HUE Clay may transfer colour to hands or surfaces but this can usually be easily washed off with soap and water. Baby wipes or cleaning lotions may be used to remove any colour which remains on the hands.

Always protect work surfaces, furnishings and clothes while using HUE Clay as it may stain. To protect furniture, use a modelling mat. Keep surfaces protected for mess-free fun.

Any staining to clothes can sometimes be removed by soaking overnight before washing. HUE Clay is extremely difficult to remove from carpets and fabrics, so protection is by far the best way to avoid problems. Carpet or fabric cleaner might help – remove as much of the excess HUE Clay as possible first. Do not use water. Being oil-based, HUE Clay is softened by solvents such as paraffin and nail varnish remover (CAUTION: highly inflammable) which makes it easier to remove but might also damage the carpet or fabric.

No, HUE Clay is a non-hardening, reusable modelling material that never dries out such as plastilina, plasticine, pasta para modelar, pâte à modeller, Knetmasse and plastilin.

It is not suitable for baking and will not harden, set or air dry.

HUE Clay is also not meltable for pouring into moulds. Heating it risks irreparable damage.

HUE Clay is a professional grade modelling clay for detailed sculpting and stop motion animation, and it’s one of the hardest modelling materials of its type on the market. That why it is favoured by many animators. The hardness or softness required by individual users is a matter of personal preference. Storage conditions also have a large influence on the hardness of the clay.

The clay can sometimes feel harder than usual when it is first opened or cold. To soften the clay, gently warm it and knead it for a few minutes in your hands. Alternatively, wrap a piece in foil or cling-film and carry it in a pocket for 15 minutes until it is pliable again.

HUE Clay does not contain water and therefore it is non-drying and non-setting. It should remain pliable and workable for several years. However, nothing lasts forever and the modelling clay might become a little harder and more brittle or crumbly with age, particularly if it has been exposed to cold conditions during storage. It can often be re-softened with gentle heat, e.g. with the fingers or in a container in warm water. Working a little linseed oil or petroleum jelly into the HUE Clay can also be effective. If these measures fail, the clay is past salvage and should be replaced by purchasing fresh material.

HUE Clay is non-setting and non-drying so it does not need to be kept in an air-tight container but this is recommended to keep it clean and prevent contact with dust or fluff. It is best stored in a plastic container, plastic bag or wrap.

Avoid long exposure to direct sunlight and other strong lights to ensure that colours remain bright.

The recommended storage temperature to keep HUE Clay in good condition is 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F). Cold conditions might make the HUE Clay hard and crumbly. Please see this separate FAQ if your clay has hardened.

Different HUE Clay colours can be combined to produce an infinite range of colours or ‘marble’ effects.

Tip: Washing hands thoroughly between handling different colours is recommended for preventing unwanted mixing. Soap and water should suffice but baby wipes or cleaning lotions may be used to remove any colour which remains on the hands.

HUE Clay does not contain sulphur and is perfectly suitable for use with silicones in mould-making.

Yes! HUE acquired Newclay Products’ modelling clay brands – including Newplast – and has worked hard to revive the famous non-drying, non-setting modelling material beloved by animators. Also known as Lewis Newplast, it is sufficiently pliable to make a wide variety of models, but is firm enough to retain its shape indefinitely. 

Founded in 1967, Newclay captivated generations of children, animators and artists with its innovative and imaginative modelling products. Its flagship product, Newplast, is a special type of non-drying modelling clay that is especially suitable for stop motion animation due to its balance of pliability, firmness and resistance to cracking.

This iconic brand of clay is now back in production for the very first time since previous owners, Paul and Valerie Dearing, announced they were retiring. Newplast is once again available to purchase under its new brand name, HUE Clay.

Newplast is known for being used by multi-Academy Award® and BAFTA® winning Aardman Animations, creators of world famous stop motion films including Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep.

“We are delighted HUE has acquired the rights to manufacture Newclay modelling materials. As a family-run business with a strong presence in stop motion animation, HUE gave us the perfect opportunity to bring Newplast and our other quality products into production. Their vision and ambition to expand into the creative education and leisure markets will take the products from strength to strength. We wish them every success on their new journey.” 
– Paul and Valerie Dearing, former owners/directors of Newclay Products Limited.

Colours and styles may vary slightly from those shown on the packaging due to the manufacturing process and the way that colours vary across different displays.

There can be small batch-to-batch variations in the clay’s hardness (and colour) due to the nature of the materials used and the production processes. For users for whom the consistency of hardness and/or colour of the HUE Clay is critical to their work, we recommend buying all that you need at the same time to minimise variations, or contacting us for assistance.