How to Sculpt Clay

Posted on June 10th, 2009 by Elaine

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Sculpting with clay is one of the oldest art practices in numerous cultures around the world. If you want to make a delightful-looking clay sculpture, but you don’t know where to start, don’t worry. Here are several tips to help you out.

What You’ll Need:

Machine worked clay
Bowl and water
Reference
Copper or steel wire for skeleton
Wire cutter
Kiln or hot oven
Tin foil
Base (optional)
Apron

Procedure:

Decide which type of clay you’re going to use. Ancient folks used reddish raw clay, which can be dug from the ground, but there are now man-made clays you can use for your project. Two popular options are polymer clay and machine-worked clay. Although they both yield great results, the difference is polymer clay does not require to be moistened while being sculpted. If you’re a beginner, stick to polymer clay.

clay sculpting

Conceptualize your sculpture: how will it look like, and how big will it be? It’s best to pick something that doesn’t have plenty of complicated details if you’re a beginner. Once you’ve thought of something, make a sketch and use later as a reference.
Ready your materials. You need a clean and neat surface to work on. Wear an apron. If you’re working with machine-worked clay, have a bowl of water ready.
Using your steel or copper wire, make a skeleton of the sculpture you’re going to make. Not only will it make sculpting and shaping easy, but it also gives your work ample support. Use a few pieces of wire, making U-shaped curves at the ends of the limbs. Also put wire in the thin bits that will be standing on their own.
Bulk out the skeleton with tinfoil. Crinkle it over the wires, making sure it sticks well. Doing this makes your sculpture lighter and lets you save clay, which you can use on other projects.
Wash your hands. Natural oils from your skin can ruin the clay’s form.
For machine-worked clay: Start with a small amount of clay, working it into the skeleton you made. Knead and pull on the clay, working on it to keep it smooth and neat. If it is dried out, add some water to it. Make sure to watch out for cracking lines, too, and put water on them if you see them.
For polymer clay: Apply an initial coating, working 1/4 thick clay sheets between your fingers and pressing them into the foil. Keep doing this until all the surfaces are covered. If the clay is hard to work, don’t worry, because the heat of your hands will loosen it up. After the first layer has been applied, keep adding pieces, refining details by adding or removing clay. Make sure you step back and check your work every now and then.
Attach the sculpture to a wooden base. This is optional, especially if the figure is self-supporting. Cover the base with a layer of clay too, to make it look like part of the structure.
When you’re happy with the sculpture shape and the detail, it’s time to put it in the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, and put in the sculpture. Leave it there for 15 to 25 minutes. When the thin parts look darker take it out. It might not be totally hard at first, but once it sets it will be.
Add any extra detail you want. Paint over the clay or add some accessories. Go wild and have fun!