What Are Some Good Ideas for Small Sculptures Out of Art Clay?

Famed artist Michelangelo once said, "Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it." This doesn't mean you need to carve a copy of "David" out of your block of art clay, but it does mean all types of sculptures may be created. To get the most out of your art clay, it's important to have an array of sculpting tools at the ready.

One of the easiest sculptures to form out of art clay would be common food items. Simple fruits like apples, pears and bananas are easy to shape, especially if you have a piece of the fruit nearby to study. For Halloween and Thanksgiving, you can craft mini-pumpkins to put on display. You can also advance to bunches of grapes and berries complete with leaves and a vine. The finishing touch would be a realistic glaze to capture the right color for your chosen fruit. For a touch of whimsy, consider sculpting other food items such as clay pretzels, hot dogs or even a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. For the holidays, you can create clay cookies and decorate them. These could certainly be eye-catching items on display in your kitchen or dining room.

Another good idea for sculpting art clay would be to use your own hand as a model. There are various forms of hand shapes that you can utilize, such as praying hands, the peace sign or a simple thumb's up. Sculpting a child's hand and then mounting it on a plaque would make a great gift for a new grandparent. You can even check out the various hand shapes used in American Sign Language to incorporate in your sculpture (see link in Resources). You could spell out your name with several hands or sculpt the sign for love.

Expanding on your creativity, you could also turn your art clay into wearable jewelry. It would be easy to mold various bead shapes or medallions such as the Egyptian ankh. You could also imprint coins or buttons to create a special shape. These items can then be strung on a necklace of leather. Try using small models, such as wedding cake brides and grooms or action figures, as inspiration for your sculptures. Don't worry about creating exact replicas. Instead, use these forms to inspire your own shape designs and turn it into an exaggerated folk art type of sculpture.

Finally, there are many prefabricated ceramic molds available to use with art clay. You'll find everything from flowers to small animals can be formed using these molds. Don't think of it as cheating because the finishing touch of painting your mold will help create your individual signature style. You can find these molds online or at the same art supply store where you buy your clay.