Vintage Onion Plaque

Materials:

plastic foam:
4" ball cut in half
1/2" sheet 6-1/2" x 6-1/2"
4 pieces 1/2" thick x 3/4" x 5-3/4"
Creative Paperclay
Hold The Foam adhesive
acrylic paint: black, dark chocolate, burnt sienna, raw sienna
paper patterns
ruler
black marker
small craft knife
serrated knife
clay tools
220-grit sandpaper
paint brushes
small cup water

1. Mark sizes for cut pieces with marker and cut with serrated knife.

2. Sand along bottom of onion (ball) with scrap foam, flattening onion bottom slightly.

3. Glue border strips to plaque (figure A).

4. Glue onion, centered left to right and bottom a 1/2 inch above border (figure B). Set aside to dry 8 hours.

5. Cover plaque front and sides with clay (figure C).

6. Create 3/4" x 1/2" x 1" clay rectangle. Press between onion top and frame (figure D).

7. Cut leaves from 1/16-inch-thick clay. All leaves are 3/4 inch wide; their heights are 1-3/4, 2 and 1-1/4 inches. Make the ends of the tallest pointed. Smooth edges.

8. Smooth leaves to top of onion. Bend leaves using picture for guide (figure E).

9. Create 1/16-inch-thick clay strip, 5/8" x 1-1/2". Press on top of strip making it irregular. Place left side against left side of onion, top overlapping bottom of onion's leaves (figure F). Smooth bottom of strip to onion. Bend top of strip; use picture as guide (figure G).

10. Create two 1/16-inch-thick strips, 5/8" x 3/4". Place one to right of strip on onion. Smooth in place. Smooth last strip in place, right edge matching right edge of onion and left edge overlapping second strip (figure H).

11. Roll a 1/2-inch tube to 1 inch long. Press between bottom frame and onion to fill gap (figure I).

12. Roll thin tubes for roots. Dip in water. Smooth root tops against bottom of onion. Press them lightly against filler tube and frame. Cover sides and front of filler tube with roots (figure J).

13. Use end of clay tool to create lines on onion, from top to bottom (figure K). Smooth over some areas of lines with fingers to lighten line (figure L). Allow clay to dry.

14. Cover back of frame with clay. Set aside until clay is dry.

15. Sand rough areas and flaws. Wipe off dust.

16. Paint black, brushing back and forth to push paint into nooks and crannies (figure M).

17. Dry brush with dark chocolate. Then dry brush with burnt sienna (figure N).

18. Add water 1:1 to raw sienna. Dry brush plaque with wash.