Betty Bear & Monty Moose

Need more help getting started with QuikWood (QW) go to this page: Quikwood Tips and Tricks

Making Moose Antlers:

Mix 1/8” of QW and divide in two.  From one half pull off two ¼” balls and then take what is left and roll into a 2” coil.  Lay on pattern and gently flatten.  Roll each ball into a small coil and lay in place on pattern.  Blend together, using a little extender.  Repeat for second antler.  Allow to cure.

Getting Started:

Mix sliver of QW and roll into a coil that is 1” long.   Insert dowel into center of pointy end of egg with about ½” showing.  Wrap coil around dowel and blend clay down onto Styrofoam, and then blend clay up on dowel, use extender if needed.  Allow to cure.

Attaching Head:

Press 1 ½ ball on top of dowel and then remove. Mix ½” of clay to cover head.  Roll into a ball and then begin pinching between your fingers to make a flat pancake.  Lay on top of ball and then begin pressing and pulling to cover ball.  Keeping working with ball until it is nice and smooth.  Place on top of dowel and press to secure in place.  If needed, place hook in top of head by folding over a piece of wire and then trimming to ½”.  Insert into top of head. Allow to cure.

Attaching Moose Antlers:

You will want to do this step before the clay on the head cures. Mix up 1/8” of QW and roll in a ½” coil.  Lay on top of head and blend edges to head. Insert antlers into mound.  They should lean forward and out.  If needed push clay against antlers. If you would like a hook fold over a piece of wire and insert in back of mound.  Allow to cure.

Making Arms & Legs:

For the arms mix 1/4” of QW and divide into two.  Roll each piece into a coil that is about 2 ¼” long.  Lay on a piece of parchment paper and gently press pointy end on top to make a little fatter, then gently flatten a little.  Using pointy tool put a hole in top of leg so that you will be able to put your wire through to attach legs to body.  Allow to cure.

For the arms mix 1/4” of QW and divide into two.  Roll each piece into a coil that is about 2 ¼” long.  Lay on a piece of parchment paper and gently press pointy end on top to make a little fatter, then gently flatten a little.  Using pointy tool put a hole in top of arms so that you will be able to put your wire through to attach arms to body.  Bend each arm out at the elbow.  Let arms sit about 10 minutes.  Pick up and position on Styrofoam body and bend so that the arms conform to the shape of the body.  Keep checking them until they hold their shape.  Allow to cure.

Attaching  Legs:

Mix up 1/8” of QW and divide into two.  Cut two pieces of wire each about 3” long. Fold wires in half using round nose pliers.  Slip wires through holes in the legs.  Pick the side that you think would be the best for the face and then insert them into the bottom center.  Have them evenly spaced and about 3/4” apart.  Leave the wires out of the body about ½” to ¾”.  Roll clay into a coil that is about 1” long. Wrap around the top of the wire and have it connect together.  Shape it into a little mound and have it securely press against Styrofoam.  Repeat on the other leg.  You want to make sure you have enough room for the legs to swing freely.   Adjust them in or out as needed.  Allow to cure. 

Attaching Arms:

Mix up 1/16” of QW and divide into two.  Cut two pieces of wire each about 2” long. Fold wires in half using round nose pliers.   Trim to about ¾”.  Position arms and then insert wires through holes in the arms.  The one prong of the wire should go in the arm and the other should go to the back of the arm.  Leave the wires out of the body about ½””.  Roll clay into a coil that is about 1” long. Wrap around the wire next to the body. Make sure the clay is connected in the center and then blend the edges out onto the body. Repeat on the other arm.  You want to make sure you have enough room for the arms to move freely.   Adjust them in or out as needed.  Allow to cure. 

 Covering body with clay:

Mix a small amount of QW up at a time.   Pull off a small piece and flatten between your fingers and then lay it on the body where there is no QW.  Press the clay to the body and then press and pull it out to cover the body.  This is just a thin layer of QW that you are putting on the body.    Continue until the entire body is covered.  Allow to cure.  (Video)

Bear muzzle, nose, and ears:

Mix 1/8” of QW and pull off two ¼” balls for ears and pull off a very small ball for the nose.  Roll remaining clay into a ball.  Place in center of face and blend edges to head.  Shape muzzle so that it is a little thinner at the top than the bottom, and the front rounds up with the nose pointing slightly up.  Place ball for nose on top center front. 

 Roll balls for ears and place on each side of the head.  Blend back of ear to head only using a small bit of clay.  Also blend ear to front using just a little clay.  Reshape ears if needed. Insert end of small paintbrush in center of ear and roll back and forth at bottom. Allow to cure.

Attaching Tails:

For bear’s tail mix a sliver of QW and pull off a 3/8” ball.  Roll into 1/3” – ¾” coil and lay on lower back center of the body.  Blend top of tail to body.  Keep top of tail out from body. Allow to cure.  Attach moose tail the same as the bear tail.

Finishing Moose:

Mix ¼” of QW for muzzle  and roll into a ball.  Position on center of face.  Shape it making a little wider than it is high.  Blend edges of muzzle to face us using a little extender. Reshape if needed and flatten the front.  Use exacto knife to draw a line for the mouth in the center of the muzzle with it extending around the edges. Then drop below the first line and put a second line for the bottom of the teeth/lower lip.  I started in the center and went out to the sides with a small indent about the width of two teeth on each side.   Then bring line up to join top line.  To place the teeth start in the center and indent using the point of the knife.  Then move to the right and the left inserting more lines to form more teeth.  To make the nostrils insert pointy tool in each side of muzzle above mouth.  Then insert exacto knife into nostril and swirl and come down to lengthen the nostril. Turn the knife to the right in the right nostril and to the left in the left nostril.  Allow to cure.

 To finish moose mix 1/8” of QW and pull off a ¼” ball to make the beard.  Roll ball into small cone  and slightly flatten. Attach to bottom center of the muzzle with tip turning out.   Divide remaining clay in 2 to make the ears. Roll each piece into a ¾” cone and gently flatten on parchment paper.  Make sure you can easily lift ears off of parchment paper. Using tip of pencil or pointy tool lay with point facing the wide end of the cone coming from the pointy end of cone.  Fold over end of tool and position behind and to the side of the antlers. Position and press into place and then pull tool out.  Keep watching and lifting ears if needed.   Allow to cure