Clay crafts and decorations. Clay crafts

Clay molding is a great way to relax, get away from everyday problems and improve your life by letting creativity into it. This material is malleable, flexible and pleasant to human hands. From it you can make a large number of a variety of things - toys, jewelry and decorative items. The finished products will wonderfully decorate the interior and can be wonderful gifts for any occasion.

What is polymer clay

You can do modeling with both natural and artificial materials. Today, it is the latter that is increasingly used, which when necessary conditions hardens very quickly and becomes hard. Plastic, thermoplastic and cernite are other names.

Novice craftsmen need to know that this material is divided into two types. The first is set only when firing in the oven, and the other at room temperature. Before starting work, you need to decide on the mass - it will be purchased or made by hand. Who does not want to spend money on the purchase of a ready-made composition can cook it at home, for this you will need:

• 1 glass of PVA glue;
• 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice;
• 1 cup corn starch;
• non-greasy baby cream;
• 1 tbsp. l. petroleum jelly;
• kneading spoon;
• bowl;
• film.

From these components, approximately 350 grams of mass can be obtained. The manufacturing technique is very simple: vaseline, PVA and starch are mixed in a bowl, then lemon juice is added. Next, the container is sent to the microwave for 30 seconds at maximum power. The surface of the table is smeared with cream, a warm mixture is spread on it, after which everything is kneaded for 5 minutes. As a result, you should get a plastic and elastic material, completely ready for work.

Tools

Polymer clay modeling for beginners and craftsmen cannot do without special tools:

• Burlap - since the mass does not stick to this material, it is necessary for making figures and stripes.
• Rolling pins - must be polished and hard wood to make the plates.
• Bars - there are various sizes, they are also needed for plastics.
• Spatulas - Needed for cutting, adding material and smoothing surfaces. They are sold with blades of different sizes from 2 to 3.5 cm, and sometimes even larger.
• The mixing device is an electrical mechanism that perfectly connects various mixtures.
• Stacks - most often made of wood, but also plastic ones, needed for self made.
• The potter's wheel is a very important clay sculpting tool that can be useful for making any piece, especially for symmetrical containers.

Materials

In order for the work to be pleasant, certain components are required, which cannot be dispensed with:

• Plastic - you can make it yourself or buy it at the store. Before getting down to business, the mass must be well warmed up with the help of your hands. It should resemble plasticine.
• Surface. Clay modeling cannot take place without a high-quality workplace, since not all parts of the product can be rolled in the palms. Often you need a smooth and even base - a special glass board or A4 sheet.
• Gloves. Most craftswomen do not use them in their work in order to better feel the material. But if there is a desire to make a product with high quality and cleanliness, you cannot do without them.
• Napkin. Sometimes marks remain on surfaces, tools and hands. For cleaning, damp rags are most often used. This will help maintain order and not spoil the mass with remnants of old work.

Clay modeling for children

Creating even the simplest sculptures with kids is a creative process. For them, a spherical lump can appear as an orange, a ball, an apple, and a bent clay column as a steering wheel or a ring. While working, the child experiences aesthetic pleasure and pleasure from the volume, plasticity and forms that are obtained as a result. This allows you to develop mental alertness, artistic taste and many other qualities.

Creating figures is one of the most favorite activities of children, in which fine motor skills improve, diligence, self-confidence and independence are brought up. So why isn't it clay? Modeling a toy is useful and very interesting, since you can play with the result obtained in the future. The development of creative imagination and imagination, which is promoted by such an activity, will have a beneficial effect on the baby and help him in the future.

Grinding

After finishing work, you need to remove all irregularities. For this, coarse sandpaper is used with the number 180 or 200. Then a smaller grit is selected, and the product is brought to the ideal. In the end, it is processed with the smallest types - 2000 or 2500. The longer the work takes, the smoother the surface will be. This is done to make the figurine shine even without using other materials. At the end, the product is processed with a denim or woolen cloth.

Varnishing

The fired product is often subjected to this coating, it gives strength and shine. The varnish is applied as many times as necessary to obtain the desired result. A new layer should be painted only after the previous one has completely dried. It is applied subtly, otherwise the composition will simply merge, and an unaesthetic look will appear. After the clay modeling is finished and the product is completely dry, you can use a special alcohol or acrylic varnish. To cover a flat figure, one side is first painted, and after complete drying, the other is also processed.

If the product has a round shape, for example, it is a bead, then stringing it on a wooden spit or knitting needle is perfect for this. It is very important that the covered objects do not come into contact with each other.

Rose making master class

These flowers look very elegant and realistic. Despite the delicacy, even a beginner can make this beauty:

• 6 small balls roll from blue plastic, each of which is then flattened in the palm of your hand. These will be the petals. The outer side is made thinner, and the inner is thicker.

• Then one of the blanks is twisted.
• Fingerprints and palm prints remain on each of the leaves. In fact, this will only add realism to the texture.
• Clay modeling continues, and it is necessary to wrap the prepared core with the next petal. In this case, all elements should be overlapped and arranged in a spiral manner. Each piece is pressed against the base of the previous one.
• Then the figure is squeezed to get a thin leg.
• Then you need to start bending the edges of the petals. For greater showiness, creases characteristic of fresh flowers are made.
• Using a special tool, the leg is cut to the very base.

Thanks to such master classes, clay modeling for beginners will be very interesting and completely uncomplicated.

Modeling is considered to be an interesting, but at the same time simple matter, with which you can create a variety of gizmos.

Such products are perfect for original interior design, are presented as surprises for various holidays.

How exactly to work with the material intended for modeling and what kind of crafts can you create with your own hands from polymer clay?

For beginners

So, polymer clay is a synthetic material, resembling plasticine in properties, but hardening. This material is called plastic, or cernite, and also thermoplastic.

Beginners who plan to make clay crafts should know that this material is of several types - one has properties to solidify exclusively during the baking process, the other does not require firing.

Before choosing a clay craft, you need to decide on the material used.

What is required for sculpting

During the sculpting, materials at hand are used in order to facilitate the working process with clay as much as possible and contribute to giving it the required shape.

For those who begin to work with DIY clay crafts, there is no need to purchase many tools, since many of them may not be required.

For work you will need:

• special surface for work;
• a knife, as well as a razor blade;
• toothpicks to create holes;
• cylindrical rolling pins;
• cutters;
• gloves, as well as napkins.

How to sculpt?

After complete solidification, the clay resembles gypsum, which is why the product is processed in a special way. Under the influence of high temperature conditions, the baked material resembles plastic.

Clay is sold in a specialized store. It is preferable to start creating crafts for kids made from clay with buds, as well as jewelry.

Flowers

To create a rose, a ball is initially made, which is given a shape in the form of a drop - this is the core of the bud. After that, you should roll up a couple of balls, and then flatten them to turn into petals.

Alternately, they need to wrap the core to create a beautiful bud. Leave the first few petals in a straightened position, while bending the outer ones.

Bijouterie

Crafts from polymer clay - original decorations that are easy to make with your own hands, even in the absence of modeling experience. Every beginner can make a bracelet, a ring, using a simple technique.

To begin with, it is advisable to choose a simple product, for example, create beads. For these purposes, it is necessary to roll out the clay by cutting out squares of the same size for rolling into small balls. Thus, the beads will be the same size. After that, a needle makes holes in the beads.

Master class for children

Modeling allows kids not only to learn what surrounds them, but also contributes to the active development of finger motor skills.

Space for creativity in in this case is limitless, however, when choosing a master class for making clay crafts, it is preferable to start with elementary forms. For example, you can sculpt food for your favorite dolls or animals with your child.

Note!

Food

It is not difficult for a baby to mold any fruits or vegetables. Visually show the baby how to create an apple leaf with veins with a needle, to give the necessary look to the pear.

Gradually master the sculpting methods, given that babies always strive to achieve a positive result faster. In order to interest the baby in modeling, explain in advance that crafts are created gradually.

Beasts

In order to create animals using sculpting, it is advisable to use a variety of pictures with a schematic representation of animals.

Focusing on them, it is easy to choose a craft for future modeling and it is easier to figure out how to give the elements the required outlines.

For very small animals, large pieces of fabric can be used, while large figures should be created according to the hollow element method using special molds. To complete the nose, as well as the eyes, beads are used.

Note!

Clay products

How to properly prepare polymer clay for further modeling?

Before starting the work process, the clay should be thoroughly kneaded to give it plasticity.

When using red or white clay, when heated, the required temperature regime should be maintained, reaching 110 degrees, since at high temperature conditions the clay often loses its created shape, changes in color. To make sure of this, look at the photo of clay crafts on the resource.

Can you make baked clay yourself? It is possible, however, in order to create it, you will need to find natural clay. high Quality, which should be burned as competently as possible without equipment.

Therefore, you can produce this material on your own solely by trial, as well as errors.

Note!

Photo of clay crafts

Modeling not only trains children's motor skills well, it can become a hobby for adults as well. You can sculpt from cold porcelain, plasticine and polymer clay. The latter is especially popular for making flowers, small figurines and other accessories. The recipes below will help you in the question of how to make clay for modeling yourself.

How to make polymer clay at home

The most unexpected elements can be created from a material called polymer clay or plastic. It is often taken as a basis for jewelry, fashioning bracelets, rings, headbands, or brooches. All these decorations will shine with bright colors that you choose for sculpting. Jewelry on the neck looks especially beautiful - these are pendants, necklaces or just beads. In second place is the crockery, which is decorated with polymer clay with your own hands. Glasses, mugs, teapots or spoons - they can decorate your table for months.

You can make toys entirely of polymer clay in the form of articulated dolls or mold a small dish set for them: its modeling will be especially interesting for a child. Today, skilled craftswomen make from this material everything that is enough for imagination - from key rings to a bouquet of flowers, while there are already many recipes according to which polymer clay is prepared with their own hands. If you buy it in a store, then polyvinyl chloride and liquid additives are found in the composition, i.e. plasticizers. For self-made the basis is starch, glue with glycerin and soda.

Polymer clay for modeling potato starch

The first recipe for making polymer clay with your own hands is based on potato starch. Often they use corn instead. The only difference is that the type of products of their potato starch turns out to be a little grayish. If corn was used for crafts, then they look whiter. The recipe itself will require the following ingredients:

• petroleum jelly or hand cream - 1 tsp;
• baby oil - 2 tsp;
• pVA glue - 100 g;
• lemon juice - 2 tbsp l .;
• potato starch - 100 g.

For work, you need an enamel pan. Pour about 1 liter of water into it, put it on fire. While the liquid is boiling, follow the instructions below:

1. Take disposable cups. Pour glue into one of them, pour starch into the other.
2. Send the glue to another enamel container. Add the butter with cream and lemon juice there, mix well.
3. Next, heat the mixture over a pot of water, i.e. in a water bath. Just don't do this for too long, or the clay will overheat and become tight.
4. After that, add starch to all the ingredients. With such small proportions, you can do it all at once, not gradually.
5. Stir vigorously so that the mixture adheres to the bottom of the container.
6. Lumps will begin to appear in the mixture, it will become like curd, and then turn into a lump large sizes... At this point, remove the container from the water bath.
7. Lubricate your hands with cream, start kneading the mass.
8. Roll the clay into a ball, cover it with a layer of cream and wrap it with foil so that no air gets inside. So the material should mature for about 12 hours.

Glue and glycerin recipe

The following instruction assumes the addition of glycerin at one of the stages of work. This substance helps to avoid cracking of finished products. For such a recipe, you will need materials in the following proportions:

• pVA glue - 2 tbsp. l;
• cold water - 1 tbsp.;
• glycerin - 10-15 drops;
• potato or corn starch - 1 tbsp.

To make polymer clay using this recipe, go through the following steps:

1. Arm yourself with a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Mix the glue and half of the water there.
2. Boil the mixture over low heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Take a separate container where you combine the remaining water and starch.
4. Send the starch mixture to a saucepan with water and glue, add glycerin there, then mix thoroughly.
5. Turn off the heat, leave the pan to cool for a while.
6. Place the clay on a table sprinkled with starch.
7. Knead the "dough". It will be sufficient if it becomes pliable and its surface is smooth.
8. Form a ball out of clay, as shown in the photo. Then wrap with cling film, send it to the refrigerator shelf for a couple of days.

DIY self-hardening polymer clay

According to the last recipe, you can make self-hardening clay. This option requires the following materials and tools:

• baking soda - 2 tbsp.;
• water - 0.25 st.;
• corn starch - 1 tbsp.;
• spatula for kneading dough;
• wax paper for baking;
• non-stick pan.

Self-hardening polymer clay is prepared according to the following instructions:

1. Combine all the listed ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Heat it over a fire, stirring constantly. When the mixture is slightly dispersed, drip a few drops of any aromatic oil, such as cinnamon. So the finished raw material will have a pleasant smell.
3. Keep the mixture on fire until bubbles appear and a large lump forms from it. During this time, remember to stir, scraping the mixture from the bottom.
4. When you see that the mass has begun to resemble mashed potatoes, turn off the heat.
5. Dump the contents of the pot into another container lined with waxed baking paper.
6. While the "dough" is cooling, grease your hands with a fat cream.
7. Knead the mass into one large lump. Keep it in an airtight container to keep the edges from sticking.
8. The raw material is already ready for sculpting. Roll out thin layers from it, cut out any figures with molds, make patterns on them with a toothpick, and then dry in air or on a battery.

Video: master class for beginners

Photos of beautiful products made of polymer clay

The ability to work with clay is a very fashionable hobby today. And the most enthusiastic amateurs have all the prospects to grow into real masters. It is very cool when your favorite business also turns into a source of income that allows you to live comfortably. What is quite real - high-quality clay products (figurines, toys, whistles, panels, dolls, jewelry) are not cheaply valued. Each of them is unique, unrepeatable, it is not a stamp that came from a factory container. Ceramics always add style and charm to the interior. Therefore, the work of masters is in demand.

But before you can become a master, you need to start somewhere. And to begin with, of course, from the simplest. From the fact that it is easy to understand and repeat, doing modeling from scratch and without a teacher.

We bring to your attention a step-by-step instruction for working with clay for beginners

from Evgenia Afonasenko, a teacher in the class of DPI of the State Educational Institution "Mogilev School of Arts" No. 6 (Belarus).

How to choose clay

1. Purchased modeling clay.

For beginners, it is better to purchase clay in specialty art stores. It is sold already prepared for work. It is found in small packages up to half a kilogram. And also in professional packaging of 15-25 kg, which will cost significantly less.

When buying, you should pay attention to the fact that the clay is vacuum sealed. The fact is that in production it is kneaded by special mechanisms so that air bubbles do not enter the composition. This is very important: the presence of such bubbles in the texture of the finished product will contribute to its fragility. In this case, vacuum packaging will serve as a guarantee of the quality of the purchased material.

2. Natural clay.

Clay can also be taken from the natural environment - dig up in the garden (if there are shallow places), on the steep bank of the river. But such clay is not yet suitable for work: there are many coarse impurities in it, due to which, when dry, the material will crumble.

To clear clay from them, it must be transferred to a bucket, filled with warm water, mixed well and left overnight. By morning, all the heavy sediments will sink to the bottom. The oily top layer must be removed from the surface of the water, thoroughly drained, air-dried to the desired consistency, periodically kneading, and stored until use.

Storage rules

• The clay should not lose moisture. To do this, wrap it with a damp cloth and place it in a plastic bag.
• An ideal storage place is a refrigerator shelf or (if there is a lot of clay) a cool dark basement.
• From time to time, the clay must be opened and aired to prevent it from becoming moldy.

Sculpting materials

• Metal string... It is great for separating the pieces you need to work from a large piece of clay. The string should be of medium thickness: thin it is easy to injure your hands.
• Special knife for separating small pieces of material. Your best bet is to take the blade from the old kitchen knife and in the area of \u200b\u200bthe handle, wrap it with insulating tape.
  Do not take the blade from stationery knives (for paper cutting) or construction. Their blades will rust quickly when working with clay. In addition, they are too thin and therefore too sharp - they are easy to cut with them.
  Don't use plastic knives either.... Their blades do not make a sharp, even cut, but rather push through the clay. The knife must be well sharpened.
• Wood planks different sizes on which you have to roll out pieces of clay.
• Wooden rolling pin for rolling.
• Rough-textured fabrics, with embossed patterns that would be well printed on clay when it is rolled on such a fabric.
• You can purchase a set of stacks for modeling.

• All kinds stationery stuff... Quite simply: the junk that we usually throw away when tidying up our desks: felt-tip pen caps, used ballpoint pens, glue tube caps and other little things. The surface of some of these seemingly unnecessary things can leave very interesting impressions on the clay when pressed. Even popsicle sticks and chupa-chups can be used!
• Household spongecommonly used in the kitchen for washing dishes. To make it more convenient to work with, the sponge should be cut into 4 parts.

Smoothing irregularities with a damp sponge

Firing clay works

It is known that finished work will need to be burned. And it comes to readiness at a firing temperature of 850-900 degrees. It is in this temperature range that clay turns into ceramic.

Handle high temperatures you can only have a well-dried product, otherwise, it is wet, it may explode in the oven.

From this it follows that neither ovens of home gas and electric stoves, nor microwave ovens are suitable for this purpose.

But here there is a way out, if you really want to do this type of creativity. Good, modern technologies allow you to offer a wide variety of product options. In this case, you should simply buy clay from the store that does not require firing.

Artisanal roasting

This is another alternative to being able to work with clay without having a muffle furnace at your disposal. You can try to burn clay at home - in a fire. The temperature of the fire in it rises to an average of 750 degrees. In order for the clay to turn into ceramic (and the ideal temperature for this is 850-900 degrees), you will have to keep it in a fire longer than in a muffle furnace, and at the same time maintain a constant heat.

You should dig a shallow hole in the ground, put a figurine in it, put a fire on top and keep it burning for at least 8-10 hours. The longer it burns, the stronger and better the product will be.

Finished product quality

It can be easily identified by the sound made when tapping on the burnt figurine. If the sound is ringing, everything went well, if it is deaf, there was little time for firing.

Decorating techniques for finished clay products

In principle, the finished work may not be painted or covered with anything. Clay itself looks dignified and rich.
On the contrary, a clay product can be easily damaged or devalued by inept painting. If you paint over a large surface of the figurine, it will look like a regular plastic doll that came off a factory container, which will significantly reduce the artistic value of the work.

there is golden Rule when applying paint on clay products: it is necessary to cover only individual fragments with it (regardless of which one). And the painted surface should occupy no more than 5-7% of the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe figure.

It is advisable to use colors in shades close to "clay" - straw, brown, muted red, brick, etc.

If you plan to use any other materials when decorating, you should give preference to natural ones. For example, the hair of a doll is best made from natural linen hemp.

Coloration

For coloring clay you can use acrylic paints or gouache.

• Acrylic paints preferable. After drying, they do not need to be fixed in any way.
• Gouache cheaper, easier for children to work with. However, this paint is water-soluble and will spread if moisture gets in. In addition, it gets dirty when you have to touch the painted surface with your hands. After the gouache has dried, it is recommended (for fixing) to cover it with PVA glue.

It is most effective to process the finished product with special acrylic varnish from a spray bottle. Automotive paints of various shades close to the color of clay are also used for this purpose.

Milk kilning (milk roasting)

This technique was used by our ancestors. And, by the way, only our ancestors! Nowhere on other continents, in other countries, the milk-killing technique was not used.

Ceramics were processed in milk not only to make the pots and bowls look more attractive, but also for practical effect. The fact is that tiny voids remain in the fired clay, into which air and moisture then enter. They slowly destroy the product from the inside. Milk seals the voids, covers the product with a dense film.

Operating procedure

1.The product must be dipped whole in milk. It is better, of course, to use natural cow, but a store product is also suitable. Important to remember:

• the fat content of milk should be no more than 2.5%;
• milk prepared from dry concentrate is not suitable for firing.

2. The product should be kept in milk from 2-3 minutes to 7-10, but not longer. The less you bathe, the thinner the protective film will be. But if overexposed, the coating risks peeling off the clay during firing.

If you add a little sugar to the milk, the product will acquire a nice reddish hue after firing.

3.Before firing, the work must be dried. Otherwise, the coating will crack and peel off.

4. It is better to bake in a muffle furnace at a temperature of 300-40 degrees. But, as a last resort, an ordinary oven in a gas or electric stove at the highest possible temperature (usually 260-280 degrees) is also suitable. During processing, ceramics does not like sudden changes in temperature, therefore it is better to put the product in a cold oven. For the same reason, you should not open the stove (oven) wide during firing, just open it slightly in order to be able to monitor the progress of the process. The firing time is several hours, it all depends on the desired color of the clay surface as a result. The longer you hold it, the darker it will be: right down to rich chocolate.

You should not buy pottery that you plan to use for food purposes from unfamiliar craftsmen. Among them there are also unscrupulous ones who classical technique Imitations imitate ... smearing with shoe cream. The figurine is polished with it, then rubbed with a dry cloth, the darker color remains only in the grooves and folds. An ignorant person, based on external signs, will not immediately determine exactly how the dishes were decorated. But after, for example, milk is poured into it, it will be easy to determine by the dirty color of the liquid formed on its surface and by the characteristic chemical smell.

If this happens, do not discard the product. Take it to a reliable master so that you can really process it using the milk firing technique and burn it after that. Then the dishes can be safely used for storing food.

Smoke (blackening)

It is also a fairly ancient way of decorating clay products. After being treated with it, in addition to being waterproof, the dishes get another amazing property: they become dark gray metallic color. At a time when metal plates, cups, tableware were a sign of luxury and wealth, and not everyone could afford to buy one, it was imitated by blackened ceramics.

Professionals use a variety of blackening methods. They are quite complex, time consuming, without experience and sufficient skills to repeat them is not easy.

For an experiment in artisanal conditions ( just not in the apartment, it will smoke too much!) you can try smoking in pine or spruce sawdust.

The fired product must be removed from the furnace with tongs and lowered into a metal container with dry fine sawdust of coniferous trees. Pour more sawdust on top and cover tightly with a metal lid. Leave for a few hours.

Risky way: products often crack due to temperature differences.

Wiping technique (folk economy version)

The fired earthenware can be wiped off with a soft sponge soaked in brown gouache. In the corners, joints, folds, paint will "get stuck", giving the work style.

A similar effect can be achieved by dipping a clay figurine in an aqueous solution of organic fertilizer - peat oxidate (proportions for dilution in water 1: 1).

It must be remembered that in the last two ways, in no case should not be decorated clay products that are then planned to be used for food purposes (pour drinks into them, put food.)

After the above treatments, re-firing is not required.

Recorded by Lilia Lee.

And in addition to general rules working with clay Evgenia Afonasenko prepared 4 master classes for our readers on modeling interesting crafts.

Clay crafts are a hobby that has not gone out of fashion for many centuries. To get started, all you need to do is purchase ordinary white or gray dry clay in your nearest art store. In consistency, this material is close to plasticine, but it is stronger.

The made figurine must be allowed to dry and then burned. Process step by step production DIY crafts at home can be complicated by the lack of the necessary kiln for firing.

But this problem is solvable, in a simple way - bring the product to readiness, you can put it in a tin can and heat over a fire.

Technology is relentlessly moving forward, and now polymer clay is gaining popularity among lovers of this hobby. It is easier to use than its natural counterpart, due to the fact that it easily hardens in the open air, baked in the oven, and some brands completely harden when boiled in water for several minutes.

It is possible to make a lot of various original crafts from polymer clay, the main thing is to have a little time and inspiration in stock.

How to make a beautiful clay craft? First you need to stock up on consumables and arrange a workspace.

Polymer clay brands

On the modern market there are many companies offering polymer clay. All of them differ in color, variety of possibilities, baking time and other small distinctive features. Having tried several of them, you will definitely choose the best option.

The most common are:

"Tsvetika" is a budget domestic version. It will delight you with the price, but upset with the limited color gamut, the lack of special effects. After baking, the products are treated carefully, they become fragile.

"FIMO" is the most common foreign company offering a wide range of colors, which, after heat treatment, completely retain their original appearance. Thanks to its various types, it is suitable for any technique.

"Premo" is a very soft, pliable type, ideal for shaping sausages, resembles wax in structure.

"Cernit" - even the illustration on the packaging, clearly indicates that it is ideal for sculpting structures and dolls. In addition, it can imitate natural stones well, mold and stretch perfectly.

To create a unique and original doll, it is better to watch a master class on clay crafts in order to correctly form all the details and not waste the material.

When the required pieces of clay are available, arrange workplace and start creating.

Workplace

You can form figures on any horizontal surface, except for the kitchen table, so as not to harm your health. In addition, you should stock up on a sharp knife, varnish, rolling pin, toothpicks, sandpaper and distinguishable decorative accessories - buttons, paper clips, fittings.

It will be convenient to roll out the clay with a rolling pin, make small holes with a toothpick, for example, for beads, and the skin is simply irreplaceable - it erases fingerprints from the surface.

If too hard clay is available, a plasticizer may be used. Just a few peas are needed to make a whole pack of clay elastic. In the absence of - perhaps, replace it with petroleum jelly or fat cream.

There are special paste machines that profitably quickly roll the canvas, while creating unusual smooth gradations of shades if you use several colors. The same effect can be achieved with a regular rolling pin, but the process will be much more time consuming.

Clay strawberries - the easiest task for beginners

The simplest clay crafts for beginners are creating elements for subsequent products - sausages. To do this, you need to roll up several sausages of different colors and wrap them in a layer of a third shade.

If the sausages are not of the same length, they can be easily cut with a knife. Next, with the same object, cut the resulting whole strip into pieces. If you used white, red and pink colors, you can create strawberries.

To get a figure that fully resembles a berry, wrap a large white piece in a thin pink, and place the resulting sausages around the edges. Then wrap the result with a thick layer of red polymer clay and your product is ready.

Polymer clay flower

It's easier than ever to make a flower, which in the future will serve as the basis for a more complex composition. It can also be used to decorate hairpins, bracelets or other items.

You should choose a certain color of the base, and roll it into a pear-shaped blank. Using a clerical knife on the thick side, make two cuts crosswise and mold petals from them.

In the middle, insert a small ball of a different color, which will serve as an inflorescence. If the blank will be used as a decor, you need to immediately pierce it with a toothpick, so that it can be strung on a thread.

There are many different ideas and instructions for making crafts, which can be found in themed brochures or on the Internet resource pages.

Professionals can, by combining various details, create more complex compositions, based on the examples shown in the photo of clay crafts or using their imagination.

Clay vase

To make a magnificent vase, which will become a real decoration at home, you need to use some kind of blank. For example, take a plastic bottle. Its surface is thoroughly covered with clay, folds and irregularities are well straightened.

Further, circles pre-cut from sausages are pressed into the surface - one-color or multi-colored. It is possible to use cut purchased sausages, they already come with patterns and whole drawings, for example, in the form of slices of orange or lemon.

The remnants of the first material that have arisen after the decor is pressed in are removed so that the surface is as even as possible. It is better not to use more than three or four colors, otherwise the vase will not look harmonious. When the structure is dry, the vase is ready for use.

Clay ladybug

Any complex idea consists of small details and parts. To mold a ladybug, it is enough to connect two rolled flattened balls, while leaving several indentations on the back for the wings.

To form the wings, several thinnest plates are rolled out. In addition, the clay can be supplemented with beads or buttons, which will serve as circles on the back of the insect, or wire - from which the mustache will turn out.

According to specially designed step by step diagrams, you can easily sculpt cartoon characters or animals, create whole bouquets of different flowers, which outwardly cannot be distinguished from real ones. You can decorate the dishes with clay, having previously molded individual parts or assemble a full-fledged necklace.

Keychains and buttons

To get souvenirs of this type, you need blanks: either the surviving parts from old key chains, or new rivets to which you can attach clay decor. The main thing in this business is to find a beautiful stencil.

Having rolled out the clay, you need to squeeze out the desired shape from it with molds - an asterisk, a circle, a bell. Next, stencil the surface with a pattern on both sides and do not forget to make a hole for fastening at the top of the keychain.

With buttons, the technology is similar, only at the end it is necessary to make several holes. After drying, the clay needs to be varnished - then the products will be shiny and more presentable.

conclusions

Nondescript pieces of multi-colored clay in the hands of a creative talented person can turn into real masterpieces. Even if you do not have spatial thinking, you can safely use the instructions and master classes to create products.

With each new job, You will want more variety of accessories, add-ons, powders, glitters and other consumables.

Having spent time, but at the same time receiving pleasure from work, you can create a unique and inimitable handmade product, suitable for a souvenir, an attachment to a gift, or simply that can decorate an apartment.

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