One of the most ironic parts of sculpting realistically is attempting to make intricate, intentional detailing look organic and natural. What should you have on hand to start sculpting natural scenes? Let’s break it down into three categories: color, depth, and texture – and read to the end for a list of suggested tools and materials to have on hand.
Color
The natural world is teeming with brilliant, intense colors. But oftentimes subtlety is your friend when it comes to nature sculpting. Keep on hand a good variety of browns such as Sculpey Premo Burnt Umber (a warm brown), Sculpey Souffle Cowboy (a cool brown), and Sculpey Souffle Latte (a neutral tan). Experiment to make various tones of browns and tans by mixing these colors together.
A sort of middle ground between color and depth would be making use of “effects” clays. Especially when you’re in the beginning stages of sculpting, effects clays such as Premo Grey Granite or Premo Tan Granite can really elevate a piece! Again, try blending the granite clays with various greys, browns, or even greens to create variations.
Depth
When you look at a photo or element of nature, can you see the layers? Take the idea of a tree hollow, or a patch of mossy ground – nature has a way of turning the smallest space into a cacophony of different elements. Stone, moss, dirt, patches of grass…allow for variation in every project you make. When you’re planning a piece, think about every element you want to include, and in what order they’ll appear. Lay a foundation of dirt, then patches of stone, then moss growing in around everything, mushrooms, then patches of grass. Remember, there’s no rules about where dirt or moss start and end, so play around with organic shapes, and avoid harsh divisions.
Depth isn’t just in layering, but also in variation. That’s why having pigment powders on hand can be a huge way to upgrade your nature pieces. Using a small paint brush, you can add color to the tips of leaves, the center of flowers, the muddy edges of stones, or the bark of trees.
Texture
How many objects, in the natural world or even in your own home, can you think of that have zero texture at all? It’s amazing how the absence of texture feels so Off, that even when we can’t put our finger on it, our brain registers when something is too smooth, too perfect. For that very reason, it’s so beneficial to have some sandpaper on hand. Even when you’re making things that seem smooth enough (river rocks, mushroom caps, etc), a few pats with a sheet of sandpaper will almost certainly make them feel that much more real. If you’re not sure what sandpaper to get, try experimenting with grits between 40 and 220. The grits I use most often are 60, 120, and 180 for rough, medium, and subtle textures.
Beyond just the general texture that sandpaper provides, you can USE nature to sculpt nature! If you weren’t a rock collector before, you likely will be now. Hang on to rocks of various textures (think gravel, pumice stone or lava rocks, or rocks with unique layers and ridges), use pieces of dried bark (wrapped in plastic wrap to keep your clay clean!), different types of sponges, and anything else that will provide an organic texture. As you grow in your skills, your access to tools will likely grow as well, but for a beginner, look in your yard for free tools to get yourself started!
Try to think outside of the box when it comes to texture. You can use sand mixed with liquid clay for a very simple, sealed sand or dirt, or you can use thinly rolled, underbaked, and then crumbled clay sheets mixed with liquid clay to create unique flocking or ground-cover. You can also use lots of home staples like crumpled aluminum foil to experiment even further with textures.
Create!
At the end of the day, when it comes to creating natural pieces, remember that patience and detail makes all the difference. A quickly rolled and etched slab of clay will never look as much like wood as a slab you’ve rolled and then layered with sandpaper texture, worked burrs and grains into with a needle tool, and brushed with various shades of chalk. The more time and care you put in, the more organic it will look!
So, what should you have on hand when you start sculpting nature scenes? Here’s a quick list –
- - Muted, natural colored clays (Greens, greys, browns, stone-effects)
- - Pigment/chalk powders and a fine paintbrush
- - Sandpaper (between grits 40-220)
- - Uniquely textured items (stones, bark, aluminum foil, cool shells, toothbrush heads, pipe cleaners, etc)
- - Detailing tools (needle-tip tools, etc)
Natural sculpts are some of the most beautiful pieces to come from polymer clay, so happy creating! I’m sure your projects will turn out wonderfully, but if you want to prove me right, don’t forget to share your work with #howdoyousculpey!
