Salt dough is a modelling material, made of

flour Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many culture ...

, salt, and water. It can be used to make

ornament An ornament is something used for decoration. Ornament may also refer to: Decoration * Ornament (art), any purely decorative element in architecture and the decorative arts * Biological ornament, a characteristic of animals that appear to serve ...

s and sculptures, and can be dried in conventional and microwave ovens. It can be sealed with

varnish Varnish is a clear transparent hard protective coating or film. It is not a stain. It usually has a yellowish shade from the manufacturing process and materials used, but it may also be pigmented as desired, and is sold commercially in various ...

or polyurethane; painted with acrylic paint; and stained with food colouring, natural colouring, or paint mixed with the flour or water. Properly mixed salt dough does not crumble or crack. It is dense and hence heavy, which can cause problems in making large pieces. It can be moulded by hand, without special tools or fixtures, and does not stain hands. Complex sculptures can be made with basic tools. Salt dough sculptures range from such simple shapes as those of apples, leaves, and mushrooms to more intricate ones, such as trees and animals. It is often used to make Christmas decorations, gifts, and souvenirs. It is used in spring rituals in Eastern Europe and sometimes for weddings and winter rituals. Ingesting salt dough can cause salt poisoning in pets.

References

Sculpture materials {{material-stub

See also

References