by Maureen Carlson demonstrated making one of her character figures (about
7"? high, an old man sitting on a log, with a fishing pole in his hand)
using not-too-difficult sculpting components and her Push Molds (face,
hands, and boots).
(all measurements are my guesses)
--begin with an alum. foil armature (4" tall) shaped like a baking potato;
insert a toothpick almost halfway in
--thread onto it a 1" ball of clay for the neck
--put a l" alum.foil ball in the center of a 1 3/4" pad of clay, and pull
the edges over to cover the foil; form a slightly flattened oval; place
onto toothpick (blank head base)
TOP PANTS--3" pad of clay, press around bottom of foil potato, and smooth
LEGS--roll a 1" ball of clay into a 2-3" log; press a paintbush handle
through center of the log, then roll handle to create a tube
--reinsert handle into half of leg and bend clay over handle end to form a
bent knee
--squish the hole at one end to close; make end flat and diagonal to the
thigh
--attach legs to bottom of top-pant, offset from center; blend leg clay
into pant-top clay with strokes of side of thumb
--sit figure on an oven-safe base (she used a branch/log)
FACE--powder face mold; press a 1 1/4" teardrop shape of clay into mold
(press the point into nose area); *use less than enough to fill
completely* and make the back clay concave; remove from mold
--press face onto center of oval blank head (like large mask); press edges
around toward back with thumb to smooth (don't worry too much about areas
to be covered with hair)
(--can modify face: to open mouth up, indent/dig into mouth line with
needle tool, then pull chin area down; make holey nostrils by pressing in
with knitting needle; can deepen lines already on face)
EYES--press pre-baked white clay balls or glass beads into eye area; (can
use side of needle tool to define under-eye bags and upper lids:) scrunch
eyebrow area down over eyes to close them in a little
EARS (large)--1/2" half-circle of clay, indent center to one edge with
large rounded end of any tool
--place on side of head; press into head somewhat (rocking around) with
rounded large end of tool
--press mid-ear back, then top and lobe forward some
CHEEKS--blush with soft brush
SHIRT--(need very warm/soft clay) sheet of clay 3x6"
-wrap around neck high under chin; overlap top ends; let other ends hang
down to form "V"
--drape bottom ends by creating a diagonal fold over where leg joins body;
other end was simply lifted and pressed over knee
SLEEVES--same way as making legs
HANDS--(Always! use less clay than mold will hold, so will get good
definition on edges)
--use mold for hands; can cut fingers apart if want--not nec.; slip into
sleeve ends
--attach arms to very top of should area, on sides
(--can crease inner elbows with needle tool)
--move arms into any position desired
BOOTS--3-part mold
--press log of clay into main boot shape mold
--press darker brown clay into sole mold & press boot on top to remove
from mold
-- " " " " laces mold " "
" "
--(for slightly smaller boots, fill mold less than full)
SOCKS--make short log of clay & slip into boot
--slip sock/boot into pants leg (her "socks" showed--used same color as
pants?)
HAIR--flatten clay into 3/4" by 3/4"-or-longer strips
--cut 3 or more fringes along one long end; pick up and twist each fringe
separately
--attach fringe strip to head over ears & press unfringed edge down
--layer fringe strips around head, from bottom to top (hers was bald on
top)
SCARF (large)--place 4 balls of colored clay end to end; roll and twist
--flatten twisted log into 1 1/2" x 6" rectangle; fringe each end
--fold one long edge over a little and wrap around neck and shoulders
--overlap 2nd end and twist fringes
--put fishing pole in hand or whatever
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Maureen's book is called "How To Make Clay Characters," and appeared to
have 21 diff. characters in diff. poses.
WHEW! Diane B.