Rubber Stamping in Clay - a Good Craft for People with Fine Motor Skill Problems

One of the positive features of rubber stamping is that it opens up crafts to people of all backgrounds and experience. In this interview we talk to Judith Zausner founder of Caring Crafts about the use of rubber stamping with clay. Caring Crafts specialize in the provision of craft products and projects that are particularly well suited to people who have fine motor skill problems.

Take a look at our gallery for more examples of Judith's work

What issues do people with fine motor skill problems experience when crafting and how does rubber stamping help?

People who have difficulty with fine motor skills have difficulty doing activities that require precision work or using small tools or parts. With attention problems or cognitive issues, they have problems remaining in focus and/or their concentration and thought processes are impaired so that they cannot effectively work with a long list of actions that may be required for detailed instructions. All of the people mentioned above benefit from engaging in short simple projects that can provide an attractive finished project that rewards their ego and builds their self esteem.

Clay is an excellent medium because it is innately therapeutic. The process of kneading and rolling is an excellent exercise for the hands as well as the mind. Using stamps on the clay makes it easy to create a beautiful design quickly and effectively.

When did you start using stamps and air dry clay and what made you explore this technique?

Started this in 2007 when I purchased both the clay and the stamps as separate items for my business caringcrafts.com. Since I am always thinking about projects that can be easily enjoyed by adults with fine motor skills and/or concentration problems, I used these 2 elements together to produce simple pieces that are beautiful and visually interesting yet simple to make.

How do you use stamps and clay – what techniques do you use? What types of things do you make?

I roll out the clay but maintain a thickness that will hold firm for stamping. When this is completed, you can imagine it like a piece of patterned paper. It can be cut and then glued to fit an area on an existing form (eg.wooden box), or shaped to create jewelry pieces such as earrings, pins, pendants, beads for a necklace.

After the piece has been dried, you can paint it or rub some paint on the surface to create a more antique look.

Are there any special requirements from the clay or types of stamps used?

There are special tips in handling air dried clay with the stamping process that will make it easier and I will email these to anyone interested in exploring this technique (Judith can be contacted through the Caring Crafts website). One basic and important requirement is to find the best moisture method to keep the clay damp so it can be more easily managed. You need to experiment with different stamps; some are clear and some rubber, some with handles, some with rollers, etc. Stamps with deeper impressions will usually give more satisfying results.

Do you have any tips for people looking to try this for the first time?

Experiment with rolling the clay in different thicknesses to determine the best depth for your stamp. Keep a mister with water or wet washcloth next to you to maintain dampness in the clay either by direct spray or by keeping your hands damp.

To make the stamped clay look more dramatic and to optimize the clay impression, I suggest that the top surface be painted a color that contrasts with the clay color.

What is the mission of Caring Crafts? What sort of projects are popular for people with fine motor skill difficulties – how does clay and stamping fit in to this?

The mission of Caring Crafts is simply and boldly to empower creativity. All projects on my www.caringcrafts.com site are applicable for adults with fine motor skill difficulties because they do not require precision or contain small parts. The technique of stamping on clay is popular because manipulating this clay is very therapeutic for your hands and the project can incorporate many variables and produce a large range of exciting and different results.

Thank you to Judith Zausner from Caring Crafts Inc for taking the time to talk to About.com

About Judith Zausner

Judith Zausner is the Founder and President of Caring Crafts, Inc. (www.caringcrafts.com) which offers craft kits and supplies to adults with fine motor skill problems and/or attention difficulties. Awarded a grant from the Society for the Arts in Health Care (www.thesah.org) in recognition of its commitment to integrating the arts and healing, Judith is dedicated to empowering creativity to encourage independence and enhance well being. In addition to her entrepreneurial work, she has professional experience in Marketing and Communications in technology, professional services and architecture for global and domestic businesses.

For more information about Judith, take a look at her profile on the Caring Crafts website.

Further Reading About Fine Motor Skills at About.com

• Fine Motor Skills from Learning Disabilities
• Fine Motor Control