Mastiff Puppy with Creative Paperclay®

Mastiff Puppy with Creative Paperclay®
By Sandra Strait 

I wasn’t sure I could pull this project off.

My husband and I once had the honor to belong to two mastiffs, Liam and Cedric.  They're both gone now and for Christmas, I wanted to do a statue of one of them, based on a photograph taken when they were puppies. That photograph posed a few problems.

The boys were very difficult to photo, because their faces were so dark.  I couldn’t see their backs, and didn’t have any other photos of them in this particular pose.  And the perspective in my chosen photo was odd.  It was taken looking down as they looked up.

But it’s my husband’s favorite photo, so I decided to give this a try, and just accept that proportions would be wonky.

Supplies:  Creative Paperclay®   Masking tape One 3-inch Styrofoam balls Three 2-inch Styrofoam balls Five 1-inch Styrofoam balls A tool that will dig a narrow line into the clay Slip (Creative Paperclay® kept in water so it’s like a paste-about half a finger length’s worth) White Glue Acrylic paint & brushes A reference photo

Obviously, anyone using this tutorial will be using their own dog, so you may need to adjust the number of Styrofoam balls.  The number will differ according to bone structure and pose of your dog.  Don’t hesitate to cut or shave the Styrofoam to get a better shape.

In essence, my steps boil down to this: The general body shape and bone structure is built with the Styrofoam balls.  I flesh in the body mass with the tape. Surface texture and detail is added with the Creative Paperclay®.

My puppies were built like baby tanks with a bone structure meant to explode into massive size, so I wanted knobby knees, and a rudder-like chest. I loosely taped the Styrofoam balls together and un-taped them, trying different combinations.  Several of the balls needed to be cut in half or shaved down a bit to get the proportions I thought were correct.

Using glue on each ball, I started taping more securely, and kept going until I had the body fleshed in.  Once I’d wrapped down the Styrofoam securely, I used short strips of tape that wouldn’t bunch up too much as I curved them into the shape I wanted.

Just before I added the first layer of Creative Paperclay®, I slathered the puppy in white glue and slathered the layer on thinly for a base.

During this part of the process, I kept the container of slip nearby, with lots of water to wet my hands. I kept both my hands and the Creative Paperclay® wet, the whole time.

I worked the large surfaces first, that didn’t require much detail, until I was satisfied with the proportions. Then I the molded ridges where the puppy’s hair pushed up.

Once the toes were added, I started working on the face—the make or break part of this piece.

I used the clay tool to carve out eye sockets and nostrils, then alternately layered strips of clay, and carved out wrinkles and the dewflaps of the muzzle.

I’m wasn't happy with the eyes, but decided to move on.  I didn’t want to fixate on any one area.  It's important to keep the whole piece in perspective.

The ears are the last thing I added.  They are sturdy enough once the clay is dry, but easily damaged while wet.

Once I was satisfied, I set the puppy on a couple of plastic containers, for a better air flow, and waited for the Creative Paperclay® to dry.

I painted the puppy completely with an Autumn Brown, let it dry, then roughly brushed over it with Antique White.  I used good old black on the face, but let some of the brown show through a bit.  Metallic blue was brushed lightly, over the black, for the nose, and I finished with a touch of raspberry for the nostrils, mouth, inner ears and around the eyes.

The eyes.  I'm happy over all with this piece, except for the eyes.  Time ran out, and Christmas happened.  I gave the puppy to my husband, explaining that I was going to get some fake eyes and use them, once I found the right size.  He says the piece is perfect, and wants me to leave it alone.  We’ll see.  The nice thing is that I can still go back, and work further if I need to.

For other great paperclay ideas, be sure to check out the project page at the Creative Paperclay® website!  Come visit my blog, Life Imitates Doodles, for more of my projects.

A New Project with Creative Paperclay® and Viva Las Vegas Stamps!

 

I hope that everyone had a Very Merry Christmas and got to enjoy special time with loved ones. I had a wonderful Christmas and still have one of our sons and his wife and one of the children still visiting with us. I did however take a little time out to make a couple of pieces today using Creative Paperclay® and Viva Las Vegas Stamps. I lost a couple of pictures along the way but I think you’ll get the idea. To start with I used:

Yep, Creative Paperclay® and Viva Las Vegas Stamps. After kneading the clay a bit to condition it, I rolled it out pretty thin(1/4 inch) with a fondant roller that I use. I then dusted my stamp with powder and placed it over the clay. I used my roller to roll the stamp into the clay and then lifted it off of the clay. Using an X acto knife I trimmed the excess clay from around the stamped image and set the clay aside to dry.

Once the clay was dry I used acrylic paints and glitter to color and enhance it and here’s what I ended up with:

Didn’t that turn out just beautiful? Trust me, the pictures don’t do it justice. While I was working on this combo of Creative Paperclay® and Viva Las Vegas Stamps I also used the same process to create another piece:

Isn’t this second stamp unusual? I love it! I’m going to use this in a mixed media piece. Please leave me a comment and let me know how you like these projects. Isn’t it great how you can use stamps to create something totally new with the paperclay? Stay tuned in for an upcoming blog hop that’s going to be coming up!

Hugs to you, Barbara

Delightful Eggs with Viva Las Vegastamps!

This month, Creative Paperclay® Modeling Material has had the chance to play with Viva Las Vegastamps! When I was picking out my stamps, I had a mixed media piece in mind, with a chicken theme. I have to admit, it just didn't turn out how I planned, so I made a fun card with my own egg embellishments.

I used the Children with Cat and Chickens stamp. I love how it looks like a vintage photo, but it really is a stamp! To make my eggs, I rolled out some Delight™ Air Dry Modeling Compound into an egg shape, let it dry a little bit, and then, sliced the back off so it would lie flat on my card.
I colored the eggs with Distress Stains, and after that was dry, covered them with Sakura Crystal Lacquer. These eggs could be really fun for your spring and Easter projects too! The Delight™ really is a delight to work with - it's very light weight, snow white and clean to mold. I love working with it!

I think it's cool when one idea doesn't work out the way that you think it will, but it leads you to something new on your creative journey.

Christmas Wishes

Merry Christmas Everyone.  Today I couldn't imagine doing anything but a Christmas tag...so with the help of my Paperclay® and Viva Las Vegas Stamps I was able to create this three dimensional tag.  The Basket is molded from Paperclay® and then layered over a roll of paper to bow it out at the lip.

The adorable little gnome nestled down in the arrangement is from Viva Las Vegas Stamps...isn't he just perfect for the holidays?

Have a wonderful holiday and I hope you are all able to enjoy it with friends and family.

Hugs

Christmas Collage Using VLVS

By Amanda Marks

Materials:
Frame
Brown Spray Paint (Rustoleum)
Creative Paperclay® Modeling Material
Cereal Box
Viva Las Vegas Christmas Collage Stamp #5157
Fabric Ribbon
Red Awning Red Glitter Robin's Nest Paper
Acetate
Gold Metallic Mica Powder
Paint
Brushes
Gold String
Snowflake Embellishment
Irridscent Gel Medium
Snowflake Stencil

1.  Roll out and create petals for the poinsettia (7 for the base - 5 for the 2 layer - 2 for the top).  Put the petals together one layer at a time.  Add little balls of clay for the center.  Allow to dry for 24 hours.

 2.  Spray paint frame Brown.  Use spray mount to adhere paper to the glossy side of the cereal box.

 3.  Add ribbon with Tacky Glue® to the frame.  Cut Acetate to fit inside the frame.

 

4.  Roll out more Creative Paperclay® and stamp into the clay.  Allow to dry for 24 hours.

  5.  Add gold Mica Powder while the clay is still wet.  It can also be added after the piece is dry.  Add Paint.

 6.  Use stencil and stamp the snowflakes on the background paper.

 7.  Add ribbon and music notes with the mica powder.  Using a gold string I attached the stamped piece to the background.  Using Tacky Glue®  everything else was mounted together.

Making Memories at Christmas

By Amanda Marks (well her children)

I make ornaments every year and this year I wanted to get my children involved in the act this year.  My daughter created homemade ornaments for each of her teachers and a special one for daddy.

I wanted to show that little kids love clay as much as the big kids and I hope you take the time to create Family Traditions this Holiday Season.

Materials:
Delight™ Modeling Clay
Cookie cutters
Scissors
Rolling Pins
Paint
Brushes
Googly Eyes

 Concentration is the key to making Gingerbread.

 The Booga watching his big sister making an ornament.

 Booga using his skills to make a special ornament.

 Santa Hand for Daddy and Booga's Wreath

 Painting the ornaments - Booga did not want to paint his ornament so his is just white on the tree.

Santa Ornament completed!

Creative Paperclay® Christmas Tree with Viva Las Vegastamps!

You may have noticed our team was challenged this month to use Creative Paperclay® with Viva Las Vegastamps!  I love rubber stamping so this was a fun challenge for me. 

Here is the Christmas tree I created using both Creative Paperclay® and Viva Las Vegastamps! The stamps I used are from the Swirl Plate #1333!

I gathered my supplies (see list below).  The base of my tree is a Styrofoam cone. To plan the sizes I needed I precut paper into three layers for the size of cone I was using. Using straight pins to help, I pinned each player to the cone. Make sure to have a little extra length on the top layer to create the point at the top.

Plate of Swirls from Viva Las Vegastamps!

I roll my clay out on transparencies, this way I can leave them on the sheet and move them around easily. The Creative Paperclay® was rolled between spacers, about 1/8th of an inch thick and cut to a 4-1/2 inch strip for the bottom of the tree (depends on the layer working on). Then carefully stamped with swirls over and over until the piece of clay is filled with swirls. Then cut the clay into strips.  There are: eleven 4-1/2 x 1-1/2, nine 4 x 1 and seven 3 x 1, finally on angel. Set aside the clay to dry, usually 24 hours, maybe more depending on humidity.  

While waiting for the clay to dry give the Styrofoam cone a quick coat of paint.  Once all the clay pieces have dried paint each one green. Set aside to dry.

After the first coat of paint is dry cover with gold paint be sure to get it in all the crevasses, then wipe the excess with a rag or paper towel. Set aside to dry.

Now liberally apply tacky glue to the back of each strip of Creative Paperclay® attach to the Styrofoam cone, overlapping the strips and  holding in place with straight pins.  When you get to the top layer you will need to trim the top so the strips are tapered.  Use a rubber band or twist tie to hold the top together at a point. Add the angel, cover with gold Stickles. Allow to dry overnight or longer.

Touch up an edges that may be exposed with gold paint. Now you are ready to add your tree to your holiday decor.

Supplies:

Creative Paperclay®

Viva Las Vegastamps! Swirls - Plate #1333

Styrofoam cone - 10 inch

Roller

Transparencies

Craft Paint - green and gold

Paint Brush

Tacky Glue

Ruler

Paper to create demo

Angel Cookie cutter

Straight pins

Stickles for Angel - Gold

Visit me at Dreaming of Castles!

Here is 

wishing you and yours a 

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Lyneen