How to Make Clay Model Cars

If you have a love of both sculpting crafts and cars, what better way to combine them than with a clay model car? The shape and structure of a four-wheel sedan makes it the perfect easy clay project for a beginning sculptor, young or old. These plans can make a toy for your favorite youngster, or serve as a craft project you can enjoy together. Use colored clay or paint to customize your car when finished.

Things You'll Need

• Sculpting clay or dough
• Clean, flat surface
• Sculpting tool with a pointed tip, such as a bamboo skewer or fine knitting needle

Instructions

1. 

   Form two balls of clay. Choose their size according to how big you want your finished car to be: a large ball will become the car itself, while the small ball (one third the size of the large) will be used to make all four wheels.

2. 

   Roll the large ball into an oblong shape like a sausage, as shown. This shape will become the body of the car.

3. 

   Flatten one side of the sausage shape by pressing it against your flat work space. This will become the underside of the car.

4. 

   Lay the sausage shape flat side down on your workspace. Form the hood of the car by pressing and flattening the front of the sausage with your finger, creating a ledge.

5. 

   Create the trunk of the car by flattening the other end in the same way. Make this ledge shorter than the one in the front.

6. 

   Finish the shape of the trunk by pinching the edge upward. Set this car shape aside.

7. 

   Divide the smaller ball of clay into four equal segments.

8. 

   Roll each segment into a ball.

9. 

   Make each wheel by flattening the four balls slightly between your thumb and forefinger. Try to make each wheel the same size and shape. Adjust the amounts of clay if need be.

10. Press your finger into your car shape to create four grooves for wheels.

11. Stick your wheel shapes into the grooves to complete your basic car shape. You can now customize this vehicle by using your sharp-tip tool to draw details (such as windows, headlights, and wheel spokes) as you like them.

Tips & Warnings

• The car in these example pictures has a rather cartoonish design due to its large wheels. Create wheels of half this size for better realism.