How to make from clay. Making clay with your own hands and sculpting with it. Make your own polymer clay

In the modern world there are many different types of handicrafts: knitting, embroidery, sewing, carving (wood, stones, etc.), decoupage, weaving, and this is not the entire list of what you can do with your own hands. One of the types of needlework is also modeling. Basically, it comes from puff pastry and polymer clay. It is the second type of volumetric modeling that will be discussed.

Application of plastic surgery

Polymer clay (also called cold porcelain) is a material whose characteristics resemble plasticine, which usually has a solidification temperature and is used for sculpting various figures and details.

There are a lot of photographs of polymer clay figurines on the World Wide Web, mesmerizing with their beauty. They are made by masters of the highest level, who are very attracted to this type of art.

Many of them conduct master classes on clay figurines online or in person. At the moment, polymer clay modeling is very popular.

Modeling - as a type of handicraft

If you are also attracted to this type of needlework and want to learn how to make a clay figurine with your own hands, then this article will be useful to you.

First you need to decide what kind of figurine will be made. Prepare a sketch, drawing or photo of the product.

Then, from all the variety of manufacturers, choose the most suitable one, because each product differs in the method of hardening (oven drying and self-hardening), purpose (some are more suitable for sculpting large parts, others for small ones), price, color solutions (matte, shiny , metallic, with fluorescence effect).

It is worth remembering that even if the properties are the same, cheaper polymer clay will crumble after drying and become dull.

Making a simple figurine

Step-by-step instructions for beginners:

Preparatory stage: prepare a clean work surface with good lighting, gloves (required!), materials for modeling (clay, knife, acrylic varnish).

Working stage: mold a figurine from clay as if from plasticine. Bring the work on the part to completion, because the top layer of clay will harden and crumble during further modeling.

Final step: oven dry or leave to harden. Sand (if necessary) and varnish.

Making a complex figurine

Preparation. Prepare all the necessary tools (clay itself, wire, knife, toothpicks, foil, varnish, accessories);

Step 1. Heat the clay. If the required color is not available, prepare (mix several colors).
Step 2. Make a wire frame;
Step 3. Increase the volume of the figurine to the required size using foil;
Step 4. Wrap the figure in clay, after kneading it (the softer the better, if the clay is not soft enough, you can add a little Vaseline). Be sure to smooth out all unevenness and roughness with a damp cloth or a cloth soaked in water;
Step 5. Let the figurine harden (put it in the oven or leave it for a while, it is strictly forbidden to use a microwave oven);
Step 6. Finish the remaining parts using toothpicks and accessories;
Step 7. To consolidate the result, coat the finished figure with varnish.
Step 8. Prepare a stand for the figurine (glass is most often used): thickness - about 2 cm, area - 2 times larger than the “leg” of the figurine.

Cleaning the workplace

Although polymer clay is not toxic, you should ventilate the room after finishing work.

The shelf life of polymer clay is quite short, and in open packaging it generally deteriorates very quickly. When purchasing clay, this fact should also be taken into account.

Now you know how to make a figurine from polymer clay and can create your own masterpieces.

Polymer clay is also used to make beads, buttons, and flowers. Not so long ago, plastic began to be used in manicure.

Modeling is a very exciting type of needlework: it develops concentration, perseverance, and fine motor skills. Therefore, such creativity will be useful for children. It is recommended that children from the age of six should engage in modeling (from three to six - only under parental supervision) to avoid swallowing small parts.

There are a lot of beautiful handmade clay figurines, so this activity will be interesting for the whole family.

Photos of polymer clay figures

In this article we will talk about such a popular material today as polymer clay. You can make a lot of beautiful things from it.

Polymer clay is one of the most common materials for needlework. And no wonder, because it is very elastic and completely non-toxic, and the crafts turn out simply fantastic!

Moreover, the variety of such crafts is amazing - not only decorations, but also many other things that will definitely decorate your life.

How to work with polymer clay?

So, first of all, let's deal with the fact that What should you stock up on when working with polymer clay?. Half of your success in work depends on the right choice.

Of course, first of all you need to stock up on clay itself, which is sold in special stores for handicrafts. There are enough brands:

You can buy a domestic version of the type "Tsvetika"- it is inexpensive, but unsuitable for sausage preparations. The color palette is not extensive, there are no special effects like mother-of-pearl or metal

IMPORTANT: The most noticeable drawback is that after baking, products from “Tsvetik” become very fragile.

Of the foreign brands, the most common is considered "FIMO"— it offers the buyer a large selection of colors that practically do not change after baking, suitable for a variety of techniques
There are the following types: soft Soft, standard Classic and interesting Effect with additives, transparency, sparkles and mother-of-pearl

"Premo"- is more similar to wax than the previous version. It is very easy to sculpt with. Well suited for sausages
"KATO"— with this brand you will have to suffer a little, since it is baked at a fairly high temperature. As for trying to knead the clay, this will be quite problematic if you don’t use a hammer
You can also pay attention for Polish products- it is strong and affordable. Well suited for use in sculpting. However, if you plan to make sausage blanks, such clay is of little use.
"Cernit"- recommended for those who want to sculpt dolls and imitate stones such as marble. This brand is perfect for those who want to add a touch of transparent to their products. Clay is similar to wax, it is advisable to knead it thoroughly before sculpting

On the packaging of Cernit polymer clay, dolls are drawn - the products that are best made from it

What else can’t the creative process do without?

Without workplace, of course. For this task, it is best to find tiles or glass, since you will have to work with a knife. You can also use a thick sheet of white paper, but this is a last resort.
Knife You need the sharpest one, and preferably special for this kind of work. But if you don’t find one, you can use the stationery one. Pay close attention to the sharpness - the material should not be smeared as a result. And look at the price when choosing the “golden mean”, since cheap ones are very often dull, and expensive ones have an overly thick blade - these include, for example, Japanese

IMPORTANT: Do not use kitchenware under any circumstances! There is a risk of harm to health.

rolling pin also irreplaceable, but not plastic. The fact is that some types of plastic quickly deteriorate under the influence of polymer clay. But you can use a special roller for rolling out clay or
Toothpicks They will help well in making holes in beads, forming parts, and drying beads - it is very convenient to string round parts onto such sticks. Stacks are an alternative to toothpicks, but not made of plastic.
Buttons, pendants and other accessories will make crafts unique
To cut out details, in the absence of special molds, you can take caps or glasses
Emery cloths with waterproof effect They polish well and remove fingerprints from products. A dense material like felt or jeans will help polish
Lucky will definitely be required. You can use construction acrylics with a water base, but the brands Sculpey and Fimo are best suited

The basic rules for working with polymer clay are as follows:

The most important thing is maintaining cleanliness. The surface should be clean, as should your hands. It would be a good idea to stock up on gloves. And try to keep the work area free of lint.

IMPORTANT: Wet wipes will be very helpful when working. They will not only keep your hands and tools clean, but will also help smooth out unevenness in the material.

For softening clay You can use a special product called a plasticizer. Experienced needlewomen recommend the Moldmaker brand. A few peas of the product is quite enough for a pack of clay. As an alternative, creams, Vaseline, and a warming procedure are suitable.
There are also cases when the clay just sticks to your hands, especially fresh. Then you can mix it with harder clay or leave it on a white sheet of paper for several hours. But if paint has already gotten into the material, it’s unlikely that anything can be done
Varnishing of parts occurs in different ways. For flat ones, each side is processed in turn. It’s better to first string the round ones onto a toothpick, which, in turn, needs to be stuck into the plasticine. You can also dip parts in varnish or apply it using a synthetic brush

Whatever clay is chosen, it must be properly used before use. knead— thanks to this, the material becomes plastic, soft and suitable for comfortable modeling

IMPORTANT: Do not ignore this step, otherwise air bubbles will remain in the material, which will transform into tubercles when the clay is heated.

Stock up on special baking gel- for example, such as FIMO liquid. Sometimes you need to glue a pin to a part - in this case, the hole for it needs to be made a little larger, taking into account the glue
Store clay sausages You need it in a film or a well-closing bag. Otherwise, they will not dry out, but will lose their plasticity and become brittle. This is explained by the evaporation of the plasticizer. It’s even better to put the preparations in the refrigerator

At what stage should you start sanding? After the parts are baked, but before varnishing. It is recommended to wipe the parts with a linen towel after sanding - this will make them look velvety.

IMPORTANT: Do not think that varnish will hide material defects. As a rule, he only emphasizes them. Therefore, it is worth taking time to polish.

How to bake polymer clay crafts?

The baking process should be discussed separately, but this does not mean that it is too complicated and requires a special oven.

This is not ceramics - here A regular oven is enough, after all the temperature at which many types of polymer clay harden is only 110-130 degrees.

What should you use to bake crafts? Never on dishes that are used for eating.
It is better to adapt a special baking sheet, covered, in turn, with accordion-folded paper, for a creative impulse.
Much depends on what exactly is being baked. So, the beads will feel great strung on a toothpick stuck in the foil. It is recommended to place flat parts on glass or ceramic tiles
You can place the glass in a baking sleeve, and then take the craft out on the street - this is if you are overcome by doubts about toxicity

In general, to prevent the release of toxic substances, you must adhere to the temperatures indicated on the clay packaging. And even then it is necessary to work with a hood. After each use, the stove must be thoroughly washed.

IMPORTANT: If a smell appears, and the craft itself turns black and even charred, immediately stop baking and ventilate the room thoroughly.

If, after processing in a slab, the product becomes dense, thin parts are able to bend, and during subsequent drilling long chips are formed - everything is in order, you are on the right track.

Polymer clay crafts for beginners step by step: master class

Beginning needlewomen must first of all master master classes on making sausages from polymer clay. Having such sausages, you can later create spectacular details for various products.

Snowflakes, flowers, fern leaves - all this can be easily made from polymer clay

So let's try to do it the simplest strawberry sausages that even a beginner can do:

So, you will need pink, red and white clay. From white make a slightly elongated triangle, and from pink - layer about a millimeter thick

IMPORTANT: Before rolling out the layer, the clay should be thoroughly kneaded.

More You need to make sausages from white clay. You will also need red sausages.. Then they need to be connected to each other

Carefully wrap connected red and white sausages in a pink layer

The resulting red-white-pink sausage should be pulled out in length as carefully as possible. Approximately until it reaches a length of 12 or 13 centimeters. When stretched, the product should in no case lose its original shape.
And after that the sausage can be cut equal pieces

Now from scattered sausages strawberry is forming. Forming it is not difficult at all: the white sausage is wrapped in a pink layer and covered with sausages made of red and white clay in a circle

IMPORTANT: Do not cover the entire core, leaving the bottom untouched, as shown in the photo.

Now the core turns around again, but this time with a layer of red polymer clay

At this stage The sausage needs to be stretched to a size that is convenient. Please note that for beads it should be thick and short, and for toy pieces it should be thin and long

And here is the final stage - baking! Do this for about half an hour, after which you need to cool the workpiece and cut it into strawberries
When properly manufactured, they should be easy to cut, resembling fairly dense rubber in structure

The described master class is intended for the simplified production of strawberry sausages. If you want something more naturalistic, then You can use a pasta machine.

It allows you to achieve smooth color transitions. As an analogy, take an acrylic rolling pin, but you will have to tinker with it longer.

Fruits made from polymer clay sausages can be used in manicures

Beginners can also practice on buttons- they are very easy to make, and the thing turns out beautiful and useful. So, for the simplest recipe for making will be needed:

Actually, polymer clay
Acrylic paint, which can be used for decoration
Sandpaper
Sleeve in which baking is carried out
Some vintage button

So, to get started you just need roll polymer clay into balls. Choose colors at your discretion. Attach a button to the balls

Now with a thick needle make holes. Such blanks You can immediately wrap it in a sleeve and bake it at a temperature of 110 degrees

IMPORTANT: It is better not to use a baking sheet, as it is not always possible to thoroughly wash it, just like the oven. Even then, leave the oven door slightly open.

Processed with sandpaper baked buttons. You can carefully trim the edges
Now you can add the finishing touches, treating the products with paint or varnish

What to do if you want to make such a trinket, but don’t have a vintage button at hand? No problem: you can form the craft differently, and easy too!

Roll out the polymer clay into layer thinner. Attach a piece of lace to the layer, which you can probably find in any home. But before applying, be sure to lightly sprinkle the clay with water.

Now cover the workpiece with polyethylene- without it, the cutting will be sloppy

You need to press the mold onto the layer. The mold can be of absolutely any shape

It’s easy to follow the resulting contours can be carefully cut future button

Using a toothpick holes are made

Blanks baked, cooled- and now they can be coated with acrylic paint

IMPORTANT: The item must cool in the oven.

Easy crafts made from polymer clay

It will be an easy and useful craft needle magnet. You will need:

Rolling pin and work surface
Mold
Polymer clay
Acrylic paint, brush
Lace
Sandpaper
2 magnets

You can get started:

Clay needs to be properly knead hands
Then her roll out
Using a cookie cutter desired contours are cut out. The edges are trimmed
Now to the preparation lace is pressed in
You can bake the craft in the oven. However, if polymer clay was purchased with the feature of self-hardening, everything is even simpler - you just need to give it the opportunity to harden
Sandpaper the product is being processed
And now You can also apply paint do it the way you want. If you want to decorate the magnet in some other way, now is the time to do it.
On the reverse side of the craft magnet is glued. That's all, it's completely usable! You need to apply a useful craft on a fabric that has been previously hooped.

IMPORTANT: Do not forget about the second magnet, which is attached to the back of the fabric attached to the craft.

The next easy-to-make and useful craft made from polymer clay is jar lid. The lid will outwardly resemble wickerwork, so any jar with it will look economical and cozy. You need to stock up on these things:

Any most ordinary jar lid
Polymer clay any shades. But to recreate the weaving effect, it is best to use beige, red, yellow, green, brown and dark blue.
If there is molds- a special mold for creating three-dimensional figures - it will be very useful
PVA glue or liquid plastic
Orange and brown pastel
Green, yellow, white, red acrylic paint
Varnish, also acrylic
Device for rolling out polymer clay- acrylic rolling pin, glass rolling pin, if not available - an ordinary jar
A special machine for processing polymer raw materials, called extruder
Brush for applying paint. In this case, choose a thinner brush
A sharp stick or toothpick

To begin, take a piece of brown clay and rolls out into a layer. Please note that it must be no less than the size of the original cap
The source cover is lubricated liquid plastic or PVA glue

Now clay should be placed on the lid. It should cover the entire surface of the lid, but should not interfere with its closing. You will need to make cuts immediately - This will release air bubbles. Alternatively, you can pierce the clay - this will allow air to escape during baking, otherwise the clay will simply rise
It's time roll the polymer clay into a sausage, then immerse it in the extruder. This needs to be done with brown and beige clay. The thickness can be any

IMPORTANT: If you don’t have an extruder, you just need to gently knead the sausage so that the shades do not mix. After this, you need to gradually cut off pieces from it, rolling them into thin threads.

Now you need to weave the threads. To begin, take a bunch of four and place them horizontally on the lid. The ends should extend beyond the lid. Then take four more threads and place them on top of the previous ones, just perpendicular to them
Lay out the threads so that their ends diverge from each other according to the principle of rays
Take a couple more polymer clay threads and place them in the center of the improvised web. Start weaving according to the chess principle- threading the leading threads first over others, then under them. If you've ever made wreaths or baskets, you should be able to do it very quickly.

You need to weave the web to the edges of the lid. If the threads run out, new ones are simply glued to the old ones. After this, the weaving is carefully removed from the lid and transferred to paper
On the cover PVA or liquid plastic is applied. In the first case, you need to act quickly - before the glue dries

The polymer clay web returns to the lid. And now you need to complete this weaving with edging. It is created from six stripes intertwined with each other in a pigtail.

Now You can decorate the lid to your liking- for example, create flowers or berries from polymer clay, not forgetting to coat them with varnish

Lovers of weaving and simply useful little things will surely like it miniature ring box. We will make it in the form of a basket

You will need:

Clay
Wire, the thickness of which is approximately 0.8-1 millimeter
Stationery knife
Capacity, which resembles a basket. Cream jars are very suitable for this purpose.

So, let's get to work:

Roll out the polymer clay to a sausage shape.. Its thickness should be about 1.5-2 millimeters. It is best to use an extruder, but it is not critical if you do not have one at hand
This The sausage must be cut into pieces 3 centimeters long

IMPORTANT: Make sure the number of pieces is odd.

The container itself should be turned over. After this you can stick polymer clay slices on it

Carefully need to cut off excess parts pieces so that they are the same length

Now a circle is made from clay. It needs to be attached to the bottom of the container. For a better effect, it would be good to iron this circle with a toothpick.

The jar is placed in this form in the oven. The temperature depends on the type of clay, but 5 or 8 minutes will be enough. After baking, the jar is immersed in cold water, cooled and freed from polymer clay.

Roll the sausage as long as you can make it. However, it will be possible to connect sausages during the weaving process, which is easier to do with an extruder

IMPORTANT: After weaving, you should not adjust the basket from the sides, otherwise the natural effect of weaving will disappear.

If you want to complete the base of the basket, you can weave two-part braid and stick it on top. A You can stick a clay circle to the bottom from the inside- this will make the bottom more neat

All that remains is to make the handle of the basket, which is what the wire is useful for. Measure the desired length and bend it with an arc

The final stage is wrapping the handle frame with a polymer clay sausage. You must remember to leave 5 millimeters on both sides. Next, the handle is attached to the base, and this whole composition goes into the oven for 20 minutes

DIY polymer clay doll

A doll made of polymer clay will be an excellent gift for a child, and it will fit well into the interior of an adult. Of course, each doll is individual, but the general manufacturing nuances are still present.

Experienced needlewomen are convinced that the proportions of a living person are not suitable for a doll - the head turns out to be small and the arms are too long. AND the surest way to calculate proportions- this is to remember that one body of a toy is measured by seven heads. The palm is equal to the width of the face, and the foot is 1.5 palms wide.

Creativity should always start from the head, twisting a loop of wire. Foil should then be wrapped around this base.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to wrap the foil tightly.

Now polymer clay comes into play, which needs to be kneaded thoroughly, and then covered with foil. It is important to smooth out all unnecessary irregularities.

Perhaps the most time-consuming thing is start drawing facial features. It is necessary to highlight not only the eyes, nose, mouth, but also not to forget about the forehead and chin. There is no need to color anything yet - just a relief designation of features. And remember that the face should be convex.

After that the workpiece is placed in the oven. Baking temperature depends on the clay manufacturer's recommendations.

Hands can be done next- cylindrical pieces are formed from clay. They need to be rolled out.

Hands made of polymer clay at the initial stage are cylindrical pieces

Using a stack fingers are forming. It is very important to carefully separate them without damaging them. Next, give the handles a natural look by rounding their outlines and not forgetting about the folds.

Now You can sanitize your hands in the oven, having previously placed them on the wire.

Making legs begins, oddly enough, with the feet- they are made from parts, one side of which should be thicker than the other. The stack represents fingers and folds.

Pieces are attached to the feet, which are then transformed into a leg up to the shin. The legs are baked in the same way as other parts of the doll's body.

IMPORTANT: To attach the legs, take the longest pieces of wire, because they will form the main frame of the doll.

And now it’s time to put the scattered parts together general frame. To do this, a wire from the head is connected to pieces from the arms, and a long wire from the legs is screwed to all this. Where the doll's waist is planned, the wire should be twisted.

Now you can bake the doll.

And now the most interesting part begins - the formation of appearance. Recommended for face painting use acrylic paints and brushes No. 10. For the eyes you will need the thinnest brush.

As for hair, then you can use a wig for a good cause, forming your hair in parts. You can form strands from silk threads.

Or you can use wool for felting - it makes fantastic doll hair.

Outfit it can be sewn in any way, depending on the idea and the materials at hand.

Doll made of polymer clay by Canadian artist Martha Boers

Another polymer clay miracle from Martha Boers

DIY clay toys

You can make a lot of toys from polymer clay - it all depends solely on your imagination. Let's try to make this year's symbol in this lesson - fire monkey.

First of all, carefully knead the clay and create an oval from the orange piece- this is the future head of the monkey. Flatten it a little for the face
For the body need to make another oval, only remade in the form of a drop

The head and body are held together like this so that the body is attached with the smaller side of the drop
A thin pancake is formed from beige polymer clay, on which you need to make a recess on top

IMPORTANT: A thin toothpick is just right for shaping pieces of polymer clay.

A beige pancake is placed on the head. And closer to the bottom. And the recess should “look” upward
Using Dots small dimples form for the eyes. The nostrils and mouth are designated using the same principle.
Roll two small circles from black polymer clay. They are placed with light pressure in the eye sockets
Roll 2 balls from orange and beige clay. Moreover, beige is smaller than orange. Pancakes are made from them. Beige overlaps orange

Polymer clay ears

The resulting ball is cut into two parts - these are the ears.. They are attached to the sides of the head with pressure. The joints should be smoothed out
You can make a monkey look playful with bangs- this is a small orange droplet, glued with the wide part up. The bottom one needs to be tightened a little
And now the arms and legs are formed from 4 sausages in the form of drops. For your hands, roll into smaller drops. Make indentations in the wide parts of all four sausages.

Form 4 drops from beige clay, and cut out fingers on their wide parts - these are palms and feet. Attach them to the indentations of the arms and legs

From orange clay tail is formed, pointed on one side, and also curled in the form of a question mark on the other

Now all parts of the body are attached to the torso, and the toy is baked

DIY clay sculptures

Garden sculpture is both interesting and functional. It is unlikely that you will want to spend money on buying a finished sculpture, but you can try to make one yourself. For example, owl, for which you will need:

Capacity for mixing material approximately 5 liters
Approximately 6 cups of plaster of Paris
500 grams polymer clay, which itself can harden
Water
Skewers made of wood or thick wire, stacks
Cellophane bag
Paint brushes No. 1 and No. 5
Owls will also be useful for decorating gouache, glass eyes, matte varnish, yellow and black nail polishes

So, let's start with the fact that you need to tightly lay a plastic bag in the bucket for mixing the material. Separately about 4 cups of gypsum are mixed

IMPORTANT: The consistency of the dough should resemble cottage cheese with sour cream. But there shouldn't be any lumps.

After kneading, the dough is transferred to a bucket- it will occupy a third of the capacity. The form in which the material was mixed is quickly washed out. Well, skewers are inserted into the dough so that they stick out halfway from the plaster. The plaster must be leveled and left to harden for 2 hours.
After hardening plaster is taken out of a bucket

Now you need to mix the plaster again to the same state, as last time. It is laid out on skewers. You need to form the outline of an owl. The container is immediately washed, and the workpiece hardens within 24 hours

And here the creativity begins: breaking off pieces of polymer clay, stick them little by little to the gypsum base

IMPORTANT: After breaking off a piece, immediately wrap the remaining polymer clay in cellophane, otherwise it will harden.

Then feathers are drawn— it is advisable to do this with the help of a pusher. Glass eyes are inserted

Formed from polymer clay back and wings
Black and yellow nail polishes eyes are painted. The advantage of this varnish is that it is transparent, and therefore will retain the shine of the glass.

But now you can get down to business ponytail. Moreover, for reliability, it must be formed in tiers and processed with a pusher
Are drawn wings

If there is excess clay left, you can make additional decorations in the form of a ladybug, for example. The owl is dried and painted with gouache. Top coated with matte varnish

Polymer clay cup

It is extremely undesirable to make a cup entirely from polymer clay, since storing and serving food in it can have unpleasant health consequences. But decorating the cup is quite possible. For this you will need:

Polymer clay
Toothpicks, stacks
Utility knife or good blade
Pastel of the color you need for decoration
Room temperature water

Let's get started:

So first of all need to work on the sketch, because in the process it will be quite difficult to decorate at random
Now, based on the sketch, you can begin to attach polymer clay, recreating certain details. Help yourself with toothpicks or stacks
Once the clay outlines are formed, you can connect pastel— it emphasizes the 3D effect of the decor
Now burn the cup at a temperature of 120 degrees
And after this procedure polymer clay parts must be carefully removed from the cup. The best way to help yourself is with a stationery knife.
Rinse the cup with warm water. Dry it, degrease it
Carefully grease each of the decorative details with glue and attach them to the cup. Remove any glue that extends beyond the decor using a toothpick.

IMPORTANT: The most important thing in this matter is slowness. Otherwise, fragile elements will break.

Wait 12 hours— during this time the work should dry. But to be sure of this, after 12 hours, wash the product under running water and soap. Dry the cup and it can be used after 12 hours

Vase made of polymer clay

So, first way decorating some simple vase:

Cut out petals, twigs, leaves
Stick all this splendor on a vase
Draw the background, color the decorative details
The vase now needs to be placed in the oven for about 20 minutes. Set the temperature to 120 degrees
Let the vase cool, coat it with varnish

We offer Another option for decorating a glass vase:

In this case, use stamps, stacks, or coloring pigment in the consistency of powder. Pour this powder onto a layer of polymer clay and rub it with your fingers to achieve smooth shade transitions. You can pre-designate patterns with stamps
Now cut out the figures from the plastic. You can use scissors, or you can use a stationery knife. Let the figures be of different sizes - it looks just great in design
The figurines need to be baked following the instructions on the clay packaging
Roll out another layer of polymer clay- the figures will be attached to it

IMPORTANT: The base layer must be equal in size to the glass vase. And in thickness it should be denser than the layer from which the decorative parts were cut.

Using glue, attach the base layer to the vase. Press in the details into this layer, helping yourself in this work with glue
Apply pearlescent varnish to the entire surface. It is recommended to use a large brush
Now place the vase in the oven for 5 minutes. Temperature - 265 degrees
So we only processed one side. Repeat this algorithm for others, remembering to let the vase cool after each baking

DIY clay flowers

Polymer clay makes great flowers for decoration. For example, delicate sakura flowers:

First of all, make a sausage out of pink and white polymer clay. The color transitions should be smooth, for which you can use a paste machine. But you will need a little clay, so you can try to shape it by hand
Once the sausage has rolled, cut it into pieces. a millimeter or 1.5 millimeters thick Then bend a drop of polymer clay

Now pinch the polymer clay piece at one end to create a petal
- You can start collecting the flower. Connect all the petals - sakura should have from 7 to 11 pieces. Better help yourself with a toothpick
IMPORTANT: Regardless of whether you use a toothpick to help you form the petals or not, you need to bake the flower on a toothpick.
- Now make a sakura bud, the principle of creation of which, by the way, is the same for any color. So, take a thin wire no more than 0.3 millimeters thick and 15 centimeters long
- Form a loop at one end of the wire, connect the loop with a piece of polymer clay. You should roll a drop from a piece in advance
- Create 3 more petals, stick them on the drop
Glue the petals onto a drop of polymer clay
- For more naturalness better to start creating sepals. Sakura, as well as roses, cherries, sepals have 5 petals

Clay modeling is a fun and easy hobby that even a child can learn. It makes it possible to create a variety of things: from clever jewelry to impressive sculptures, creating an interesting decorative design for a room or giving them as a gift.

Children engaged in such an activity can not only recreate their favorite cartoon characters and delight them with entertaining crafts, but also develop spatial thinking and the ability to work with their hands.

For children, clay crafts are one of the best hobbies, and for adults it is an option to relax, calm down and enjoy the work done.

Where to get or how to prepare clay

Polymer clay is a material whose structure and characteristics resemble plasticine, known to everyone since childhood, but is capable of hardening, making crafts durable. There are several types of clay: those that harden only after baking or firing, and others that do not use high temperatures.

Clay can be bought at any stationery store or made at home with your own hands. Such a material cannot be called polymer, since when creating it at home, the composition will include completely different components. However, the properties of such a material will be similar to purchased polymer clay.

To obtain such a mixture you need:

250 ml of PVA glue and the same amount of corn starch;
2 tbsp. spoons of lemon juice;
1 tbsp. a spoonful of Vaseline and the same amount of any cream;
Polyethylene film;
Surface for kneading;
Bowl and spoon for preparing the mixture.

These ingredients are enough to prepare 350 grams of finished material. All ingredients, except the cream, must be mixed in a prepared container and placed in the microwave for half a minute at maximum speed. The cream is needed to lubricate the surface on which the clay will be kneaded.

After microwave, you need to mix everything again and place it on a surface greased with cream and knead intensively, like regular dough, for 5 minutes. Subsequently, an elastic plastic material should form. Next you need to give it a shape and wrap it in a cloth to remove any remaining water. When the clay has cooled, it is ready for use.

Crafts made from polymer clay

If you are new to clay making, don’t be fooled by salespeople’s advice to buy a variety of tools to create masterpieces. Many of them may not be in demand. At the initial stages, a hard surface, a stationery knife, toothpicks, contours for forming figures, a rolling pin for rolling out material, gloves and wet napkins will be enough.

If you pay attention to the photos of clay crafts, you will notice that there are many modeling techniques. Before starting work, you can watch several master classes to become better acquainted with the nuances of the upcoming work.

Among the most original methods we can highlight: the “cane technique”: rolled out plates of different shades are laid out on top of each other and rolled into a roll, and then cut into circles. The cut shows a colorful unusual pattern.

The “salt technique” involves rolling the product in salt and baking it. After this, the salt is washed away from the inputs and an interesting surface structure remains.

When using the kaleidoscope technique, different clays are rolled into a roll and various shapes are cut out with molds. There is also a transition technique: using pieces of different colors, they form a smooth transition from one shade to another.

Self-hardening clay after drying is similar to plaster, and the one that needs to be baked becomes denser and resembles a plastic product.

It is better to make clay crafts for beginners in the form of a flower, bouquets or simple jewelry. It is better to paint with acrylic paints, but to save money, you can also purchase gouache, but it should be covered with several layers of varnish to fix it.

What is better to sculpt first?

The easiest way to make a rose. To do this, you need to make a ball and give it the shape of a drop - this will be the base. Then make several smaller balls and flatten them with your fingers - these are thin petals that need to be attached around the base until you get a full-fledged flower.

To make beads or earrings, just take a square shape and cut out the required number of shapes - this will help make each one the same size. After the shape, roll into balls, and then use needles or toothpicks to make holes for the lace.

Modeling from ordinary natural clay

Clay is formed when rocks break down. Due to the difference in the minerals included in its composition, it can be of different shades: yellow, green, white and even blue.

Professionals prefer red and white clay for sculpting. Therefore, if for some reason making from polymer clay does not bring pleasure, you can try to sculpt from ordinary clay, obtaining it yourself or buying it in a store.

Before starting work, you should sign up for several lessons or watch video tutorials on the Internet in order to become familiar with the features of clay and understand what it should be like for use.

Before shaping the product, you need to thoroughly shake it out and beat it with your hands to eliminate air, otherwise the voids will tear the product during baking.

You can use various tools for the job; a spatula is the most convenient. After completing the work, wipe the finished figure with a sponge or soft brush. After which it is left to dry for 10 days and then fired.

The finished product is decorated using various techniques: painting with glaze, decoration with colored clay, coating with acrylic paints and more.

Conclusions

The more you sculpt, the easier this task will be. Having become familiar with the features and properties of clay, you can create real masterpieces - baskets, boxes, vases, figurines and even sculptures of people. Crafts made from polymer and ordinary clay for beginners will become a real home decoration, created with your own hands.

Photos of clay crafts

Lately, DIY crafts have become increasingly popular. Modeling also applies to this. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to buy clay for modeling; they don’t have the funds or it is not available in stores. We propose to solve this problem by making modeling clay with your own hands. Polymer clay is also created with your own hands in order to avoid high costs when you are just starting to get acquainted with this material.

Types of clay crafts

So, clay can be natural and it can be artificial. Polymer clay is a very convenient material: it becomes hard only when exposed to high temperatures, and at room temperature it is a very soft material. It is perfect for sculpting dishes and crafts: accessories, decorative items, jewelry and many other products. They are made only from clay or combined with other decorative items: beads, sequins.

Simple recipe

To create clay, we will need PVA glue, a glass of corn starch, a tablespoon of Vaseline and silicone-free hand cream, two tbsp. l. lemon juice, bowl, plastic wrap and spatula.

Mix starch, Vaseline and glue until smooth. Add lemon juice and stir. We put the resulting mixture in the microwave for thirty seconds, take it out, mix and put it in the microwave again for the same amount of time.

Spread glue over the working area. We put the resulting mass on top and begin to knead it. Then, roll the resulting dough into a sausage, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.

Second way

This recipe is more suitable for sculptural plastic, as the products are more durable and solid.

To make such clay we will need st. wood glue, 100 g corn starch, tbsp. l. stearic acid, glycerin and petroleum jelly, 13 g of citric acid and container. It is best to take one where the coating does not burn.

Combine all ingredients except starch. Then, put on warm heat and stir. Slowly add table starch and mix thoroughly so that there are no lumps. After our mixture begins to peel off from the edges of the sides, spread it onto the work area and knead it like dough. Then, let it cool and put it in the refrigerator, after wrapping it in cling film. If you want to paint, you can do this using regular acrylic paints.

This method of creating clay is perfect for dishes.

Modeling lesson

The process of sculpting from homemade polymer clay can be seen using the example of sculpting flowers, namely roses.

For work we will need homemade clay, a stationery knife, pins, foil and toothpicks.

We paint our clay in the desired shade and knead it. Let's make sausage. Cut the clay into pieces. Press the piece with your finger to create a rose petal. We make the core by wrapping the first “cake” into a roll. Next, attach each petal. We roll the rose between our fingers, thereby stretching out its tail. Use a utility knife to cut off excess clay.

Carefully make a hole in the middle with a toothpick, without piercing the product completely. This is necessary for sculpting jewelry, for example, earrings, in order to then insert the earring itself.

Video on the topic of the article

Watch a video collection on how to properly make polymer clay with your own hands and what products can be sculpted from it.

Modeling is one of the oldest human crafts. Now you can use it to make not only dishes, but also jewelry, toys, gifts, and all sorts of interior items. It also has a good relaxing, calming effect. So you can relieve stress and spend time productively. But where to get the material and how to work with it correctly - this will be discussed below. So, polymer clay is often used for this purpose. But how to work with it and create masterpieces is worth talking about in more detail.

Details about sculpting for beginners

What kind of clay crafts can you make with your own hands? In this article you can find ideas for beginners. Clay can now be presented as a polymer, very similar to plasticine, but it can harden. And it has different names - plastic, thermoplastic, thermoplasticine, cernit. It can harden in one version without firing, in another - only when fired. Beginning craftsmen should decide for themselves what they will work with - purchased material or a lot of their own preparation.

Making polymer for modeling right at home.

In fact, it is not a polymer at all, because it is made from other components. But the methods of working with it are almost the same. Here's how it's prepared:

1 cup of regular white PVA glue,
1 cup corn starch,
2 tablespoons lemon juice,
1 tablespoon of low-fat cream (any kind),
1 tablespoon Vaseline.

You will also need:

Glass mixing bowl.
Spoon for stirring.
Substrate for kneading the mass.
Polyethylene film.

From all this you will get about 350 grams. modeling masses. First, mix the glue, starch and Vaseline in a bowl with a spoon. Then add lemon juice there and mix well again. And after that, send the bowl with the contents to the microwave at maximum power for 30 seconds.

Grease the kneading surface with cream. After microwave, mix the mass thoroughly again and place it on the prepared surface and mix again like dough for at least 5 minutes. You should get a plastic and elastic material. Now we roll it into a “sausage” and wrap it in cloth. After cooling and absorbing excess moisture into the fabric, the mass is ready for use.

Tools for modeling.

Here we are talking about how to make crafts from clay. Of course, this cannot be done without some details. In the sculpting process we actively use any suitable material at hand. Here is a beginner's kit:

The working surface must be hard.
Sharp cutting tools - a knife, blade or scalpel for small parts.
You can use cylindrical objects at hand under rolling pins for rolling out the mass.
Needles and toothpicks - you can use them to make holes or secure small parts.
Cutters are molds for cutting out various shapes, but instead of them you can easily adapt different bottle caps.
Gloves and wet wipes.

Various sculpting options

Before we offer you easy clay crafts, it would be logical to first get acquainted with various modeling techniques in order to determine the appropriate option for yourself, and new creative ideas may also come to mind during the familiarization process. This all applies to both baked clay and self-hardening clay. The most popular techniques are:

Cane technique. Thin multi-colored pieces of clay are placed together in layers and rolled into one roll. The cuts of such rolls produce very beautiful and interesting color combinations.

Smooth color transition technique. Different colors of clay are mixed in different quantities so that the colors smoothly transition into one another.

Filigree technique. Small pieces of mass are placed randomly over the workpiece and a very original pattern can be obtained.

Kaleidoscope technology. The multi-colored layers are rolled into rolls, then we give them geometric shapes on a hard surface.

"Salty" technique. We roll the figures in coarse salt, bake them, and then, washing off the salt with water, we get a corrugated surface on the products.

Actually modeling from polymer mass

Self-hardening clay can become like wood or plaster, and can then be processed accordingly. And baked clay becomes like plastic. It can be purchased at art salons or handicraft stores.

Let's start with something basic that doesn't require fancy processing. At the same time, don’t be afraid to experiment, master different techniques and techniques; over time, you may end up with something special. For starters, you can do jewelry or flowers. For painting we use acrylic paints. If you decide to paint with gouache, then varnish the top. But before painting with nitro enamel, it is better to prime the surface with epoxy glue.

What crafts to make from clay

Well, the time has come to tell you about what kind of crafts can be made from clay. Take a closer look at these options and your time will not be boring.

Flowers.

We start sculpting a rose with a ball, make a drop out of it, then a few more balls, but these will already be petals after we give them the appropriate shape with our fingers. We stick them around our droplet in the form of a bud; the first petals should be left straight, while the rest, the outer ones, should be slightly turned outward.

Articulated figure.

Oddly enough, we take foil. With its help, we first form blanks of our parts, apply layers of polymer mass on them, and obtain body parts, including hinges. After hardening, we carefully cut these parts, remove the foil, and sharpen the parts, glue them again and connect them together, usually with laces.

Bijouterie.

Your daughters/granddaughters/nieces and their friends will be delighted with simple but original decorations. It is with children's options that you can begin to fill your hand. And these are not only beads, but also bracelets, pendants, and earrings. On a rolled out piece of clay, cut out identical squares and roll identical beads from them. Then we make holes in them with a needle.

Master class for children on modeling toys

Polymer clay is a good material for creativity. It's so easy to make crafts for beginners. And these are the products you can see in the photo. Modeling is an indispensable activity for the development of fine motor skills, and this activity also helps to explore the world. We select the simplest options for crafts. For example, doll food, or flat animal figurines.

Food.

Vegetables and fruits can be given the desired shape and texture using a needle or toothpick. It will be interesting and exciting to learn different techniques with a child, because children quickly get bored and bored with everything, and there is such a variety of polymer processing techniques.

Animals.

Here, only small-sized figures can be made from solid pieces, but for large forms it is better to use the technique of hollow parts, and beads will perfectly play the role of eyes and noses.

Clay crafts that require firing

Remember modeling from plasticine? What should you do first? That's right, knead it properly, warm it in your hands. It's the same with clay. It is important not to overheat or burn white or red clay; for this we maintain a temperature of 110 - 130 degrees.

Making such clay at home is very labor-intensive and difficult. There will be many mistakes. You need the right natural clay and equipment for high-quality firing.

Vase.

If you plan to have a thin and tall figure, then you can’t do without a frame. An unusual beautiful bottle is suitable for the frame of the vase. Having cut it into two parts, we cover each with rolled out layers of hardening clay. After hardening, remove parts of the bottle and glue the clay halves together.

Figurines.

A human figurine is too difficult an option for beginners; if you are interested, you can find video tutorials on such sculpting on the Internet. In general, flexible wire usually becomes the basis for figures.

Video tutorials on modeling.
It is better to see once than to hear a hundred times. All your questions and confusion will be resolved by watching such video lessons. Nowadays you can find everything on YouTube, including how to fire clay, how to create a human figure, and modeling using various techniques.

New Year's toys.

After you’ve trained and gotten better over the course of a year, the question of New Year’s gifts for friends and relatives will disappear by itself. If nothing original comes to mind, video tutorials will help you. It shows step by step the process of creating even the most complex and intricate souvenirs, both Christmas tree decorations and practical holiday attributes, for example, New Year's masks.