Clay Heads © Jennifer Louise Martin
Task
To create a clay self-portrait head which expresses an emotion you have been feeling
recently.
Materials required
- Air Drying Clay / Salt dough or Playdough
- Clay sculpture tools or sharp pencil
- Pot of water
- Plasticine (optional)
- Eyes cut out from a magazine (optional)
- Plastic plate
Method
- Take a large lump of clay (half a packet) and roll into a ball using a tiny bit of water
- Create a small head shape and a shoulders by pinching at the base of the ball
- Keep it upright so the ball is standing on the shouders/bust shape and pinch the neck more tightly so that the head feels stable and solid. This is to ensure it does not break when it dries.
- Once happy with the face shape, use thumbs to make two holes for the eye sockets.
- Add a nose using a small piece of extra clay and mould into a nose shape
- Use pencil of round clay tool and indent 2 nostrils
- Mould again using water to attach nose well to the face
- Make a hole using finger or clay tool for the mouth
- Make 2 thin sausage shapes to add the lips
- For the eyes either use the magazine eyes or plasticine to create pupil, lashes and eyelid. You could also just use a pencil to draw them on but make sure you have added to flattened small balls for the eyes in the sockets created earlier.
- Add ears if choose to and then hair.
- You can manoeuvre the lips and face into any direction you want to create an emotional expression
- You can also add hair using coloured plasticine or play dough.
- Leave to dry for 2 or 3 days into a solid clay sculpture.
We would love to see what you come up with! Tag us in your creations @burghhouse1704 and @jenniferlouisemartin.
Visit Jennifer’s website for further inspiration.
Text and images © Jennifer Louise Martin
Art in Adversity 