Introduction: Sculpey Mr. Spock

About: I adore instructables and use it when I'm playing with ideas for my students (I'm a certified art teacher and the Art Director for a children's summer camp). I have found that it fuels my creative process as …

Sculpey is one of the many brands of polymer clay on the market.  It's one I happen to like, but that may simply due to the fact in my small rural community I can access it pretty easily.

This instructable will walk you through creating your own Mr. Spock, which can be used, after you create it, as a magnet, random desk item, or a Spock for your pocket.  (You know you always wanted a Spock in your pocket!)

As Kiteman said Spock + pocket = Spocket

Everyone needs a Spocket!!

Let's get started

Step 1: Materials Needed

Sculpey (or another Polymer Clay)
Tooth pick
Paper Clips

Optional:

Small amount of masking tape
My instructable on fixing hard sculpey HERE

Step 2: The Armature

Creating the armature is important, why you might ask?  An armature is basically the skeleton of your sculpture,  Yes you can do this with out an armature, but I prefer one.  I'm also getting ready to teach my class about armatures and having an example is always helpful.

For this armature I took three paper clips and bent them out into a basic human shape.  I went ahead and put some masking tape on to keep it from moving around to much, but this isn't completely necessary.

Step 3: Don't Lose Your Head

I then went on to create the neck and head of Spock.  By rolling a small coil I created the neck then a lovely round ball to attach his head.

I then added some basic details of the head, ears and a nose.  Mainly because it bothered me to see a big round ball for a head, I wanted to give it some shape.  This also helped me to decide other sizes for the rest of Mr. Spock's body.

Step 4: It Gets Cold in Space, So Put on a Shirt

Mixing white and blue sculpey together I created Mr. Spock's shirt.  I placed half of it on one side, then half on the other, adding and removing clay as needed.  It is not important at this point to worry to much if Mr. Spock is looking a little rough, you can clean him up at the end.

Step 5: No Pants? Illogical

It is illogical to not wear pants, so roll some black coils out and put them over the legs.

Step 6: Hair, Eyes and Boots!

Rolling out a small slab of black I cut out the basic shape of Spock's hair.  You can also cut strips and then smooth it together to appear to be one solid piece.

When I do sculpey, I like a drawn look with a slight raise, so I take a tooth pick and draw places I want to place clay.  So for Spock's eyes I poked holes, I then drew deep lines on his face for eyebrows.  I rolled very small black coils and used the tooth pick as a "brush" to lay the coils in the lines I created, pressing slightly.

I wanted his boots black but I didn't want them to blend into his pants, so taking black I added some of the blue shirt sculpey color to the black and mixed to get a grey.  Just like the pants I rolled coils to created the boots shape.

Step 7: Add Some Detail

Having black eyes stare at you can be slightly unnerving even when it's just a clay Spock.  To fix this creepy  issue I took my toothpick and added details.  I also used a little bit of baby oil to smooth some places down and blend the colors closer to each other.  Note, it is still rough at this point, that's ok I will fix that issue.

Step 8: Need a Hand?

To make Mr. Spock's hand I rolled a small ball, then small coils for fingers and attached them all together.  Using a tooth pick I created lines and depressions.

Step 9: Uniform Details

Rolling a small black coil I created the top of Spock's shirt.  I also created the communication device using a silver clay and my tooth pick.

To smooth out any finger marks and make him look all Spocky, I took baby oil and a small brush, and moved it around Spock.  Baby oil softens Sculpey.  (See my instructable on that: HERE)  When you use baby oil as a "paint" the sculpey becomes pretty liquid, this lets you get rid of your finger marks and get a really smooth look.

Step 10: Bake It!

Time to toss Spock in the oven following your clay's directions.

I like little magnet people, I'm making a set for my board at work so the when kids have free time they can play.

I would LOVE to see your very own Mr. Spock!  Don't forget: "Sculpt long and prosper!"

Step 11: PoofRabbit Tips and Tricks

PoofRabbit Tips and Tricks
  • Seriously best tip I have for fixing dried out sculpey is in one of my other instructables HERE I was so excited when I learned how to fi my dried out clay, and now I'm a mess making crazy sculpey stuff all the time!
  • If you bake 10 degrees cooler than the package says for an entire hour, you will get a harder clay. 
  • Let the clay stay in the oven until the oven cools completely down, this allows the clay to actually keep cooking and you will be surprised at the results difference.
  • Use a brush and baby oil to get rid of fine lines and finger prints
  • Mix your own colors.  They have a million and one colors, and that's great but you can do a lot with a basic color set.
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