Two New "Clay Pictures" Waiting For Paint

Today I thought I'd share some photos of my two latest "clay pictures". I finished these about a week ago and now they're waiting for a bit of paint.

Country Sunrise

Sunshine On My Strawberries

And of course I have photos of the process. This first group of photos shows the making of Country Sunrise.

Getting set up - my tools and inspiration. I have tons of seed catalogs filled with photos of flowers, fruits and vegetables - very useful for this sort of thing.

I begin by rolling the clay to a thickness of 4 on my Atlas and then press it onto the glass of the frame.

Trimming the clay.

I put the clay now backed by glass into the frame and make faint marks around the edge of the frame's opening. This way I'm sure none of the "picture" will be covered by the frame.

Forming the hills.


Hills.

Sculpting the tiny corn cobs - one kernel at a time! I only put two rows of kernels on the front of each cob as that's all that will show after adding the husk.

Making the husks.


Each cob gets a husk.


A dozen corn cobs.


Forming the stalks.


I place two cobs on each stalk and add leaves.

Next I make the fence posts. I score the sides and then stamp the top and bottom to make the rings.

Forming the clouds - fat curls and flattened circles.


I add a bit of texture and place them in the sky.

Time to make the barbed wire. I use two strands of extruded clay and twist them together. This is a bit tricky to do. To keep it from unraveling, I start by twisting at one end, gently pressing the twisted strands together as I move towards the other end.

Next I add the barbs. I cut short pieces from the extrusion and roll the tips to a point. Then I place them evenly on the twisted "wire" and press them into place. I missed photos of the next steps - my hands were a bit tied ;) I flip the wire over so the barbs are now against the table. Then I carefully fold the top of the barb down and over the twisted strands. I go along the whole length of the wire folding the top of the barbs and then I turn the wire so the bottom of the barbs are now at the top and repeat the process. …Did that make sense? - I'll get some photos next time!

Testing the first strand of wire - did I mention there will be two?!


Placing the fence posts.


Detail.


Next I shape my rooster, giving him a comb and feathers.


Time to make the sunrise - lots of sunbeams.


I add some sundrops and it's off to the oven.



A couple days later I start work on Sunshine On My Strawberries.


Clay rolled to fit the glass.


Shaping the leaves.


Each leaf starts with a flattened ball. Then I add veining and scallops.


I curl the sides up and then put the leaves together in groups of three.


Adding stems to the backs of the leaves and forming the plants.

I place the plants on the glass backed clay. Next I form the strawberries. Each one is a tiny tear drop topped with leaves.

Placing the strawberries and flowers. I add "seed" dents to the strawberries. Then I shape the flowers by placing a circle of small flattened rounds for flower petals. Each petal and flower center has a small dent - this will be highlighted with paint later.

Planting the strawberries in a bed of dirt clods.

Next I add two butterflies. I start by shaping the wings and placing them in the sky, then I add the antennae and bodies.

I add a little detail to their wings with an upholstery needle and mark their trail of flight.


Now I add the Sunshine.


Finished.

Now I just have to find time to paint them - in between finishing all my other projects for the Lazy Daze Festival…