Paper Clay Buffalo

Steps 1-5

Steps:

1. Use a photograph of a buffalo as a guide.

2. In a mixing container, mix the paper clay material with water according to manufacturer's directions.

3. Lay out slabs of the clay material approximately 1/2-inch thick in desired shapes of the buffalo parts to be sculpted onto a drying screen with a pallet knife.

4. Sculpt individual parts with a pallet knife. The buffalo body and head area is a separate part from the legs, tail and base. Let dry for a couple of days.

5. After the clay slabs dry, sandwich them together to get the desired thickness of the pieces you have sculpted. Bind the pieces together with additional paper clay material.

Step 6

6. Shape the torso with more paper clay material to form the rib cage.

Step 7

7. Attach the legs to the body with the paper clay material. Let the rough animal shape dry.

Step 8

8. Start to shape the areas by pulling away the excess paper clay material with pliers.

Step 9

9. The buffalo will look very rough at this point.

Steps 10-11

10. Add more paper clay material to the body to shape and fill in voids made with the shaping process. Let dry.

11. Shape with pliers and resurface the affected areas with more paper clay material. This process can be repeated over and over untll the desired shape is achieved.

Step 13

12. Add the tail and horns to the buffalo and detail the eyes with additional paper clay.

13. Work the overall look by pulling away parts of the dry clay with pliers.

Steps 14-15

14. Mix the paper clay material with black concrete powder for the buffalo's fur. Spread it onto the buffalo body at the shoulders, top of the head, legs and hoofs. Tap the material with a knife to give it a fur texture.

15. Apply the black clay material to the top of the oval-shaped wood base with a pallet knife.

Step 16

16. Mount the buffalo on the base with more paper clay material. Pull away some of the dried paper clay with pliers to create indentations for the buffalo's feet.

Brian Bemisdarfer of Des Moines, Iowa, had a lot of time to develop his creative side as a child. With extended hospital stays as a result of polio, he soon discovered his mind would be his most powerful tool in envisioning his works of art. Interestingly, Brian still enjoys the cognitive part of the process, thoroughly researching his subject matter, like the buffalo, to learn the muscle and bone structure before actually sculpting it.