How to Sculpt the Shape of a Trout

Make a great trout sculpture out of clay, and mount it on a plaque for display. To get the right shape, find a picture of a trout you can photocopy to enlarge, or draw a picture to use as a reference.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clay
• Sculpting knife and tools

1. Use a pattern of the fish you want to sculpt. Either photocopy and enlarge a picture to set on top of the clay, or draw a picture of the trout.

2. Set the photocopy on top of the thin block of clay, and cut the outline of the fish out of the clay.

3. Round the edges of the entire fish using a sculpting tool. Find a tool that removes excess clay to smooth the edge at the same time.

4. Press the fins of the fish to thin them out. You want them to come from the middle of the fish's body, not the front edge. This technique spreads the clay, making for a realistic detail.

5. Remove a layer of the tail to make it thin. Use a clay cutting wire or other tool to take an even amount of the tail off.

6. Push your fingertip down around the edges to smooth the surface and round the corners of the trout.

Tips & Warnings

• Dip your finger in a bowl of water to dampen it before smoothing out the edges. Make sure your finger is only slightly damp; you don't want much water to touch the clay.
• Put your entire trout sculpture on the mounting board and set it on a lazy Susan so that you can easily turn to access all sides better.
• You don't need fancy sculpting tools. Use knitting needles, a butter knife, rolling pin and other items around the house.