Edwardian Lady (Clay)

I am really pleased this week, I actually made this figurine from Hearty Clay, which is an air drying clay.  

I watched a demo at Sugarcraft Club on Friday by Lou Wilson of The Cake Makery and came home inspired with lots of hints and tips. So having found my Wilton figure moulds that have been lurking in a box since the early eighties when my parents bought hem back from the states for me (and which have only been used about once when I first got them)  I set to.

As I didn't want legs, I made the base by carving up a cone mould  (Next time I might leave the bulb on the top and create a sort of crinoline effect for the lower half of the dress.  I created a hole in the cone with a kebab stick.  I then coloured some Hearty Clay with some flesh coloured sugarpaste colouring and used the moulds to make the torso and arms (shaping the arms in the position I wanted so that they dried in that position.

The starting place

As I wasn't sure what colour I wanted to make her dress, and not wanting to colour up too much clay until I knew how much I needed, I created her outfit in plain clay, so that I could paint it afterwards.

I then painted her face - and we were given a good tip for doing this (which really worked, and meant for first time I have managed to paint a reasonable face).   Paint the first eye on the side of the hand you are using to paint (i.e. right-handed paint right eye); then turn the figure around and paint the other eye (so that left eye is on right side for right-handed person if you get my drift).

Also do not use black for eyebrows and eyes - use brown.    We learned that you paint the whole of the eye white, then add a little blue dot slightly up and to the side on the white.  Then add a brown dot.  If you are really clever you could then add a little white high light with a cocktail stick to centre of the brown.  Eyelash lines and eyebrows are also brown.  

As the figure I saw demoed was made from sugarpaste, the hair was created using piped royal icing - well, I couldn't really pipe with clay, so I coloured a little bit of clay with brown food dust colouring, and rolled little sausaged to turn into ringlets.

After painting her I created a little bouquet and a flower for her hair.

Before painting clothes

She is by no means perfect - but for a first attempt - I am really pleased with her, and I have to say the Hearty Clay is gorgeous to work with.  

Hope you like her.

Thanks for dropping by.