Need more help getting started with QuikWood (QW) go to this page: Quikwood Tips and Tricks
Rosie – the Pumpkin
Getting Started:
Use a marker to make the sections of your pumpkin. Draw a line around the center of the ball dividing it in half, then divide each of those areas in half. Divide remaining quarters in half. Using knife like tool press in on all lines about 1/8”. Press cinnamon stick into top and press down so that ½” – ¾” of the stick is showing. Remove cinnamon stick.
Mix 5/8” – ¾” of QW and divide into 4. Roll one piece into a coil with pointy ends about 2” long. Lay on center of one section and press and fill in entire section starting at points and working to center. Repeat for next section. Use tool to reline sides of section. Continue in the same way with the two remaining pieces of clay. Mix another 5/8” – ¾” of QW and continue filling in sections and relining sides of sections. When done reline sections and pick the best side for the face. Reinsert cinnamon stick. Fold over small piece of wire for hook and press in front of cinnamon stick. You could also wait and see how ornament hangs and at the end insert hook into top of cinnamon stick and glue in place with super glue gel. (video)
Making Flower and Teeth:
Mix ¼” of QW and divide into 3. Roll each piece into a coil about 1 ½’ long. Lay on parchment paper and flatten with fingers. Let sit 10 minutes.
While waiting select side for face. Draw circle in center of one section for nose. Trace pattern for mouth under nose across sections. Mix up sliver of QW and pull off a small piece and place in seams in mouth, blend into place with extender if needed. Pull off two small pieces about 1/8” and shape into long oval for two front teeth. Shape with fingers and place on mouth. Remove stem and put a little coil of clay around top and then insert stem in place. Fold over small piece of wire and insert in front of stem. Allow to cure
After waiting 10 minutes pick up first piece of clay and begin rolling from one end to make a tight center. Continue rolling and as it gets larger put a pleat in the bottom of the clay to open the top petals. Open petals with fingers and lay to cure. Repeat with other two flowers. (video)
Finishing Rosie:
Mix ¼” of QW and pull off 3/8” ball and roll into a thin coil. Lay across top of mouth, if longer than needed cut off ends on an angle. Gently pat into place. Pull off another 3/8” ball and roll into a thin coil. Position in place for bottom lip and meet top lip. Cut off excess and gently pat in place. Blend corners of mouth together using a little bit of extender. Pull off ¼” ball for nose and place in center of face, press and flatten. For back of eyes pull off a 3/8” ball of clay and divide into two. Shape with fingers to form triangle and then flatten. Place on face and push and pull with fingers to shape or use exacto knife to shape. Repeat for other side. Pull off two small balls for pupils, flatten with fingers and lay on eye. To place flowers on forehead pull off three small balls of clay and lay on bottom of flowers and place on forehead. With remaining clay roll small cones and flatten to make leaves. If need more leaves mix up a sliver of QW to make them. Allow to cure. (video)
Special Delivery – the Flying Bird
Making Small Pumpkin:
Mix ¼” of QW and pinch and flatten into pancake, then lay and press onto 1” Styrofoam. Ball. Begin pressing and patting until the entire ball is covered. Cut 3” of wire and press into top center of ball. Let sit about 10 minutes. Create 8 sections in pumpkin using knife tool. Allow to cure.
Making Wings:
Mix ¼” of QW and roll into an oval. Lay parchment paper over pattern and lay clay in center of pattern. Begin pressing an d patting to fill in space. Cut in half using blade. Allow to cure.(video)
Making Feet:
Mix 1/8” of QW and press and flatten until about 1/8” thick. Cut a star using the smallest star cutter, reroll and cut second star. Lay point of skewer between two points of star. Pulls points on each side up onto skewer. Pull off small ball and lay on center over point of skewer. Repeat for second foot. Allow to sit about 5 minutes. Any extra clay pull off small pieces and pinch very thin and press and blend onto Styrofoam that is not covered with QW. Do this anytime you have extra clay making sure not to place it where you will have to insert something such as the legs or tail.
After waiting 5 minutes pick up legs and continue to blend clay to dowel. Blend piece of clay on top of foot into rest of foot. Begin shaping toes by pulling two side points forward. Tap end of points to slightly round. If they are still hard to work with wait 5 more minutes and continue shaping. Allow to cure. (video)
Birds Beak:
Cut 1/8 ” of QW and roll into a ¾” long cone. Press onto ball. Allow to cure about 10 minutes. Press wire through back of mouth from center side to opposite side to form channel to hang pumpkin. Using exacto Knife begin cutting from center front point on one side stopping right before channel. Repeat on other side. Reshape beak if needed. Reinsert wire into channel to make sure that it is still open. Allow to cure. (video)
Birds Eyes and Stem of Pumpkin:
Mix a sliver of QW and pull off two ¼” balls. Lay on top of beak and gently press into place. Using point of tool or pencil push hole in center of each eye. Pull off 1/8” ball of QW and lay on top of wire of pumpkin. Press and pat to form stem. Allow to Cure. (video)
Bird Tail:
Mix 1/8” of QW and roll into a ball. Lay ball on back of body aligned front to back and side to side. Press firmly and blend edges to Styrofoam. Fold wire in half over pencil to make tail feathers. Insert first one into center back and then other two a little lower on each side. When happy with placement press clay against wire. Allow to cure. (Video)
Attaching Bird Legs:
Trim legs to 3” from tip of toe. Decide on placement of legs and insert into Styrofoam on each side of the tail and going back. Mix 1/16” of QW and divide into two. Roll into a 1” coil and wrap around leg next to ball. Shape clay into a mound around top of leg. Repeat for the other leg. Allow to cure. (Video)
Finishing Bird & Attaching Wings:
Mix a little bit of QW at a time and cover remaining Styrofoam with a thin layer of QW. Place hook in center top and lay small coil of QW around it. Blend out edges. Mix 1/16” of QW and divide into two. Roll into a ball and place where you want the front of the wing to be attached. Shape into a triangular shape and attach front of wing to it. Blend clay to back of wing. Position wings and blend any excess clay onto body. Insert flag behind wing into body. Allow to cure. (Video)
Hilda the Witch
Hilda – Getting Started:
Lay brim of hat on top of ball and trace around with black marker. Mix ¼” QW and begin pinching off small pieces and pressing and placing on Styrofoam below the line. When applying to Styrofoam press and pull keeping it very thin. Mix up more if needed. Allow to cure. (video)
Adding Nose:
Mix up a sliver of QW and pull off a1/2” ball. Roll into a 1 ½” cone and place on center of face. Press sides of nose to make it a little narrower. Trim bottom of nose with blade. Allow to cure. (Video)
Adding Hat and making flowers:
Mix ¼” of QW and divide into two. Roll one piece into a coil about 6” long. Lay hatband on the top of the head making sure all the head below the band is covered with QW. Roll coil of QW around top of band and press into place. Straighten the edge of the clay on the band and blend the top of the band onto the Styrofoam. Allow to cure.
To make the rose on the hat roll the other piece of clay into a coil about 2” long. Flatten with fingers to make thin and let sit about 10 minute. Pick up and begin wrapping from the one end making a tight center. As you continue wrapping place a pleat in the bottom so that the petals flair out. Continue pleating as you wrap clay to make flower. Allow to cure.
Mix 1/8” of QW and pull off two 3/8” balls for leaves and roll each ball into a ¾” cone. Press to flatten and lay to cure. Lift tip if desired. With ½ of the remaining clay roll a ball and then gently flatten to make a medium size flower. Press into center with end of eraser. Pull off a small ball of clay and roll into ball and place on flower for center. Divide remaining clay in two and roll each into a ball for small flowers. Flatten slightly with finger. Allow all flowers to cure. (video)
Witches Hat:
Mix 2” of QW and let sit about 8 – 10 minutes. Roll into a 3” cone. Pat to indent fat end of cone then place pencil in indent and swirl to open up cone. Pinch edges with fingers to open up farther. Roll tip so that it is longer and thinner. Check to see if hat will fit on head, if not insert pencil and open a little deeper and then pinch edges to open further. Place hat on head and blend hat to inside edge of brim. Bend point into a curl to one side. Fold over a piece of wire for a hook and insert into top of hat. Continue checking an d holding curl until it sets.
Witches Hair:
Mix ½” of QW and divide in two, then each of those into 4. Roll each piece into a coil about three inches long and 1/16” wide. It is more important to make them the same width than length. Let sit 5 minutes. Draw a line on each side of face so that you know where to place the hair. Starting at bottom lay a coil on bottom of line on each side. Add two more coils on each side with one above the other. Allow to hang there and not stick together. To make bangs lay end of one coil next to top side coil and wave across forehead. Let sit until coils get a little firmer about 5 – 10 minutes. Begin with bottom curl and curl around, then do the same with the next two having them attach to the lower curl. Repeat on the opposite side. Reposition if needed. Divide remaining coil in two and make a little curl and attach to top front on each side. Keep watching until they cure. (video)