If you've always wanted to sculpt clay figures, but were intimidated by the thought of sculpting a face, here are some easy steps that will enable just about anyone to form a face and head from Paperclay. Paperclay is a paper based clay that is found in most craft stores. It can be air dried or left in a warm oven. Paperclay is very forgiving because even after it dries it can be sanded or carved to make changes or add details.
Before beginning, gather these supplies:
- Paperclay
- A small amount of water
- Toothpick
- 1" styrofoam ball, found in craft stores
- Pipe cleaner
- Fine grit sandpaper
Folk art or primitive style artwork is simple, whimsical, and almost childlike at times, but can be beautiful. The face in this project will not be extremely detailed, but can be customized and changed to make each face look different.
Follow these steps to make a Paperclay face and head:
- Pinch off small pieces of Paperclay and smooth them around the styrofoam ball with your fingertips. Have either a small damp sponge or bowl of water nearby. Wet your fingertips once in a while to help the Paperclay spread easily.
- After the "head" is completely covered with Paperclay, it's time to make the facial features. Turn the head around and find the area that is best suited for the face. Just go with your intuition on this step. There's really no right or wrong way to do it.
- Pinch off a small piece of Paperclay, about the size and shape of a grain of rice. Lightly press the nose to the middle of the face, being careful not to squish it too much. Use your fingertips to smooth the sides of the nose so that they are joined to the face with no cracks. It may be necessary to wet your fingertips. Toothpicks are great tools for working with Paperclay. To give the nose more definition, hold the straight side of a toothpick up against each side of the nose and press in gently. The nose can be given more of a triangle shape or can be straight up and down.
- Next make the cheeks with two small pea-sized pieces of Paperclay. Press the cheeks into place and use damp fingertips to smooth the edges down onto the face. If the cheeks look too big, just press down the center of them until they look right.
- Add a chin to make the face look more balanced. Use a tiny round piece of Paperclay, about half the size of a grain of rice. Press it to the chin area and smooth it lightly, making the chin slightly pointy.
- To give the appearance of hair, use the toothpick to draw in curls, waves, and a hairline.
It's best to let the head dry overnight, but the process can be sped up by using an oven or toaster oven. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and put the Paperclay head on a baking sheet or pan. Check it frequently and watch for cracks that may form. Small cracks can be covered with a tiny amount of damp Paperclay.
Styrofoam does not react well to high heat, so it's important to keep the heat very low and watch the Paperclay carefully. Remove it from the oven as soon as it starts to feel dry. Use fine grit sandpaper to lightly sand away any rough spots.
To make it easier to paint the head later, stick a pipe cleaner into the neck area. The pipe cleaner can also be used as part of the armature of a body. Try out this technique with animal faces as well. Have fun and enjoy the way each face will turn out with its own personality.
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