How to: Polymer Clay Man

The following passage is an introduction to the fine art of polymer clay work. The first thing you must due before you begin crafting your project, you must decide what to make. In this introduction we shall be making a clay man figurine. Now that we have decided what our project will be we shall begin by conditioning the three colors needed for the project, flesh tone, black, and white, and gathering 8 toothpicks for our project. The clay can be found at any craft store and are often sold in 2 oz blocks.

The conditioning process begins by working the clay between your fingers to make it softened. We will then insert the softened clay into a clay roller and make it into a ¾ inch rectangle. Start with the white and progress to black. Repeat this step until all three colors have been conditioned in this manner. After this step has been completed the real artistic work will begin.

We will begin by molding the flesh colored clay into a head shape and two hand shapes. Insert a toothpick into the neck area of the head and into the base of the palm of the hands. Set aside these parts until latter.

We shall then start on the body of the man by using the black clay. We begin by using the black clay to make the arms and leg set, where the two legs are adjoined at the top. We will then insert two toothpicks into the base of the legs then set aside. Begin construction of the body by making a rounded square. Attach the leg set with one toothpick and the arms with two toothpicks.

Now we shall use the final color, white. Before you begin with the white, wash your hands toughly so as not to blend colors. If a small amount of black gets into the white do not worry, if you continue to blend the white between your fingers the black will disappear. With the white we will make the boots and the hair of our figure. For the boots we will start with an L shape and then smooth them out. Then make laces from the black and attach them to the boots. Now we shall make the hair. The hair we shall make into a ponytail to give it the powdered wig look. After you have completed this we shall begin constructing the man.

Attach the boots to the base of the legs with the toothpicks we already inserted. Then we will attach the head to the body with the toothpick at the neck. Then we will insert the hands into the arms. And finally we shall set the wig on the top of the head.

Now we shall begin the fun part, the final touches. We will use the white clay and make a band around the bottom of the arms for a sleeve cuff. Then we will put another band around the neck to make a high collar. Then we will make 6 small circles for the buttons and place them on the torso. Now we will use a small amount of black to make a beauty mark on the head about a centimeter from the chin area (you must gage this as there is still no face). We are just about finished now with the last touches, all we need to do is make lines in the wig which lead to the end of the ponytail with a knife to give it the appearance of hair. If available another color may be added to the ponytail for a hair band.

Now we bake the man at 250 degrees for an hour. After an hour in the oven draw a face on him with an ordinary black pen or suitable ink. You have just completed a man in the style of a colonial official. Congratulations are your accomplishment.