Preparing & using Miniezshops DIY Sculpting Kit
Using the classic DIY kit molds to make a dog.
Before using Miniezshops DIY Kit, it would be helpful to know what's inside each of the three kits.
Assessing Your Materials:
Each Kit comes with twelve assorted colors, two sculpting tools ,toothpicks, an instruction manual, a QR code sticker to an instructional video, four silicone mold blocks: one for the body & appendages, and three for the three animals specified in each kit, creativity is also included.
Once you've used up the clay that comes in Miniezshops DIY Sculpting Kit you can reuse the silicone molds and tools with other polymer clays. You can also use polymer clay you have on hand.
Cleaning your workspace:
After assessing you kit materials, ensure that you have a clean work space. Wipe down your table top & set a piece of paper or work mat down so that your clay doesn't ruin your table. Wash your hands and if possible use a baby wipe to remove dust or hairs from your hands. This is important because dirt and dust can easily get onto clay so eliminating as much as possible in your work area is ideal.
If you have a small bit of scrap clay: I roll that around in my hands before working with my nice clay. You'll probably see lots of tiny hairs or dust that the scrap clay picks up.
Make sure the indents of your silicone molds are free from debris too. I clean the molds before sending them to you so they should be clean but inevitably debris will get in the indents especially after multiple uses. To help, you can use a little air duster in the indents. You can also use scrap clay to press into the indents to pick out any debris that may have gotten in. Make sure to store your silicone molds in the industrially compostable plastic packaging.
Preparing the clay:
Unpackage your desired clay colors and begin to work them in your hands. Fold the clay around itself, roll it around and press until the clay is the consistency of cookie dough. It is important to warm up the clay other wise it will crack in the oven. Also avoid creating air pockets in your clay, these will also create bubbles and cracks when backing the clay.
A note mixing colors. When you're sculpting, the clay leaves a slight layer of clay on your hands. This can be removed most easily using a baby wipe, rather than soap and water. You'll especially want to make sure to do this before touching your white clay (after using any other color) otherwise the white will become a lighter shade of the color you just used. This is true when using any color after another (yellow after red for example will become kind of orange). Though, the slight color mixing is a fun style as well.
Also, when mixing two colors together start with a small amount of the clay you're adding, mix the colors them add a small amount more, until you reach the desired color. Start with the majority of the clay being the base color you're going for. For example, if I want to make a darker green, take a tiny bit of black clay, add it to the green, mix and add more in tiny bits until you get your desired color.
Using the Silicone Molds
Once your colors are prepared you can start to use the silicone molds. I made each of the members of the animals bodies into separate pieces so you could mix and match any colors you would like. Feel free to combine the animals as well.
Take your clay and roll it into a smooth ball or snake between your palms. Make even circular movements for a ball and roll up & down or side to side for a snake. Rolling out balls or snakes makes it so there aren't any creases in the clay. Once you have the ball or snake (depending on the mold piece you're using at that moment), press the clay firmly into the silicone mold indents. Try not to shift the clay around from side to side but press down. This is important because the features will be pressed into multiple places if your shift the clay from side to side.
Press until the clay can no longer be compressed then slide your blunt edge tool across the top of the silicone mold. Make sure not to cut into the silicone when doing so.
After cutting away the excess clay, tap the clay edges so they're smooth. Next pop the clay out of the silicone mold by pressing softy on the back of the silicone mold. Be gentle with and don't rip silicone. Repeat this process for all of the pieces you would like to use.
Once you have your clay pieces made it's time to assemble them.
Assembly Notes:
To attach the body to the head, break a toothpick to be half the size of the body. Then press 3/4 of the toothpick into the body. Press the animals head into the remainder of the body.
You'll notice there are no mold indents for the animals eye balls. That is because the eyes need to be balls and the molds have flat backs. Instead, there will be marks where the eyes are to be placed. Take the clay tool with an angled end and poke indents where those eye marks are. Next, take about as much clay as the (cats nose, lions nose or tip of the cows tail) roll that into a ball. Cut that into two and roll each of those into balls. Set each ball into the eye indents.
To create sparkles in the eyes. Take a toothpick and flick it across the top of your white clay. Set that clay on top of the eyes and see if the sparkles are to your liking. If so slightly tap the clay to secure it in place. Otherwise take your toothpick to slightly pick the white clay back up and redo.
When you've put your animal together sign your initials and year on the back. If you're making the animal into a magnet, be mindful of where you will glue the magnet and sign in a different place.
Baking your clay creation:
You can bake the clay included in the kit in a regular oven at 275F for 15-30 minutes. When baking use paper/baking paper under clay so the clay doesn't corrupt your baking pan.
Clean Up:
Make sure to pick up all the clay after using the DIY Sculpting kit. You can store the clay and molds for later use.
Most importantly, have fun!
Thanks for reading this article. If you have any questions let me know.
For a more comprehensive tutorial you can watch this video and the full sculpts of each animal the how on miniezshops diy kit playlist youtube.
Don't forget to share your creations with the #miniezshop
You can purchase your own kit here:
Thanks for reading, hugs - Elizabeth (miniezshop)