Printable version on pattern: Gift Tie-Ons
Surface Supplies:
- Three, X” size Styrofoam Balls
- 3 – 4” lengths 1/8” dowel
- 1 – 2 ounce QuikWood
- Small Heart shaped clay cutter (www.hobbylobby.com)
Project Supplies
- 2o gauge wire
- Parchment Paper
- Avon Silicon Glove Hand Cream
- Super Glue Gel
- Basic Painting Supplies
- Timer (optional but easier)
Tools:
- Cutting blade or old knife,
- Exacto knife
- Sculpting tools or pencil
- Wire cutters
- Toothpick.
Paints: DecoArt American
- Blue Harbor
- Burlap
- Burnt Sienna
- Bright Salmon
- County Red
- Deep Burgundy
- Deep Midnight Blue
- Dioxazine Purple
- Foliage Green
- Hauser Medium Green
- Indian Turquoise
- Lamp Black
- Purple Cow
- Slate Grey
- Tangelo Orange
- Warm Beige
- Warm White
Mediums
- DecoArt Extender
- DecoArt Matte Spray Sealer/ Finisher
Brushes
- #1, #3 Round (Series 7000)
- #2 Shader (Series 7300)
- #2/0 Liner (Series 7350)
- #1/2″ Angular Shader (Series 7400)
Sculpting Instructions:
Angel Wings & Halo:
Mix 1/8’ QW and pinch between fingers to flatten. Cut one wing using small heart clay cutter. Remove excess clay and reroll and cut second heart. Lay with points slightly overlapping and gently press together. (See Video below this one if you do not have a heart cutter)
For halo cut 4” piece of wire and wrap around something to get ½” halo. I used the top of my glue bottle. Twists ends of wire together and then bend down. Cut off excess wire.
Another way to make hearts:
Mix 1/8’ QW and divide into 4. Roll each piece into a cone about 1/2″ – 3/4″ long. Lay two cones beside each other on a piece of parchment paper. Pinch points together. Press firmly to flatten and allow to cure.
Getting Started:
Mix sliver of QW and divide into 3. Insert dowel into Styrofoam ball. Roll one piece of QW into a coil about 1” long and wrap around dowel next to ball. Blend top of QW onto ball, then blend bottom of QW down dowel, use extender if needed. Blend until smooth. Repeat for other two tie-ons. Allow to cure.
To cover heads mix up 1/2” of QW and divide into 3. Roll each piece into a ball and then begin pressing and patting between fingers to flatten. Lay against ball and then begin pressing and pulling until ball is covered. Pat and roll between hands to smooth surface, if needed use extender. Repeat for other two.
Insert halo into top of angel’s head. Cut toothpick to about ¾” and insert into center of snowman’s face. Allow to cure.
Noses and Start Snowman hat:
Mix ¼” of QW and pull off two small balls about ¼” to make noses for Santa and Angel. Roll ball into a cone about ½” – ¼” lone. Place on face centered from side to side with bottom of nose slightly below center of face. Use clay scraper to flatten end of nose. Allow to cure.
Roll remaining clay into a cone about ¾” long. Flatten wide end of cone with finger. Use pointy tool or pencil and insert into bottom of cone. Begin turning to enlarge opening. Continue until the cap will fit on the snowman head. Place on head and gently blend hat onto head, making sure to keep point on top. Allow to cure.
Starting Santa’s hat:
Mix 1/4” of QW and roll into a cone about 2” long. Flatten wide end of cone with finger. Use pointy tool or pencil and insert into bottom of cone. Begin turning to enlarge opening. Continue until the cap will fit on the snowman head. Place on head and gently blend hat onto head. Keep point standing up for about 10 minutes.
While waiting mix 1/8” QW and pull off1/4’ ball. Roll clay into a coil about 3 inches long and wrap about bottom of hat. Gently flatten with hand.
Check to see if top of hat is getting warm, if so bend to the side with the point turning up. Wait five more minutes to attach ball.
Place small hole in ball with tool and add a drop of glue. Add to hat and reshape if needed. Allow to cure.
Finishing Snowman hat:
Mix 1/8” of QW and pull off a ¼” ball. Roll remaining clay into a coil about 3” long. Lay at bottom of hat and gently pat with your hand. Using exacto knife put vertical rib lines on hat band. Go back and cut down from top of each rib line and then from bottom of each rib. This will give your ribs more shape.
Using tool place a hole in ball and then add a drop of glue. Place on top of hat, reshape if needed.
Santa Beard:
Mix 1/4” of QW and roll into a cone about 2” long. At the top begin pushing down in center and pull up side burns on sides. Lay on parchment paper and gently flatten. Wait a 10 minutes before attaching to face.
Lift beard and place on face leaving enough room under nose for mustache. Pull sides up to hat band. Lift beard and have it wave up and down with the end curling up. Allow to cure.
Snowman’s collar:
Mix 1/8” of QW and roll into a fat coil about 1” long. Wrap around neck next to head and attach together in the back. Place ribs on collar like you did for the band of his hat. Allow to cure.
Angel Hair and Heart:
Mix 1/8” of QW and pull off ¼” balls for hair. Lay at top of head and around face. I had 7. Using tip of tool push into front of balls to create curls. Pull off small ball about 3/8” and lay on center of heart wings. Blend edges to heart, then insert dowel in center and blend clay over top. Use additional clay if needed. Allow to cure.
For heart mix 1/8” of QW and divide into two, Roll each piece into ¾” cone and lay first cone on one side and then second cone next to it. Allow to cure.
Finishing Santa:
Mix sliver of QW and pull off two small balls about 1/16” Roll each into a small cone for eyebrows and press to bottom of hat band. For the mustache pull off two balls about ¼” and roll into a cone about ½” ¾” lay fat part of each cone under nose and gently press into place.
Allow to cure
Finishing Tie-ons:
Mix ½” of QW and divide into 3 equal balls. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Place hole into ball using pointy tool. Place glue into hole and then place on end of dowel. Reshape if needed. Repeat for other two. Allow to cure.
Painting Instructions:
Basecoat as follows:
- Blue Harbor – ball on bottom of Santa tie-on
- Burlap – Hat band and ball on Santa’s hat
- Bright Salmon – heart on angel, collar on snowman
- County Red- Santa’s hat
- Foliage Green – snowman’s hat band and ball, ball on bottom of angel tie-on
- Indian Turquoise – ball on bottom of snowman tie-on, angel’s halo
- Purple Cow – snowman hat
- Tangelo Orange – snowman’s nose, angel’s hair
- Warm Beige – angel and Santa’s face
- Warm White – snowman’s face, angel wings, Santa’s beard, mustache, eyebrows and dowels on all three tie-ons
Snowman
Paint dots on hat with thinned Warm White. Shade bottom of hat band and ball with Hauser Medium Green and highlight with Warm White. Shade on hat next to band and ball with Dioxazine Purple.
Shade under hat with very thin Deep Midnight Blue. Paint eyes and mouth with Lamp Black and cheeks with thinned brush mix of Country Red + Warm Beige.
Shade neck band with Deep Burgundy and highlight with brush mix of Bright Salmon + Warm White.
Paint Blue Harbor stripes on dowel using #2 shader and paint Foliage Green dots on ball on bottom of tie-on.
Angel
Shade under hair and nose with brush mix of Burnt Sienna + Warm White. Paint eyes with Lamp Black and cheeks with thinned brush mix of Country Red + Warm Beige.
Shade wings next to heart with very thin Deep Midnight Blue. Shade heart with Deep Burgundy and highlight with brush mix of Bright Salmon + Warm White.
Paint Indian Turquoise stripes on dowel using #2 shader and paint Bright Salmon dots on ball on bottom of tie-on.
Santa
Shade under hair and nose with brush mix of Burnt Sienna + Warm White. Paint eyes with Lamp Black and cheeks with thinned brush mix of Country Red + Warm Beige.
Shade hat next to band with Deep Burgundy and highlight by drybrushing Bright Salmon on top of hat. Paint thinned Bright Salmon dots on hat. Add Indian Turquoise stripes to hat band and ball using #2 shader. Line on each side of stripe with Blue Harbor.
Shade under mustache, next to hat and mustache with Slate Grey.
Paint Foliage Green stripes on dowel using #2 shader and paint Indian Turquoise dots on ball on bottom of tie-on.
Finishing
Spray with varnish.
Note: If you would like to make these as ornaments put a little hook in the top of their heads while sculpting.