Super Sculpey Ultralight™ Magnolia Sculpture

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 30 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.

NOTE FROM ARTIST: As SS Ultralight is a really soft clay, we will be using an embossing heat gun to partially cure and solidify the clay at various stages throughout this tutorial, before completing a final cure/bake in your home oven.

Magnolias flowers are quite large, so you may need to use your large home oven to bake your pieces, instead of a small craft tabletop oven

Magnolia centre bud – armature and mixing colour  
Mix some cream-coloured clay by combining a small amount of Just Orange Sculpey III, and Yellow Sculpey III into a piece of SS Ultralight – Lightweight Oven-Bake Clay.   

   
Wrap a half-length piece of 18-gauge florist wire with brown florist tape. Fold the top end over to form a tight loop/ball and wrap with a little more tape if desired. This ball end will stop the wire slipping out of the centre bud. Stretch the tape first to
activate the adhesive in the tape.

Magnolia centre bud – creating centre bud

Use a little oven bake clay adhesive on the end of the wire and cover this with a large
marble sized ball of cream SS Ultralight.

Shape this into a teardrop/cone shaped centre bud.

Starting at the base, cut little spikes into the centre bud using a small pair of scissors.

Partially cure and solidify this by using a heat embossing gun.

Magnolia centre bud – adding colour

To create the impression of pollen in the centre bud, add some dark yellow or light orange eyeshadow or pastels, using a soft brush.

Set this aside for later.

Magnolia petals

Using your acrylic clay roller, roll out a sheet of cream SS Ultralight clay mix to about 2-3mm thick.

Using the petal templates cut out 3 small inner petals (approx. 70mm x 45mm), and 6 large outer petals (approx. 90mm x 50mm) using a cutting wheel.

Magnolia petals – shaping small petals (pics 007, 008, 009)

Soften and thin the outer edges of each petal by gently squeezing them between your fingers and thumbs, being careful to keep the bottom edge and centre of the petals thick.

Cut 2 x 24-gauge wires in half so that you have 4 pieces. We will use three of these for your inner petals.

Making one petal at a time, dip the end of a wire into some Sculpey Oven Bake Clay Adhesive, and gently insert about 20mm into the base of each petal.

Use a dessert spoon to help support and hold the petal as you insert the wire. This will support the petal and give it some shape.

Magnolia petals – shaping small petals

Soften and thin the outer edges of each petal by gently squeezing them between your fingers and thumbs, being careful to keep the bottom edge and centre of the petals thick.

Cut 2 x 24-gauge wires in half so that you have 4 pieces. We will use three of these for your inner petals.

Making one petal at a time, dip the end of a wire into some Sculpey Oven Bake Clay Adhesive, and gently insert about 20mm into the base of each petal.

Use a dessert spoon to help support and hold the petal as you insert the wire. This will support the petal and give it some shape.

Magnolia petals – partial cure

Partially cure and set the shape of each petal by gently heating it with a heat embossing gun.

Support the protruding wire as you cure the clay.

Take your time doing this so that the clay doesn’t burn.

Be careful as the spoon can get hot.

Remove the petal from the spoon and turn it over. You may need to push the wire back in as you do so, so take your time.

Cure the other side of the petal by placing it on the other side of the spoon and gently heat until firm.

Do this for all 3 small petals.

Magnolia petals – shaping large petals

Soften and thin the outer edges of each petal by gently squeezing them between your fingers and thumbs, being careful to keep the bottom edge thick.

Cut 3 x 24-gauge wires in half so that you have 6 pieces. We will use these for the outer petals.

Making one petal at a time, dip the end of a wire into some Sculpey Oven Bake Clay Adhesive, and gently insert about 20mm into the base of each petal.

Use a larger serving spoon to help support and hold the petal as you insert the wire. This will support the petal and give it some shape.

Magnolia petals – partial cure

Partially cure and set the shape of each petal by gently heating with a heat embossing gun.

Support the protruding wire as you cure the clay.

Take your time doing this so that the clay doesn’t burn.

Be careful as the spoon can get hot.

Remove the petal from the spoon and turn it over. You may need to push the wire back in as you do so, so take your time.

Cure the other side of the petal by placing it on the other side of the spoon and gently heat until firm.

Do this for all six large petals.

Baking your petals and inner bud

Place some cotton T-shirt fabric or quilting batting onto a baking tray and lay your petals and inner bud on top.

Follow the baking instructions on the packaging and bake your petals and inner bud for 30 minutes in a preheated oven.

Magnolia leaves - colour mixing

For the magnolia leaves, we will need to mix some green and light brown clay. The upper leaf will be green, and the underside of the leaf will be light brown.

Mix a light green coloured clay by combining a small amount of Leaf Green Sculpey III into some SS Ultralight – Lightweight Oven-Bake Clay.

Mix a light brown coloured clay by combining a small amount of Hazelnut Brown and Black Sculpey III into some SS Ultralight – Lightweight Oven-Bake Clay. The black
will give the brown clay a slightly grey and muted tone.

Roll these out to about 2-3mm thick. Place the green sheet of clay on top of the brown sheet of clay and roll this until it’s about 2-3mm thick.

Magnolia leaves - cutting

Using the leaf templates cut out 1 small leaf (approx. 100mm x 37mm), and 1 large leaf
(approx. 130mm x 48mm) using a cutting wheel.

The top of the leaf will be green, and the underside of the leaf will be brown.

Magnolia leaves – shaping the leaves

Soften and thin the outer edges of the leaves by gently squeezing them between your fingers and thumbs, being careful to keep the centre and bottom edge thick.

Cut 1 x 22-gauge wire in half so that you have 2 pieces.

Magnolia leaves – adding texture

Lay each leaf on a small piece of paper – this will allow you to pick them up easily later.

Using a needle tool gently draw the leaf veins onto each leaf.

Press a little deeper at the base of each leaf. This is where we will place the wires.

Magnolia leaves – adding wires and baking

Fold two pieces of card into a concertina/M-shape. These will be used to support and cradle your leaves while they are baked.

Making one leaf at a time, dip the end of a wire into some Sculpey Oven Bake Clay Adhesive, and place this into the groove at the base of each leaf (about ⅓ or ¼ of the way up each leaf).

Fold the leaf in half and press the clay together at the base of each leaf (a bit like folding a taco shell).

Magnolia leaves – adding wires and baking

Add some shape to the leaf edges and place each leaf into the card cradle.

Follow the baking instructions on the packaging and bake your leaves for 30 minutes in a preheated oven.

Assembling Magnolia - Stamens

Thicken the flower stem by adding 4 x 18-gauge wires to the stem, wrapping them all
together with some brown florist tape. Stretch the tape to activate the
adhesive and wrap it up and down the stem a few times.

Secure a bunch of white flower stamens (used in sugar craft flowers) around the top of the stem and base of the inner bud using some thin white florist tape or cotton thread. Florist tape is easier.

Fold the lower stamens up and so that they are all pointing towards the top of the flower, and secure in place with more white florist tape.

Assembling Magnolia - petals

Attach the first three small petals to the stem by securing the petal wires with brown florist tape.

Wrap the tape over and under each petal to ensure they are secure.

Add the next three large petals in the same way, positioning them under and between the first layer of small petals.

Then add the 3rd layer of large petals in the same way, positioning them under and between the 2nd layer of large petals.

Continue to wrap the brown tape down the stem until all white wires are covered.

If you find that the petals are too floppy, you can either add more brown florist tape to add more support or add a little brown clay the base of the petals using a little
Sculpey Oven Bake Clay adhesive.

You will need to partially cure this using a heat embossing gun, before baking the flower in the oven again.

If you have chosen to add more clay, once baked, cover this with some brown florist tape.

Add colour to the base of each petal using some yellow eye shadow or chalk pastel on the top, and some light brown eyeshadow or chalk pastel on the bottom.

Using strong wire cutters, trim the excess wire from the base of the stem, and cut the stem to the desired length.

Wrap an 18-gauge wire in several layers of brown florist tap and shape into a twiggy branch.

Wrap each leaf wire with brown florist tape.

Attach the small leaf near the top of the twig branch using brown florist tape to secure.

Attach the large leaf and twig to the flower stem using brown florist tape to secure.

Bend and shape the stem wires into your desired shape.

Congratulations on completing your magnolia flower.