How to Create Polymer Clay Sculptures
Polymer clay is made of a plastic called polyvinyl chloride. It is handled and worked just like silica-based clays, but the plastic cures in a comparatively cool kitchen oven instead of baking in a high temperature kiln. After the polymer clay has cured, it can be sanded, cut and colored with water-based paint.
Things You'll Need
- Two wire clothes hangers
- Side cutting pliers
- Two 3/4-inch wood screws
- Wooden block
- Screwdriver
- Baking sheet
- Digital oven thermometer
- Grey acrylic paint
- Small paintbrush
Instructions
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1
Cut two wire clothes hangers into pieces that are at least 3 inches long with side cutting pliers. Screw two 3/4-inch wood screws about 1/2 inch into a wooden block using a screwdriver.
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2
Wrap the bottom of one wire piece around each screw and tighten the screws into the wood block with a screwdriver.
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3
Twist additional pieces of clothes hanger wire to the first two wire pieces to form the approximate shape of a tree trunk. Sculptors call these wire frames "armatures," and they are a common first step in sculpting three dimensional objects.
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4
Add more pieces of clothes hanger wire to the wire trunk to create the armature branches and roots of a gnarled, old tree in winter.
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5
Remove the polymer clay from its packaging and break the clay into pieces about the size of a ping pong ball. Work with one piece at a time.
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6
Warm and relax each piece of polymer clay by folding and rolling it in your bare hands. Break the ping pong ball-sized pieces into as many small pieces as you want.
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7
Pinch and wrap the small pieces of polymer to the trunk, branches and roots of your tree armature. You can make the surface as smooth or rough as you want. Cover the entire armature with clay.
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8
Set the tree sculpture on a baking sheet. Preheat an oven to 266 degrees Fahrenheit. Measure the oven temperature with a digital oven thermometer.
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9
Put the baking sheet and armature in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the sculpture and let it cool.
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10
Paint the sculpture to resemble a tree in winter with grey acrylic paint using a small paintbrush.
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References
- Photo Credit Polka Dot/Polka Dot/Getty Images
