How to Create Clay Animals

Want to create your own zoo? It might not seem easy to create a wide diversity of animals from clay, but by using this basic technique and then just modifying it to look like the animal of your choice, you can make clay shaping an approachable and enjoyable task.

1. .Start with a clump of clay. Just about any sort of clay or dough will do, as long as it's decently firm. The more clay, the bigger your animal will be.
   
   
2. Roll a snake from the clay by rolling it back and forth under your hand.
   
   
3. Break off a small piece of clay to form the head.
   
   
4. Roll the head into a round ball; move your hand around in a circle to make this ball.
   
   
5. Cut the snake at both ends with a popsicle stick, or something similar, into two pieces. These will form the arms and legs or the front and back legs of your animal.
   
   
6. Pose the arms and legs any way you want. Is your animal sitting or standing, pouncing, rolling over, or lying down?
   
   
7. Make the head. Create whatever ears and eyes, nose and mouth you want. Then, stick the head on the shoulders.
   
   
8. Make lots of different animals and even people this way, depending on what shapes you make. Use your imagination, and have fun!
   
   

• It might help to look at a picture of the animal you want to make and notice how it is shaped.
• Very thin parts, like ears and tails, are fragile.
• If you do something that makes a shape you don't like, you can always change it or start over.
• If you are making your animal out of ceramic clay to fire in a kiln, the body should not be too big. Make it about as big as your fist, no more, otherwise the clay could explode in the kiln. Or, If it is going to be larger than your fist, using ceramic clay, you simply need to hollow out the body from beneath.
• In ceramic clay, make sure to attach heads and tails securely. Make scratches in both surfaces with a pencil or anything pointy. Get both sides wet with a mixture of clay and water (called slip) and stick them together firmly.
• If you want to build your animal another way, go ahead. Birds and bears may work better starting with a ball and then attaching wings, arms, and legs.
• Put an old plastic tablecloth or paper bag under your work to keep the table clean.

• Clay or dough
• A popsicle stick or a toothpick
• Imagination