Project by Consuelo "Connie" Okdie from Spring Hill, Fla.
Although Connie had drawn all of her life, she was never able to sculpt a thing--until she saw an episode of The Carol Duvall Show and was motivated to give it another try. It was as if a switch was turned on, and not only did this outgoing and witty artist uncover a hidden talent, she found a medium that allows her to feel like she is "playing all day long." In this project, she creates a whimsical fish window ornament.
Materials:
pasta machine
acrylic roller or rolling pin
card stock work surface
2 ceramic tiles
1 sheet imitation gold leaf
needle tool
clay shaper
aluminum foil
polyester filling
cotton swabs
round-nose pliers
Future floor wax
assorted beads
6" of 20-gauge wire
2 small beads
red/gold embossing powder
alcohol
wax paper
craft knife
tissue blade
rainbow fabric foil
texturing tools (i.e., tool handles, wavy blade, cookie cutters)
polymer clay: black, gold, red, translucent
translucent liquid clay
Before you begin, check out Connie's tips for working with polymer clay:
Condition all clay before beginning by rolling through pasta machine several times.
Use a separate oven thermometer with both toaster ovens and home ovens so clay is cured at the correct temperature.
Always tent clay pieces with aluminum foil. In the event of burning or over baking, this will contain fumes and/or residue.
When using clay to embellish glass, allow piece to cool completely in oven before removing to prevent breakage.
Steps:
1. Roll conditioned black clay into a ball and then shape into fish body with your fingers.
2. Using another piece of black clay, form top fins and tail fins, leaving a small amount of excess clay at the ends (so you can join fins to body easily).
3. With your fingers, press and shape areas on each of the fins where the foil will be applied. After deciding what color(s) of the foil you want to use, place that area of foil, color side up, on the pressed down part of fins.
4. Use your finger to apply foil color by rubbing over area of chosen color and quickly pull foil off clay like removing a bandage from a cut. Foil doesn’t always adhere to all parts of clay, so place it back on bare areas and rub again until you’re satisfied with the color coverage.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for both the tail fins and the top fin. Then, using your needle tool, press into the foil just deep enough so you can see the black clay to texture all the parts of the fins with foil on them.
6. Press the tail fins into place where you want them and gently press to adhere. Using the clay shaper (or other smoothing tool), smooth over the small amount of excess clay left at the end to form a strong, seamless bond between the tail and the body.
7. Attach the top fin the same way you attached the tail in step 6.
8. To make the lips, roll clay into two small logs and then taper each end of the logs. Place the top lip in position and press gently to adhere, and then repeat for the bottom lip. Take your time with this step; decide if your fish wants to smile or frown. This is where it begins to get a personality.
9. Once you’re satisfied with the placement of the lips, add color with the foil the same way you did with the fins.
10. Make the eyes by rolling two small balls of clay and then flattening them into pancakes. Place these into position and press gently with finger or clay to adhere. Use clay shaper to round edges and smooth over any fingerprints.
11. Roll two tiny balls of clay and place in the middle of the pancake-shaped pieces. Press very gently--enough so they stay in place but don’t become flattened.
12. To make the gills, use the needle tool to create a loose crescent-shaped indentation that starts equal to the center of the eye and ends behind and under the lips. Make sure to create a gill on each side. Add color to gills with fabric foil.
13. Now working on the ceramic tile, roll two more balls of clay approximately 1-1/2-inch each.
14. Flatten each ball and shape the side fins, making sure that one end tapers to a small, rounded point and the other end flares out for the bottom of the fins. Again, use your fingers to press areas on the fins where color will be added, and then place the foil on these areas and repeat steps 4 and 5 until you’re satisfied with the color. Texture these side fins with the needle tool.
15. Take two small beads; thread a piece of 20-gauge wire (approximately 1-1/2-inch) through each hole of each bead. Twist the wire ends to secure each bead in place.
16. Pick up one of the side fins and push the twisted wire entirely through the narrow end of the fin, letting the bead rest on top. Create an anchor by bending the very tip of the wires up, and then push wire firmly into the body of the fish. This will secure the side fin to the body.
17. To create the hanging loop: Use the round-nose pliers to create a loop in a 1-inch piece of wire. Twist the excess wire together and trim if necessary. You only need about 1/2 inch of wire. Make another anchor at the end of this wire; then press loop into place on fish directly in front of the top fin.
18. Smooth any clay that was displaced by the wire back into place with the clay shaper, making sure to pack the clay tightly around the wire to prevent air bubbles and to keep the loop in place until clay is cured.
19. Place the finished fish on a bed of stuffing on one of the ceramic tiles. Tent with aluminum foil and bake at 275 F degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.
20. After fish cools, use cotton swabs to coat and seal with floor wax. For an extra-glossy finish after sealing, bake again at 275 F degrees for 10 more minutes.
E-mail: woodchuckmuldoon@tampabay.rr.com
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