Briefly about the main thing: how to learn to sculpt from polymer clay? How to learn to sculpt from plasticine? How to learn to sculpt well from plasticine

Traditionally, plasticine modeling is perceived as an activity for children, but people of all ages can draw not only pleasure for themselves in this hobby, but also benefits.

If you still think that only short-lived trinkets are plasticine, look at this material in a new way. You can sculpt souvenirs, decor and even paintings. Having studied the theory, be sure to move on to practice. The cost of a box with multi-colored plastic bricks is more than acceptable, you will not lose anything if you do not like it.

The benefits of modeling for kids and adults

Modeling classes in many countries are mandatory included in the programs of kindergartens and schools. It is proved that working with plasticine:

• promotes the development of fine motor skills;
• improves coordination of movements;
• teaches both hemispheres of the brain to work simultaneously;
• develops imaginative thinking;
• reveals creative abilities;
• makes an active child more assiduous;
• increases attentiveness;
• introduces flowers and the possibility of obtaining new shades;
• normalizes the emotional state, which is especially important for;
• improves speech;
• helps in the future to quickly learn to write and draw.

Creative experiments with plasticine do not reduce self-esteem, since any failed craft can be easily corrected or turned into a new, no less beautiful figure. Modeling teaches you to achieve goals and achieve results.

There are also indirect benefit- children are distracted from TVs and computers, which means that in the process of classes, their eyes rest. If you teach a child to sculpt from plasticine in the evenings, he will calm down before going to bed and sleep peacefully at night.

For adults, modeling is no less useful. Doctors recommend kneading plasticine and sculpting simple figures for people who have experienced a stroke, who have noticed memory impairment and impaired coordination of movements. It is known that there are many reflex zones at the fingertips, the massage of which improves the condition of the body and the functioning of the autonomic nervous system.

Adults automatically start fiddling with something in their hands during stress, crumpling paper or clenching their fists. To combat outbursts of anger, they came up with “gum for hands” - an alternative that does not stain the palms.

Types of plasticine for children's and adult creativity

Do not rush to go to the store for a package of plasticine, so as not to get confused in front of the showcase, study what types are and how they differ.

What is classic clay made of?

Well-known to the older generation, classical plasticine appeared at the end of the nineteenth century. As often happens, different people in Germany and Great Britain came up with the material for modeling at the same time. The composition of the mass was based on natural clay, wax and fats.

The composition of the classic modern plasticine for children includes:

• kaolin (white plastic clay);
• paraffin or wax - natural plasticizers, due to which the mass softens from the heat of the hands and freezes in the craft;
• fats of animal or mineral origin (hence greasy stains on paper and clothes);
• ceresin - a waxy substance from a mixture of solid hydrocarbons;
• coloring pigments.

The composition of different manufacturers differs depending on the brand: M(soft) and T(solid). To obtain the desired properties, zinc white, sulfur, rosin, machine oil are added to the mass.

In sets of plasticine for modeling there are a different number of colors. To get started, you can buy a package in which twelve multi-colored bars. For complex crafts, you need kits that include at least sixteen shades.

Plasticine made from clay is relatively hard. To make the mass plastic, you need to knead the piece for some time in your hands. It is at this stage that modeling brings the most benefits, but it is difficult for babies and people with poor health to achieve a result.

Wax mass for modeling

For children's plasticine modeling, it is better to choose soft and safe wax-based materials. Plastic wax clay does not require long kneading and is almost immediately ready for use. It is also easier to fasten the parts from the wax mass together, it is enough to press them against each other.

In addition to wax, the composition includes paraffin, stearin, dyes, plasticizers, and other additives. If the manufacturer did not use harmful substances, such a product will not cause allergies and skin troubles.

However, wax plasticine is capricious in storage, afraid of warm air and the sun. Such crafts are less durable. For kids, this is an ideal choice, but for adults, it is better to take a different type of plasticine so that the painstakingly created beauty will please you for as long as possible.

Sculptural clay for durable crafts

Sculptural plasticine for modeling is chosen not only by amateurs, but also by professionals, including students of art schools and future sculptors. The main difference between the material is plasticity; it is possible to create miniature parts from it with high precision and clarity.

A product of this type is created on the basis of beeswax, natural clay, talc, plasticizer oils. As a rule, the mass is not dyed in bright colors, but natural shades are left. Thanks to this, you can sculpt realistic sculptures, masks, figurines. If you need bright crafts (culinary miniatures, toys, jewelry), it is not difficult to color them.

Bright balls for children's creativity

Plasticine balls look like small multi-colored peas or millet groats. The material is based on miniature foam balls glued together with invisible polymer glue. During the sculpting of the figure, the ball structure is preserved. Children love to sculpt from bright balls. The mass easily takes the desired shape.

Ball plasticine happens fine-grained and coarse-grained(diameter of one ball is more than 1 mm). Depending on the adhesive substance, the material is divided into curing and reusable. The first one gradually hardens, suitable for souvenirs and jewelry. The figure with non-hardening glue, if desired, is easy to disassemble and create something else.

Styrofoam balls can be used in combination with other types of plasticine. The result is original toys, mouth-watering miniature food and much more.

Unusual novelties with different properties

Manufacturers continue experiments, as a result of which new modeling materials appear on the shelves:

• Fluorescent plasticine crafts glow in the dark, gaining light during the day. From this material, interesting figures are obtained for the interior of a children's room and New Year's toys.
• Mother-of-pearl plasticine is convenient to use to highlight individual details. For example, for sculpting a dress for a doll or a parrot's tail.
• Rubber plasticine is very elastic, stretches and bends in any direction without breaking. But if you bake the finished craft, it will become durable and monolithic. Suitable for practical toys and decorations - not afraid of water and does not break. You can make flexible and monolithic crafts - the question is in baking.
• The polymer mass for modeling is based on polymers and plasticizers. The material does not require baking, the products harden in the air and become durable.
• Plasticine soap was invented for creative natures. In fact, this is a soap base from which you can sculpt using the usual technique. Water is used to connect parts. Ready soap can be used for its intended purpose.

• Edible plasticine is ideal for children's creativity, as it is absolutely safe. The main ingredient is confectionery marzipan. This is the best material for modeling culinary miniatures, fruits, exotic food.
• Gypsum-based self-hardening plasticine is a professional mass for modeling, from which you can create sculptures, souvenirs, panels, stucco, decorative dishes. Products do not need to be baked, they harden in the air.

If you want to try different types of clay in sculpting, look for kits that include several materials and tools for working with them.

How to make mass for modeling with your own hands

If you do not have the opportunity to buy plant-based clay, make your own mass for modeling. Available homemade material - salt dough. The hardening of crafts lasts a long time; drying in an oven at low temperatures is used to speed up the process. Dough Recipe and Process Basics.

Play dough can be easily colored by adding food coloring or juices from brightly colored vegetables and fruits such as beets and spinach. Finished products are painted and varnished, making them durable and resistant to moisture. Salt dough makes beautiful toys, fridge magnets.

Another simple homemade plasticine can be made from starch and hair balm. Just mix half a cup of potato starch with ¾ cup of balm, knead well, add dyes. Of course, it’s not worth spending an expensive conditioner on this, and if the new balm doesn’t suit your hair, then dispose of it.

Sculpting technique and tools

If you just put a package of plasticine on your baby, a miracle will not happen. It will take a little time for the young master to fall in love with unfamiliar creativity.

Basic techniques and general rules

Experts recommend introducing children to modeling from a year and a half, but only under adult supervision and choosing a safe plasticine. For the smallest sculptors, wax is suitable - it is on a natural basis and easily warms up without requiring effort.

Do not rush to show your child crafts - even the simplest ones will seem complicated to him. Start by mastering the basic techniques. Show how to tear off pieces, roll up sausages, balls, koloboks and cakes. Please tell me how to connect them. Learn how to get a different shade from two different colors.

Later, move on to recognizable figures, choosing the simplest ones. Let it be the simplest flower, the sun, grass, bagel, ladybug. Gradually complicate the task, teach how to use molds and tools for reliefs. At this stage, step-by-step lessons with photos will be a good help. Take our or as a basis.

Adults and the elderly, who have forgotten with age how to sculpt from plasticine, should also not immediately take on complex work. If we are talking exclusively about the therapeutic effect, for example, after a stroke, then let the person simply work with the mass, kneading it in his hands.

If you decide to master a new hobby, not only for the sake of benefit, but also for aesthetic pleasure, start with simple figures or panels. After practicing on children's instructions, try creating. This is not a shame to hang in the living room.

What tools are needed for sculpting

To create beautiful plasticine crafts, one hand is not enough, you need special tools. The most necessary manufacturers may be included in the kit, and additional ones must be purchased separately.

Modeling board protects the table from soiling materials and simplifies flattening, rolling sausages, forming various figured parts. Boards are made of plastic and silicone. There are completely smooth, and there are with a partially corrugated surface to create texture. An ordinary cutting board will not work, as the material does not stick to a special one.

Knives for working with plasticine are designed to divide the block into pieces and remove excess. Also, with their help, you can give reliefs to crafts and apply simple patterns. Knives are made of plastic, wood, metals. The blades are smooth and figured, linear and disk (as for pizza). Sharp blades are not needed here, the main thing is that nothing sticks to them.

Ruler useful for measuring details. Not everyone can determine the proportions by eye. An ordinary plastic ruler 10-20 cm long is suitable for work. A compass and a protractor may be required to get an even circle and the desired angle.

Stack- an important assistant, without which it is better not to start modeling from plasticine. Reliefs and recesses are formed in stacks, material is applied to surfaces (for applications), drawings are created. Stacks come in many forms:

• for pinpoint dents, you need a tool with a ball at the end;
• for smoothing the surface - with a spatula;
• for patterns - with a thin sharp tip;
• for relief - with teeth like a saw.

For children's creativity, it is better to purchase plastic stacks, although they can break, they are safer and lighter.

rolling pin- A very useful tool for sculpting in more complex techniques. A rolling pin is needed to roll out plasticine into an even and smooth layer. Such details are relevant when creating panels, paintings and postcards. For starters, you can use a small glass bottle. If you pour warm water inside, the material will soften faster.

Molds- These are tools that facilitate the creation of textures. By pressing the mold to the plasticine blank, it is easy to get a neat figure. Molds are convenient for modeling small flowers, leaves, berries from plasticine in large quantities. To make the perfect leaf of a tree by hand, you will have to not only painstakingly remove the veins, but also study the structure of the leaf.

texture sheets needed to quickly add texture to plasticine pieces and rolled layers of different sizes. With the help of textured surfaces, it is easy to get both a small detail for the application and the background of the picture. For example, sea waves or a sandy shore.

In addition to special tools for modeling from plasticine, you can and should use improvised means. Look at home for beautiful textured buttons, corrugated perfume bottles, coins. Cookie cutters, stencils and other unexpected things come in handy.

The subtleties of modeling and useful tricks

Classic plasticine is capricious in work. Its plasticity depends on the ambient temperature and freshness. Before sculpting, the piece must be well kneaded in the hands until the mass begins to give in to molding and sticks together well.

To soften too hard plasticine, place it in a waterproof container and dip it in warm water. For example, you can put the pieces in a glass jar, which you then put in a pot of hot water.

Another problem is that it is difficult to cut out small details from a too soft plasticine sheet. Here you need to do the opposite - place the bar in the refrigerator for a short time or lower it into cold water in a waterproof bag.

With all the plasticity, plasticine parts do not always succeed in firmly connecting to each other. To prevent the head of the puppet theater toy from falling off, use matches or toothpicks to fasten it. If the part is bent, you can strengthen the fastening with thread or fishing line. Only do not use needles! This is dangerous!

Plasticine goes well in crafts with other materials, including natural ones. Add cones, acorns, pasta, small toys. See what you can do with your own hands from sea stones.

Most types of plasticine are afraid of contact with air. To prevent drying out, store the leftover product from the master class in tightly closed plastic boxes. The stores sell boxes with compartments for different colors.

Even if the hands after sculpting seem clean, they must be washed with warm water and soap. Do not forget that the composition contains not only herbal ingredients.

What to mold from plasticine: step-by-step MK for children and adults

So that you don’t have time to “cool down”, we suggest that you immediately go to our plasticine modeling workshops for children of different ages and adults. We have prepared instructions of various levels of complexity, so that everyone can find a craft according to their strengths and talents.

An ideal toy for children from three to five years old is ordinary plasticine. American researchers have long proven that it contributes.

In addition, the more often the child works with his fingers, the earlier he begins to talk, since the speech and motor zones are located very close in the brain.

The very first trick is to pinch off small pieces of plasticine and attach them back. Such an activity can be easily turned into an exciting game: a green piece of plasticine is grass, let the child feed a toy cow or a painted one with grass. A piece of blue plasticine is a cloud from which drops fall to the ground.

Kneading and spanking. This will help the child feel the material. Both spanking and kneading can also be mastered in the process of exciting play, which the child will join with great pleasure.

Rolling and rolling. Balls, sausages, flagella. Show your child how to roll the plasticine on the table and between the palms. These are great ways to develop fine motor skills. Now the kid can make a ball or collect a snowman from several balls.

flattening. This is one of the most interesting stages. By flattening, you can make cat ears, walls and a roof for a house, etc. And you can also create real paintings by sticking flattened plasticine parts to the drawing elements on paper. And having mastered the smearing, also a beautiful textured background for them.

Smearing. This is also one of the modeling techniques that a child should be taught. Learn to smear plasticine on a special board, and then transfer the “drawing” to the picture. Start with large plots with minimal detail and clear outlines between them.

Pointing of ends, indentation and pressure on the material. Sharpening the ends of the plasticine blanks, the child will quickly notice the similarity of the resulting details with the muzzles of animals, the outlines of some fruits and berries.

These simple tricks will help you teach your child to sculpt. It is important that such activities bring you both pleasure.

There are a great many: one of them is working with plasticine. This universal tool will help kids master the simplest elements, from which they will later learn to make a variety of figures.

A large assortment of plasticine will allow you to choose the one that is suitable for creativity for young children. Pay attention to such features:

• plasticine should be soft and plastic;
• without fragrances;
• leave no traces on the hands;
• do not delaminate when sculpting.

If you chose this one, then it's time to get creative! Prepare a plastic board for work: it will be convenient for both the child and you to roll out plasticine on it.

Step # 1: Choose the color of plasticine that the child likes the most

Even at a tender age, children already have favorite colors. Invite the baby to choose the shade of plasticine with which he will start working.

Step number 2: learn to knead the plasticine in your hand

Preheat the mass in your hands to make it more pliable. When the plasticine becomes obedient, it will be easier for the child to knead it.

Step #3:show how to pinch plasticine correctly

Teach your child to pinch off small pieces of plasticine. Toddlers strive to do nails. Demonstrate by example until the baby understands how to do it right.

Step 4: roll into balls

For children, this task may seem difficult at first. Therefore, you need to show several options for rolling balls:

• between the index and thumb - if the piece of plasticine is small;
• between the palms - if the piece is larger.

Step #5: How to flatten the balls into "pancakes"

Ready-made plasticine balls are a semi-finished product of "pancakes". Show your child that easy movement with which he will turn the ball into a cake - by simply pressing with his index finger.

Step 6: Stretch Playdough on a Sheet of Paper

In addition to the plastic board, you will also need a sheet of paper. Heat the plasticine in your palms. Together with the child, tear off pieces of different sizes and lay them out on a sheet. And then stretch it with your index finger in different directions - smear it on paper.

Step number 7: learn to make flagella

This is a rather complex process that children may not master right away. So be patient! This is where previously acquired skills come in handy. Together with the child, pinch off a piece of plasticine, then roll a ball out of it. After that, hold the ball between your index and thumb and start rolling. This process can also be done on the board. And before the eyes of the child, the ball will turn into a flagellum. The longer you roll, the longer and longer it will turn out.

And what can your child sculpt from plasticine?

More

Plasticine is an excellent material for children's creativity. Plasticine modeling classes help the baby to consolidate the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe color, weight, texture and shape of objects. In addition, the intelligence, logic and memory of the child develops. The very same child involved in modeling can feel like a real wizard creating his own fantasy world.

Modeling with children is one of the most exciting and enjoyable activities. There is no better leisure for many kids than sculpting funny figures and favorite characters from plasticine for a long time together with their parents. But how to teach a child to sculpt plasticine crafts? You can start learning to sculpt from plasticine from 1.5 years. Show your child the basic techniques for working with plasticine. And he will be happy to make balls, "sausages" and flatten cakes. And parents will help to assemble a wonderful figure from these details.

How to start sculpting from plasticine?

Invite the child to choose the color of plasticine. Then warm it in your hands, knead it and explain how you can pinch off pieces from it. Start by showing how you can stick pieces of plasticine on a board to get a lemon or an apple. When the child gets comfortable, you can gradually teach him to perform the basic details. After all, you can create any image from them.

Explain to the child that a complex product consists of individual elements. And if he learns to perform them and gradually connect them, he will be able to fashion almost anything.

How to learn to sculpt basic elements from plasticine?

These elements are fundamental to the creation of most crafts. Of these, you can simulate drops, cubes, stripes, quadrangular pyramids, and anything.

A drop can be obtained by stretching and sharpening one of the sides of the ball. The cube is obtained by pressing and pressing against a flat surface from four sides. Long stripes are flattened "sausages" on top.

It has a positive effect on the use of various auxiliary materials in modeling. It can be buckwheat, pasta, seeds, buttons, rhinestones and more. They will add originality to crafts and will delight the child very much.

Remember that while modeling with kids, you should always be near the child. To help sculpt and control the child so that he does not accidentally decide to taste the working material.

How to sculpt?

From 3-5 years old, you can already try to start teaching children to sculpt simple figures and crafts from plasticine. It can be animals or favorite characters from fairy tales and cartoons.

At 6-7 years old, children may well create quite complex images. Show your child how to sculpt beautifully from plasticine using step-by-step master classes, for example, this is how you can sculpt a lion:

Modeling with plasticine is a pleasant and useful activity for kids. Parents need only a little help to master the basic techniques of work - and the child will immerse himself in a wonderful world filled with funny man-made characters.

Modeling from light plasticine is liked by adults and children, what to mold in order to enjoy the work, and then enjoy the craft for a long time?

In this collection, we will talk about the features of the material, share interesting ideas and step-by-step master classes for making beautiful souvenirs and toys with our own hands. Lessons are suitable for both schoolchildren and pensioners. It's even better if you work together. Finished products can be safely used for their intended purpose in everyday life and as a gift.

How does light plasticine differ from other masses for modeling

Light (super-light or ultra-light) plasticine is called plastic air curing molding mass. The material is surprisingly pleasant to work with - elastic, velvety, well stretched and formed, does not require kneading, like ordinary plasticine. The surface of the products is smooth without careful alignment, cracks do not form.

The details of the figurines hold their shape well and stick together easily. The mass does not stick to the hands and does not stain the palms. Do not be afraid of stains - there are no staining fats in the composition, so you don’t have to worry about the cleanliness of carpets and furniture.

After drying, the crafts are solid and, importantly, not sticky do not collect dust. Toys and decor can be safely placed on open shelves without fear that they will lose their decorative effect. Products in appearance are similar to figures made of light foam rubber, they are not afraid of falling onto soft ones. With careful handling, they do not break and can even be stored in bulk in a box.

Self-hardening plasticine is sold in sets with a different number of colors. Every shade is a must. hermetically sealed in a plastic bag or jar. If you need to get a different tone, just mix the right colors - the mass lends itself well to mixing.

Most of all, this material is afraid of water - both during modeling and in finished products. Small children are better off choosing a different weight. Although species have already appeared that are not afraid of being tested by water. The packages even include photos of floating toys.

Compound manufacturers of light plasticine try not to disclose. On the packages, as a rule, there is only brief information that the composition contains water, polymers, dyes, more often food. But there is no exact description of the substances.

Features of working with the material

It is important to remember that in air at normal temperature the product solidifies, becomes solid and after that nothing can be done with it. Therefore, in the process of sculpting, it is necessary to close the remains in the bag. It is also not worth storing unpacked briquettes for a long time, even in the package for 30-40 days the remains can harden.

Perhaps the primary bags are no longer suitable, especially if the consumption is planned to be small. It is difficult to fit the mass into a small package. Take care of the sealed container in advance!

Tips for sculpting from light plasticine:

1. Use only clean and dry hands. The impeccable cleanliness of hands is especially important for light colors.
2. If the mass is too soft and sticky to your hands, leave it in the air, knead it periodically to remove excess moisture. This trick is often used when sculpting small parts, it is difficult to form them from wet material. But do not miss the right moment!
3. R work fast especially with small details. Here you can not make a lot of blanks, and then assemble a figure from them. If the pieces don't stick together, try lightly dampening the joints.
4. It is desirable to fix large elements of figures, for example, with toothpicks or their pieces. This will protect the toy from damage.
5. If the mass is very soft, some elements, such as cake decorations, can be squeezed out of the bag, like a cream, instead of being molded.
6. Relief and figured details are obtained by the method of forming templates and molds.

Drying time finished crafts depends on the size - small ones dry quickly, and voluminous ones are best left for the whole day or night, it is advisable to turn them over periodically. Try to dry so as not to wrinkle the figure.

What can be sculpted from light and super-light plasticine

From the hardening air plasticine, you can sculpt everything that is not exposed to moisture. This is an ideal material for molding refrigerator magnets - the decorations are weightless, the weakest magnet can withstand them, and the refrigerator door is not subjected to stress.

Christmas decorations are another popular trend. Do not overload the Christmas tree, do not beat, bright and beautiful. The rope needs to be placed deeper inside. Due to the fact that heat treatment is not required, ordinary dense threads will do.

The new material gives great opportunities for arranging doll houses. Please your daughter with toy dishes, furniture, household appliances, chandeliers, indoor flowers from the hardening mass.

For larger dolls from light plasticine, you can sculpt handbags, jewelry, hats, shoes, hair accessories. All things are practical and serve their intended purpose.

For girls, you can create unusual hairpins, hair bands, bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry. Of course, such decorations are not so durable, but everything breaks in children anyway.

Do you have a boy? Then direct your creativity towards cars, soldiers, toy armor, badges. All children love miniature animals. These are not only toys, but also cases for key rings. A win-win option is to decorate the tips of pens or pencils. The main thing is not to bite!

Food made from light plasticine turns out to be very realistic, it can be sculpted not only for games, but also for home decor. Imagine how beautiful a bunch of bagels or a bowl of cookies that will never dry out will look in the kitchen. And berries and fruits with ruddy spots?

For those who love serious creativity, hardening plasticine can be used to sculpt three-dimensional elements to decorate vases, caskets, panels, picture frames. It is better to start with a simple one - with postcards or phone cases.

Gifted sculptors create more complex crafts - chess pieces, sculptures, figurines. Flowers are beautiful and realistic. And if beginners sculpt individual flowers, experienced craftsmen create luxurious compositions in baskets, vases, planters. They make three-dimensional paintings, panels, baguettes.

Needlewomen sculpt berries, flowers, insects, beads to decorate works in other techniques, such as scrapbooking.

Step-by-step master classes on modeling from hardening plasticine

We remind you that, not only in childhood! Modeling improves fine motor skills, which has a beneficial effect on brain function. Buy plasticine for the elderly. Lightweight is good because it does not require strong hands and is suitable even for convalescents who have had a stroke.

What can be molded from light plasticine for children? Of course, the LOL doll is the most popular toy of modern girls. We have two whole lessons on modeling LOL. in a marine style and with a miniature handbag.

With a bow and a mirror to admire your beauty. Make two. And if you dream up a little, then using these lessons it is easy to create many different dolls, changing outfits and hair color.

And this one is perfect for kids who are taking their first steps in sculpting. The success of the first craft ensures that interest will not be lost.

Crafts from air plasticine are light, so even the smallest princess will not get tired of. The modeling technique is very simple, choose the sizes and colors to your liking.

Charming suitable for dollhouse, home decor or small gift. Just imagine how this cutie will look on the desktop of a colleague or teacher.

And from light plasticine you can sculpt postcards with airy three-dimensional flowers. Make your first postcard, and then experiment and invent!

Want something more complex? Then look at this one. In our MK, the author made it from self-hardening polymer clay, but plasticine that hardens in air is also suitable.

The most popular light plasticine food is that you can mold with your own hands right now by studying step-by-step photos prepared by an experienced craftswoman.

Graceful - a symbol of good luck and happiness. It can be turned into a keychain pendant. In MK, work is described with the usual mass for modeling, but from the air it will turn out even better!

By and large all masses for modeling are similar in work, so you can safely take any lesson from this section as a basis. Just take into account the specifics of the material and its margin of safety. The most practical of all the masses -. She is not afraid of water and does not break.

If you want to show what you have molded from light plasticine, then upload a photo of your crafts to our group in Odnoklassniki. By the way, there you can put up your shares for sale without any conditions.