Super Sculpey Living Doll™ Death Hawk Moth Sculpture Tutorial

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® Work ‘n Bake Clay 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.

Baking (also called Curing):

Bake at 275 °F (130 °C) for 15 minutes per 1/4 in (6 mm) thickness.

DO NOT MICROWAVE.

DO NOT EXCEED THE ABOVE TEMPERATURE OR RECOMMENDED BAKING TIME.

Begin by cutting thin sheets of Living Doll polymer clay with a rigid blade, and then condition the clay using your preferred method for conditioning. Once the clay is conditioned, roll it out to the thinnest setting that you feel comfortable working with to form the moth wings

Draw a moth wing shape on paper and cut out the silhouette to use as a template. The pictured template measures 9 x 7 cm at its longest points. Using a sharp craft knife, trace around the template to cut the wing shape from the prepared polymer clay sheet.

To achieve a clean cut, ensure that the craft knife stays perpendicular to the cutting surface throughout the entire process.

To create symmetrical wings, turn the template upside down and carefully trace the mirrored image using a craft knife.

Divide each polymer clay wing into two sections to create two larger wings and two smaller wings for the moth.

Set aside the excess polymer clay leaving only the wing cut outs on the worksurface. Reposition the wings on the work mat to create a larger gap between them because the next steps will get messy.

Using a craft knife, gently shave yellow pastels to create a fine powder. Next, dip your paintbrush into the pigment powder and apply the yellow color to the smaller lower wings.

After both lower wings are tinted with yellow pastels, switch to a flat paint brush to add black accent lines, forming a moth wing design.

To create symmetrical patterns on both wings, consider working on them simultaneously or lightly marking the surface of the polymer clay with a needle tool. This will help indicate where you plan to draw the black pastel pattern lines.

Visualize the wing pattern as consisting of three distinct sections: small circles located at the wing's edge, a stretched oval in the center, and a long rectangle with rounded edges that is nearest to the moth's body. Don't forget to apply the pigmented brush along the outer edges of the moth wing to add color to the perimeter.

The Sculpey Dual-End Detail Tools set contains flexible tip shapers, designed to blend and smooth out seams in polymer clay, which will help with adding glass eyes to the larger moth wings. The diameter of the glass eye used here measures 1.2 cm.

Place the glass eyes on moth wings as shown and roll a snake from the conditioned clay that was previously set aside. Wrap the polymer clay snake around the glass eye and blend the seam into the wing.

Gently glide the flexible tip shaper inwards and outwards the edges to create a seamless transition between the glass eye and the wing. Patience is key, as rushing this process can lead to uneven results.

This is the appearance of a blended eye. Now, follow the same steps for the left wing.

Replicate the design from the smaller wings onto the larger ones, making sure to adjust the proportions of the three distinct sections: the small circles positioned at the edge of the wing, a long rectangle with rounded corners in the center, and the smallest section closest to the moth's body.

Colour in the sections of the wings with yellow, white and brown pastels as shown.

Continue adding as much detail and color as you wish.

Do not worry if you went over the black lines. Once the colorful pastels have been added to fill the gaps, the black lines can be retraced again.

Once you finish the front of the wings, gently bend the work mat to effortlessly lift the polymer clay away from the surface.

To replicate the delicate tiny scales found on moth wings, which are frequently confused with powdery dust, apply mica powder to the underside of the wing. The wings are now ready to be cured in the oven for 20 min at 130' Celsius (275 F). The work mat can be cleaned with warm soapy water if you don't use it for the baking process.

Shape an 8 cm (3 inch) long snake from polymer clay, ensuring that the bottom section is thinner while pinching the top about a centimeter before the end to create the appearance of a moth's body.

Use an Etch n Pearl tool to create indentations that mimic the appearance of moth eyes. Roll out 6 thin snakes to cover the body of the moth as illustrated.

Incorporate small clay snakes between the circles to give the appearance of a continuous line at the front of the moth. Use the flexible tip shaper to smooth out the seams, similar to how the seams around the glass eyes were treated.

Use flat nose pliers to mold the metal wire into the shape of moth legs, and utilize cutter pliers to trim the metal wire as needed.

Embed the metal wire in polymer clay at the back of the moth. Blend the seams with flexible tip shaper.

Cut a faux eyelash into two halves. Trim each half to achieve a balanced and symmetrical look.

Use a small black metal wire to create guide holes between the eyes to mark the placement for moth antennae. Glue the eyelashes on the metal wires and leave it aside to dry properly.

Using soft pastels, color the entire body yellow, leaving the head.

Add black pigment onto the upper part of the moth's body as illustrated.

Apply black pigment to tint the moth's head.

Apply white pigment to the elevated areas of the moth's body.

Set the moth aside and flatten a small ball of polymer clay to shape it into an oval, roughly 1.5 cm in length. Make two cuts on either side of the bottom of the oval to create a traditional skull outline. Then, with a craft knife, carefully carve out the areas where the eyes and nose of a skull should be positioned.

Position the small skull on the moth's body, right beneath its head. Next, use pastels to paint the skull white.

Take the wings you prepared earlier and gently insert them into the soft body of the moth, ensuring they are pushed deep enough to remain securely in place.

To support the weight of the wings, use paper towel or toilet paper, and then carefully transfer your moth to a baking tray or tile. Allow it to cure for 30 minutes at a temperature of 130 degrees Celsius (275 F).

After the moth has cured and cooled down, apply glue to the metal wire that holds the eyelashes. Then, insert it into the guide hole you created earlier giving the moth it's antennae. Create a gentle curve in the metal wire for each antenna, ensuring they lean inward.

Clear white glue visually creates a gap between the black wire and the eyelash, so use black acrylic paint to fill this space. In the image, Sculpey's Etch n Pearl tool is used to apply paint to the antennae, however, a paintbrush can be used as an alternative if preferred.

You are welcome to choose any varnish to seal the mica powder and enhance the shine on the moth's head. The wings of the moth do not need sealing, but you may do so if you prefer. Optional step: Coat the moth's head with a thin layer of glue, then sprinkle flocking powder over it to create a soft, fluffy appearance.

Apply black acrylic paint to the legs of the moth and let it dry for few hours.

The Death Hawk Moth is now ready. The metal wire remains flexible after painting allowing for the legs to be wrapped around house plants.

The thinner the wings, the more light passes through them, causing the moth to appear more vibrant during the day and darker in the evening.