How to Sculpt the Outline of a Trout in Clay

After you're done adding detail to your trout face and gills, do a quick once-over to make sure the trout is actually shaped like a fish. The easiest way to sculpt the outline of a trout is to use your pattern or a photo for a reference.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clay
• Knife

1. Lay the photocopied pattern or full-size drawing on top of the clay for the trout sculpture.

2. Use a knife or other sharp tool to trim away excess clay around the fins, tail, gills or mouth area, using the pattern as your guide.

3. Remove the pattern, and trim any other excess clay hanging from the edge of the trout.

4. Use your finger to smooth the edges again. Make sure all edges along the areas you just trimmed are smooth and round. Also double-check the entire fish to make sure it is smooth.

5. Pick the fish off the base and lay it back down to make sure there aren't any unwanted pieces of clay hanging off the outline.

6. Check the eyes and mouth. Sculpt the edges of both and cut off any extra clay hanging from them.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean the working board off before making the final outline touches on the trout. This will prevent any unwanted pieces of clay from attaching to the trout.
• Place the trout sculpture and working board on a lazy Susan so you can easily turn the fish to get a better look at all sides.