Here is something I made for my first Craftster swap, the Wall Art Swap!!!
This is my handmade polymer clay pet portrait of my swap partner's departed kitty, Mason:
This was my largest polymer clay project to date, and involved teaching myself new techniques: how to mosaic, how to adhere poly clay onto canvas, etc.
Here's how I did it:
Start out with a reference of the pet you would like to immortalize:
Next, choose your canvas (this one was 11 x 14), and using a piece of paper of the same size, sketch the cat and then cut around the cat, creating a template. Trace off this template onto the canvas, giving yourself an outline of positive and negative space:
Now, you begin mosaic-ing around the cat, filling the negative space with clay tiles***
(***To create polymer clay "tiles":
--roll out sheets of polymer clay in several harmonious colors
--using a small square cookie cutter, cut out a few hundred squares
--you can even stamp letters in (some of these tiles say 'love')
--bake these tiles in advance; underbake *slightly* as they will bake a couple times during the project
--
adhere using generous blobs of Liquid Sculpey as a glue):
Again using your paper template, roll out white polymer clay (the cheap large Sculpey blocks) on the thickest setting of a pasta machine, and cut out the main areas of the cat. work on parchment paper--much easier. ADHERE with Liquid Sculpey:
Fill a shot glass half way with mint green acrylic paint, and half way with water, to create a watery acrylic wash. Brush generously over the tiles. NOTE: You have now also adhered the large white areas of your design using Liquid Sculpey and pressing the white sections onto the canvas.
Create another watery acrylic wash, this time with black paint. Paint around border, and over the white clay areas of the cat. (NOTE: I had combed some texture and lines across the cat):
BAKE.
Create the cats eyes with flat sheets of polymer clay; paint over with acrylic. Paint all areas of the cat with acrylic paint (copper, white, black) and fine brush. Experiment. Use the back end of a paint brush to "dot" the cat's eyes with white shine--make it real, but no need to overwork.
BAKE ONE LAST TIME:
Here's the finished piece, with some detail shots:
Thanks for looking; message me or reply with questions or if u need more detail direction!!!
