Re-Doing the Clay

Well, after waiting many weeks (maybe even a month?) for the clay to dry… it started cracking. I tried to re-wet it, smooth it over, and let it dry again. Same results. After the third time of trying, and still being dissatisfied, I am cleaning out the clay entirely and will try again.

I believe that mixing the paint into the clay is the cause of this issue. The paint has never completely attached to the clay (it still streaks off) and the clay has been clumping strangely since then. Moreover, when I take a small piece out and let it air-dry, it has different properties than the regular clay (e.g., the paint-mixed version is flakier).

My next attempt will paint the walls of the bottle, let it dry, put in the clay, match the clay with the side paint, and then paint the top.