How to Sculpt a Polymer Clay
Fantasy Mushroom

Page Two

first page of the Fantasy Mushroom Polymer Clay Project we learnt how to create the armature that the rest of the sculpture will be based around. Now we will move on to the rest of the sculpture.

STEP FIVE

First you need to check that the armature of the fantasy mushroom will fit over the base. Here I am bending the base of the mushroom over the Amethyst rock so it adheres better when I add the clay and glue. Try to get it to balance on the base a best as you can. Also, I have added a bend in the stem of the mushroom. This gives it a quirky and organic feel, however this is optional.

STEP SIX

Get your hands into that polymer clay! Knead the Super Sculpey Firm in your hands until it feels soft and workable.
Super Sculpey Firm can be difficult to knead as it is a lot firmer than most clays (thus its' name). It is suitable for this project however as it is strong and is easier to spot mistakes, which is great for beginners! Cutting the clay into smaller pieces will make it easier to knead.

Once you have kneaded the clay, start adding it to the armature. Try to keep the thickness as even as possible; this will aid in preventing cracks after baking. Try not to exceed 5mm of thickness on the top and 5mm on the underside of the mushroom cap. Try not to get thicker than 1 inch on the fattest part of the sculpture as it may cause cracks. If you want to make your mushroom very fat, then I suggest bulking out your sculpture with tightly packed aluminum foil covered in masking tape.

STEP SEVEN

Place your pre-made glass-like doll eye on the face where you want it to be. Be creative. Because this is an entirely fictitious character, you have complete artistic freedom as to the anatomy of this sculpture. There are no real size and placement rules for this particular character.

STEP EIGHT

Roll two 'sausages' of Super Sculpey Firm and place on the top and the bottom of the eye, overlapping the eyeball slightly. This is the beginning of the doll's eyelids and brow line.

STEP NINE

Add two more "sausages" with the top sausage overlapping the bottom eyelid, and the second one underneath the first. This is bulking out the mouth area. Check that the mushroom still fits to the base.
As with any creature that is entirely fictitious, how you choose to bulk up the face of your Fantasy Mushroom is ultimately up to you, and everyone has their own way of doing it. Merely follow these steps religiously if you are an absolute beginner sculptor.

STEP TEN

Blend the edges of the pieces of clay you have just added to meld it all into the face.

Move on to PAGE 3 of the Fantasy Mushroom Tutorial

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