How to make a Polymer Clay Alligator

Wedging-Squish-Squish-Squish

Wedging Clay for Color-"Cut-Squish-Roll"
Sometimes you want a color that just isn't available from your crafts store. You can blend a new color by "wedging" different colors of polymer clay together. Wedging is just like kneading dough, or in simpler terms squishing and re-squishing the clay together until it blends in to a new custom color of your own design. Watch the video and look at the pictures. This is an important skill to know how to do for your "life as an Artist" working with clay.

4 Legs

Making the Body Parts.
Roll your wedged clay into a ball. With your knife cut it in half. One half will be your alligator body the other will be its legs. Roll the ball into a skinny ice cream cone shape. Slice open the larger section with your knife. This is your alligator's mouth. Roll the other ball of clay in to a coil (snake) and cut it into 4 even parts. Roll each section into a ball and then take each ball and make a little fat cylinder. These are your legs.

Adding toenails

Attaching Everything
Using your needle, crosshatch the tops of your legs. Then crosshatch the corresponding spots on the body for the legs. With your alligator on its back attach the legs to the body. Flip the alligator over so it is standing right side up. Squish and smooth the legs on to the body. Add your details using your needle. Poke holes for the eyes and nose. Pinch the back of the alligator to form a decorative ridge. Use your needle to make some toenails. Preheat your kitchen oven according to the directions on the polymer clay wrapper. BAKE-COOL-Paint your details...or not? You're done. Hey Mambo-You ROCK!