Clay panther

Making an armature

-     Print the project outline and armature placement guide

-    Use a wire coat hanger for the front arms and head part of the armature

-    To make the front arms and head, bend the bottom of the wire hanger part at right angles

-    Bind the corners together with tie wire

-    Pack the body with aluminium foil and shape it so it’s compact

-    Reinforce your sculpture with clear tape

-    Secure the body to the head with tie wire

-    Attach more wire to support the head

-    Pack with aluminium foil and fix with clear tape

Clay base

-    Condition your clay (we used our Polymer Clay Press to save the hand workout!)

-    Make your clay slab a level 6mm (1/4 inch)

-    Cover the armature evenly with your clay, removing air pockets as you go

-    Bake the armature at 130°C for 1 hour and then allow to cool

Clay body

-    Create tail support by bending some coat hanger wire to shape and adding to the body

-    Mould clay onto the upper arms and shape the muscles

-    Smooth into the body, building up the neck and blending as you go

-    Build up the neck gradually, blending clay until achieving the desired shape

Clay head sculpting

-    Pack clay tightly over the head part of the armature

-    Shape the forehead, muzzle, and mouth

-    Carve eyebrows, cheeks, and eye sockets carefully

-    Keep smoothing and blending until you’re happy with the shape!

-    Don't forget to add the ears

Clay legs

-    Apply clay over the body and underside, smoothing out the edges

-    Mould the tail with clay

-    Create curled legs by applying disk-shaped clay to the body

-    Attach the bottom part of the legs to the disks

-    Smooth the joins and sculpt muscle definition, carving them into the body

Final touches

-    Go over the sculpture to remove unwanted texture and finesse the anatomy of your big cat!

 -    Make sure all parts are securely attached before baking again for 1.5 hours at 130°C

Remember to take your time and enjoy the sculpting process. Feel free to make adjustments as needed until you're satisfied with the result.