went to Michaels, Blick’s or even Hobby Lobby to get some polymer clay, and WOW. There were so many options! But which one should you choose? Is there a difference? If I like specific colors from different brands, can I mix them? Which one is the Best One? Well, the answer is, it depends! (I know, I hate the phrase too, but stick with me!)
It depends on what you’re going to make and how you like to work. I’ll give you some quick tips on choosing a brand for your project based on my experiences.
I’ve tried FIMO, Kato Polyclay, and several types of Sculpey, and each one has different strengths. Skip to the bottom if you just want my TL:DR suggestions!
I’m sculpting something big!
Awesome! This is an 8lb box of Sculpey Original.
It’s a softer clay, so it’s much easier to move a lot of clay at the same time. Don’t forget to grab some mesh or tinfoil to create an armature. If you make a solid clay sculpture, it won’t bake all the way through and be more fragile.
It’s white, so painting is very easy!
I’m making canes!
Canes are fantastic! As you roll a cane, the colors will stretch and move. To make sure they all move at the same rate, it’s important to use the SAME brand of clay for the whole cane.
My personal favorite is Kato PolyClay. It’s a VERY stiff clay so it will take a lot of conditioning, but the stiffness lets it hold shapes very well. The stiffness means your pattern will be consistent and not distort!
If you can’t find Kato, I would choose either Sculpey III or Sculpey Primo.
To learn more about canes, check out the tutorials on Donna Kato’s website from many different artists!
PS. There are so many foods you can make with canes!
I’m making something with a lot of tiny details!
If you’re making something with a lot of details, I suggest Super Sculpey Firm. Bake as often as possible to “save” your work. I love Firm because it holds details really well, and needs a lot of warmth and conditioning from your hands to become soft. Sometimes I accidentally squish some parts while I’m working on others. Because it’s so firm, the damage is usually minimal.
I want to carve my clay!
Sculpey III is great for carving after baking, if you want to create texture plates! In my experience, softer clays like Fimo and Sculpey Original remain a little flexible after baking. This makes carving less precise. Harder clays like Sculpey Firm are VERY hard after baking. This makes them more prone to “shattered” edges and a less clean look.
I need some WEIRD clays! Glitter, glowing, everything!
This one is a tie! Both Fimo Effects and Sculpey Premo have some fantastically fun clays, including fake stone, glitter and of course, glow in the dark. Fimo is softer, so it’s good for more organic shapes and blending, while Sculpey Premo is a bit stiffer and will hold shape more. Fimo even has a Leather Effect clay that I’d like to try some time!
Hopefully you found these quick tips helpful for choosing which polymer clay is right for your project. Let me know which one you pick and how your project went!
TL:DR Polymer Clay suggestions
- Big projects – Sculpey Original
- Caning – Kato Polyclay
- Tiny detailed work – Super Sculpey Firm
- Carving – Sculpey III (any color works)
- Wild card/Effects – Fimo Effects/ Sculpey Primo
If this post helped and you want to purchase any of these, please consider using the affiliate links!
MELISSA DAWN MAKES 
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