<p>Based on <a href="https://thebluebottletree.com/which-is-the-clearest-translucent-polymer-clay/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this blog post</a> about comparing the various brands of translucent polymer clay, it sounds like the translucent is only apparent when the clay is incredibly thin. The author prepares the clay by running it through a pasta machine. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I compared every polymer clay brand’s translucent that I could find. I conditioned each clay, carefully avoiding the introduction of bubbles. I rolled sample sheets in the thickest setting (#1) on my Atlas pasta machine and the thinnest (#8) that I could make (the machine goes to a #9, but I’ve never had clay come through that alive). The thick setting is about 1/8″ (3mm) and the thinnest is about the thickness of a playing card.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The thick setting, when baked, makes the clay barely translucent in all brands, so if your figures are more than 1/8" (3mm) thick, you aren't going to notice the translucency at all. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/2cRQk.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2cRQkm.jpg" alt="Thick setting of translucent clay"></a></p>

<p>As you can see in the image, you can just barely make out that there is text behind the clay... which is much more visible in the thin clay:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/0hNWH.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/0hNWHm.jpg" alt="Thinnest setting for translucent clay"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-10T23:15:55.020Z
2016-05-11T17:28:58.900Z
2016-05-11T17:28:58.900Z
Catija
<p>I have some 'translucent' polymer clay, which more looks like white than translucent. I hoped the baking process turned the clay translucent or transparent, but no luck. I made some very small objects, baked them for approx. 30 minutes at probably slightly more than 100°C/212°F, and took them out of the oven when the 30 minutes passed.  </p>

<p>Should I have done something different to get the clay translucent (it was not much different from before it was baked)? Or is it simply not possible at all?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-11T17:10:35.240Z
@CreationEdge: Translucent indeed, you are right.
Ji Ugug
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-12T08:46:22.590Z
extra tip: keep your hands and the work area extra-clean. Most of dirt picked by common polymer clay will be hidden within, only a tiny amount affecting the surface will be visible. With translucent, all of it will show across the entire crossection.
SF.
<polymer-clay>
How can 'translucent' polymer clay become really translucent, if possible at all?
Ji Ugug
# How can 'translucent' polymer clay become really translucent, if possible at all?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-05-10)

I have some 'translucent' polymer clay, which more looks like white than translucent. I hoped the baking process turned the clay translucent or transparent, but no luck. I made some very small objects, baked them for approx. 30 minutes at probably slightly more than 100°C/212°F, and took them out of the oven when the 30 minutes passed.

Should I have done something different to get the clay translucent (it was not much different from before it was baked)? Or is it simply not possible at all?

**Tags:** polymer-clay

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: @CreationEdge: Translucent indeed, you are right.  
> **username_1**: extra tip: keep your hands and the work area extra-clean. Most of dirt picked by common polymer clay will be hidden within, only a tiny amount affecting the surface will be visible. With translucent, all of it will show across the entire crossection.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-05-10. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Based on [this blog post](https://thebluebottletree.com/which-is-the-clearest-translucent-polymer-clay/) about comparing the various brands of translucent polymer clay, it sounds like the translucent is only apparent when the clay is incredibly thin. The author prepares the clay by running it through a pasta machine.

> I compared every polymer clay brand’s translucent that I could find. I conditioned each clay, carefully avoiding the introduction of bubbles. I rolled sample sheets in the thickest setting (#1) on my Atlas pasta machine and the thinnest (#8) that I could make (the machine goes to a #9, but I’ve never had clay come through that alive). The thick setting is about 1/8″ (3mm) and the thinnest is about the thickness of a playing card.

The thick setting, when baked, makes the clay barely translucent in all brands, so if your figures are more than 1/8" (3mm) thick, you aren't going to notice the translucency at all.

[![Thick setting of translucent clay](https://i.sstatic.net/2cRQkm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/2cRQk.jpg)

As you can see in the image, you can just barely make out that there is text behind the clay... which is much more visible in the thin clay:

[![Thinnest setting for translucent clay](https://i.sstatic.net/0hNWHm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/0hNWH.jpg)


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