Wooden Cow Clock

Materials:

wood animal
wood plaque base
four legs
foursquare blocks
20-gauge florist wire
telephone wire
polymer clay canes
wire to bake beads on
tiles to bake beads on
acrylic paint: light green, dark green, light blue, dark blue, purple, white, yellow, burgundy
artist brushes in various sizes
artist palette
E6000 glue
small glass beads
drill with Forstner bit to fit the diameter of the clock and 1/8" bit
small clock
sandpaper
safety glasses
1/8" wood dowel
pasta machine
needle tool
clay cutting blade
Flecto Varathane Diamond Elite finish
needle nose pliers
Super Glue
knitting needle, small diameter

2. Sand and drill out the base for flower display. Measure the distance between the holes by folding a strip of paper the length of each side in half, then half again and half again. Lay the paper along the appropriate edge and make a mark on the wood at each fold (figure B). This creates equally spaced holes. Drill the holes with a 1/8-inch drill bit.

3. Paint the top half of the cow blue for sky with a gradation toward the horizon to a paler blue. Then paint the bottom half green with lighter colors at the horizon.

4. Paint the clouds white with a touch of lavender underneath for depth. Also paint some simple green plants and flowers on the bottom of the cow (figure C).

5. Brush a coat of dark green on the base with a wide flat brush.

6. Paint medium size blobs of red (these will become roses) on the base using a filbert brush. Paint green leaves using a brush loaded with two colors of green paint (figure D).

7. Add small circles of burgundy paint with a dot maker to the center of the roses and let dry.

8. Add squiggly line details around the roses and leaves with a short liner brush. Add the title of the art piece along the beveled edge of the base using the same brush.

10. Paint foursquare blocks green and let dry. Add lighter green leaves. Drill a hole in the top of each block and glue a 1/8-inch dowel inside. Cut off the ends of the dowels leaving 1/2 inch (figure F).

11. Drill holes in the tops of the legs and insert the wood dowels from the square blocks into the holes. Glue in place. Glue the legs to the bottom of the base (figure G).

12. Place the cow on the base and draw light circles around the feet. Drill out pilot holes inside these circles from the top though the base. Drill out holes in bottom of cow's feet. Screw the cow's feet to the base from the bottom with wood screws (figure H).

13. Paint the entire surface with a clear gloss acrylic sealer using a wide flat brush. Let dry.