The “Wee-Kins”
Sculpting Small Abstract Figures

What do you get when you combine elements like polymer clay, wax, shellac, heat, and colorful pigments? Oh, and throw in the concepts of abstract and whimsical, along with skills like texturing, antiquing and sculpting…?

Well, in this case, you get The “Wee-Kins”! These are small, quirky figures that you will fabricate using polymer clay and other mixed media materials. Standing about 3-4” in height, they are huge with personality and charm! In this workshop I will guide you through the basics for sculpting your own original rustic faces for these figures that will portray one-of-a-kind expressions and characteristics. We’ll also go over common pitfalls and how to avoid or “fix” them. As you work you’ll see how changing a single facial feature can provide a completely different overall feel to your piece. 

The abstract bodies are simple forms and will be the dimensional canvas for the two surface styles we will explore. The first is an opulent Faux Raku technique with or without crackle. There are many variations of Faux Raku on polymer and mine is an amalgam of bits and pieces of those I have worked with for over 10 years.

The second surface treatment I will demonstrate is the gorgeous, unpredictable lacy patterning representative of the shellac-burn on wax. Yes, folks, we will be playing with fire! Wax on clay is sumptuous to the touch, and its luminous translucency invites you to look to see what lies beneath the surface.

But you aren’t limited there… alcohol inks, acrylic paints, metallic powders, chalk, gilding pastes, silk screens, or any combination of the above can all contribute to your surface design.

The techniques you learn will easily translate to other projects in figurative sculpture and mixed media. Join me for a class filled with creativity and inspiration!

*Please note- the class is optimized to download and save onto a computer. On a tablet, you may PLAY and WATCH all the videos to your heart's content as many times as you like, but you may not be able to download them to keep. Please login to a computer to download and keep the video files. Most tablets and phones are not equipped with the amount of memory needed to download large video files.