Choose the Right FIMO Clay

Want to get started with polymer clay and looking for the right product? Then you’ve come to the right place! Staedtler FIMO is the leading brand in polymer clay, and here’s a complete guide to their different product ranges:

1. FIMO Soft
2. FIMO Professional
3. FIMO Effect
4. FIMO Kids

Creating with oven-hardening clay is both easy to start with and easy to love. The soft, malleable material invites hours of creative joy and makes it possible to bring many fun ideas to life. But the choice of clay makes a difference. It affects not only how easy the clay is to work with, but also which techniques, effects and styles you can explore. Read on to find the right FIMO clay for your project!

This guide focuses on FIMO’s oven-hardening polymer clays. Curious about working with FIMO’s air-drying alternative instead? Read more about FIMO Air here.

1. FIMO Soft

Best-selling standard clay

FIMO Soft is the obvious choice for all beginners out there. It’s soft and pliable right from the first knead, making it perfect for impatient crafters, children’s hands, and anyone who wants to get started without fuss. It’s no coincidence that FIMO Soft is the most popular of all FIMO clays at Pen Store! It’s smooth, pleasant to shape, doesn’t transfer much colour, and comes in every shade you could dream of.

FIMO Soft is sold in packs divided into eight blocks, making it super easy to portion out for small or large projects. Want to create unique shades? No problem, this clay blends beautifully so you can match your personal colour palette. It’s also worth mentioning that FIMO Soft can be combined with both FIMO Effect and FIMO Professional, so the door is wide open if you want to try one of the other variants in the future!

FIMO Soft in trendy sets

If you’re new to the clay scene, or want to give a truly inspiring crafting kit, one of FIMO’s colour sets is a top tip! Choose from cheerful collections like Pastel, Brilliant, Fashion or Natural, palettes that spark your creativity instantly. Simply lay out the blocks in different combinations and watch your imagination take off. The sets include 12 or 24 blocks of 25 g each, which can easily be mixed to create your own unique shades. Perfect both as a starter kit and as a colour boost for those who are already creating.

2. FIMO Professional

For extra precision and advanced techniques

Ready to take your creations to the next level? That’s where FIMO Professional comes in. What sets FIMO Professional apart from the other ranges is its firm, elastic consistency, which holds its shape even in the tiniest details. Perfect for advanced projects like miniatures, dolls and jewellery where precision is key.

FIMO Professional is designed for those who demand the highest standards from their materials, whether you are an artist, jewellery designer or working with technically demanding modelling techniques. For beginners or younger users, the clay can feel a little harder to work with, which is why it is especially recommended for experienced modellers.

You can buy FIMO Professional as individual colour blocks, conveniently divided into eight pieces for easy use, or in practical sets. With the ability to combine FIMO Professional with other FIMO ranges, it’s easy to take your next project to the next level with an extra dose of precision, depth and style.

3. FIMO Effect

The clay with the WOW factor

For a bright, sparkling and shimmering complement to FIMO Soft and FIMO Professional. Add a splash of glamour with the Gem and Pearl effects, or create trendy vases and home décor with Stone. Want to turn up the party vibe? Then Neon and Nightglow are perfect for dazzling decorations. Staedtler has truly raised the bar, the only limit is your imagination when working with FIMO Effect!

FIMO Effect has the same easy-to-work formula as FIMO Soft, making it just as simple to knead straight out of the pack. Plus, you can freely combine FIMO Effect with both FIMO Soft and FIMO Professional.

FIMO Effect comes in a variety of unique finishes!

• Pastel: Cheerful shades like Mint, Aqua, Vanilla, Peach and Rosé.
  
  
• Glitter: Add a touch of silver or gold sparkle to your jewellery and decorations.
  
  
• Galaxy: Create with hints of the wonders of outer space!
  
  
• Metallic: With particles of Mica mineral, the clay reflects light for a shimmering, metallic surface.
  
  
• Translucent: For a semi-transparent, glass-like look.
  
  
• Neon: Inspired by the 80s, vibrant nightclubs or the lively colours of exotic nature!
  
  
• Gemstone: With shades inspired by citrine, rose quartz, agate and ruby, giving your creations a luxurious look.
  
  
• Nightglow: A clay that glows in the dark? Absolutely!
  
  
• Stone: Create pieces that look just like real stone!

4. FIMO Kids

Creative clay fun for all ages!

Playing with clay is a fantastic way to unleash the imagination, for both young and old. When a project takes shape, children often disappear into their own little world where ideas and dreams quite literally take form.

FIMO Kids is a polymer clay specially developed for small hands, with a soft and pliable texture that is ready to use straight from the pack. Play dough is great, but we believe children should also have the chance to create with real polymer clay! Once the figures are finished and baked in the oven, the fun continues: kids can play, role-play and invent new stories with their very own creations. The colour palette is playful and vibrant, with gorgeous shades and even glitter variants that make the creative process even more magical.

Which tools do I need?

Have you added one of the FIMO clays to your basket? Then you are already halfway there. To make your creative process even more enjoyable and your results even better it is worth adding a few handy tools to your kit. Here are our top tips for getting started:

• Rolling pin or clay machine: A rolling pin works fine for simpler projects, but a clay machine quickly produces even thin sheets with precise thickness. It is also fantastic for softening stiff clay, saving both time and hand strength. A bigger investment but a real game changer.
  
  
• Modelling tools: We offer sets containing everything you need such as needle tools, precision knives, ball tools and silicone tips. Perfect for adding detail and finishing touches.
  
  
• Metal cutters: Super practical when you want to cut out exact shapes for example for earrings, pendants or decorations. Gives a professional finish every time.

Tip: Liquid polymer clay

Did you know that liquid polymer clay is also available? FIMO Liquid Gel is a versatile addition to your toolkit, perfect for creating transparent effects, sealing surfaces, using as an adhesive between parts or even transferring images. You can also mix in oil paint, glitter and pigment powder for exciting new effects. A must-have if you want to explore the full potential of polymer clay.