Polymer clay is perfect for amateur and professional sculptors - you don't have to worry about keeping it moist while you work it, or you don't run the risk of it exploding while baking! Plus it keeps for a long time and you can cook it in your kitchen oven! Here are some tips on how to best use polymer clay. Let's begin!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Small Projects
Step 1. Create something fun
You can create fantastic sculptures with polymer clay, but if you are a beginner, opt for an easy project with simple shapes. In this way you can become familiar with the material and you will learn how to work and bake clay.
Step 2. Create a frog
For example, a simple, smiling frog only needs a few pieces of clay and could become a valuable toy to keep over time!
- Take a piece of green clay that fits inside your fist. Shape it into the shape of a football (or rugby) ball, flatten it and curl the sides, in the shape of cheeks.
- Flatten a strip of red clay, like a red vermicello. Wet the base of the strip and press it in place of your mouth.
- Create two balls with white clay. Flatten them and use them for the eyes.
- Add two smaller blue dots in the center of the eye.
- Bake everything in the oven following the instructions of your clay. In no time your frog will be ready!
Step 3. Make a bowl
- Start with a plain, colorless piece of clay 8-10cm in diameter.
- Use an iron (or copper) wire or clay knife to cut the top. Set it aside. You should now have a small circular sphere with a flat top.
- Create a circular hole with your thumbs and start working it all around by pressing outwards. Work the clay to create the empty space inside the bowl.
- Continue to work the clay all around until the bowl is nice and deep. The edges should be approximately 0.6 cm thick at the top and 1.30 cm at the bottom.
- Work the top you cut earlier. This part will be used to make the lid.
- Color the bowl and then bake it in the oven.
Step 4. Try something harder
Once you have become familiar with clay you can try to create something more artistic and complicated, like the cat below.
- Flatten a ball of clay the size of your fist. Flatten it so it's about 0.6cm thick. Use a toothpick to create a light texture.
- Flatten another clay ball a little smaller and place it near the back of the first ball and then flatten it. These will be the cat's body and butt.
- Roll out a third ball, smaller than the second. Place it in front to create the cat's head.
- Create the ears, legs and tail with small pieces of clay. Wet and press them onto the clay, then smooth them so they blend in with the larger pieces.
- Use a toothpick to draw the whiskers and mouth and use a fork to detail the rest of the body to recreate the hair.
- Add final details like a fishbone.
- Bake everything in the oven and when it's ready you'll have a cat that you never have to feed!
Method 2 of 3: Major Projects
Step 1. Conceptualize the project and choose the size
Make a sketch for the proportions.
Step 2. Make a skeleton with wire
The skeleton will support the clay and will help you fold it and put it into a pose.
- Roll a double thread around the parts that support the weight, such as arms and legs. Another good idea is to create loops of thread at the end of the supporting threads. For example, a U-shaped thread at the end of the foot will help support weight better than a pointed thread.
- Try to use a few wires to keep the skeleton sturdy. Some areas require more reinforcements, such as the rib cage, and will need rings to be filled with foil padding.
- Add some floss in the independent areas, such as the ears. As for your fingers, use aluminum foil as a support.
Step 3. Reinforce with aluminum foil
When you are done with the skeleton, start reinforcing the various parts with aluminum foil.
- The tinfoil is wrinkled and will stick very well to the threads. It is also an excellent surface on which the clay adheres perfectly.
- Think of the mass and the muscles - use tinfoil as a surface for the clay and to keep the sculpture light. Use tinfoil for padding.
- After this step your sculpture should start to take shape, but it needs more definition.
Step 4. Apply an initial layer of clay
Cut it into small pieces and work the clay with your fingers. Make some 0.6 cm thick sheets and then apply them on the aluminum foil and work them together.
- Continue until the entire surface is covered. If the clay seems to be too hard, don't worry, it will soften with the warmth of your hands. If you have difficulty modeling clay, use smaller pieces.
- At this stage the sculpture should be simple, so don't worry if the nose is a simple piece of clay or if the arm doesn't have the shape of muscles.
Step 5. Refine the sculpture
After covering the skeleton with a rudimentary layer of clay, finish all the parts and add the details.
- Add muscles, remove excess clay, smooth imperfections and create the shapes you want.
- Look at the sculpture from different angles to make sure it is correct and proportionate in all its parts.
Step 6. Optional:
create a base. In the previous steps it is recommended not to have a base in order to be able to handle the sculpture easily and to be able to work it in the best way.
At some point you will need a base to finish the sculpture. Create a temporary base to help you work the sculpture. You can create a proper base later, for example with wood
Step 7. Finalize the work
When the sculpture is ready, take the carving tools and start creating the details. Smoothes the skin, draws facial features, wrinkles, nails, scales, hair, clothes; all those details that make a wonderful sculpture.
Take your time and have fun, the clay will not dry out
Step 8. Heat the oven
When you are done with the details, heat the oven to about 135 ° C.
- Place the sculpture in a lined baking tray and bake for 15-25 minutes. When the thin parts have turned dark, remove the sculpture from the oven, making sure they don't burn.
- When you remove the sculpture it won't be quite hard. Don't worry - once it cools it will harden.
Step 9. And that's it
20 hours of work and the sculpture will harden in just 15 minutes.
Step 10. Posthumous Treatments
After firing the sculpture you can do a lot of interesting things.
- If you have forgotten something you can sculpt it again and then re-cook the sculpture, or bake the new piece separately and then glue it.
- Paint the sculpture with oil or acrylic paints. For best results use acrylic paints in multiple coats of paint. You can also glue hair, feathers, furs, jewelry and clothes. Be creative!
Method 3 of 3: Examples
Step 1. Take a look at these examples
Here are some beautiful professional sculptures made with polymer clay:
- A fairy doll: [1]
- a dragon: [2]
- A cartoon character: [3]
- Wolverine from X Men: [4]
- A monster: [5]
Advice
- There are many types of polymer clay, some of which are harder and allow for beautiful detail and are great as a base for colors. Some types of clay are softer and easier to work with, similar to Fimo, but more solid. These types of clay are often used by professional modelers to create characters from movies, video games and model cars.
- Note: Although this tutorial has a numbered sequence, there is no need to complete the steps all at once! Polymer clay can be modeled for months if it is stored away from the sun, so take some breaks!
