Introduction: Clay Panda Chopsticks or Spoonholder

This is another version of the clay cat spoon holder. It's basically just a different design that can be used for lighter items like chop sticks,pen ,pencils,and small spoons.

Things you'll need :
1) Air dry clay
2) The item you will want the panda to hold
3) Water
4) Paint and brushes and varnish.

Step 1: Make the Body and the Head

Easy as 1-2-3 :
1)Do as directed. Just roll out a sausage shape for the body and round the top. Flatten the bottom and curve it into a slight 'C' shape as seen in the pics.

2)Roll out a ball about 1/3 the size of the body and and three smaller balls, two for the ears and one for the muzzle. Flatten the ears and round one end into an ear shape as seen below. Secure this and the third ball (muzzle area) with water and smooth it with your finger.

3)Secure the head to the body with water, it wont secure perfectly so you can roll out a thin snake of clay ,remeber to follow the golden rule. Wrap this around the 'neck' and i used the top part of my nail to smooth it out with some water.

Now you just mold the body a bit rounder around the bottom and sides just to give it the right shape

Step 2: Adding the Arms

Next you have to roll out two pretty thick sausage shapes for the arms .The thickness and position all depend on what you want it to hold:

a) Chopsticks: Thinner and can be molded in just about any position as long as the tips are pushed into the foot, see pic ,i used a pen as a substitute because i didn't have chop sticks.Then the sticks have a sort off little hole to recline in.You can even just stick a pencil through the head till the chest to make a cavity to put the sticks in, but it's not as cute as him holding them for you.

b) A light spoon :Spoons like plastic or teaspoons can work here, the arms have to be especially secure at the base and thick throughout, about the same as the pic, because i wanted mine for a spoon. The spoon can be held at two angles, one with it's end in the foot or it lower at a diagnol angle as in the pics.

c) Pen/pencil:You have to use only light pens for this ,no fancy heavy ones, Ball pens and normal office and school pens are fine, and any pencil works. You can have the arms thin but thick at the base and the tip of pencil pointing in the foot of the panda, other wise it would slip.

Step 3: Feet and Tail Support


ok this is an easy step ,take two balls about 1/3 the size of the head each and flatten ONLY ONE SIDE of the ball. The rounded end makes the feet and you tuck the flat ends under the body and push the body until it starts to balance. It's natural to know what to do so don't sweat if you didn't get it, just get the body to balance on the feet and secure them with water.

For the tail just a small ball rolled oblong. Like a oval sphere with a rounded end, Secure one end to the body and the other end pointing down and touching the ground so it acts like a support , just in case you do use a heavy item.

Position the item again just to be sure of where on the feet the item will rest. Once you made a depression fill in any cracks and thicken the ends.

Step 4: Finish It Up

Time for the fun part, let your cutie dry over night plus a couple hours for stability in the core. Using acrylic not water paints color in your panda.To get my design , I painted a stripe starting under his chin till under his arms . Paint everything in this area back including the arms.Then just paint the ears ,feat, and tail black too. Using a fine brush draw the eyes as curved pear shapes like most pandas and a big black nose and mouth.Leave the pupil as a white dot like mine or use a finer pen to draw more detailed eyes.

Let this dry over  night too because you do not want it to run when you varnish it. When you do , use soft large paint brush and be carefull not to smudge the black. Appl two to three coats afterwards depending on where you're gonna use it, i,e. the kitchen to the dining table.

Let it dry and enjoy as your friends adore your latest creation ! Please comment and vote !
Thanks for looking !