TIPS & TRICKS
Below are a few things I've learned throughout my clay journey...
Creating polymer clay figures for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd has been a process of years of experimenting, making mistakes, refining techniques, and discovering what works.
Want to learn the complete Picture It in Clay Method?
I've turned the process I've developed over years of making these figures into a step-by-step foundation course. You'll learn the construction, proportions, connections, baking, painting, finishing, and troubleshooting techniques I use to create durable figures for the Atrium.
Learn the Picture It in Clay Method
Below are a few things I've learned throughout my clay journey...
Creating polymer clay figures for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd has been a process of years of experimenting, making mistakes, refining techniques, and discovering what works.
Want to learn the complete Picture It in Clay Method?
I've turned the process I've developed over years of making these figures into a step-by-step foundation course. You'll learn the construction, proportions, connections, baking, painting, finishing, and troubleshooting techniques I use to create durable figures for the Atrium.
Learn the Picture It in Clay Method
WORK SURFACEMy favorite work surface is a glossy white ceramic tile, approximately 8" × 10".
I love it because it is:
Tip: Keep your work surface as clean as possible. Light-colored clay especially has a way of picking up every bit of dust, lint, and color from your hands! |
CLAYI primarily work with FIMO Soft polymer clay because I like its balance between workability while sculpting and strength after baking.
I have also worked with Premo! and occasionally blend clays when I want to adjust the feel of the material. My advice: Experiment with small amounts of clay before committing to an entire figure. Different clays, colors, and even different packages of the same clay can feel surprisingly different. |
TOOLSTools I use most often:
Note: Your favorite tool may end up being completely different from mine! The important thing is learning what each tool can do rather than collecting every tool available. |
HEADS & FACESCGS figures are meant to be used, not simply displayed.
Figures may be moved, carried, and handled by children. That means durability matters just as much as appearance! Over the years, I've developed several techniques specifically to help my figures withstand that kind of use. My method for constructing the heads helps me maintain the shape while adding facial features and attaching the head to the body. |
FIGURE MAKINGA successful figure begins with good proportions and a strong underlying structure.
Rather than relying entirely on your eye, I keep track of the proportions and amounts of clay I use for different parts of my figures. That allows me to recreate a figure without the guessing game of how much clay to use each time! |
HANDS & SLEEVESHands are tiny and they can be one of the most frustrating parts of figure making!
I have developed a simple construction method that allows the hands to be securely incorporated into the clothing while keeping the finished figure looking natural. This is one of those techniques that is much easier to understand when you can actually watch someone do it. |
BASES & STABILITYA beautiful figure isn't very useful in the Atrium if it won't stand!
I've experimented with several ways to create stable bases, and I have a simple method I use to give my figures a stable foundation while maintaining the appearance I want. The goal is a figure that:
|
BAKINGPolymer clay baking is an important part of creating a durable finished figure.
I use a toaster oven dedicated to polymer clay and keep an oven thermometer inside so I can monitor the actual temperature. I also use wax paper between my ceramic tile and the clay when appropriate to help prevent unwanted surface transfer. Most importantly, always follow the current baking instructions provided by the manufacturer of the particular polymer clay you are using. Baking requirements can vary by product, thickness, and manufacturer. |
BONUS TIPSImperfections: The figures are not meant to be perfect! A child's experience with the figure is much more important than whether every detail is perfectly symmetrical.
Keep notes: When you discover a proportion, color mixture, construction method, or amount of clay that works well, write it down. This simple habit has saved me countless hours. Style: You don't have to make your figures exactly like mine. My goal in sharing my process is to give you the techniques and confidence to create figures that are beautiful, durable, and meaningful in your own Atrium. |
WANT TO LEARN THE COMPLETE PROCESS?
These tips are just a glimpse into the process I've developed over years of making polymer-clay figures for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
I've now turned that process into the Picture It in Clay Method, a step-by-step online course designed to teach you the foundation behind my figures, not simply how to copy one finished figure.
I've now turned that process into the Picture It in Clay Method, a step-by-step online course designed to teach you the foundation behind my figures, not simply how to copy one finished figure.
Inside the course, I'll walk you through:
✓ Choosing and conditioning clay
✓ Building a stable body
✓ Sculpting sleeves, hands, and the head
✓ Creating strong connections
✓ Maintaining clean, consistent figures
✓ Baking and finishing
✓ Painting and sealing
✓ Understanding proportions
✓ Troubleshooting common problems
You'll also receive a Materials & Measurement Reference Guide to use while you work.
The goal isn't simply to watch me make a figure. It's to learn a process you can use to create your own.
*Narrative-specific tutorials will be added separately in the future.
✓ Choosing and conditioning clay
✓ Building a stable body
✓ Sculpting sleeves, hands, and the head
✓ Creating strong connections
✓ Maintaining clean, consistent figures
✓ Baking and finishing
✓ Painting and sealing
✓ Understanding proportions
✓ Troubleshooting common problems
You'll also receive a Materials & Measurement Reference Guide to use while you work.
The goal isn't simply to watch me make a figure. It's to learn a process you can use to create your own.
*Narrative-specific tutorials will be added separately in the future.
