Do you need a little help with sculpting or want to get started with polymer clay?
Polymer clay is a wonderful medium for sculpture. You can create one of a kind sculptures without the need for an expensive kiln or messy mold materials. You can create everything from very simple animals made from basic shapes to detailed, complex, realistic human figures. The limits are only your skill and imagination.
This lens is a compilation of tutorials, tips, and book recommendations for sculpting with polymer clay.
Just Getting Started?
If you need a general overview of sculpting with polymer clay and how to get started check out this lens. Written as a guide for beginners but also useful for more advanced sculptors.-
Introduction to Sculpting in Polymer Clay
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I have many lenses here on Squidoo about sculpting in polymer clay but none that really give a good overview of what you need to get started. This lens is about the essential information you need to get started sculpting in polymer clay, then you can...
What is Polymer Clay?
Polymer clay is a non-toxic man-made sculpting material which stays pliable until cured at relatively low temperatures, typically between 265 and 275°F (129-135°C).
Popular brands include Super Sculpey, Fimo, Premo, Prosculpt, and Kato Clay. Any of those clays is great for sculpting, try them out to find the one that feels best to you.
I really do not recommend Original Sculpey (comes in white and terracotta) because it's very chalky and brittle when cured. Some of the specialty polymer clay such as Sculpey Ultralight or Granitex have specific properties which may or may not suit your projects.
For more in depth information see the Wikipedia Polymer Clay article.
Change Coming in Polymer Clays
Formulas are changing
Safety and Polymer Clay
Safety First
Sculpting tools should be dedicated to clay work and should never be used for food afterwards. That includes rolling pins, baking sheets, and knives.
Clean your oven thoroughly after baking polymer clay unless it is dedicated to polymer clay use or if clay was baked in a sealed container like a roasting bag.
Follow common sense when handling sharp or hot objects. Always wear safety glasses if using a powertool such as a dremel.
- Polymer Clay Cyclopedia- Polymer Clay Safety
- An excellent treatise on the safety concerns of using polymer clay.
- Artrepreneur; The Collision of Art and Business: Fear and Hysteria in the Studio
- Nearly every time I do a show, I have someone come up to me and ask me if I know about how dangerous polymer clay is. What is interesting about these encounters is that there is very little fact presented, just fear, and a sense that if I do not take what they are saying seriously, I am being irresponsible.
- Polymer Clay FAQ | Safety & Cleanup
- How to work safely with polymer clay.
- ACMI (Art & Creative Materials Institute, Inc.)
- The Art & Creative Materials Institute, Inc. (ACMI) is an international association, composed of a diverse and involved membership, and is recognized as the leading authority on art and creative materials. Founded in 1936, ACMI was organized to assist its members in providing the public with art and creative materials for children and artists that are non-toxic.
5 Quick Polymer Clay Sculpting Tips
1: Keep a wet washcloth or wet wipes (baby wipes) on hand to keep you hands clean while sculpting. Any little piece of dirt of pet hair your hands pick up will stick to your sculpt.
2: Get a lazy susan, it's a simple thing but being able to turn your sculpts easily is really helpful. I found a great 14" diameter bamboo one for $10, so not a big investment.
3: Mirrors are your friend. A great way to tell if you have something lopsided is to look at it reversed in a mirror, it really brings out any problems.
4: Smooth out your polymer clay using isopropyl alcohol. 90% will smooth more aggressively than 70%. I keep both on hand to use depending on what I need.
5: Get a pasta machine. They are the perfect tool for mixing clay and of course rolling out sheets of clay. Mixing clay by hand takes forever and leaves your hands too sore and tired to actually be able to sculpt.
More tips can be found here.
Noadi's Gray Super Sculpey Blend
* 1 lb block Original Super Sculpey (translucent pink)
* 1 lb block Super Sculpey Firm (gray)
Mix with a pasta machine until a uniform color.
This mix is firmer than original sculpey without being too hard and the gray color makes seeign detail better. Best sculptures that will be painted.
Polymer Clay from Dick Blick
I love Dick Blick, I get most of my materials from them.
Eberhard Faber Fimo Classic Polymer Clay
Premo! Sculpey Artists' Polymer Clay
*I am an affiliate of Dick Blick Art Materials. I promote their products on my pages because I'm also a customer who appreciates their customer service.
Polymer clay is perfect for making Christmas ornaments.
Tutorials and Tips
Links to General Polymer Clay Sculpting Tips and Tutorials
- Noadi's Sculpture and Misc. Tutorials
- Articles and tutorials on sculpting. Including a recipe for cold porcelain, making eyeballs, and breaking through artist's block.
- Glass Attic
- Huge compendium of tips related to polymer clay. From sculpting tips, to baking, to inclusions, and color mixes.
- Elvenwork Tips and Techniques
- Tips and Techniques Compiled by Katherine Dewey
Over the years, Katherine has accumulated a wide array of techniques, some from constant experimentation with the medium, and some from interaction with the community of polymer clay artists. - Smellybugs Maquette Tutorial completed! - ConceptArt.org Forums
- Smellybugs Maquette Tutorial completed! 3D & SCULPTURE
- Smellybug Maquette Tutorial 2: Carriagekid - ConceptArt.org Forums
- Smellybug Maquette Tutorial 2: Carriagekid 3D & SCULPTURE
- Polymer Clay Fan
- Fairly new sculpting resource by Gerald Gore. Already has a number of great tutorials.
- Dan Perez Studios -- Workshop
- Home Page of Dan Perez Studios. Fine art
sculpture: science fiction, fantasy, horror, dinosaurs, comics, plus resin and cold-cast kit prototypes. His workshop contains lots of sculpting tutorials including one of the best ones out there for molding and casting in resin. - Braiding Hair
- A simple way to Braiding Hair... This is tutorial on sculpting braided hair.
- Waste Mold Tutorial...
- Waste Mold Tutorial
By Keith
I figured I would give back a little and post a quickie tutorial on how to make waste molds for transferring that pesky castilene or sculpey project in to wax gold... - Online Art Magazine - Polymer Clay Basics
- I've always felt that learning happens fastest when you're actually doing the task as opposed to just reading tips so I'll do a demonstration. I'm going to make a miniature baby and show in-progress pictures. I enjoy making my baby gargoyles the best but you could easily use this tutorial as a basis for a human baby; just choose skin tone clay, make rounded ears and don't exaggerate the features as much as I do. The baby will be approximately 1.5 inches long but you can choose to make one larger, or you can use your imagination and create something different by using the tips I'll give you.
- Make and Mold A Polymer Clay Face
- Have you ever wondered how to create and use a mold made from a hand modeled polymer clay face? There are many ways to do it. Polymer clays, particularly the softer ones like SculpeyIII and Sculpey Bake and Bend, can be used to form hard molds using the polymer clay original.
- How to create liquid polymer clay paints using it to create realistic miniature cake.
- In this two-part tutorial in making realistic looking miniature cake, you will first learn to create polymer clay paint and then use this to bake the cake. There is also a little bonus, creating a 1/12 scale stainless steel knife from steel floppy disc shutter.
- Quickie Face Tutorial by *No-Sign-of-Sanity on deviantART
- Art - community of artists and those devoted to art. Digital art, skin art, themes, wallpaper art, traditional art, photography, poetry / prose. Art prints.
Anatomy and Reference Images
Here are two lenses I put together for reference material.
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Resources for Animal Artists
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Unlike with humans it can sometimes be impossible to work from life with many animals especially exotic wildlife so reference photos are a must. Also as with all art based on life a good grasp of the anatomy is important. I've compiled a...
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Resources for Figure Artists
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This lens has the best reference sources for figure artists as I've found so far, from poses to anatomy to hands and feet. I've compiled it for anyone who loves to create artwork portraying the human figure, whether you draw, sculpt, or paint I...
Figure Sculpting Tutorials
All about sculpting the human figure.
- Joe Lester article - The FX Lab
- On this page, I hope you'll find some useful ideas on getting more "character" into your characters.
- Internet Archive: Details: Modelling and sculpture;
- Modelling and Sculpture is an old book from the late 1800s now in the public domain on traditional clay sculpting techniques (which generally translates well for more modern clays). It's not as well written or comprehensive as Edouard Lanteri's Modeling and Sculpting the Human Figure but it has the benefit of being free.
- KitBuilders - Sculpting an Angel
- Sculpting an Angel by Mike James of Azimuth Design For this article, I am going to sculpt a sexy angel. First of all, I should mention that I prefer working 1/5th scale rather than l/6th.
- Doll Tutorial
- Sculpting a baby's head.
- Hand Tutorial
- Making a Super Sculpey hand
- Sculpting Realistic Skin Texture
- This tutorial will show you how to create realistic looking skin texture. Sculpting realistic skin texture can be tricky but need not be difficult. Here I'll take you step by step for sculpting skin texture effectively.
- Eye Size Chart for Sculpting to Scale
- Chart of animal eye sizes at various common scales for sculpture. Also including some information of shape of pupils.
- Facial Exression Tutorial
- THE DANE's Freebie Sculpting Tutorial on Facial Expressions There are 4 sheets of photos here.
- Eyelashes Tutorial
- Making eyelashes on a Super Sculpey sculpt... This should (hopefully) show how to do eyelashes, this image is greatly enlarged to show the placement of eyelashes to a Super Sculpey (S.S.) sculpt.
- Hannie Sarris Fairy Fantasy Sculptures
- Contains tutorials on sculpting a fairy head and creating a fairy moon.
- SCULPTING A BUST OF AN AFRICAN WOMAN
- It is a wonderful experience to sculpt the bust of a person; a process that moves me through a whole range of emotions from doubt and despair through excitement, exhilaration and triumph.
- How to Make Noah's Doll [English]
- Here we will show you a making process of Noah's ball-jointed dolls step by step.
Why don't you start making your own dolls with us? *Translated from Japanese so some of the wording can be tough to decipher.* - Packing Your Mental Tool Kit
- Applying the rules of proportion will help you learn them. I call it "packing your mental tool kit". Reinforce this knowlege everytime you sculpt by stating the rules out loud as make your armature and build up your sculpture. In no time at all, they'll become second nature.
- blog is blogger: How to make a figure
- Different approach to sculpting a figure
Feature Focus
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Feature Focus: Sculpting Hands
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Many sculptors, even very talented ones, have trouble sculpting hands. They are one of the most complex features of the body to sculpt. This lens can't make sculpting hands easy or teach you overnight, but it will give you a good overview of the anat...
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Feature Focus: Sculpting Eyes
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Welcome to the first in a series of lenses about sculpting specific features. Eyes portray much of the emotion in a sculpture and are where you first focus when looking at a face. So come learn about the anatomy of the eye, sculpting, using glass eye...
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Feature Focus: Sculpting Feet
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Second to hands and the face, feet are one of the areas sculptors often have trouble with. Like hands they are very complex appendages with lots of bones and are very mobile.
Animal and Creature Sculpting Tutorials
- The Unicorn Tutorial
- How to sculpt a unicorn in sculpey.
- Mysticalis Dragon Tutorial
- Sculpting a detailed dragon bust from polymer clay.
- Dragon Tutorial Part 1
- Sculpting a cute dragon from Enchanted Beings
- Dragon Tutorial Part 2
- Sculpting a cute dragon from Enchanted Beings
- Dragon Tutorial Part 3
- Sculpting a cute dragon from Enchanted Beings
- Dragon Tutorial Part 4
- Sculpting a cute dragon from Enchanted Beings
- » Dog Potrait Sculpture
- Sculpting a realistic bust of a dog.
- Introduction to the Making of the Shire Horse Model.
- Sculpting a horse. Armature, modeling, molding, and casting.
- Step-by-Step How to Sculpt a Bird
- Because I have been asked by many people on how I sculpt my birds, I have decided to make a tutorial so that others can lean to make their own bird of choice. These steps are easy to follow and very self-explanatory. Good Luck and happy sculpting!
- Boise Art Museum - Horse Sculpting
- Wonderful collection of information on sculpting horses.
- Sculpting an Anteater
- How to make a Clay Sculpture by NetRaptor
- Sculpting with Super Sculpey - "How to Sculpt a Little Ungulate out of Super Sculpey"
- This is a quick step-by-step tutorial attempting to explain the process I use in forming my tiny antelope sculptures. I work with Super Sculpey a lot - and it has become my preferred medium.
- Epitome Ezine - 'Hugin and Munin' Sculpture
- Art tutorials, Tips and Tricks, and Articles for artists. Digital art and traditional art techniques, photoshop, painter, and more., This article will be a short demonstration of how I created "Hugin and Munin," a sculpture I completed recently.
- Clay Panther Sculpture
- How to sculpt a panther
Give the Gift of a New Hobby
Polymer clay is a great introduction to art. Why not inspire someone with a book, basic tools, and some clay?
Recommended Sculpting Books
Or check out Noadi's Art Sculpting Books aStore for the full list of sculpting books I recommend.
Polymer Clay Specific Sculpting Books
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byGeneral Clay Sculpting Books
Just because a sculpting book isn't specifically about polymer clay doesn't mean they aren't useful. In fact the opposite is true, some of the best clay sculpting books were written before polymer clay gained prominence, and in some cases before it was even invented.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by Fetching RSS feed... please stand bySculpting with Philippe Faraut Book
One of my favorite sculptors.
Portrait Sculpting: Anatomy and Expressions in Clay
Anatomy and Expressions in Clay is one of the most complete and comprehensive sources on modeling the portrait in clay you'll find for the beginner and more advanced student. For the beginner, the step-by-step method provides a means to achieve fast results, as well as a solid foundation in the knowledge of anatomy. For the advanced artist, there is a wealth of information on such topics as the aging process, mechanics of expression, and advanced rubber mold making. The book includes more than 550 stunning photographs of 65 different sculptures. Authors - Phillipe and Charisse Faraut. Hardcover. 214 pages. 8¾" × 11¼" (23 cm × 29 cm).
Sculpting Tools Tutorials
How to Make your own Tools
- Making Texture Stamps
- Texture stamps are not only easy to make, they're kind'a fun too! I made the below for certain things I needed done, and some were just learning what I was doing.
- Making Sculpture Tools - ConceptArt.org Forums
- Making Sculpture Tools 3D & SCULPTURE
- Alan's Texture Tool
- This tool is designed to decorate clay, or any impressionable surface, with a pattern which builds into a finish which resembles fish, snake or dragon scales, feathers or even, with small adjustment, roof tiles.
- iSculpt.org - Sculptor, Make Thine Own Tools
- I love tools. I spent the first two years after I started sculpting buying up just about every sculpting tool I could find, as well as looking in dollar stores, hardware stores, automotive stores, and just about anywhere else for items that could be used as sculpting tools.
Sculptor's Blogs
Take a glimpse into the thoughts of sculptors.
- iSculpt.org
- I Sculpt... rants and tidbits about figurative sculpting
- Noadi's Art Blog
- My adventures in sculpting and becoming a full-time artist.
- A Story of Sculpture
- A Story of Sculpture
- Claudio's Sculpting Blog
- Claudio's Sculpting Blog
- Insanity 101
- Megan Stringfellow's Blog
- MKStudios
- Morgan Keith Studio's Blog
- Odd Fae and Autumnthings
- Here I am in the blogosphere, with news and updates of my adventures into the art of cloth and/or clay dolls...watch for fugitives from fairy tales, figments of the imagination, and the slightly-off-center.
- Clayburn Moore's Web Log
- Clayburn Moore's Web Log Links The CS Moore Studio website Kull Part 9: The Base Kull Blog Update Kull Blog Returns Next Week Kull Part 8: Kull's Weapons Kull blog returns next week Kull Part 7: Kull's Features and Hair Kull Part 6: Final Costuming Details Kull Part 5: The M
Recommended Sculpting DVDs
I know sometimes it can be easier to watch what someone does than to read descriptions of it so here are some videos by sculptors I admire and respect.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand bySculpting with Philippe Faraut DVD
Learn from one of the best.
Portrait Sculpting: Anatomy and Expressions in Clay DVD
Anatomy and Expressions in Clay is one of the most complete and comprehensive sources on modeling the portrait in clay you'll find for the beginner and more advanced student. For the beginner, the step-by-step method provides a means to achieve fast results, as well as a solid foundation in the knowledge of anatomy. For the advanced artist, there is a wealth of information on such topics as the aging process, mechanics of expression, and advanced rubber mold making. Philippe shares his step-by-step method of construction, as well as a guide to catch and correct common mistakes in clay. This 89-minute DVD is for beginners, but it is complete enough to keep the interest of the most experienced sculptor.
Get Feedback
One of the best ways to learn is by sharing with others. Participate in forums to get critique and feedback on your sculptures and what can be improved.
Sculpting Forums
Learn from other sculptors.
- OOAKGuild.com ~ One of A Kind Guild ~ Art Dolls & Sculptures › Artist Auctions on eBay
- One of a Kind Sculpting Guild - Art Dolls & Sculptures
- Shiflett Brothers Sculpting Forum
- SHIFLETTBROTHERS.com forums
- WetCanvas!: Cyber Living for Artists
- WetCanvas!: Cyber Living for Artists
- Elvenwork Tips Forum
- This forum is a way to provide a public exchange of questions and answers for polymer clay sculptors. Everyone is invited! We learn from each other -- Katherine
- 3D & SCULPTURE - ConceptArt.org Forums
- Where digital 3d models/textures, and traditional sculpting are shared.
- The Clubhouse Online Modeling Community
- The Clubhouse Online Modeling Community, a group of hobbyists, from around the world, brought together by modeling, sculpting, dioramas & related subjects. The forums require registration for viewing and posting but it's very much worthwhile.
Latest Polymer Clay Blog Posts
Courtesy of Google Blog Search
- Polymer Clay Etc. » Polymer Clay with Pen and Ink
- This is my second polymer clay with pen and ink. The first was the other day in this post, Can You Guess?
- Is Sculpey polymer clay safe? - MyFishTank.Net Freshwater ...
- Some people say it's safe if covered in varnish; other's say it's safe if not covered in varish. I agree with the second opinion. I think it would be.
- Polymer Clay Pendants - Jewelry
- Polymer Clay Pendants - I had an exciting breakthrough with polymer clay yesterday! I love how these turned out. I have been hoping to learn how to make my own bezels with clay.... among ...
- 2010 Update for Sculpey Polymer Clay Tools, Products and Packaging
- Many of us, for many years now, have treated polymer clay (especially Premo) as a medium for creating beautiful jewelry beads. But for the general public walking down the aisle of a craft store, it has been percieved more as something ...
Polymer Clay Flickr Photos
Sculpture
squares
Twin Boy Baby Shower...
Twin Boy Baby Shower...
Twin Boy Baby Shower...
Twin Boy Baby Shower...
Baby Rat - Seashell...
Dachshund pack above
Dachshund pack
Baby Rat in Altoid T...
Fleeing Centaur
Pikake Mermaid side
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Go ahead and and leave any comment or questions you have. If you like this lens rate it up at the top of the page!
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- AmandaSomers AmandaSomers Dec 29, 2009 @ 11:11 am
- Really Great informative lens... Good work.
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- JoyfulPamela JoyfulPamela Dec 29, 2009 @ 4:39 am
- Thank you for all the wonderful resources! My son loves sculpting with clay ~ he will find this useful to improve his skills!
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- stacy_mcdaniel stacy_mcdaniel Dec 27, 2009 @ 10:53 am
- Nice lens! Thanks for the great information. It looks like fun.
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- jgelien jgelien Dec 10, 2009 @ 10:51 am
- I really enjoyed all the content on this lens. When I was young we used to make teeny tiny food items with Sculpy to use in doll houses. They turned out so cute.
Thanks for all the many resource links.
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- CartoonArtist CartoonArtist Nov 30, 2009 @ 4:56 am
- Really good info. Very nice lens.
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- alexkazam alexkazam Nov 20, 2009 @ 6:24 pm
- Great load of links- inspiration to create with clay, day after day after day!
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Continue Learning
My other polymer clay tutorial lenses.
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Feature Focus: Sculpting Hands
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Many sculptors, even very talented ones, have trouble sculpting hands. They are one of the most complex features of the body to sculpt. This lens can't make sculpting hands easy or teach you overnight, but it will give you a good overview of the anat...
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Basics of Casting Sculpture
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So you've got your molds ready now it's time to cast some sculpture. This lens is all about how to cast your sculptures using a variety of materials, polymer clay, plaster, resin, porcelain, and more.
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Using Liquid Polymer Clay
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Liquid Polymer Clay is a fairly new medium, only being around for a few years now. However in a few short years artists and crafters have found hundreds of ways to use this new medium.
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Introduction to Sculpting in Polymer Clay
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I have many lenses here on Squidoo about sculpting in polymer clay but none that really give a good overview of what you need to get started. This lens is about the essential information you need to get started sculpting in polymer clay, then you can...
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Polymer Clay Sculpting Tools
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I'm absolutely addicted to getting new sculpting tools, both buying and making them. If you need some help deciding on what tools you need to get started or want to make some of your own keep reading.
This tutorial lens is a creation of Noadi's Art
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Noadi's Art Studio
- Come wander through a tour of my studio. It's small, only a corner of the living...
