Probably all young children know a cartoon about little horses called My Little Pony. And most likely, every child would like to learn how to sculpt these little beautiful creatures. In this article you will learn how to mold ponies from different materials, what to consider and what tools to use.
Plasticine pony
You can sculpt small souvenir toys from a variety of materials. And first we will tell you about plasticine. Plasticine is different. One has good softness and a wide palette of colors, and the other is harder and comes in just a few colors. The first is intended for children's creativity, but the second is sculpted plasticine, which is used primarily for creating molds for castings.
If you are thinking about how to mold a pony from plasticine with your children, then take a regular plasticine for children's creativity. It is inexpensive and soft. The main disadvantage in such material is that the crafts created from it are short-lived, can melt at high temperature (for example, if you leave the pony in the sun) and never harden.
If you want to engage in sculpture and make blanks yourself, then buy a special clay. It is usually sold exclusively in specialized stores of goods for painting and drawing. Such clay is more durable and harder.
Blind first the base - the body and neck. Then make four sausages, form hooves and stick them to the body. Make a head out of a small ball. Remember to label the nostrils and mouth. If you sculpt a pony from polymer clay, then at this stage it is better to bake the workpiece so that it does not deform. Then form small droplets of plasticine ears. From plasticine of a different color, blind the mane and tail. Hooves can be painted with paint. Pony is ready!
Papier mache
If you want to perpetuate your craft, then before you mold a pony, stock up on paper or newspapers. First you blot the paper in PVA glue, then glue it over your blank and wait until it dries. After that, the workpiece is cut into 2 or more parts. Then the plasticine is pulled out, and the workpiece is glued back. To fix the pony is glued with several more layers of paper.
You can decorate such a blank (or decorate using decoupage technique) to your color and taste. And from the remaining plasticine, you can mold many other animals.
Polymer clay pony
If you are thinking of how to mold a pony rainbow that will not deteriorate from accidental touching or falling, it is best to use polymer clay. From this material, you can sculpt and children. The only minus of plastics is its price. For example, a single bar of clay weighing 56 grams is about 3-4 times more expensive than a pack of clay weighing 100 grams.
By its properties, plastic resembles plasticine. Its difference is that the plastic must be baked. Then it will become firm and elastic. You must monitor the cooking temperature, otherwise the pony may burn.
Before making a pony from white clay or clay, be sure to wash your hands and wipe the dust on the table. Otherwise, your work will be in small ugly specks of dust. If you still see dust particles adhering to a baked product, then try to twist them with a needle or wipe them with a fine skin.
And now in more detail. First, divide a piece of plastic into six parts, one of which will be noticeably larger than the rest. From the largest part, form the body and neck. From the remaining pieces, make legs, a pony's face and stick them to the body. Gently smooth the seams with your fingers. Then make two eyes from two small black balls. White glare can be painted with paint after the pony is baked. From two pieces of plastic formed into droplets, blind the ears. At this stage, the pony can be baked. Pay attention to fingerprints. If they are, then gently smooth them. After the toy is baked, you can start sculpting the mane and tail. To do this, roll a lot of thin sausages and then gently stick out to the pony. Bake again. Pony is ready!
Tools You May Need
If you want to sculpt, then clay and clay will not be enough! Therefore, before making a pony, prepare the necessary tools. Plastic stacks are suitable for children, as they are light, cheap and cannot be cut about them.
A variety of tools can be useful for sculpting from polymer clay - from sharp knives and pasta machines to an extruder. For example, with the help of an extruder you can make very effective curly clay. But with a pasta machine, you can roll clay into thin layers, so that later you can cut blanks for saddles and saddles.
As you can see, sculpting from plasticine and polymer clay is very easy. The main thing is to choose the right material and brand, and also not to forget about the necessary tools.