Clay Art Challenge Day 24

For today's clay challenge I went with a conical shaped shell for my snail. This little guy is sculpted using three colored types of Super Sculpey.

Clay Art Challenge Day 23

Today's snail. Sculpted in polymer clay and finished in acrylic paint.

Clay Art Challenge Day 19

 Starting off with my snail & tin foil shell armatures.

 Covering the armature with Super Sculpey firm.

 Detailing the shell.

 The snail and shell ready to be baked .

 Painting the snail with acrylics. 

The finished snail sprayed with clear matte finish.

Clay Art Challenge Day 18

Today's snail creature. I went with a gentler looking demeanor on this guy. But just in case someone thinks him a push over - I still gave him sharp teeth. 

Clay Art Challenge Day 17

When I got around to decorating today's snail creature I thought of the old ditty "  red touch yellow kill a fellow " in regards to the coloration of certain venomous snakes. Though I'm sure you'd have to severely provoke this wary looking snail to get him to bite.

Clay Art Challenge Day 16

Well I'm sixteen days along in my clay art challenge. Today was a mix of sculpting and sorting through my fishing tackle getting it ready for the bass season. Being an early riser I like to get a jump on starting my sculpture as soon as the coffee kicks in.

Here is the wire snail armature and shell bulked out in foil and covered in Apoxie clay.

 Later in the day when the clay had cured I began sculpting the snail with pink Super Sculpey.

Here is the sneering little fellow finished and posed outside.

Clay Art Challenge Day 15

For my clay challenge today I went with sculpting a smaller sized snail. In the morning I created the wire armature and after covering it in Ave's Apoxie clay I added the pre-baked polymer clay eyes.

 After the Apoxie clay cured I sculpted the teeth and began adding purple Super Sculpey.

 After painting the eyes and adding some hilites with powered chalk I sprayed the snail with a clear matt finish.

Clay Art Challenge Day 14

Today's snail creature was bigger than my previous sculptures. Because of that I was booking to get it finished so no work in progress photos.

 I went with a three eye design for this snail.

 It was fun doing a toothy monster snail after the last couple of cutesy snails.

Clay Art Challenge Day 13

On Day 13 of my 30 day art challenge I thought I'd stay in the same vein as yesterday's snail critter.

The eyes have been added and I'm wrapping the armature with green floral wire to help the clay stay in place when I begin sculpting.

 Adding Ave's Apoxie Sculpt clay to give a firm foundation for the polymer clay to follow.

 After the Ave's had cured I began adding pink Super Sculpey clay.

 Forming the armature for the shell.

 Sculpting the shell in polymer clay.

The finished lady snail searching for her beau.

Clay Art Challenge Day 11

Day 11 and a new creepy crawler is underway. Foil, steel wire & Aves Apoxie Sculpt armature.

 Starting the shell.

 Teeth added and beginning to add green tinted Super Sculpey.

 Aves Apoxie clay forelegs added.

Test fitting the clay shell over the baked clay creatures body.

 Detailing the polymer clay shell.

 The finished mantis snail.

Clay Art Challenge Day 8

Day 8 of creating a small sculpture each day for a month.

 Steel wire armature for the snail and foil ball for its shell.

Building up the clay on the shell.

 Putting the finishing touches on the eyes.

 The assembled snail after baking.

He looked like an ornery little cuss so I gave him red & yellow stripes like a Coral snake - Natures warning sign for " Look Out " for this guy!

Clay Art Challenge Day 7

I've been moving along on my goal of sculpting 30 small sculptures in 30 days. I posted my Day 6 piece on my Facebook page but forgot to post it here on my blog : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.975330419182447.1073741849.126601960721968&type=3

So for this next piece I wanted a fiercer looking shelled creature. I started the armature early in the day.

While the Aves Apoxie Sculpt clay was curing I sculpted the shell out of Super Sculpey firm clay.

 When the Aves clay had cured I sculpted the interior of the mouth in polymer clay and added the pre-baked fangs.

I decided to give this guy a spiked tail club for offense against shelled members of his own kind.

 After the shell was baked I pressed it down onto the soft Aves clay to mark where it would be glued.

                                        The creature at his fangy best!