How to Make Miniature Polymer Animals With Fur

Polymer clay is a medium often used for the creation of miniatures. Since it is easy to render in high detail and cures in a conventional oven, this clay is ideal for sculpted homemade pieces, such as small animals. Polymer clay animals, however, are not the most realistic in appearance or touch due to their plastic-like texture. To make a polymer clay animal more life-like, finish it with a layer of real fur.

Things You'll Need

• Black or white polymer clay
• Smooth, hard work surface
• Baking sheet
• Tacky craft glue
• Animal fur

Instructions

1. Soften 2 tablespoons of polymer clay by kneading it with your hands.

2. Roll the clay into a ball between your flattened palms.

3. Place the clay on a smooth, hard work surface and roll it back and forth several times beneath a flat palm to form a slightly oblong, round shape.

4. Grip the round end of the oblong shape, pinch it slightly and pull it up into a slightly curved, almost 90-degree angle from the rest of the shape. This will be the animal's head.

5. Pinch the bottom of the shape (opposite the head) and pull out the clay to form four legs and a tail. This process should pull about half the clay from the body shape in order to make legs and a tail that are thick enough to form a basic quadruped (four-legged animal) shape.

6. Shape the features of the rough animal shape into the form of the animal you want. For example, you might pinch the clay at the top of the head into small points for cat ears or round shapes for a dog or an elephant. Form the nose into a long, thin cord for the elephant or a long, rounded snout for a horse. Pinch and pull clay from the hind end to form a tail (thin or thick, depending on the animal) and either let it hang or lift it up to stand tall. Flatten the ends of the feet for hooves or curl them forward for paws.

7. Bake the clay according to the manufacturer's instructions on a baking sheet. Let cool.

8. Cut lengths of hair from the fur. Leave the locks of hairs intact as much as possible.

9. Coat the animal with tacky glue with a craft brush.

10. Press tufts of hair to the animal to stick them in place. Layer the hair from the bottom up.

References

• "The Big-Ass Book of Crafts;" Mark Montano and Auxy Espinoza; 2008