Need more help getting started with QuikWood (QW) go to this page: Quikwood Tips and Tricks
Making Cat Head:
To start cat I am using a 2 ½” Styrofoam ball and a 2” length of a 3/16” dowel. Insert dowel into center of ball with about half of it sticking out. Mix 1/8” of QW and roll into a 1” coil. Wrap around dowel next to ball. Begin blending onto ball and then up dowel. Pull any excess down unto ball. Allow to cure.
For the cat teeth mix 1/8” of QW and roll into a 2” coil. Position on ball, slightly below the center of face. Lay coil on cat with the ends turned up. Press with palm of hand to flatten, the center width should be about ½” wide. Using exacto knife cut through center of mouth (horizontal cut), then cut in center. Divide each side of mouth into three sections by making two more cuts. The cuts should be on an angle following the shape of the mouth. Allow to cure
For the cat ears mix ¼” of QW and divide into 2. Roll one piece into a ball then shape into a triangle with your finger. Repeat with the second ball. They should end up being ¾” by ¾”. Position on top of head, and press into place. Reshape point of ears. Press tip of little finger into front of ear to indent. Blend back of ear onto Styrofoam.
Mix I/8” of QW and pinch and press over Styrofoam around the mouth and on the face up to and between the ears.
To finish the cat mix about 3/16” of QW and divide into two. Take one of the pieces and divide into two to make the lips. Roll into a coil about 3” long and lay next to bottom teeth, gently pat into place. Roll remaining clay into 3” coil and lie next to top of teeth and gently pat into place. Cut off any excess clay. Blend ends of coils together using extender if needed.
Divide remaining piece into three. For the nose roll one piece into a ball and then begin flattening and shaping into a triangle. Lay above mouth with the point down. Roll remaining pieces into balls and lay on eyes above and on each side of nose. , gently pat and flatten. Allow to cure.
Mix additional QW if needed to cover the rest of the head.
Making Birds:
Lay parchment paper over pattern for tail and wings. Mix 1/16” of QW and divide into 3 using one part for the tail and two parts for the wings. For the tail roll one part into a cone and lay over pattern and begin pressing and patting and filling in shape. Roll remaining two pieces together into a little cone and lay over wing pattern and begin pressing and patting and filling in the shape. Using blade divide wings in two following pattern. To make scallops in tail and wings use a pointy tool, and indent at each of the lines on the pattern. Go back and pull tool from each side of indent to round scallop. Reflatten if needed. Allow to cure.
To cover birds body mix 1/4” of QW. Roll into a ball, and then into a flat pancake. Lay ball on clay and begin patting and pressing to cover 1” ball. Roll with hands to smooth. Insert tail into back on an angle. Allow to cure.
Mix a sliver of QW for head of bird and pull off a 3/8” ball.. Roll into a ball and place on front of bird opposite the tail. Shape and blend edges to body using extender if needed. After you have a nice shape for the head use your fingers and pull out a beak in front of head. Wait about 5 minutes before cutting beak. Using exacto knife start on one side at the point and cut back, repeat on other side and lift open with the blade. Reshape if needed and allow to cure.
To attach the wings mix a sliver of QW and pull off 2 small balls about 1/8 . Lay on front corner of wing and shape to fit wing. Attach to the body. Cut off any excess clay. For the eyes pull off two very small balls and place of top front.
Legs:
Lay a piece of parchment paper over the pattern for the legs. For the top of the legs mix ¾” of QW and roll into a 3” coil. Lay on pattern and gently flatten. Use pointy tool and put hole in top and bottom of leg. Repeat for second leg. For the bottom half of the leg mix 1 ¼” of QW and roll into a 4 ½” long coil. Lay over pattern and gently flatten. Repeat for second leg. Gently flatten top of leg and using pointly tool put hole in top of leg. Use blade tool to put a small indent on inside of each paw to form a thumb. Divide the payw into three by making two indents. To turn the paws up bend them while on parchment paper and lay agains something to keep them in the upward position. Allow to cure.
To join the legs use a jump ring. Open the ring using two pair of pliers, one on each side of the opening and bend side to side. Slip both pieces in the jump ring and close the same way. Before attaching the legs to bottom ball press ball firmly against hard surface to flatten. The legs should be attached to the opposite side of the ball. To attach the legs to the bottom of the body use 18 gauge wire. Make a 1 ½” hook by bending the wire with your round nose pliers and trimming off any excess wire. Slip hook in top of leg and insert in bottom of body. The legs should be about ¾” – 1” apart and in center bottom ofball. The hooks should stick out about ½”. Mix ¼” of QW and divide in two. Make a 1 ¼” coil and wrap around the hook next to ball. Make sure clay is connected in center under hook and then blend edges out onto ball. Cover the rest of the ball except the top with a thin layer of QW. Mix a little at a time then pull off a small piece and pinch thin. Lay the clay on the body and press and blend it onto the Styrofoam. Allow to cure.
Cat Dress:
To make the top of the dress a little shorter, mark down from the top of the cone ½”. Using knife or Styrofoam cutter cut off the top of the cone. To soften the top edge roll a little on a hard surface. Insert head into top of cone leave about 3/8” of the neck out of the cone. Remove head before covering cone. Mix ¾” of QW and begin covering the cone with a thin layer of QW everywhere but the bottom of the cone. Mix more if needed.
Mix ½” of QW and begin pinch into a pancake that is about the size of the bottom of the cone. Press and pat onto the bottom and bring up on the edge of the cone. Place a few drops of Super Glue Gel on bottom and then line up and press firmly onto the center of the skirt. Allow to cure.
Mix ¼” of QW and divide into two. Roll each into a 4” coil. Pick up the first piece laying the front center of the coil to the front center of the bottom of the cone next to the skirt, Then bring the remaining coil around to sides. Place the second coil in the back center and bring around to sides. Gently pat coils and blend together at the sides.
To make the buttons mix 1/8” of QW and roll and flatten. Use medium flower cutter and cut 4 buttons. Dip cutter into water and tap off on paper towel, this will make it easier to cut. Cut and reroll clay until you get all of the buttons cut. Place buttons on top of dress. Using pointy tool put two button holes in each button. Allow to cure.
Cat arms:
For the cat arms mix 1” of QW for each arm. Roll into a coil about 4” – 5” long. The shoulder can be smaller than the rest of the arm. Gently flatten and use blade cutter and indent paws like you did for the back paws. Allow to sit a little so that they are easier to handle. Lit arms and lay on each side, bending arms. Position right arm so that it can hold the bird. To make it easier to paint remove bird and then glue in place after painted. Keep checking arms until they cure.
Finishing:
Fold tulle in half and gather folded edge. The bottom of the skirt is approximately 17”so gather the tulle to that length. Draw a chalk line on the inside of the skirt at 1” to use as a guide when gluing on the ruffle. Begin gluing at the back and continue going the whole way around with it overlapping in the back when completed.
To attach the bottom to the skirt mix ¼” of QW and roll into a ball. Make a pancake about the size of the top of the ball and place on top. Line legs and body up and firmly press into place.
Glue head into neck opening. If the opening is a little big or the head is not high enough insert some QW into the opening and then insert neck. If needed put a small coil around neck and blend into place.