Monday, August 8, 2016

How to easily to make and paint a stunning sunflower pendant



You can mold and paint this stunning sunflower pendant quick and easy.  Just follow the step-by-step directions for a one of a kind statement piece. 

Everyone loves sunflowers.  They are bright and cheery and make even a dreary day seem better.  To make this sunflower pendant you simply mold it from air-drying paper clay.  It’s amazingly lightweight so you can make it in any size you want. Finish it with acrylic paints, add a water based gloss varnish, and you will have a jewelry piece to be proud of.

Christmas is right around the corner and this makes a lovely and personal gift for one lucky person on your list.  Or…just maybe it’s you!


·      Air-drying paper clay
·      Clay cutting tool or X-acto knife
·      Piece of corrugated cardboard covered with waxed paper
·      Small flat paintbrush
·      Liner brush
·      Acrylic paints in black, brown, orange, yellow, green and white
·      Paper plate for palette
·      Pendant blank
·      E6000 glue
·      Ribbon necklace (I found two for $1.00 at a discount department store)
·      Needle nosed pliers
·      Rolling pin or clay pasta maker

Instructions:

1.     First, roll out some paper clay to about 1/8” thickness.  This is your center base.  Download the sunflower pattern and use the craft knife to cut out the center circle.  (I find it is easier when cutting out the pieces to make cutting templates from lightweight cardboard)

Stunning sunflower pendant


Stunning sunflower pendant


Stunning sunflower pendant


2.     Next, roll out the clay a bit thinner for the petals.  Place your template on the clay and using a clay cutting tool or craft knife, cut out 10 petals.  Press the petals on the center circle one at a time overlapping the previous petal.  Continue adding petals all around.

Stunning sunflower pendant


Stunning sunflower pendant


Stunning sunflower pendant


Stunning sunflower pendant


Stunning sunflower pendant


3.     Now, cut out four more petals and attach them by gently pressing evenly between the previous petals.  (See photo)

Stunning sunflower pendant


Stunning sunflower pendant


4.     After you have added all of the petals you will need to make the sunflower center.  Pinch off tiny pieces of clay and roll in the palm of your hand into little balls.  Press into the center working to fill the entire circle and even pressing the balls over the base of the petals.  Set aside and let the sunflower dry.  It may take one to two days depending upon the temperature and humidity.

Stunning sunflower pendant


Stunning sunflower pendant


Stunning sunflower pendant


Stunning sunflower pendant


Paint your sunflower pendant


1.     Add the paint colors on a palette or paper plate.  First off, using the flat paintbrush, paint the petals yellow.

Stunning Sunflower pendant


Stunning Sunflower pendant

Stunning Sunflower pendant


2.     Next, load your brush with orange paint and add to the base of each petal.  Blend the colors together with some water so there is no line of demarcation.

Stunning Sunflower pendant


3.     Now, using the liner brush load it with brown paint.  Add the brown all around the center edges.  Make sure you get paint down in the crevices.

Stunning Sunflower pendant


4.     Then use the green paint in the next row of center balls all around.

Stunning Sunflower pendant

Stunning Sunflower pendant


5.     Working your way to the center, add some black paint next till it’s all filled in.  Add a few spots of white here and there, but blend with the previous color. 

Stunning Sunflower pendant

Stunning Sunflower pendant

6.     Now with the liner brush, make little fine lines all around the center edging onto the petals.  (See photo)  You can add touches of black, brown and green wherever you desire to finish.  Let all the paint dry.  Add some lines down the petals in brown as well.

Stunning Sunflower pendant

Stunning Sunflower pendant



7.     Turn the pendant to the back and paint it all yellow.  Let dry.

Stunning Sunflower pendant

Stunning Sunflower pendant


8.     Brush on a coat of gloss varnish and let dry. 

stunning sunflower pendant





9.     Add some E6000 glue to a pendant blank and attach to the back and let dry completely. 

stunning sunflower pendant


stunning sunflower pendant


stunning sunflower pendant


10. Use the needle-nosed pliers to attach your pendant to a ribbon neck chain.






4 comments:

  1. You said the "C" word! Bad girl! LOL! This is really pretty Crystal! Really love this idea!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What do you mean Stacy? Clay? Thanks for visiting today! ;-)

      Delete
  2. Such a pretty idea for a pendant. Thanks for sharing at our Tips & Tricks Link Party!

    Jessica
    My Life by Jess

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your lovely comments!