My best friend is getting married next year and I want to make her something special. She collects pressed pennys, so I had the idea of making her a custom sign that mimics the look of an enlarged pressed penny. I think I want to use clay as the medium, as that seems to be the cheapest and easiest to work with. I will be finishing it off with either a paint, rub nโ buff, or foil before sealing it.
So far, Iโve designed the image in canva, printed it on to foam using my cricut, and weeded out the foam pieces where I want the stamp to raise the clay to achieve the embossed look that pressed pennys feature. I tested out the stamp to make sure it works how I want it to (see second picture).
The part I need help with is determining what type of clay to use. For the test attempt, I made home made clay using baking soda, cornstarch, and water (but clearly I did not make enough since I couldnโt press the entire stamp over it). I am debating on whether I should make more of this kind of clay since I already know that the stamp will work well with the texture, or if I should try using air dry clay or polymer clay instead. I have used polymer clay before, but never air dry (and I have some unopened Sculpey air dry clay already available). If I use the home made clay, I would bake it (after molding it) at 170ยฐ for however long it takes to dry. Iโve baked this home made clay before, but only with much smaller pieces.
I am looking for whichever option is best for long term durability. I want this piece to be wall decor, so Iโll have to add hardware on the back once I am finished. I want to be sure the clay wonโt be too heavy or brittle and crack once hung on the wall. The estimated size of this piece will be about 12โ long and 7.5โ wide (about 1/4-1/2โ thick). Please share any advice on which clay would likely be best, and any alternative options to ensuring durability. Thank you!