Carved Animal Tile Project

I was perusing a volume on tiles the other mean solar day, trying to effigy out a fun projection for kids. Clay is such an awesome medium for kids, because of all the magical chemic transformations information technology undergoes.

I urge you to sign your kids up for ceramics classes. I'm going to assume that near of you lot don't accept kilns at abode, and it'south one of those classes your kids volition call up for the rest of their lives. Working with clay is incredibly satisfying, and so tactile, with all the messy, cold yumminess.

The next all-time thing is to work with self-drying clay at domicile. I decided on a tile project, to combine rolling, carving and manus-building skills. Afterward it dries, information technology tin can exist painted. Or gold-leafed! How fancy.

Materials:

• Self-hardening clay (We used Crayola)
• Rolling pin
• two pieces of wood or books or DVD cases – 2 items of the same thickness
• Dirt etching tools, including a pin tool
• Wax paper
• Paints

Roll the clay out in between the 2 DVDs, on the wax newspaper. This volition ensure the clay rolls out to an even thickness.

You tin can freehand the shape of your tile or apply something square every bit a template. Use a dull knife to cut the extra clay off.

Exist careful when your release the clay from the shape template. Allow gravity assist yous pull the clay off so it doesn't stretch out.

Use the pin tool to depict your animal profile. Fen chose a Narwhal as her animate being, and then we Googled for images she liked. Remind your kids that they are drawing inside of a foursquare, then a actually long or tall fauna probably won't fill the space too well. Mayhap that giant giraffe is bending down to cheque something out on the footing.

If you lot desire to, use small bits of extra clay to build upward part of the surface of the creature. Round it out, give information technology a piffling dimension. The best part of working with clay is that yous tin 'erase' mistakes with the top of your fingernail, or widen lines more with the pin tool. Or you can utilise tools yous observe in your massive kitchen junk drawer.

You will then set the tile bated for an hr or ii to harden up slightly. Information technology's much easier to exercise this next step when the clay isn't totally squishy. It'south in information technology's 'leather hard' state, and it'due south of import to be patient hither. Become eat lunch and so come dorsum.

Cleave out around the brute with the carving tools. You lot can try to make the carved out part smooth, or leave rough carving marks in the clay.

Put the tile aside and let it dry completely. Extra special bonus tip: scoop a little hole into the top back of the tile for hanging purposes before you set information technology bated to dry. This clay took surprisingly long to dry completely, so if you lot're having your kids make these as gifts, I'd give yourself at to the lowest degree a week to permit them thoroughly dry before painting.

Paint it! (Nosotros used acrylics.)

Hang it!

Adore information technology!

Here'southward the book I was looking through for tile inspiration:

1,000 Tiles

It'southward a great history of ceramic tiles, and full of images. The tiles I found inside that inspired this project were from Wheatley Pottery, Mueller Mosaic Visitor, and The Grueby Pottery and Tile Company. These were part of the Arts and Crafts motility that exploded in America at the cease of the 19th century/ showtime of the 2oth century.

You lot May Likewise Like: All-time Dice Cutting Motorcar

vazquezmingthe.blogspot.com

Source: https://craftwhack.com/carved-animal-tile-project/

Share this post