Plasticine facts for kids
| Type | Modelling clay |
|---|---|
| Inventor(s) | William Harbutt |
| Company | Harbutt |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Availability | 1900– |
Plasticine is a popular type of modelling clay. It feels like a soft, squishy putty. It's made from things like calcium salts, a bit like chalk, along with petroleum jelly and other oily stuff. These ingredients make it easy to mold and shape.
People use Plasticine a lot for playing and creating. It's also a favorite material for making stop-motion animation movies. You might have seen it in famous films like those by Nick Park, which have even won Oscars! Plasticine is also mentioned in some British songs, like "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" by the Beatles.
Contents
How Plasticine Was Invented
William Harbutt, an art teacher in Bath, England, invented Plasticine in 1897. He wanted a special clay for his sculpture students. This clay needed to stay soft and not dry out, even when left in the air.
Harbutt worked hard and created a clay that was safe to use, clean, soft, and easy to shape. It was perfect because it didn't dry out.
He got a patent for his invention in 1899. This meant he officially owned the idea. Then, in 1900, he started making Plasticine in a factory in Bathampton. The first Plasticine was grey. Soon, they started selling it in four different colors. Kids loved Plasticine, and it became very popular in schools for art classes.
Plasticine is mostly made of a bulking agent (like gypsum, which is in plaster). It also contains petroleum jelly, lime, and other oily ingredients. You can't make it hard by baking it in a hot oven, and it will melt if it gets too hot.
The Story of Plasticine Over Time
The Harbutt company made Plasticine fun for kids by creating special modeling kits. These kits featured popular characters like Noddy, the Mr. Men, and Paddington Bear.
Sadly, the original Plasticine factory burned down in 1963. A new, modern factory was built to replace it. The Harbutt company continued to make Plasticine in Bathampton until 1983. After that, the production moved to Thailand.
Over the years, different companies have owned the Plasticine brand. For a while, an American company called Colorforms made Plasticine in the US. Later, Bluebird Toys bought the brand, and then Mattel bought Bluebird. Eventually, the brand was sold to Humbrol Ltd, which is known for model paints. Today, Flair Leisure owns the Plasticine brand.
Other Similar Modeling Clays
Plasticine isn't the only modeling clay out there! A similar product called "Kunst-Modellierthon" was invented in Germany in 1880. In Italy, a product called Pongo is also very similar. You might also know Play-Doh, but Play-Doh is different because it's made from flour, salt, and water, and it dries out when left in the air.
Fun Ways to Use Plasticine
Plasticine and similar clays are super popular for making clay animation movies. One of the most famous animators who uses Plasticine is Nick Park from Aardman Animations. He created the amazing Wallace and Gromit characters using Plasticine! His films, like A Grand Day Out and The Wrong Trousers, have won many Oscars. This type of animation is often called claymation.
Animators love Plasticine because it's easy to work with. It's soft enough to shape characters, flexible enough to make them move, and strong enough to hold its shape. It also doesn't melt under the bright studio lights.
Plasticine is also used in long jump and triple jump sports competitions. Officials use a special board with Plasticine on its edges. If an athlete steps past the take-off line, their foot leaves a mark in the Plasticine. This shows that the jump was a foul, and it won't be counted. Plasticine is used because it's easy to see the marks, and new boards can be quickly swapped in.
You might also find Plasticine-like clays in fun party games like Cranium and Rapidough.
A famous TV presenter named James May once created a huge garden made entirely of Plasticine for a big flower show! It was called 'Paradise in Plasticine' and used over 2.6 tons of Plasticine in 24 different colors. It took many people six weeks to build this amazing garden. It even won an honorary gold award and was voted the public's favorite small garden!
During World War II, Plasticine was used in a very serious way by a bomb disposal officer. He used Plasticine to build a small wall around a special German bomb fuze. Then, he poured liquid oxygen inside the Plasticine wall. This liquid made the bomb's battery so cold that it stopped working, allowing the fuze to be removed safely.
Images for kids
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East German Plastilina
See also
In Spanish: Plastilina para niños
