Best Face ForwardBasic face cane or face cane 101
I will be showing how to do a simple face cane.
This cane will be used to do an ensemble work .
Think of a group photo after everyone has done their cane. If you would like to make your own group portrait look at the end to know what you will need.
Since simple is different for each of us I would suggest that you do a simple drawing of what you think your face looks like, that means a nose, two eyes and a mouth.
If you don’t know how to draw,
Ed Emberly’s drawing books are for you. Simple line drawing that you will find in the children section of your library
You can see yourself as a monster, a man or any character you like.
You will learn how to make eyes , nose, mouth, cheeks ( mini canes) to assemble together to make your face cane.
I will show you also how to reduce using different techniques like toothpicks, Play Doh or any air dry clay or even using mac tack.
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Materials list:You will need: a simple drawing of a face ( the real you or how you see yourself) black and white is o.k.
The size of your drawing should be about 1 to 1½ inch. Bigger will give you a bigger cane and more cane to keep.
Clay:
I suggest using a firm clay : kato, premo, fimo classic. You could use other clays but you will have more problems when reducing. Use the
same clay throughout the project.
I will be using premo so the measures are for premo clay. The finished reduced face should be 2 inches long by 1 inch or so wide. I don’t like having too much cane left.
3 blocks (more, if you like working big) of your base colour.
Kato skin colour is pale and has trans already in it, I think, if you are using that clay.
Do not bring Super Sculpey, I will show you why.
The skin: If you want to make real skin prepare your clay ahead, mixing your colour the way you want to make it. You need at least 3 blocks worth or more.
Make more than less. To help you, here are a few recipes:
Skin recipes taken from Polymer Clay Cyclopedia and Glass attic:
1.Mix white, brown and yellow clay until you get a colour that you like, making sure that you have enough of it.
2. To achieve a very natural porcelain-looking skintone, I add equal amounts of premo fleshtone, and sculpey translucent. I also put a dab of pink chalk, or blush to create blushed cheeks before baking.
3. For a light fleshtone I love using fimosoft flesh pink with an equal amount of fimosoft nightglow (the glow in the dark). It sounds strange, but it perks up the colour nicely, especially good for fair-skinned babies or faeries. I also use a 1:1 mix of fimosoft flesh pink and premo beige. The premo adds more translucence to the skin tone making it look more realistic.
4.From Glass attic, more recipes:
-equal parts of sculpey beige and premo beige,
-equal parts of sculpey tan and premo beige;
-1/4 block sculpey tan plus 1/4 block premo beige plus 1/16-1/8 raw sienna (nice cocoa colour);
-1/4 block sculpey tan plus 1/4 block premo beige plus a pinch of gold or copper.
I use ecru, beige or a mix of white and ecru for very pale skin. Ochre with white or pearl is good too. If you want a more translucent skin colour mix the base colour with trans ½ and ½ with your base colour.
You will also need:¼ block white mixed with trans
½ block black
¼ block blue or green or brown depending the colour you will use for eyes.
½ block red
1 block contrasting colour to put round the face. I use a brownish beige mix.( burnt sienna, ecru and white)
Those colours are for a real face.
If you want to make a monster any colour goes. The total amount of clay you will need is about 6-8 blocks.
ToolsAll your regular tools : be sure to have a good cutting blade, pasta machine, clay gun (optional)
If you want to try the reducing part you can bring Play-Doh or any other air dry clay or mac tack like product.
I will bring the toothpicks.
Group portrait:A blank canvas found at the dollar store. 5 X 7inches
Crazy glue.
Be ready to give to each participant a piece of you (your face cane) to make the different group portraits.
Each participant should be able to go away with their group portrait on the last day.
Other projects
If you want to do a pin, bring a pinback.
Want to make a bottle of hope, remember to bring a bottle.
Reducing a cane with Play-Doh,
go here. See Oct 2ND 2009.
Louise
