Making miniature animals from clay is an easy project that will keep kids engaged and busy. This how-to article will teach you how to make a porcupine, snake, hamster, or guinea pig with just a few simple materials. A miniature animal is a creation of plastic, rubber, or any other material to look like an animal Many collectors collect these as well as people who use them in movies. Miniature animals have a range of different scales and sizes, so there is something out there for everyone. The process of how to make a miniature animal from clay is quite simple. All you need is some clay and the supplies needed to create a tiny animal. There are different ways to make animals using plastics, rubber, or any other material, but making an animal out of clay is the easiest method. The first thing you will need for this how-to is a ball of clay. You can make your animal out of any clay, but the best are air drying clays because they are easier to work with and last longer. If you want to give your animal a nice shiny coat, use some water-based sealant like liquid acrylic or varnish. The next thing you'll need is a toothpick for sculpting tiny details like eyes and mouth holes. Finally, for ripping up clay, grab any old pencil that has been sharpened down to the nub! Once all the materials are gathered up, start by rolling the ball of clay between your hands until it forms.
Steps in Making Miniature Animals
Step One:
- Start with a ball of clay and flatten it out to make a rectangular shape. - Roll this rectangular shape in between your palms to get into the edges and corners, then use your fingertips to smooth it out. - Continue rolling the clay until it becomes a long snake-like shape. This is how you make a porcupine!
Step Two:
- Make the head by sculpting two large ovals to start with, then take a smaller oval to make the animal's face. - Take two tiny cups to form for ears, and make eyes by pressing down the tip of your finger just slightly into the centre of each eye. Next, press down to create a crease in each eye to make it look like it's open. - Make the teeth by pressing down and making lines across your animal's face. Next, press down to form a crease in each tooth to make them sharp, then use a tiny piece of clay to shape and curve into two fangs for each side of the mouth.
Step Three:
- Take a rounded cup to make the snout, then smooth all edges of the clay by rolling in between your palms. - Add details to make your porcupine stand out! You can add stripes by making lines with a butter knife or just by using your finger. Use a damp cloth to wipe off any extra material that you do not want jutting out of the porcupine's body. - Next, make a snake with your clay! Keep in mind how snakes move and how they look to shape yours into an accurate creature.
Step Four:
- Make the head by sculpting two large ovals to start with, then take a smaller oval to make the animal's face. This is how you make a hamster or guinea pig! - Take two tiny cups to form for ears, and make eyes by pressing down the tip of your finger just slightly into the centre of each eye. Next, press down to create a crease in each eye to make it look like it's open. - Make the teeth by pressing down and making lines across your animal's face. Next, press down to form a crease in each tooth to make them sharp, then use a tiny piece of clay to shape and curve into two fangs for each side of the mouth.
Step Five:
- Take a rounded cup to make the snout, then smooth all edges of the clay by rolling in between your palms. Next, use a damp cloth to wipe off any extra material that you do not want jutting out of the hamster's body.
Step Six:
- Glue your animals together using white glue or make them stand on their own with craft wire! You can keep your animals how you make them, or paint them to how you would like.
