Need more help getting started with QuikWood (QW) go to this page: Quikwood Tips and Tricks
Candy Canes and Bag:
Mix ¼” of QW and divided into 3 with one ball being larger, and one being a little smaller. To make the largest cane use the largest ball of clay and roll into a 3”+ coil. Lay parchment paper over pattern and place candy cane over pattern. Tap on the hook end if it is a little pointy. It is ok if the other end is a little pointy. Repeat making other two canes. The medium cane is a 2 ½” coil and the smaller cane is 2 ¼” long. For the smaller cane that he will be holding, mix a sliver of QW and roll into a coil and lay over pattern. Let them cure.
For the bag I am using a 2 ½” egg. Mix 1/8” of QW and roll into a ball and then a flat pancake. Lay over pointy end of egg and blend edges to egg. Insert candy canes into the clay trying to have them at various heights. Allow to cure.
Mix ¼” of QW and pull off small piece and pinch between fingers then add to egg, pushing and blending onto egg. Mix more clay as needed. To finish top of bag, mix up 1/8” of QW and roll into a 3” coil. Lay on parchment paper and flatten. Let sit about 5 minutes or more so that it is easier to work with. Lift up with blade and lay edge on bag around candy canes. Pinch and wave it so that the top of the bags flairs out. Blend edge to bag. Allow to cure.
Santa
Starting Santa:
For the body you are using a 5” Styrofoam egg. Sit the fat end of the egg on a firm surface and press to make it a little flat. Insert 1 ½ “length of dowel into the pointy end of egg about half way. Mix ¼” of QW and roll into a 1 ¼” coil. Wrap around dowel next to egg. Blend out onto Styrofoam and then up on dowel. Use a little extender if needed. Let sit and cure.
For the head mix 1” of QW and roll into a ball and then into a pancake. Place on 1 ½” Styrofoam ball and begin pressing and pulling until the ball is covered. If there are high spots press them down and then roll in hands to smooth. Continue pressing and rolling until you have at least one nice side for the face. Press ball firmly on top of dowel. Smooth out any marks and then let it sit and cure.
Mix up a little QW at a time and pull off a small piece and press it thin between your fingers. Lay it on the body and press and pull to put a thin coat of QW over the body. Continue mixing a little at a time and covering the body. You can also add this a little at a time as you are working and have extra clay.
For the nose mix a sliver of QW and pull off a 3/8” ball. Roll ball into a 7/8” fat cone. Lay on face with nose just a little below center. Make sure the bottom is flat and the nose is straight. Shape nose into triangular shape.
For the collar mix ¼” QW and roll into a 3” coil. Lie around neck and meet in back. Gently flatten and blend in back if needed.
Beard:
For the beard, mix 1 ½” of QW and roll into a 4” long coil, and pat flat. Press down in top center and pull up on edges to make sideburns. Lay on face under nose leaving enough room for the mustache. Lift beard and lie down, then lift up again and lay down. Keep doing until you get to the bottom of the beard and then turn up the end. I have three bumps and the end turned up. Allow to cure.
Hat:
Mix 2 ½” of QW, and roll into a 5” cone, with the end being skinnier. Pat top of cone and then use pencil and insert in top and roll to open up. Pinch edges to open larger. Push pencil in deeper and roll to open larger. Pinch edges to open up. Once large enough place hat on head and press edges into place. Bring tail of hat up and swirl around and back. Hold in place until it sets. To make it easier wait until the clay starts to get warm to twist the tail of the hat, and then work quickly.
Hat Band:
Mix ½” of QW and roll into a 5” coil. Place center of coil on center front next to hat. Wrap around to back and blend back edge together. Gently flatten in place. Allow to cure.
Adding Legs:
For the legs I want to create a form so they will stay in place while curing. I took a 3” x 5” note card and put a 1” line, then a 1 ¾” line and another 1 ¾” line and then the remaining line is for the edge of the seat. (See Diagram). Fold up at first line, then down at second. Tape card so that the ½” mark is at the edge of the seat and the 1” mark is at the front of the sleigh. Cut a piece of parchment paper that is 3” x 7” and place over the card with the excess being on the seat. The parchment paper will prevent the clay from sticking to the card and the seat.
Mix 2” of QW and divide in 2. Roll each piece into a coil that is 5 ½” long. Have foot lay on front of paper and then have the leg go up and back. Repeat for second leg, with them being about 1” apart. Sit body centered on the legs. Allow to sit and cure.
It would be easier to skip to the next step and then come back to this one. For the trim around the bottom of the coat, mix 1 ½” of QW and roll into a 7” coil. Gently flatten. Lift up and place in center front with edge of coat coming down over his knees. Bring around to join in the back. You will need to give the clay a little tug to go around. Make sure trim is level. Flare out bottom edge of band. Once you are satisfied with placement let it sit and cure.
To make it look a little neater where the legs are attached mix ¼” of QW. Since each of our bottoms will be a little different. Pull off ball and blend between legs. Wrap coil around back of legs and sides and blend to legs and body. Mix more clay if needed. Allow to cure.
Arms:
For the arms I mixed 1” of QW and divided it in 2. Roll each into a 4 ½” coil and the one end for the shoulders being a little thinner. Place at shoulder on each side. Have his left arm bend and then come back in. Have the hand bend so that he can hold the smaller candy cane we made for in his hand. Leave it open so that the cane be lifted out. Keep checking to make sure the hand stays open. Have the other arm come down at the shoulder, bend at the elbow and then come down. Allow to sit and cure.
Finishing Santa:
To finish Santa mix ¼” of QW and pull off two ¼”+ball for mustache. Roll each into a ¾” cone. Place under nose and press into place with the tips standing out. For the eyebrows, pull off two 3/16” balls and roll each into a ½” cone. Place on edge of hat band going up in center. For holly on hat pull off two balls that are a little smaller than ¼” Roll each into a small cone and then flatten and place next to hat band. I added an additional leaf. Place three very small balls for berries and place in center of leaves. Divide remaining clay in 4. These balls are a little bigger than ¼”. For the cuffs roll 2 coils 1” long and then gently flatten to about ¼” wide. Decide where you want the cuff, then place end of coil on top of arm and then bring down and trim off excess with exacto knife. Repeat for second cuff. Add excess clay to other two balls of clay. Roll each ball into a 1 ¼” coil and flatten to ¼”. Place coil right below knee and wrap around to back. If you have excess clay you can trim it off. Blend clay together in back. Allow to cure.
Deer
Note: I used videos form another project to make the deer, so if they don’t look exactly the same please understand. It is the same deer.
Deer – Getting Started:
Insert 4 dowels into Styrofoam egg, the larger end of the egg is the back of the deer’s body and the pointy end is the front. The dowels should be insert in the egg about 1/2” and extend out. Check to make sure the deer stands level. Mix ¼” of QW and divide into two for the back legs. Make a coil about 1 ¼” and wrap around top of each leg. Blend top of coil onto Styrofoam, and then blend clay down onto dowel using a little extender if needed. Mix 1/8” of QW and divide in two for the front legs. Roll 1” coil and wrap around top of leg, blend onto Styrofoam and blend down leg on both front legs like you did for the back legs. Repeat for each deer. Allow to cure.
To make antlers mix of 1/8” of QW and let sit 5 minutes. Pinch and create a flat pancake. Using large Kemper star pattern cutter cut two stars. Pull two points together and lengthen to make bottom of antler. Pinch to define three remaining points. Gently tap side points towards center point. Allow to sit 5 minutes, and then pick up each antler and continue to shape bottom and top of each anther. If needed allow to sit 5 more minutes and then pick up and do final shaping.
With excess clay, pull off small piece and pinch thin between fingers. Lay on Styrofoam area of deer and press and blend over Styrofoam. Continue until you use all the clay. Any time you have excess clay you can do this to cover the body of the deer. Do not apply where you will insert neck. Allow to cure.
To put hooves on deer mix 1/8” of QW and divide into 4. Roll each into a coil about 1” long. Put drop of super glue gel on both sides of bottom of leg. Wrap clay around bottom of leg over glue. Blend top of clay to leg using extender. Repeat for other three. Stand and make sure he is standing ok. Place small cut in front of each hoof with exacto knife.
Finishing Deer:
Note: When attaching the necks/heads if you are going to have the project against a wall I would have all the heads turn out in the same direction. If you are going to display the project where they can be viewed from both sides I would turn two heads to the right, two to the left and one straight ahead. And yes there are nine reindeer so you can make 4 more that is your choice.
Insert 2” dowel into front of body so that the head will be turned out to the right or direction of choice, see note above). Mix 1/8” of QW and roll into a 1” coil and wrap around bottom of dowel next to body. Blend bottom of clay to body and then blend top of clay to dowel keeping more of the clay next to the neck and shaped in a nice cone shape. Allow to cure.
Insert 1” ball onto neck with the head turned just slightly to the right. Mix a sliver of QW and roll into a coil and wrap around dowel next to head. Blend clay onto Styrofoam and then down neck, keeping more of the clay on the head keeping the neck thin. Allow to cure.
Mix ¼” of QW. Pinch clay between fingers to make a pancake and then lay over deer head. Begin pressing and patting to cover head. Blend clay to bottom of head next to neck using extender. Press and pat with palm of hand to get clay smooth. Insert antlers into head. They should go just about center of head and should be parallel to the front. Allow to cure.
For the tail mix 1/8” of QW and roll into a cone about 1” long. Lay on parchment paper and gently pat to flatten. Place on center back of body with the tail pointing up. Press bottom into place to secure and gently bend the tip of tail back.
Mix 1/8” of QW and pull off two balls that are about 3/8” for the ears and the remaining piece is for the muzzle/nose. Off of larger ball pull off very small piece for nose and roll into a ball and then roll remaining clay into a cone that is ¾” – 1” long. Flatten back and center on face with nose pointing up. Gently pat on tip and then attach ball for nose. For ears roll each ball into a cone about ¾” long. Lay on parchment paper and gently flatten. Lay pointy tool or pencil from point of ear to the back and pinch clay around tool point. Pick up and position on face and lay next to antler. Press and remove tool. Blend clay at back of ear to head. Repeat for other ear. Keep watching and lift ears up as they cure. Allow to cure.
Adding Collar:
Mix 1/8” of QW and roll into 1 ½” coil. Wrap around base of neck and blend edges together. Pat collar into place with the collar being the same thickness the whole way around.
Sleigh: For the holly berries on the side mix 1/8” of QW and pull off five ¼” ball and place between holly leaves. Use a drop of Super Glue Gel under each berry. Repeat on other side of Sleigh. At the back of the sleigh place 3 smaller berries between holly leave. Allow to cure.
Sleigh:
For the holly berries on the side mix 1/8” of QW and pull off five ¼” ball and place between holly leaves. Use a drop of Super Glue Gel under each berry. Repeat on other side of Sleigh. At the back of the sleigh place 3 smaller berries between holly leave. Allow to cure