by Shara Reiner & Jane Allen
Sculpting Instructions
Quikwood Basics:
- Quikwood is a two part resin. When mixed together you have about 20 minutes of open time before it begins to cure. It will fully cure in 24 hours.
- Only cut off as much as you need at a time.
- Make sure it is thoroughly mixed together (no swirls of color) or it will not cure.
- Do not wear jewelry especially rings when working with QW.
- Apply Avon Silicone Glove before starting and as needed when working with the QW.
- Use DecoArt Extender to blend QW being careful not to use too much or it will make your QW gummy.
Video on Quikwood Basics:
Snowflake (snow lady) – Getting Started:
Insert Dowel into pointy end of 2.5” Styrofoam egg, and then place 1” ball on top of dowel leaving ¼” for the neck. Mix up sliver of QW and pull off a small ball about the size of a pea. Roll ball into small coil about ¾” long. Wrap around bottom of neck and blend into egg and then dowel. Blend until smooth using extender if needed. Roll a second ball of QW about the size of a pea into coil and wrap under head, blend onto ball and down dowel. Shape making sure to keep neck thin and have QW blended onto the egg and ball. Allow to cure.
Mix up ¼” of QW. Roll clay into a ball and then start pressing and pinching to make a flat pancake . Lay on front of face and begin pressing and blending over head using extender if needed. Keep blending until clay is evenly distributed and smooth.
Cut round toothpick in half and insert into center front of face with it tilting slightly up. re-pat clay around tooth pick if needed.
Note: We will put the hook in the hat.
Video for starting Snowflake:
Frostbite (Santa) – Getting Started:
Insert Dowel into pointy end of 2.5” Styrofoam egg, and then place 1” ball on top of dowel leaving ¼” for the neck. Mix up sliver of QW and pull off a small ball about the size of a pea. Roll ball into small coil about ¾” long. Wrap around bottom of neck and blend into egg and then dowel. Blend until smooth using extender if needed. Roll a second ball of QW about the size of a pea into coil and wrap under head, blend onto ball and down dowel. Shape making sure to keep neck thin and have QW blended onto the egg and ball. Allow to cure.
Mix up 1/8” of QW. Roll clay into a ball and then start pressing and pinching to make a flat pancake . Lay on front of face and begin pressing and blending over head using extender if needed. Keep blending until clay is evenly distributed and smooth.
Cut a piece of wire about 2 1/2″ long. Fold in half using round nose pliers. Insert in to top of head. Leave the stick up about 1/4″ since we will be putting the hat over it.
Mix up a sliver of QW and pull off a small piece for the nose. Roll into a cone shape and attach to face. Nose should start just below center of head and go up to forehead. Use fingers to press and blend nose as needed. Use blade to flatten bottom of nose. Allow to cure.
Video for starting Frostbite:
Note: Any time you have extra QW wood you can flatten it and blend it on areas of the doll that are still Styrofoam. Be careful not to add the QW to an area that we are going to need to insert something like the legs and the head.
Creating Legs for Snowflake:
To makes legs cut 1/4″ QW and divide in 2. Roll into two coils each about 2″ long and place on parchment paper. Slightly flatten top of leg and then using pencil or tip of tool make a hole in the top of the leg. Allow to cure.
Mix 1/4″ of QW and divide in 4. Roll a piece into an oval with a point on the end. This is her shoe and should be about 3/4″ long. Place at bottom of foot and push point up. Repeat for other shoe. With remaining clay make two coils about 3/4″ long. Press and flatten and then use tool to put little ridges in clay for ribbing. Pick up and wrap around top of shoe. If you have excess clay cut off or wrap around back of leg. Allow to cure.
To attach the legs cut 1/4” QW and divide in 2. Cut two pieces of wire about 2 1/2” long and use round nose pliers to fold in half. Slip wires into legs and insert into the bottom of the egg. Leave about 1/2” of the wire exposed. Also allow yourself enough room to work between the legs. Roll the clay into a coil about 1 ¼” and wrap around top of wire next to egg. Blend clay into egg and then shape top of leg with fingers, using extender if needed. Repeat with second leg. If needed use an old paint brush to blend the clay between the legs. Adjust length of wires if needed by pushing in or pulling out. Allow to cure.
Video for Creating and Attaching legs for Snowflake:
Creating Tree and attaching Legs For Frostbite:
To make Santa legs cut off 1/4” QW and divide into 2. Roll each piece into a coil about 2” long. Slightly flatten top of leg and then using pencil or tip of tool make a hole in the top of the leg. Allow to cure.
Mix up 1/4″ of QW, pull off a small piece and flatten on parchment paper to make star. Using star cutter press into clay. Remove excess clay and clean tool with a baby wipe. To make pant cuff pull off pea size and divide in two. Make two coils about 3/4″and lay around legs about 1/2″ from bottom of foot. When satisfied with position wrap around legs and slightly flatten. Allow to cure. With remain clay roll into a ball and then a cone about 1 1/2″ long. Pus end of toothpick into fat end of cone. Reroll if needed to get the shape back. Bend tip over and lay star on it.
To attach the legs for each doll cut 3/4” QW and divide in 2. Cut two pieces of wire about 3” long and use round nose pliers to fold in half. Slip wires into legs and insert into the bottom of the egg. Leave about 3/4” of the wire exposed. Also allow yourself enough room to work between the legs. Roll the clay into a coil about 1 ¼” and wrap around top of wire next to egg. Blend clay into egg and then shape top of leg with fingers, using extender if needed. Repeat with second leg. If needed use an old paint brush to blend the clay between the legs. The clay should be wider at the top than the bottom to give you the look of the pant legs. Adjust length of wires if needed by pushing in or pulling out. Allow to cure.
Mix QW up a sliver at a time. Taking a small piece at a time, flatten and press and blend to any Styrofoam area on the doll.
Video for creating Tree and Attaching Legs for Frostbite:
Creating Hat for Snowflake:
To make the hat cut 1/4″ of QW and pull off a piece about the size of a pea (1/4″ ball). Take the rest and roll it and then shape it into a long oval, it should be about 1″.
Cut 2″ of wire to make a hook. Fold over using needle nose pliers and then wrap the ends. Cut off excess wire so tail of the hook is about 1/4″. Press into top center of hat.
To make the hat band divide pea of clay in half. Roll 1/2 into a coil about 1 1/2″ long. Lay center of coil at bottom of hat in the front center and wrap around both sides.
Divide remaining clay in half. To make leaves for hat divide one piece in two, roll each piece into a small ball, flatten and pinch one end to create leaf. Attach to hat and then press in place with tool. Repeat with other leaf.
Roll remaining piece into coil about 1″ – 1.5″ long and flatten. Wait about 5 to 10 minutes to make it easier to make your flower. Pick it up and begin curling at one end. Once you have formed the center begin pleating at bottom and continue wrapping until you use all of your clay. Place on top of your leaves. NOTE: Making the flower ahead of time and allowing it to cure will make it easier to place the flower on the leaves.
Video for creating hat for Snowflake:
Creating Beard and Mustache for Frostbite:
Cut 3/8″ of QW and pull off a 1/4″ ball for the mustache. Roll larger piece of QW into a cone about 2 1/2″ long. Then pick up and begin pushing in center top and pulling on sides. Lay and flatten with palm of hand using extender on your hand. Stretch and place on face making sure there is enough of room for the mustache. Pull sides up to edge of hat. Lift up beard using tool and have it wave up and down, twist end into a curl. Roll small ball into a coil with a point on each end. (Note if easier divide in two and roll each into a cone) Place above beard and press and divide partially with tool in center. Allow to cure.
Video for Creating Beard and Mustache for Frostbite:
Creating Birds for Snowflake:
Cut 1/8″ + of QW, which is a little more than an 1/8″ and a little less than a 1/4″. Divide into three. Take a piece and roll into a ball then begin pressing and pulling to create head. They should be about 1/2″ – 5/8″ high. They should now look like a pear. Cut off tip of toothpick (you will only need a very small piece) and press into head for the beak. Decide how you want you want your bird to look by the placement of the beak. Reshape bird. Allow to cure.
Video for creating birds for Snowflake:
Finishing Frostbite (Coat, Hat, Arms):
To make the bottom of the coat cut 1/4″ of QW and roll into a coil about 6″ long. Lay the coil starting at his center front and wrap around body. If it is a little short, stretch slightly. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Square off the center front edges of the band with your blade or a sculpting tool.
To make the hat cut 1″ of QW roll into a 2 1/2″ cone. The cone should be a little fatter at the wide end. Begin pinching and pulling at the fat end. Continue until the opening is wide enough to fit over Santa’s head. Place hat on making sure that it covers the edges of the beard and goes over the back of the head. Press in front so that the hook comes through the clay. Lift front brim of hat up. Lift point of hat up and let sit for about 5 minutes. Twist hat and bend over. Using tool push hole in point of hat.
For arms cut 3/8″ of QW and divide into two. Roll into a coil about 3″ long. Place right hand at shoulder and then come down along body. Place left arm on shoulder and have arm turn in to hold tree. When shaping hand allow space for tree (Note: you could place a toothpick there to keep the space open while curing). Keep watching so that the hand will not close. Remove any excess clay and blend top of arms into shoulders
Video for finishing Frostbite (Coat, Hat, Arms):
Finishing Snowflake ( Creating Sweater and Attaching Birds and Arms)
To cover Styrofoam on body cut 1/4″ of QW. Take a small piece off at a time and flatten with fingers and then lay on Styrofoam of body. Press and blend into place. Use a little extender if needed to help you blend. Let cure.
Cut a 1/4″ of QW to make bottom of sweater. Roll into a coil about 5″ long. Lay in front about 1″ from bottom and stretch around to back. Pat down to flatten. Use Extender to help blend top edge onto body. Use tool to place ribbing lines in band.
Decide how you want the birds to be positioned, then use a little Super Glue Gel and place on body. Let QW cure.
For the arms mix up 1/4″ of QW and divide in two. Roll into a coil about 3″ long. Place first hand under birds and, bend elbow and go to neck. Place next hand under other hand, bend elbow and go to neck. Press and blend arms into shoulders. Allow to cure.
to make cuffs on sweater mix up a sliver of QW and divide in two. Roll into coil. Position on arm and cut off excess. Repeat for other arm. Pat flat and then blend top onto arm. Use tool to place ribbing on cuff. Allow to cure.
Video for Finishing Snowflake ( Creating Sweater and Attaching Birds and Arms):