Introduction: Mini Hand Made Green Polymer Clay Turtle

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About: I am 17 years old, and I love adventure, craft, cooking, baking, sewing, basically anything hands-on and artsy! I even have used my talents to start a small family business. If you have any ideas for me, feel …

I was inspired to create a clay charm and was trying to think of an idea of what to make... Can you guess what I came up with? My idea was a small turtle made from a couple different shades of green and cute beady eyes. In this instructable I will "instruct" you how to make a turtle polymer clay charm.😃

Supplies

Let's get started with your supplies...

  1. Light/dark green clay
  2. Brown clay
  3. Black clay
  4. White Clay
  5. Gloss glaze
  6. One eye pin hook
  7. Two jump rings
  8. One lobster clasp
  9. Fine tipped art tool
  10. Pliers

Step 1: Forming the Turtle's Body

To begin, form a ball of clay from your choice of lighter green. When it is rolled into a small ball, it should be about 1/2" in width and height. This is your turtle's body.

Step 2: Adding the Brown Underside

Roll another ball 1/4" in width and height using your brown clay. Center the smaller brown ball on the underside of the light green body piece made in the previous step. Press the clay towards the outer edge of the green body piece. Flip the piece back over. If the brown is showing on all sides(using the fourth picture above as an example) you have completed this step.

Step 3: Forming the Legs

Using the darker green of your choice, roll four small balls 3/16" in width and height. Roll all four small balls against a surface so they are more of a bean shape.

Step 4: Attaching the Legs

Press the dark green, bean shaped clay pieces onto the sides of the light green body. If you want your turtle's legs to look correct, I would place the front two legs farther apart, and the back legs a little closer together. Place them across from each other so they form a dot-to-dot square. Your turtle should now look like the pictures above from the top and bottom.

Step 5: Beginning the Shell Pattern

Break off a few pieces of dark green clay and flatten them on your surface. Grab the thin edge, and press it lightly on the surface on all sides of the small pieces. This should give your pieces slightly pointy corners. From side to side, they should have similar sized shell markings. On the front side, where the head belongs, there should be a larger dark green dot. On the other hand, the back side should have a smaller piece.

Step 6: Continuing to Form the Shell Pattern

Next, take another dark green piece about the same size as the spot on the front. Flatten the piece and pinch the corners so they fit into empty spaces on the top of the shell. Firmly press the piece on top of the body/shell.

Step 7: Finishing the Shell Pattern

To finish your shell, create four really small dark green triangles by pinching them between your fingers. Place them on the last empty spaces between the main shell spots. If you placed yours in a different way and don't have any space left, don't worry about this step. :)

Step 8: Building the Head

Take a chunk of light green and roll it into a ball about 1/2" in width and height. Push one side of the ball onto the front of the turtle's shell (over the largest dark green spot). Press the edges onto the dark green base to make sure it is secured tightly.

Step 9: Developing the Tail

Using light green, make a small, skinny triangle between your fingers. Firmly press the larger end of the triangle onto the back of the turtle.

Step 10: Starting on the Eyes

To make the eyes, take two tiny little pieces of black and stick them on the sides of the head.

Step 11: Completing the Face

Pinch another piece of black clay, a little less than double the size of one of the eyes, off of your bar of clay. Carefully roll it out into a thin strip and bend it into the shape of a smile. Lightly attach it to the face below the eyes. Next, find two tiny pieces of white, less than half the size of the eye. Precisely set the white dots, both the right side as each other, on the black eyes.

Step 12: Etching Shell Designs

Now it's time to add the details. Use your fine tipped art tool to etch lines parallel with the outside of the dark green spots on the shell.

Step 13: Pressing on the Claw Marks

On each of the turtle's legs, use three tiny pieces of black to make three claws.

Step 14: Pushing the Hook Into the Clay

Once you have finished all of your clay forming, grab your eye pin hook and twist it into the middle of the turtle. Make sure the pin is pushed in enough so the hook opening is below the clay surface. That will ensure that it won't twist out of the clay and you'll lose your charm.

Step 15: Baking Your Creation

After every step is finished, you may preheat your oven to °275F. However thick your clay charm is, you will have to leave it in for 15 minutes for every 1/4 inch. I put mine in for 25 minutes because it was a little shorter in height than half an inch.

Step 16: Coating the Charm With Gloss

Once you take your charm out of the oven, let it cool for at least 5 minutes before starting to coat with gloss. Drip some gloss over the clay, and use a paint brush to spread it over the top of the turtle. Once the top is dry, about 5 minutes, flip the turtle over and clear coat the other side.

Step 17: Linking the Jump Rings and Clasp

Using the picture above as an example, open the first jump ring and close it around the eye pin hook. Take your second jump ring, put it through the first jump ring and the lobster clasp. Close it off, making sure that there aren't any gaps in the jump rings that would make the charm fall off the lobster clasp.

Step 18: Completing the Final Step

You have now completed your clay charm. Hope you enjoy it! There are many ways to use it, such as on a charm bracelet, necklace, earrings, and key chain. You could even give it to someone as a gift! :)