Which polymer clay to choose? Fimo, Sculpey or Cernit?

What is the best polymer clay?

Not sure which polymer clay to choose between Fimo, Cernit or Sculpey? Confused by all the different brands and ranges? Wondering if there's a difference between Fimo clay and polymer clay?We've put together a comparison of the polymer pastes available on the market to help you make your choice, followed by a section on how to bake polymer clay. We'll show you how different polymer pastes react to firing: which is the most translucent, the most mica-filled, the whitest, the most solid?

What is a polymer clay?

By definition, polymer clay is a plastic-based modeling clay that hardens (polymerizes) after baking. Polymer clay can be used to create costume jewelry, decorative objects and small figurines.
There are several brands of polymer clay, all of which are generally miscible with each other: Fimo, Sculpey, Pardo, Cernit and Kato. Each brand is available in different ranges. They are generally miscible with each other, provided that compatible firing temperatures are respected.

Comparison of the 5 major polymer clay brands

Soft or firm: which texture is right for you?

Before choosing a brand, ask yourself this question: do you want a dough that's ready to use straight out of the packet, or a firmer dough that offers better structural hold?

Soft pastes are ideal for :

• Beginners to modeling
• Highly detailed creations and small sculptures
• Color mixing and gradients

Firm pastes are for more experienced craftsmen. They require a little kneading at first, but guarantee remarkable precision and excellent resistance once fired.

Fimo paste: the reference in France

What is Fimo clay? Fimo clay is the best-known polymer clay in France. So well known, in fact, that it's often referred to as "Fimo" instead of "pâte polymère". It has become a generic term for a type of polymer clay. There are 6 ranges, which you'll find in 56-gram or 454-gram loaves, plus another range which is liquid. Note that Fimo has a tendency to soil hands and dough machines. We advise you to clean your dough machine between each color with a paper towel, and if you feel like dismantling it completely, you can follow this How to clean your Impéria? polymer clay machine sheet.

Fimo Professional

This is Fimo's hardest range, formerly known as Fimo classic. This firm paste is much less supple than Fimo Soft, so Fimo professionnal will enable you to make beautiful canes in a variety of patterns. Its hardness will ensure that your patterns are not distorted during cane reduction. It's also the most resistant after firing. Its stable formula prevents your creations from breaking.

Fimo Soft

This is the most affordable range for beginners. Very easy to model, it's the softest, most malleable paste in the Fimo range. Fimo Soft is odorless and very pleasant to work with. Here's an example of how to use Fimo soft clay in this tutorial to make a unicorn pendant.

Fimo Effect

As flexible as Soft, this Fimo Effect range lets you create different material effects (pearlescent, glittery, beaded, metallic, translucent, stone, etc.).translucent, granite stone or the latest neon range, which produces fluorescent and phosphorescent colors in blue light. Many special techniques are linked to this range: with metallics, learn how to make a sutton slice cuff bracelet; with neon colors, make your own heishi beads.

Fimo leather

Leather-effect Fimo is as supple as soft Fimo, with a distinctive, slightly grainy texture. It contains textile fibers that give it greater elasticity than other pastes. Its leather-effect finish is incredible, as is its suppleness after firing, so you can get on with imitation leather creations. We've put together a full technical data sheet to show you what the Fimo cuir range is all about .

Fimo Air

Fimo Air is a no-bake polymer clay that hardens in the open air. It is 95% natural substances and, thanks to the cellulose fibers it contains, its final appearance is similar to that of clay. Light and supple, it becomes dry after 24 hours. Work this paste thicker for greater strength, as it remains fragile.

Fimo Kids

Fimo Kids is THE range for children. Available for children aged 8 and over, this paste is softer and easier to work than other polymer pastes, making it ideal for introducing your children to the Fimo paste technique. The easiest way to use it is with a silicone mold, to create a variety of shapes and then customize them by adding acrylic paint or bits of cane. The presence of an adult is essential for the cooking stage which, like other pastes, is baked at 120 degrees for 30 minutes.

Liquid Fimo

The best-known of this range is translucent Fimo, which is used as a glue, and can also be mixed with old clay to soften it. Other techniques mix liquid Fimo with alcohol inks or pastels to obtain ceramic effects, as on these earrings. The range is gradually expanding, offering us other colors, but this time opaque, we have gold, black and silver. Take a look at this technical data sheet, which deals solely with the use of liquid polymers.

Cernit paste

Less well-known than Fimo clay, Cernit has a number of advantages. It doesn't stick to your fingers, doesn't stain and is odorless. Cernit is a soft, malleable polymer clay that can be worked endlessly. The shiny finish when removed from the oven will add originality to all your creations. You won't need to varnish your creations to obtain a brilliant finish: after sanding and polishing, cernit paste is shiny. These are the main differences between cernit and Fimo clay.
Cernit paste is like other heat-sensitive pastes, only softer. Avoid it if your hands are hot. As a Cernit paste wholesaler, you'll find 8 different ranges on our site:

• Cernit Number One: This is the classic range, suitable for all modelling applications.
• Cernit Nature gives a natural, stone effect.
• Cernit Glamour gives a pearly, iridescent effect.
• Cernit Translucent has a translucent effect.
• Cernit Neon Light is the most fluorescent of all pastes.
• Cernit Shiny has a satin effect.
• Cernit Doll gives a flesh-toned effect, e.g. for modelling dolls, figurines, etc.
• Cernit Metallic is the new range with superb colors and metallic effects. It's ideal for Mica Shift or ghost marks.

View a full technical data sheet on the Cernit range.

Sculpey Paste

Sculpey clay is a well-known American polymer clay appreciated by polymer enthusiasts. There are 4 ranges of Sculpey clay.

Sculpey III

Sculpey III is a very soft, malleable polymer clay, ideal for children. Ready to use, this paste requires no kneading before use. We don't recommend putting Sculpey III through the dough machine, as it sticks to rollers and doesn't stretch well. Note that this paste stains hands and materials.

Sculpey Premo and premo accents

Sculpey Premo is a light, supple paste that doesn't stick to the fingers, but remains firm enough to sculpt details. Premo Accent has specific effects (pearly, glittery, granite, translucent, etc.). This range is particularly rich in mica particles. Depending on the colors used, it gives the hands a little color.

Blown Sculpey

Sculpey soufflé is the lightest polymer clay. Its innovative texture, with a powdered finish, enables you to create lightweight polymer clay jewelry. This paste is perfect for creating imposing shapes that are normally heavy and difficult to wear. Very pleasant to the touch, you'll enjoy working with this range. Note that it is firmer than premo but less so than sculpey III.

Sculpey liquid

Liquid Sculpey is used in the same way as classic polymer clay. It is ideal for creating details, such as toppings or coulis for your gourmet creations.

Kato Polyclay paste

Kato Polyclay polymer clay is a professional-quality modeling clay. Developed by designer Donna Kato, it is particularly suitable for advanced modellers. The main drawback is its strong plastic smell, and it's the only polymer to bake at 150°c, so it's not miscible with other polymer pastes. You get used to it, but it can be annoying at first. It stains the hands and dirties the rollers, so you need to clean between each color. It's also the paste with the longest shelf life, even when hard, so with several increasingly fine passes through the paste machine, it can regain its initial suppleness. For ducks, this dough is ideal, as its firmness means that we can avoid deforming the duck's patterns at the delicate moment of reduction. You'll also be able to keep your ducks in Kato paste much longer than other brands. The only drawback is that it's hard to start with. If you don't have a lot of strength or hand problems, forget it and switch to other pastes instead.

Pardo Viva Décor paste

Pardo polymer clay is made from natural pigments and beeswax. It has no strong odor and is pleasant to work with, neither too soft nor too hard. It is best known for its neutral translucent paste, which is the most transparent, just ahead of Cernit. Specially designed for jewelry and small accessories, it is very easy to work with and comes in many colors and finishes. Viva decor has developed 4 ranges: Jewellery clay, a large number of colors to imitate gemstones to perfection, Professional art clay, Professional Mica clay and Translucent clay.

This comparison has been made between brands, but also between ranges, to give you the fullest possible picture of what will meet your expectations. In a second data sheet, we'll explain the different reactions of polymer clay when baked: how do you bake Fimo clay ? what's the reaction? We 'll answer all kinds of questions.

For beginners, we've thought of you by preparing a list of the materials you'll need for Fimo and other polymer pastes. This basic material will enable you to start creating objects or costume jewelry. For more experienced polymerists, our toolbox contains many tips and techniques, such as theBatik effect.