How to make Porcelain-Clay smurfs |
These pictures were taken by Staci who gave me permission to use them on this site. The instructions were given by her also. She has five different plaster molds. They are: Papa Smurf, Sign bearer Smurf, Angler Smurf, Sunbather Smurf, and Gardener Smurf.. Staci used porcelain clay for her smurfs but it is my understanding that you can use any kind of potter clay for these smurf molds |
1. Clean the molds. If they are dusty use a soft paintbrush, if they have left over hardened clay in them, scrap the clay off before dusting them |
2. Create Slip - Porcelain Clay is mixed in a blender with water. The consistency should be that of a thin milk shake . The clay can be colored in different shades. Staci used blue clay for one set and whilte clay for another set 3 Pour slip into molds. Tap the air out of the molds. As the slip settles, pour more in until the mold is full. Make sure there are no air bubbles. You may have to fill them up several times. As the mold hardens, the clay shrinks together. Be sure to keep checking them and to fill them up until the clay starts to dry. 4. Let mold harden around 6 - 10 hours. If you need to leave the mold longer than 10 hours, you can put them in a sealed plastic bag to slow down the drying process. Check the clay on one smurf first. Be very careful when you open the mold as the smurfs are very breakable in the soft stage. If something breaks it is easy to fix it at that this stage by using slip to stick it back together |
5. Once hardened, unmold the smurf. Carefully drim the seams off all edges |
6. Leave smurfs to airdry overnight. The color will change and become lighter |
7. Sand all seams on the smurfs until they are smooth...handle them with care |
8. Fire in Kiln for 8 - 10 hours. A Kiln is an oven used to harden and dry clay at very high temperatures 9. Fire them a second time in the Kiln for about 6 hours The smurfs are now hard and easier to handle as they no longer break so easily |
10. Use acrylic paints, to paint your smurf any way you like |
12. Once the paint is dry, apply gaze to lock in the paint |
Here is an example to compare |
Thank you Staci, for the use of your pictures and for sharing this information for me and letting me use it on this site |
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