Project by Karen Robbins of Chatsworth, Calif.
Karen is an art teacher who works in a variety of media. She loves creating artful pieces using the cold cloisonné process, and in this segment, Karen makes a gingerbread man ornament from polymer clay.
Materials:
assorted colors polymer clay
clay-dedicated pasta machine
gingerbread cookie cutters
cookie sheet
tissue blade and rickrack blade
mesh for texture
assorted small teardrop or oval cutters for mouth
heart-shaped cutters in assorted sizes
acrylic paint
stylus
acrylic roller
hair pins for hangers
Steps:
1. Condition the clay by kneading until pliable and form into a flat shape, flat enough to run through the pasta machine. Run the clay through the pasta machine set at the widest setting several times until clay is soft and workable. This is how you can blend colors too. You can put two or more colors together and keep running through the pasta machine until desired blending is achieved.
2. Roll out two sheets from pasta machine and put together. Lightly roll over with roller, getting out bubbles.
3. Cut out gingerbread man with cookie cutter. Pat edges carefully to get rid of any rough edges. Put onto cookie sheet.
4. Place mesh on top of the cookie man and roll with roller to put texture on him.
5. Roll out sheet of white and cut several strips of rickrack trim. Place on the gingerbread man.
6. Make candy cane for neck band by placing one sheet of red, green and white on top of each other and repeat until you have alternating stripes of red, white and green, three of each color. Cut small square and roll and twist to get the candy cane effect. Roll out until desired diameter and place around the gingerbread man's neck. Remember you don't need to push clay into each other; just set on top and it will bake together.
7. Roll out a small sheet of red clay. Use heart-shaped cutters for cheeks and heart for tummy.
8. Roll out green clay for the bow and buttons. Form a small ball in hand for center of bow. Take a small amount of green clay and make small balls for buttons and do the same with brown for a nose.
9. Use the cutter shape for pressing in the mouth and cheeks.
10. Use a hair pin with the ball ends cut off for the hanger. Carefully push the pin into the head of the ornament, leaving about 1/2 inch out for hanger.
11. Bake according to instructions on clay package. Don't touch until cool.
12. Paint eyes with acrylic using a stylus or end of round paint brush, making dots, first white, then blue, then black--each one smaller than the latter one. Let dry.
E-mail: tillietile@socal.rr.com
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