Teddy Bear Brooches
(¡everyone loves a teddy bear! These little brooches are not difficult to make, and you can dress them up in the colours of your favourite team or add accessories for a hobby bear. If you find it difficult to make the mouths with strips of clay, you can mark in the mouth with a pen and Indian ink after baking. These instructions are for the soccer-playing teddy.
MATERIALS
♦ Clay - ochre, golden yellow, whik black and red
♦ Brooch back «Glue MIXTURE
|
È | |
|
m |
f^l) |
|
qt |
IForm a 6mm (Kin) thick log of the tan mixture arret cut a 20mm (%in) length for the body. Shape it into an oval and press on the board. Cut four more lengths, 6mm (Kin) long, and shape two into legs, wider at the bottom and with turned-up toes. Press on either side of the bottom of the body. Shape the other two into arms and press them on the sides.
2 Form a 10mm (Xin) ball of tan for the head and pinch out a tipped-up nose. Form two 3mm (Kin) balls for ears, squeeze them flat and position them on the head. Poke an ear hole in each with a wool needle, pushing the ear on to the head to secure. (If you intend to make a hat, make only one ear.) Make eye sockets and fill with two tiny balls of black. Cut a slice from a thin log of black for the nose and press it on the face. Cut very thin strips of black for the mouth and position them with the knife.
3 Make some very think of red and white, about 4cm (1/iin) long,andln them together side by side. Kd j flat to make a strip 1.5mm(-.«|ij thick and 5mm (X.in) wide. Cat j two lengths of 20mm (Finland j fringe one end of each. Lav on the teddy, one lying upwards» above. Cut another length of scarf and wrap it around the neck. Finally bring the upper fringed piece down to look lilt a knotted scarf.
.olden vellow, while low
.olden vellow, while low
H Forma 10mm (Xin) ball II of red, shape it into an u. ova! and cut it in half, tea thin log of red and ■itaround the base of one «Markribs on the hat to ■sa knitted look. A small paired makes the bobble, (off part of the teddy's head toss on the hat.
To make a soccer ball, form a 3mm (:; in) log of white clay and another, slightly smaller, of black. Cut slices from each and arrange in the pattern above. Roll lightly to flatten. Slice off the board and wrap round a 6mni (¡4in) ball of white clay, tucking the edges under. Press under bear's paw. Bake the teddv for 15 minutes. Glue a brooch back on the back_ (see page 22).
Variations
The baseball player in the photograph below is made in the same way. The hat is made from a ball of blue clay and another of white, sectioned and then re-assembled, alternating the colours. A brim is pressed on the front and the whole applied to the trimmed head. The bat is a log of brown clay.
The skating teddy has white boots applied to her feet and silver painted strips of clay for skates. See page 72 for instructions on making a bow.
some very thin logs and white, about .Kin) long, and l.n :r side by side. Roll i strip 1.5mm ( . inl ,m ('/I,.in) wide. Cut jf 20mm ( .in) and id of each. Lay on ie lying upwards as nother length of ap it around the bring the upper ; down to look like irf.
Some spectacular effects can be obtained by using metallic powders with polymer clays. These powders are brushed on to the unbaked clay with a soft paintbrush, and, when the clay is baked and varnished, the results are similar to worked metal. Fimo produces an excellent range and Cernit has a basic range but you can use any of the metallic powders sold for craft work.
To apply the powder, place the clay on a piece of paper so that excess powder will fall on to the paper and can be re-applied. Use a soft paintbrush and stroke the powder in well. After baking, varnish with quick strokes.
Some of the following projects use artificial crystal stones to add sparkle. These are available from jewellery suppliers and craft shops, but make sure that they are made of glass to withstand baking. Plastic stones and beads can be used, but they must be added after baking.
When you work with metallic powders, avoid inhaling the dust and always work in a well-ventilated room.
MATERIALS
♦ Plastic drinking straw to mark the scales (optional)
♦ Metallic powder - silver, blue, green and lilac
♦ Small crystal stone for the eye
♦ Gloss varnish
Form an oval with pointed ends for the forked tail and cut one end in half, curving the two ends outwards. Press it ontoth(| tail end. Form a 6mm ( inlh into an oval, point one end and I press it on the board. Cut loes and curl these round intoadwj Press it to the bottom of the body. Brush the body with alternating bands of metallic powder. Dust a light coverings silver all over. Bake and varmi Glue on a brooch back (see pa? 22) and glue the stone in p it is loose.
IRoll a clay a lengtj board and with a poir rolling a 1" making a p cutting off Press on th against the Roll a 5mn 10mm (Xir the left-har and mark c before.
Dragon Brooch
(~f/h is brooch has been made using four different metallic powders, but plain gold or silver would be just as striking. If you use black clay as ' a base, it will give a slightly antique look where it shows through.
MATERIALS
♦ Plastic drinking straw to mark the scales (optional)
♦ Metallic powder - silver, blue, green and lilac
♦ Small crystal stone for the eye
♦ Gloss varnish
IForm a log of black clay, 6mm (Kin) thick and 11.5cm (4^ in) long. Taper one end slightly for the nose and the other more gradually into a point for the tail. Starting at the head, coil the snake of clay on the board into the shape shown below. Texture the body by marking scales all over it with the eye of a large wool needle or a drinking straw. Make cuts with a craft knife along the back of the head and curve them up into a crest.
2 Make a cut for the mouth and open it by pushing the nose up. Roll out a 1.5mm (M. in) log for the teeth, trim it to fit into the mouth and cut out teeth. Position it against the top of the mouth with your knife. Pierce a hole for the nostril. Make a hole for the eye and insert the stone. Form a tiny log for an eyebrow and press it on above the eye. Roll a long, thin tongue, split the end and trail it from the mouth across the body.
MATERIALS
♦ Clay - white or any colou r to tone with Ihe powder
♦ Metallic powder - try combining two in one brooch, for example, gold and green or lilac and blue
♦ Artificial crystal stones for decoration
♦ Gloss varnish
Castle Brooches r^udded with stones and sparkling with metallic powders, these fairy-tale brooches are deceptively simple to make.
MATERIALS
♦ Clay - white or any colou r to tone with Ihe powder
♦ Metallic powder - try combining two in one brooch, for example, gold and green or lilac and blue
II day and cut a 20mm (X in) L iaigth. Press this on the Kiand mark crenellations Ha point. Make the hill by fcjj 13mm ('¿in) ball of clay, fag a point at one end and tartgoff the top and bottom.
on the board, the top edge
Ihe bottom of the keep. j5mm (X,in) log and cut a (>m) length. Press this to jill-hand side of the keep imark crenellations as b.
2 Roll a 3mm (Kin) log and cut three different lengths. Press these on the castle, one above the keep and the other two against the sides. Make spires by rolling 6mm (VI in) balls into short logs with pointed ends, cut them in half and press each cut end on top of a tower. Make a tiny tower in the same way and press it onto the front of the castle.
Mark details - windows, a door and steps leading up the hill - with a wool needle. Press on the crystal stones at suitable points. Brush on metallic powder, blending it in and using different colours for the hill and spires. Bake for 10 minutes and then varnish. Glue a brooch back on the back (see page 22).
Shell Necklace and Earrings
^yolymer clay can be used very successfully to make highly detailed moulds from all kinds of objects - buttons, shells, nuts, jewellery, small toys and even your own clay designs. This collection of jewellery uses real shells to make polymer clay moulds. Shell moulds are particularly useful when used with metallic powders because the textures of the shells are reproduced in great detail and add to the sparkle. The resulting designs resemble shells that have been dipped into gold or silver.
Choose small shells in various shapes. A 2.5cm (1 in) cockle shell makes a good centrepiece, while small spiral shells, such as winkles or whelks, add variety. Long, thin spiral shells make the best dangling
MATERIA
1Kn< mo adc harder cl the clay I shape as side that impressi the clay ■ Press the to half w against t round. EI overhan;
distort when you remove Umj However, firmer clays can be mixed with a softening agent I such as Mix Quick, for making moulds, while the softer days can be refrigerated inside llieit moulds before removal to nufc them firmer.
Making Moulds
Some of the different makes of polymer clay take impressions better than others. Softer clays, such as Sculpey, are easier to use for making moulds, while the firmer clays, such as Fimo, are better for using in the mould because they are less likely to
3u remove them. ;r clays can be aftening agent, lick, for making the softer clays ited inside their removal to make and any colour moulds
>wder
Metallic powder - red or copper the necklace; silvers blues for the earrings ion of sea shells «varnish hmklace:
or leaf bails jump rings nccklace chain and clasp town-rugs: bails or pendant mounts fish-hook ear fittings
Knead the clay for the mould until it is really soft, adding mixing medium to clays if necessary'. Shape to roughly the same js the shell and flatten the latisto take the of y with talcum powder, into the clay up pushing the clay shell's sides all Do not allow any ngs to develop.
2 Carefully remove the Knead the black clay shell from the mould, well. Dust the inside of using a point to lift one the mould with a side. If you have to bend paintbrush dipped in talcum the mould slightly to release powder and shake out the the shell, bend it back to shape excess. Shape the clay roughly gently. Make moulds of into the shape of the shell the other shells. Bake the impression and press it in as moulds for at least 30 minutes hard as you can. With softer so they are really hard. clays, it is easier to leave a tag of excess clay to help lifting out. Otherwise, trim off excess clay with your knife.
4 Push the clay away from the sides of the mould with the side of your knife and gently lift one edge. Pull out the clay. You may need a few practices with each mould to find the best way to release the clay. Lay the moulded shell on the board and trim off any excess clay. Make a small hole right through to attach the bail after baking.
5 To make the earrings, take two impressions from one mould of a long thin shell. Brush both front and back with silver and blue metallic powder or a variety of colours. Make a hole in the top of each moulded shell to take a bail or pendant mount. Bake for 10 minutes. Varnish and attach the bails and fish-hook ear wires page 21).
Make a selection of moulded shells lor the necklace. Brush the fr-. H and back of the shells withgoU and copper powder, using the copper inside the openings»! the spiral shells and graduati the colours on the flatter shell'. ] Bake for 10 minutes and vara Squeeze a bail into the hole of I each shell and attach them to the chain with jump rings. Arrange the shells to hang evenly and adjust the lenglhrt I the chain if necessary.
Variations
Other shell jewellery ideas are shown here; Try using cohirei| clay and only brushing the edges with metallic powder t)| obtain different effects.
llery ideas ore using coloured ushing the llic powder to effects.
■lection of shells for the Brush the front shells with gold der, using the e openings of and graduating ie flatter shells, jtes and varnish, ito the hole of ttach them to imp rings, lis to hang st the length of ssary.
llery ideas ore using coloured ushing the llic powder to effects.
miling Sun
Choker and Earrings
{^ruling suns and moons are eternally popular motifs, and the designs used in this and in the next project show how to model an expressive face in modelling clay. Once modelled, the designs can be moulded and reproduced for as many Jf. suns and moons as you wish.
forma 10mm (/Sin) ball of Hack clay and press it down on the board to a disc just under 20mm biacross. Roll a 3mm (Uin) lied wrap it around the disc, g the ends to meet at Flatten this a tittle nd and cut points. Indent the tip of the needle and lightly mark the eyes, nose
2 Form a small wedge shape for the nose and press this on the centre of the face, smoothing the sides into the face with the side of a needle or small modelling tool. Flatten balls of clay for the cheeks and press them on, smoothing the edges in. Indent eye sockets with a point and fill each with a small ball of clay. Roll four tiny logs with pointed ends and pat these on above and below each eye for lids. Smooth them in on the sides away from the eye.
MATERIALS
♦ Small paintbrush handle or similar blunt tool
♦ Gold metallic powder
♦ Black velvet ribbon, 20mm (Xin) wide
♦ 2 GP ear clips or ear studs with 10mm (Kin) flat pads
♦ Gloss varnish
♦ Fastening for choker (hooks and eyes or snap fastener)
3 Roll two tiny logs with pointed ends for the top and bottom lips and pat these on to the face, curving them upwards into a smile and smoothing the top one towards the nose for an upper lip and the bottom one towards the chin. Indent a line in the centre of the top lip and poke two nostrils in the underside of the nose. Brush the whole face with gold powder but leave the back un-gilded because turning the face over could spoil it. Bake for 10 minutes and varnish to protect the gilding when cool.
Glue flat pad ear fittings, either studs or clips, to the backs of the earring suns (see page 22).
into the or smal .111 eve s ball ofc mouth.
5Neaten the ends of the choker, cutting it to fit your neck. Sew on hooks and eves or snap fasteners. The earrings are made in exactly the same way or you can make a mould of the first sun (see instructions for making shell moulds on page 87). The points are difficult to reproduce with a mould, so it is easier to take an impression of only the face and then apply the points as above.
Glue flat pad ear fittings, either studs or clips, to the backs of the earring suns (see page 22).
IFo bk al with po a cresce the boai into the or smal .111 eve s ball ofc mouth.
4 Roll some black clay to 1.5mm (M.in) thick and cut a bar 25 x 6mm (1 x iiin). Trim it so that it is slightly shorter than the width of the sun. Lay the velvet ribbon over the bar and cut two small pieces to apply to the bar ends so that the ribbon can lie between them as shown below. Bake the bar. Glue the bar vertically to the back of the sun, trapping the ribbon.
ake these moons to complement your sun choker and earrings.
Post a comment