Dollieh Sanctuary

For general doll making purposes what clays melt or dissolve with water. And afterwards can they be used again?

La Doll and Premiere- Any dry clay, still in a brick or made in to something but not sealed or painted, place in an air tight container submerged in water and allow to sit for a few hours. I've put old doll parts in a baggie with water and squished as it got soft. The results can be a bit pasty. As the water evaporates it gets thicker. It won't return to the original consistency but it is usable, workable, and when dry you can't tell.

Amaco Marblex clays are water soluable, reusable, slightly more slick, but otherwise the texture is near-identical to ceramic clays. Comes in three colors; grey, white, and terra cotta. You can find them in the sculpture section at most chain craft stores, like Michael's or JoAnn's for about $15 for a 5lb brick. It takes detail pretty well, though there's some coarse grains in it. It will return to it's original consistency eventually, and the dissolved clay can be used to make a slip just like a kiln clay as well.

Down side is that the dried clay is pretty fragile. Definitely not something to make a "final cast" with. Only slightly stronger than porcelain.