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The clay hearts are dry, It’s time now for sanding and starting the finish, when we will add colour.
If you missed part 1, you can read it here https://artandgiftsbymaz.com/seaside-inspired-air-dry-clay-heart-oil-diffusers-part-1/
Light Sanding the Dry Clay
In this short video, I give each heart a light sanding to smooth the edges and tidy up the surface before painting.
I use fine sandpaper ( you could use a nail file, if you don’t have any sandpaper) and work gently, especially around the textured shell impressions. You don’t want to lose those beautiful details — just soften any sharp edges and uneven areas. After sanding, I brush away the dust so the surface is clean and ready for paint.
Watch the quick 1-mintute sanding clip here https://youtube.com/shorts/kIUwma6_ZW4
Choosing the Colour & Beginning to Paint
Once the surface is smooth, it’s time to start bringing the hearts to life.
For this seaside-inspired piece, I chose a soft blue base with white details to keep that coastal feel. I paint the main colour using acrylic paint, taking care not to paint the textured areas – as this is where the essential oil will be added to soak into the unsealed clay.
For the white detail, I actually use white nail varnish with a very fine brush. It gives a crisp finish and works beautifully for highlighting the raised shell patterns.
Coming Next
This stage ends with the hearts being left to dry fully before the final finishing touches.
Part 3 will show the final sealing and finishing process — bringing everything together and preparing the hearts so they are ready to use as beautiful scented oil diffusers.
You can now watch Part 3 here Final sealing and finishing process