How Can I Make a Model of the Great Wall of China?

Choose a highly-detailed photo as your Great Wall of China reference.

When astronauts reported seeing the Great Wall of China from outer space during early shuttle missions, their words confirmed what historians already knew: this architectural wonder is one of the world's great masterpieces. Built over dynasties and centuries, the Great Wall snakes across the China landscape, paying tribute to untold numbers of Chinese who built it brick by brick. Your model needn't be a laborious undertaking, but it can be structurally sound and a faithful rendering of the original.

Things You'll Need

• Clay
• Wire
• Paints
• Stain
• Sand paper
• Artificial scale model greenery
• Wood base
• Sealer
• Drop cloths
• Hammer and nails

Instructions

1. Locate a large, accurate photograph of the Great Wall of China that shows as much detailing of the base, curves, walls and walkway as possible. Find the best and largest images in library books or search the Internet (see link) for a high resolution image.

2. Visit a lumber store to obtain the slab of wood you'll use as a base for your Great Wall of China model. Ask for a wood remnant measuring around 24 inches-by-12 inches or have a section cut to size. Choose the thickest wood possible, as your clay wall will be heavy and the base must support the sculpture. Sand, stain and seal the wood.

3. Clear out a workspace on which to model your wall. Cover the surface with a drop cloth or plastic sheeting. Prop up your reference photo on the worktable so you can emulate the lines and shapes of the Great Wall as you construct the armature.

4. Build an armature to support your clay model of the Great Wall. Bend and wrap wire to follow the lines in the reference photo. A tutorial for shaping wire armatures may be of help and can be found on the Paint-Sculpt website (a link is given below in the Reference Section). Pay more attention to shape than aesthetics, as you'll be covering the wire completely with clay. Nail the wire armature to the wood base with a hammer when you're satisfied with the shape.

5. Knead small sections of modeling clay in your hands to make it pliable. Completely cover the wire armature with clay, one section at a time. Use kitchen utensils--knife, spoon, fork, spatula, etc.--as sculpting tools to mark and fashion the walkway running down the center of the Great Wall of China. Smooth and etch other details into the clay as you work your way down the length of the model.

6. Allow your completed model of the Great Wall of China to dry and harden. Select three or four shades of paint to replicate the colors in your reference photo (e.g., brown, moss, grey, terra cotta). Choose one as your base color and brush it on. Use the other hues to create a "mottled," worn look by dabbing rather than brushing on color. Allow the model to dry before applying a sealer to the sculpture. Glue artificial greenery in place. This is available at hobby shops and model railroading stores.

Tips & Warnings

• Cover your reference material--the photo or book--with plastic wrap to protect it from clay and paint splatter while you work on your model.

• If you would rather not use commercial clay for your model, try recipes for making alternatives from kitchen ingredients (see link).

References

• World From The Web: Great Wall of China Images
• Paint-Sculpt: Build an Armature For your Model
• Crayola: Build the Great Wall
• Make Stuff: Recipes for Making Your Own Clay