Original Sculpey® Terra Cotta Mushroom Gnome

Getting Started:

Please make sure your work area is covered and you are not working on an unprotected surface. We recommend working on the Sculpey® Oven
Safe Work Mat, wax paper, metal baking sheet, or disposable foil. Uncured
clay may damage unprotected furniture or finished surfaces. Be sure to
cover your crafting area appropriately.

Start with clean hands, unwrap and knead clay until soft and smooth, or condition by running clay though a Pasta Machine. We recommend using a designated machine for clay purposes only. When working with multiple colors, clean hands with soap and water or baby wipes (we have found that baby wipes work best) before switching colors. Shape clay, pressing pieces firmly together.  Wash hands
after use.

Baking (also called Curing):

Begin by preheating oven to 275 °F (130 °C). After you are done creating; for best results bake clay on an oven-proof surface such as metal, aluminum foil, an index card or the Sculpey® Oven Safe Work Mat at 275°F (130 °C) for 15 minutes per ¼" (6 mm) of thickness according to package directions. Oven safe glass or ceramic
surfaces are also acceptable for baking; however please note that the baking
times may take longer as the glass or ceramic surfaces take longer to heat up. For
best baking results, use an oven thermometer. DO NOT USE MICROWAVE OVEN. DO NOT EXCEED THE ABOVE TEMPERATURE OR RECOMMENDED BAKING TIME.

This little gnome guy is pretty large. You can see the finished size closer to the end shown in my hand. You can make him whatever size you want. If you want to follow along with me, I used a total of 1/2 pound of Original Sculpey Terra Cotta (OSTC). Just start with whatever size body you would like and proportion your other pieces to the body.

To make the body, start with 1/8 pound of the OSTC. Just score the original 1 pound bar into eight pieces. Shape the clay into a thick oval shape with a flat bottom.

Use another 1/8 pound to make a cone shape with a flared edge for the mushroom hat

If you wish to, you can push a toothpick down into the body for added strength. Then push the hat onto the toothpick going through the body.

Next make a flat thick patty for the feet. Then cut the patty in half so that the feet are the same size.

Push the flat part of the feet to the front of the body.

Roll a thin rope and smash it to the bottom of the hat brim.

Score that rope with a tool to make it look like hair.

Next make a big teardrop with a curved tip. This will be the beard so it needs to be sized to fit between the hat and the feet. Make it flat on the back and domed on the top.

Place the beard around the sides of the body and curved just under the hat leaving a small space for the nose. Curl the tip up between the feet.

Use the Needle Tool to score the beard deeply. Keep all texturing deep so that later when you paint, the details will remain.

Add small flat teardrops as shown for the mustache.

Score the mustache too.

Add a big ball shaped nose right between the mustache pieces and under the hair.

To make the sleeves, make two thick teardrop pieces (shown left). Then flatten and shape the teardrop to make it look like a drooping sleeve (shown right).

Here’s the shape of the sleeves that mirror each other.

Add the sleeves to the sides of the body with the long point going up to the shoulders. The sleeves should wrap around and hang down to the feet.

Make two little cylinders and two little cone shapes. Push them together to make mushrooms.

Place the mushrooms at the top of the sleeves.

Add little flat ovals for hands that wrap around the mushroom stems.

Add flat dots of clay to the hat and the mushroom caps.

Since this guy is really thick, he will need an extended baking time based on the instructions to bake at 275F for 15 minutes per 1/4 inch of thickness. My little gnome was baked for 90 minutes. To protect him and help him cure evenly I baked him under a shroud of damp cloth. Just wet an old cloth and wring out as much water as you can. Then drape the damp cloth all around him.

Allow the gnome to cool completely before handling.

Dry brush the mustache and beard with white paint leaving the deep lines without paint.

Paint the hat red. Paint the mushroom caps yellow ochre.

Paint the nose and hands beige.

Paint the shoes black.

Paint the dots white.

Paint the jacket leaf green.

Allow paint to dry completely.