Plasticine figurines sculpted by children can be very funny. Classes with this plastic material are useful because they develop fine motor skills and imagination. Watching how diligently young sculptors sculpt their crafts, few parents think about what plasticine is made of.
Plasticine: a versatile material for sculpting
Almost everyone is familiar with plasticine. Modeling is very popular with both children and their parents. Working with plasticine, each child develops sense of touch and imagination, learns to correctly determine proportions and make artistic compositions. From plasticine, you can create both volumetric figures and flat applications on a sheet of paper or cardboard.
It is easy and convenient to work with plasticine. And all because this material is very flexible and soft. It is freely divided into parts, which just as easily can then be connected together. When exposed to heat, plasticine softens, and in the cold it becomes hard and hard.
The main property of plasticine is that it is able to maintain its shape.
Modern industry produces several types of plasticine. If in the old days there was only one-color material for modeling, which had an unsightly gray tint, then the current kits for creativity amaze with an abundance of color tones. They produce plasticine for children, sculptural and even "smart" plasticine on a silicone basis.
What plasticine is made of
When plasticine just began to enter everyday life, it was made from clay powder, which was previously cleaned and crushed mechanically. Then lard, animal fats, and wax were added to the clay. These components did not allow the clay mass to dry out.
The production technology of plasticine has undergone some changes today, although in principle it has remained the same: the basis of the product is a plastic mass.
The current high-quality plasticine has a more sophisticated and complex composition. High molecular weight polyethylene and rubber are increasingly used in its production. Such a composition makes it possible to improve the working qualities of the material, and also allows us to offer the consumer more color solutions. In the manufacture of professional plasticine used for sculptural and modeling work, special additives are included in the material.
Children's plasticine is tested for safety, so it is often made using a plant base. It is very interesting to work with “smart” plasticine, which in some way resembles chewing gum to the touch. It contains silicone, due to which the plastic mass can tear, break and flow. There is "smart" plasticine, which is able to change its color and even magnetize.
