Make This Cute Little Rascal

Make this cute little rascal in his overalls and ballcap following the steps in this cold porcelain tutorial.   Tutorial was scanned from a Portuguese-language magazine and kindly translated to English by our friend Evelyne.  Please visit her blog 'Sowl Mini'.    Click images to view larger photos for each step.

Materials needed: 

Cold porcelain (pre-tinted in colors needed)
Hot glue (or white glue, to adhere parts)
Scissors
Silicon mold (for head, optional)
Acrylic paint & paintbrushes  (or paint markers)
Toothpicks (to strengthen joints)
Doll hair or brown macrame cord (unraveled to make hair)
Tiny wood buttons (optional)
Modeling tools  (needle tool, roller and optional rolling stitch marker)
Wood base

Steps 1-16

1.  For the shoes, make a roll of white cold porcelain and cut in half
2.  Shape the tennis shoes.  Use modeling tools to add marks indicating sole of shoe and lacing.
3.  Glue shoes to the base
4.  For the pants, mix blue dough
5.  Make a long roll
6.  Fold roll in half to make legs
7.  Shape the boy's pants at bottom to fit over top of shoes
8.  Mark a line for cuff using modeling tool or edge of ruler
9.  Mark stitch lines with a modeling tool or rolling wheel (stitch marker).  Repeat on the other leg.
10-11.  Create lines for side seams and stitching as shown in picture (repeat for other leg).
12-13.  Continue shaping pants as shown in photos.
14.  Mark the zipper on the front of the pants
15-16.  Insert a tootpick on each shoe that is already glued on the wood base. Spread some glue on them and insert each leg of the pants onto each toothpick.

This is a good time to take a break!   Letting the pants dry a little while will make them stronger to hold the weight of the following steps.

Steps 17-28

17.   To make the body (shirt), tint some CP dough a soft green.
18-19.  Shape a cone of the green dough in a size appropriate for the shirt.
20.  Glue on top of the pants
21.  For the hands, use CP dough tinted a skin color. Shape 2 cones of the skin-tone dough, flatten them with a modeling tool and mark the fingers.
22-23.  Glue hands into position so as they will fit into the pockets.   Refer to finished figure.
24.  To make the pockets, roll a log of blue cold porcelain and flatten.
25-26.  Cut the dough for a patch pocket as shown in the picture.
27.  Glue each pocket over each hand and shown in picture.
28.  Mark the stitches on the pockets with needle tool or rolling stitch tool.

Steps 29-35

29.  Flatten a strip of blue dough to make the belt.
30-31.  Wrap around waist.
32.  Mark the stitches with the modeling tool.
33-34-35.  To make the bib of the overalls, cut a square of blue and glue it to front of the shirt, overlapping belt front between the pockets.  Mark the stitching.

Steps 36-42

36-37-38.   To make the arms (sleeves), create 2 rolls with the white dough and shape into an elongated cone (arm will be slightly narrower at shoulder).

39.   Use modeling tool to open one end of sleeve (to receive hands).

40-41.   Mark the middle of arm and bend at the elbow.

42.  Fit shoulder end of each arm on top of the green cone (that represents the body) and the concave end on top of the hand.

Steps 43-52

43.  Flatten 2 long strips of blue cold porcelain to create 2 shoulder straps. Mark stitches along each edge with the modeling tool (see photo).
44.  Glue one end to the chest (to bib of overalls), drape over shoulder and cross the straps on the back.
45-46.  Finish by glueing small buttons to front of strap. (purchased mini wood buttons or buttons made of clay)
47.  Make a ball off white for turtleneck collar of shirt.  Flatten it and glue on top of the body.
48.  Use the silicone mold to make the head or make your own head.   This is a simple head to make and mold is not essential.  Form a ball of cold porcelain for head, a small ball for nose and 2 small balls, flattened, for ears.
49-50-51.  Roll doll hair into an oval shape and glue onto the head with the hot glue, leaving room for the ballcap. (The small 'bald' area shows better in photo #55)      Of course, you could also make hair from cold porcelain instead of using the doll hair.
52.  Glue the head onto the body.

Steps 53-59

53-54-55.   Tint some green for the ballcap.  Make the front bill of the hat first.   Create an oval shape, flatten and glue on the head as shown in photos.

56-57.  Using the same green, make a ball of clay.  Flatten one side of ball and shape a concave base with your thumb that will fit the head.   Glue top of cap onto the head

58.  With the help of the modeling tool, mark the segments of the hat.

59.  Finish off the cap with a small button on top (or form a ball of clay and flatten).

Complete your project by painting the facial features, using photo as a guide.  Don't forget the freckles!   You might want the Little Rascal to dry for a day or so before painting.