Tutorial : Gandalf The Grey Clay Figurine

Lord Of The Rings . Hobbit . Lord Of The Rings . Hobbit

A couple of months back, I decided to make some clay figurines (Check out Olaf, Jack Sparrow, T.Pot too!) of known characters. This includes Gandalf The Grey, which I will share a tutorial of today.

What you will need :
1) Clay (Grey, Beige, White, Black, Brown)
2) Craft Tools (if available)
3) White Glue

Using any coloured clay or scrap clay, form a rectangle for his body. Then, roll out a large thin piece (rectangular shape or so, doesn't have to be perfect) of grey clay for Gandalf's clothing. Wrap it from the front to the back and cut off the extra that overlaps. As you push the thin grey clay down, little 'flaps' would form as shown above. Just gently press it down (you can use tools to help you) and smoothen the top. Attach Gandalf's arms. You can use wire if you need to. I usually do that to make sure it doesn't fall out of place.

The sleeves are a little tricky. Roll out another thin piece of clay, wrap it around your finger and use a scissors to snip off the ends to make the edge smooth. Your clay will most likely stick together where it is cut. Use your finger and push through the cut end. It shouldn't be too hard to open up. Stretch the ends gently on one side that the sleeves would look like one side is bigger than the other.

Slip it through the arms with the smaller ends facing Gandalf's body. Attach it with glue and press it down gently. Add Gandalf's brown belt by rolling a long thin piece and wrap it around the mid section. Mix grey with white to form a lighter shade of your choice for his scarf. It doesn't have to be perfect, wrinkle the ends and place it over the shoulder. Finally, make Gandalf's head and estimate the size.

 If the head is alright, pull it back out again to complete the scarf. Make another thin long grey strip. Randomly make folds and place it around the 'neck' area. Leave the middle spot to fit Gandalf's head.

 Roll out long strips of very light grey for Gandalf's hair. It doesn't have to be exactly the same length throughout. Then add his stash. Gandalf looks much better now that his hair is place huh?

To make his hat, repeat the steps for the sleeves, but pinch one end (the smaller side) together. Use scissors to modify the top of the hat that it may be pointed. I used a needle tool to make lines on Gandalf's hat as well (optional)

Make another thin piece and cut out a circle slightly bigger than the pointed part of the hat. Once again, it doesn't have to be perfect.

Let Gandalf wear his hat and add eyebrows! The same shade and colour as his hair/stash. You can use white glue to attach them.

Can you see how Gandalf has one hand reaching out for something? Well, he's missing his 'Staff Of Power' which acts as both his primary weapon and walking stick.

It wasn't too hard to make this. I merely rolled out 2 different shades of brown together, form a stick shape where the top is slightly fatter in size, cut the ends a little with a scissors, use a needle too to make wooden marks throughout, and finally adding extra 'wood veins' curling around it. I think Gandalf's staff looks pretty good.

I added a small black piece for Gandalf to stand on so he looks more like a collectible item. You can check out more of him and some others on Instagram with the hashtag #SupermomCollectibles
What do you think?
I can't decide on a photo. They all look too good. In fact, there will be a picture for every angle as you scroll down in a bit.

Can you spot some friends photobombing behind?
It seems like some carrot-nose-ball-of-snow is waving hello! And there's also a banana-lover right beside!

Like I said.. I can't decide on which looks best.. so here goes :

And walah! Boxed in Daiso's Rm5 clear display!
Hope you enjoyed reading this. Do follow this blog as well as our Instagram!

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Have a wonderful day!

Tutorial : Thinking Pot by Wong Fu Productions !

 Isn't this guy adorable?! It's a little T.Pot !
A couple of months back (yea, my updates are always slow) I've decided to make more figurines.. and I did this! Thinking Pot by Wong Fu Productions! You can find T.Pot in this episode of Wong Fu Weekends : WFW 59 - Arts And Crafts! Now, you can make it too! It's fairly simple.

What is needed :
1) Clay (Pink, White)
2) Black Acrylic Paint
3) Thin Brush
4) Yellow Acrylic Paint

 First of all, roll out a white piece for the pot's base. Then, roll out a pink piece of clay ball and tap it gently so it flattens on 2 ends. Place both pieces together. Roll out a long white clay and wrap it around both the pink and white clay where it meets.

 Paint T.Pot's face! Use a thin brush and paint it's face with black acrylic paint. The eyes are a little far apart, and the eyebrows are frowning. Use yellow acrylic to dot the cheeks.

 Lastly, paint it's brain! You can paint anyhow you want, but I followed the picture on the very front. And tadaaaa you're actually done!

 T.Pot from Wong Fu Productions! Check them out on youtube!

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Insta Hashtag : #BoxOfHobbies ; #SupermomCollectibles

Tutorial : Olaf Clay Figurine

Missing my blue green hair.

Hi Everyone! Today is all about Olaf! I've recently posted my tutorial on my "Jack Sparrow Clay Figurine" and couldn't miss out dear little Olaf! 
"Oh, I don't know why, but I've always loved the idea of summer, and sun, and all things hot..." - OlafI took an estimated 3hours plus to make Olaf, and spent most of the time fixing his head. (The rest of Olaf's body is pretty easy to make) It's not easy to get the exact 'Olaf head shape' I want and I actually remade the head trice before I thought it's time to move on.

 Here's my little Olaf! I didn't realize till people commented, that my nails were pretty matching.

I did that with acrylic paint for Christmas and just didn't bother to remove it.

Here's what you need :

1) Clay (White, Black, Brown, Orange)

2) Thin Wires

3) Wire Cutter

4) Tools (optional)

5) A good dose of patience

6) White glue/bake and bond

 So, I started out with Olaf's body first. They were really easy - just two blobs of clay, one bigger than the other. For the top blob, roll it into a ball and gently tap it to make it flat on 2 ends. As for the bottom blob, gently press the SIDES of top part till it's 'slimmer' and has that slight triangular shape. Place thin wires to estimate where his hands will be. You can place it anyhow you want.

The head can be a little tricky. You got to make it like a diamond shape, but rounded at the ends. The bottom part (Olaf's mouth onwards) should be longer than Olaf's nose to forehead. When you got that, I used my  ball tip tool to 'draw' Olaf's smile. You can use a blunt end of a toothpick to do so if you do not have the right tools. Press the bottom part of the mouth a little so that the upper lip juts out. It's not that easy, I remade the head trice because of Olaf's smile. Don't be discouraged!

Shape a tiny piece of clay into a rectangle. This would be Olaf's adorable tooth. Tuck it under his upper lip which you made by drawing his smile. Use white glue or bake and bond if you need to. 

 The nose is a tiny triangle with lines slit across, and the eyes are fairly simple. 2 black dots of clay smaller than 2 already small white dots of clay.

Roll 2 balls of clay for his feet. Again, like the bottom part of his belly, make it slightly triangular. You can use a wire to attach them properly if needed.

Poke 3 wires on Olaf's head to estimate where it'll be. Then continue with his hands.

 Condition your clay well. If it's still hardy, this part may not work out.
Place the clay in between your thumb and your index finger, then, push a wire through it while rolling your thumb and index finger. The clay should be covering the thin wire. Remove excess clay by repeating the same thing holding it slightly tighter. For the ends where his finger sticks out, leave the clay SLIGHTLY (really just slightly) more and use a scissors to cut. Tap the sides with your hands or any tool so the cut doesn't seem so obvious.

Olaf's hair is exactly the same thing, but if you'd like to bend it like how I did, bend it first OR bend it after you applied the clay and it hardens slightly. If the clay is too soft when you bend, the whole thing will just come off. Use scissors again to help cut the tiny bits sticking out (sewing scissors are very tiny and could help better than normal scissors if available). 

Finally, add on his buttons! The 3 tiny balls of clay buttons doesn't have to be perfect. In fact, Olaf looks cuter with imperfect buttons!

 Olaf's on HIGH demand.
Well, who can help it? He's just too adorable!

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Noah's Ark in El Shaddai Refugee Centre

Hey everyone!
Much much much earlier this year in January, a group of people went to the El Shaddai Refugee Centre to have a library makeover! (I actually had this post in my draft for about a month plus already but my computer had problems with the internet and I forgot to post after.. Opps!)

Anyways, here's how their library looked like... *jeng jeng jengggg*

Space was really really limited. haha! 
The team had to move all these out before we could apply new paint to the walls and add in new furnitures..

We did some Ikea shopping, sorted the stuff and got back here another day to do the painting.
The painting progress (less words, more pictures) :

Lovely dove! One of my favourites.

Adele drew and painted this lovely giraffe! She did all the shadings for our cartoon animals here.
Superbly awesome painter!

So far so good?

Adorable little ducklings snuggling up together!

Walah!!! One side of the wall completed! I think it looks really really nice!

 The other side of the wall with Eeyore at the background!

The door was repainted white as well.

New Billy Bookshelves from Ikea.

The guys repainted the metal shelf white.

And everything's done! Now the children at the El Shaddai Refugee Centre will have a wonderful library to visit! Woohoo!