Need more help getting started with QuikWood (QW) go to this page: Quikwood Tips and Tricks
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.
Ornament Hanger:
If you are going to make these into ornaments you will want to insert a hook before the clay cures. Fold over a piece of wire and trim to about ½” – ¾” and insert into top center of head.
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.
Making Tail:
For each tail, mix 1/8” of QW and roll into a coil about 2 ½” 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 tail so that you will be able to put your wire through it to attach to the body. Wait 15 minutes and lift end of tail up and back so that it is curled. Continue checking tail and shaping until it is cured.
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.
Attaching Tail:
Mix 1/16” of QW and divide in two to attach the tails. To make hooks to attach each tail fold over a piece of wire and trim to ¾” – 1”. Insert wire into top of tail, with one prong going through the hole in the tail and one prong going over the top of the tail. Position tail on center back of body, just below the fattest part of the body. Insert on an upward angle. Roll clay into a coil about 1” long and wrap around hook of tail. Blend clay out and adjust the length of the wire so that the tail dangles nicely. Repeat for other character.
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)
Cat Face:
To make the features on the cat mix 1/8” of QW and divide into 3. To make the ears take one piece and roll into a cone that is about ½” high. Flatten between your fingers and then stand on top of head to one side of center. Press down to secure and then reshape if needed. Repeat for the second ear. Pull a very small ball (about 1/8”) off of the remaining clay to make a nose. Divide the remaining clay in two equal parts and roll each piece into a ball. To make the muzzle lay each ball next to each other just below the center of the face. Press to flatten. Lay nose on center top of muzzle and press top of nose to flatten so that the nose is a triangle shape. Allow to cure.
Dog Face:
To make the dog features mix ¼” of QW and divide into two. Take one piece and pull off small ball for the nose. Roll clay into a ball, and then into a ½” cone. Place in center of face, and then using extender blend to edges to face. Shape with top being a little flat and tipping up. Lay ball for nose to end of muzzle. For the ears take the other piece and divide into two. Roll each piece into a ¾” cone, and then flatten. Attach top of ear to side of head. Keep lift so the ears do not lay flat against the side of the head. Allow to cure.