Can you use polymer sculpting clay for an outdoor sculpture?
On One Hand: Polymer Clays Can Survive OutsidePolymer clay, once baked to hardness, cannot be softened with water and is hard, but not as brittle as many earthenware clays. It is also resilient against both heat and cold. This means you can put your polymer clay sculpture outside and not worry about changes in temperature, moisture or precipitation having any affect on it.On the Other: Polymer Clay May Not Stand UpOne of the biggest drawbacks in creating polymer clay sculptures for outdoor decoration is that this clay has bright colors that are liable to fade when exposed to bright sunlight. Also, while the clay is strong enough to withstand the occasional burst of wind, parts of your clay may break if the piece is actually knocked over.Bottom LineRetail sellers of of Sculpey (a major polymer clay brand) instruct users to use a polymer clay glaze to help preserve the clay’s colors in sunlight.
