Friday

Make these cute elves for Christmas or anytime


Make one elf or 100 elves as Christmas favors!   This clay tutorial for creating these expressive elves has been translated to English based on step-by-step instructions written by Sandra Gomez and originally posted as 'Duendes Magicos' at Manualidades y Artesanias | utilisima.com

Materials used include:
Cold porcelain 
Acrylic paint, red, flesh, green, blue, black and white 
White glue
Styrofoam balls No. 3 and 4

Pre-tint** enough clay with the acrylic paints to make:
Red body, shoes and hat,
flesh-colored head and hands, and 
a small amount for green stripes and buttons.

Begin with making the elf shoes......

Tuesday

Make this Cute Puppy


This video demo from sugarcraft artist Aine shows us how to make a cute little puppy.

This particular demo is using gumpaste to create figure, but the process is exactly the same for cold porcelain or air-dry clay.   Just use regular glue where she calls for edible glue.

Part 1... body


Part 2... head




Sunday

Make Some Cute Angels


Cute and easy angels to make!   These video demos are using gumpaste and fondant, but the process is exactly the same for cold porcelain and other air-dry clays ....just use regular glue instead of "edible" glue!

Sorry, embedding of videos was not permitted, so you'll have to jump to these pages to view all 3 parts of demo. (links open in new window)

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtUCUz7bRSM

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSeA6IlZklE

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXASv7W38bY

Creator of demo says she forgot to show how to make wings.   Just make a wing shape you like ....do it your own way.   Note, however, that she laid her wings on something curved to dry (see in background of Part 2).   Doing that will give a nice shape to your wings!

Thursday

A cute Mrs Santa Claus-step by step


Cold porcelain video slideshow from Eliane Sol demonstrating each step in creating a Mrs Claus figure and box topper.  Many details are shown for shaping and painting the cute face.



Make a Cute Little Lamb


Excellent 2-part video demo from Marisol Romero, showing us, step-by step, how to make a cute lamb with cold porcelain.   Marisol is speaking Spanish in the videos but, even if you don't understand what she is saying, you should be able to follow along easily.  Every step is clearly shown.  

You'll note that she lets some parts of the figure dry separately.  This makes them easier to handle when assembling figure.   Prevents squishing the uncured clay parts!!    White glue is used where needed to attach new clay to cured clay and in other places where there may be a weak join.

Note:     An additional video-demo showing how to paint eyes was posted previously...click here.

Part 1 of 2


Part 2 of 2

Wednesday

Make a Cute Snowman


Marisol Romero shows us, step by step,  how to make this cute cold porcelain snowman in the following 2 videos.   Dialog is in Spanish, but even if you don't understand the language you should be able to follow along.  Marisol clearly and carefully shows each step.

Part 1.... The Snowman



Part 2.... The Top Hat

Monday

Make a Cute Sitting Santa


The following 2 videos demonstrate the creation of a sitting Santa using gumpaste (sugarpaste), but we'll try it using cold porcelain clay!   Most gumpaste and cold porcelain tutorials are interchangeable because the same steps are followed to create the figures and cake toppers.   Cold porcelain is often used as a non-editable cake topper. There's a couple of benefits for using CP...glue can be used in the creation and the figure is more durable.

Part 1...Note that she sets the arms aside to dry a while before attaching.  This is a good thing to remember when handling parts that might get squished in assembly!



Part 2

Tuesday

Make an Easy 5-Petal Flower Without Cutters


Another easy flower to make from cold porcelain. Similar to previous tutorial but no shape cutter needed for this filler flower. This tutorial from Pakistan.

Friday

How to Make a Ruffled-Petal CP Flower


Video demo from Russia....how to make cold porcelain flowers using shape cutters.  I don't know what kind of flower this is, but it has ruffled-edge double petals and looks like it'd be harder to make than it actually is!

Wednesday

How to Make This Cute Cow


Step by step video demo (2-part video) from Marisol Romero showing us how to make a pudgy dairy cow using cold porcelain.  Verbal explanation is in Spanish, but Marisol does such a good job showing each step, that you should be able to easily follow along if you don't understand Spanish.

Demo, part 1 of 2


Demo, part 2 of 2

Monday

Quick and Easy Flower Magnets


Are you a beginner and need a simple project to get you started with cold porcelain? 
Or maybe you need to make a quick gift!  
Or maybe you're just a lover of fridge magnets!   ;-)  
I came across this easy magnet tutorial from French artist Brigida Clement    She has allowed translation to English, with proper credits to her original, of course.   Please visit her website at Babou Bricole

To create the flower magnets, first tint some cold porcelain dough the flower color of your choice.   Shape into 5 or 6 balls of equal size.   Size of balls depends on size of your magnet.  Make them large enough to make a circle of petals as shown in above photo.

With the modeling tool, mark an indentation in the middle of each ball, flattening each ball into a petal as you make indentation using photo below as an example.  Mold a yellow ball of slightly smaller size and place it in the heart of the flower.   There you have it!   A cute little flower magnet!    Make a whole bunch of these in lots of colors for your own flower garden on a magnet board...or on refrigerator!


Spotlight on CP artist Guilherme Pires


Guilherme Pires is a clay artist from Brazil who creates the cutest clown figures and other clever characters.  Making his own cold porcelain and using some simple tools, wire, foam and a lot of imagination, he comes up with some very unique art dolls he calls 'guibonecos'.    Some have very sweet faces, some are funny and some are quite strange.  LOL   Visit his blog at http://guibonecos.blogspot.com.

In the following 3 videos, he shares with us how it's done.    Quite the production line he has going in these videos! *sigh*   He accomplishes so much in one day!!

In the first video, he makes the cold porcelain and takes it into his modeling room where he creates a series of heads and models the arms, hands and big feet for his clowns.

In the second video, he assembles all the pieces with wire and foam and paints the adorable clown faces.


The last video shows his creative costuming, wigging and finishing.

   
  
Part One


Part 2


Part 3

Sunday

Step-by-Step: How to Paint Eyes


This is a companion tutorial to yesterday's video series showing how to create a Jester Clown with cold porcelain.   In today's video, Marisol Romero shows us how to paint eyes (using acrylics).    The clown's eyes are shown in the demonstration, but, of course, this could be eyes for any cute clay figure!  She makes it look very easy!  ;-)

Saturday

Make this Cute Jester Clown


Excellent 4-part video demo from Marisol Romero, showing us, step-by step, how to make a cold porcelain clown figure.   Very cute face and colorful jester costume!   Marisol is speaking in Spanish in the video, however, if you don't understand what she is saying, I can tell you that the photography is very well done and every step is clearly shown.   Not much need for words!  ;-)

You'll note that she lets some parts of the figure dry separately...such as the hands and the head.   This makes them easier to handle when assembling figure.   Prevents squishing the uncured clay parts!!   This is the 'secret trick' for working with the softer clays. ;-)  White glue is used where needed to attach new clay to cured clay and in other places where there may be a weak join.

Part One | Body & Legs



Part Two | Head & Face



Part Three | Adding Feet, Arms, Hands



Part Four | Hair, Hat & Finishing Touches

Thursday

Cute Moose Pencil Topper



Decorate a pencil with a moose head...video demo....cute!




Note: Video ends without showing how she painted eyes on the moose. Many cold porcelain figures use pre-painted eye decals....which is a simple answer! Eyes can also be made with a black bead, a simple black dot or a series of different sized dots to make eyeball, iris and pupil.

Monday

How to Make a Cute CP Doll Jar Topper


This video demonstration from Marizete Souza shows us how to create cute doll figures as jar toppers.   They'd make cute shelf sitters too!

Thursday

Make This Cute Twitter Bird


OK, it's not exactly a "cold porcelain" tutorial, but I thought it was so cute I just had to share.   This little blue "Twitter Bird" is made from polymer clay.  The how-to steps shown in the video would be the exact same steps you'd use to make this cute blue bird out of cold porcelain or any air-dry clay....just don't need to bake it!  ;-)   Enjoy!


Wednesday

How to Make a Cute Minnie Mouse Ornament with Cold Porcelain


The lady (name unknown) in this 2-part video tutorial shows us how easy it is to make a Minnie Mouse keepsake ornament with cold porcelain. Mickey Mouse could be made the same way...but of course, he would not want a bow! ;-)

Each step in the process is clearly shown, so, if you don't understand her language, you should still be able to easily follow along.

Part 1


Part 2

Saturday

Make this Cute and Easy CP Teddy Bear



Video demo showing you how to make this cute standing teddy bear using cold porcelain.   This is a good project for beginners.   This easy modeling would also be appropriate for those very soft air-dry clays that won't hold a lot of detail...plus it's fun!

Wednesday

How to Model a Cute CP Doll Head (Diego Dutra)



Today we have a cold porcelain doll video demonstration by the well known artist, Diego Dutra.  He shows us how he models a cute child's face.  Only the modeling of cold porcelain is shown, not the painting of details.  We'll be posting some face painting tutorials soon.

Tuesday

CP Recipe, Stovetop Method

Today we feature another video demonstration and recipe for making cold porcelain paste at home.  In this video slideshow, Rubina shows us how she prepares cold porcelain on the stovetop!


See a collection of recipes and demos on our "Recipes" page.

Friday

Make This Cute CP Round-Face Doll



I just love those cute round-faced, skinny-legged doll figures that are seen on many websites and blogs, usually made of cold porcelain.  The figures are very simple, but with just a few touches here and there, lots of personality can be added.   Here is a video slideshow showing you how to create a seated version of these doll figures, step by step.   My humble attempt at translation of the text is below the video.

Tuesday

Make This Cute Pen Doll with CP



A cute little doll made of cold porcelain that is also a pen with pen holder!
You may not understand the language spoken in this 4-part video demo, but the steps taken are very clearly shown!

Thursday

Create these cute doll figures with CP

From Arte Brasil TV show...Create cute skinny-legged doll figures with cold porcelain (video demonstration).

Saturday

Create a Dolls Head with Cold Porcelain [step-by-step]



Many cold porcelain figures, dolls and animals, all start by modeling a basic cute head and then adding the eyes, expression, hair, etc to create the character (such as the doll shown above).   This 'basic cute head' tutorial was originally published in a Portuguese magazine and I have done my best to translate the instructions into English for those that cannot read the Portuguese.  .

Materials needed are some cold porcelain paste (or other soft air-dry-clay) and a Styrofoam ball.   Tools used are your fingers, a cutting tool, a crochet hook and a ball-end tool.    The first step is to tint your clay/cold porcelain a peach tone or other flesh tone unless your prefer tinting or painting after it has cured.   

  

Next, wrap the Styrofoam ball in clay or cold porcelain (CP).   Select enough CP paste to completely cover the foam ball (approximately 2" ball shown here).  Press the foam ball into the CP and shape the CP around it 

   

Close any gaps that appear as you wrap the CP so that you completely enclose the foam ball inside.  Avoid trapping any air. 

With the palms of your hands, smooth and shape the CP into an egg shape.   Using your thumbs, enhance the curvature of the nose and forehead.


Refine the shape of the head and add a neck.


With a crochet hook, push the CP paste from the bottom up and then form the nose with your fingers 



.....leaving a pointed nose shape.


Strengthen the shape around the area of the eye with your thumb.   Add nostrils.


To mark the mouth, envision an imaginary line that creates a cross between the nose and neck and from one cheek to the other cheek.    Where the imaginary line crosses,  insert the tool straight in to form a mouth.
(note:  The numbering of photos in original tutorial skipped #4...it's not missing)


With the end of a crochet hook, create a diagonal crease in each corner of mouth.


Using the diagonal mark as a guide, use your thumb to lift the cheek and indent the chin, smoothing down toward the neck.



With the small end of a ball-end tool, shape the lower lip....running tool from one side to another.


Shape the upper lip with the same tool, using gentle movements.


Define the corners of the mouth by dimpling with large end of ball-end tool.


With smaller end of ball-end tool, create small mark on top of the upper lip.


Ears ... create 2 ears and glue onto the head of the doll.   Shape 2 equal amounts of CP into 2 small ovals.  Roll between fingers to indent slightly.  Attach an ear to each side of head using round-end tool to apply pressure to center of ear.  

After CP has dried and cured, flesh color can be painted (if you didn't pre-tint) and eye decals can be glued on or eyes painted on.  Hair can be molded from additional CP paste or various types of doll hair material can be glued on.  Lots of  different characters can be made by varying the embellishments.  The boy doll and girl doll shown below both started with this basic "cute" head.   The boy's hair is molded clay, but the girl has purchased doll hair glued on.   The head for the little kitty was modeled in a similar way as basic doll's head.