Making air dry clay figurines
Over the past year I have been creating my first foray into air dry clay figurines. It was been a fun andfabulous creative adventure as I experiment with my progression from dressing other artists dolls to building my own.
Much thanks needs to go the wonderful artists on Facebook and Patreon who’s guidance into sculpting has assisted me a lot! This includes
- Forest Rogers
- Sleetwealth (Nita Collins)
- Shifletts Brothers Sculpting Forum
I found I have moved away from the ball-joint-doll journey to create my own static, fantastical hybrid beings. The images below are the work-in-progress pics of my 2018 sculpts, showing wire armatures, Premier air dry clay and gradual progress in adding color.
Hope you find it useful, always the artist
Dina
Armature for my insect figurine hence the multiple arms. Abika Ladibird.
Abika’s body was being covered in permanent fabric so it remained rough, however her arms, head and legs are all ready for painting.
When I Grow up is a combination of clays. Her body is Premier air dry clay, her dress is cold porcelain clay – I love how it creates a smooth hard glossy finish.
My most lovely girl in a cocoon Promethea. Now sold, this lovely lass is an air dry clay figurine using mulberry paper over a wire sculpture mesh for the cocoon.
Eingana birdwoman with feathers added in cold porcelain clay. This achieves a finer more delicate covering than using the air dry clay.
All my figurines use 6mm glass eyes.
My lovely insect lady needed leg surgery to reduce one leg by 5mm, it was worth the effort. Abika Ladibird.
This is the air dry clay figurine of my second ever sculpt, Just Living in a Shell. She is in a real nautilus shell and her frilly fins are made with mulberry paper.
Standing in a Field of Dreams is well underway. I have finished her air dry clay body and here I am testing her hair and fitting to the cross. Next steps is body painting and a sheer dress.
Eingana was a lot of fun, here body and head are finished in air dry clay, her lower legs and feet are mulberry paper mache with cold porcelain paste over wire.
Eingana birdwoman painted and waiting for hair and eyelashes.
