Just A Little Batty. by Christi Friesen. Make this funky fun bat with moveable wings using polymer clay and mixed media

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Ross Watts
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Just A Little Batty Make this funky fun bat with moveable wings using polymer clay and mixed media by Christi Friesen

Well, this bat focal can clip onto some black chain in a heartbeat and you re dressed to kill.

! The bat is sculpted with polymer clay, then assorted fun bits are added to really make him special.

Clay is conditioned by squeezing, rolling, twisting and folding until it s soft.

Next we ll mix a special bat-body color. I suggest using Premo clay, it s delightfully sculpt-able!

For the bat-body color I used about a quarter of a package of Burnt Umber blended with just a bit of Black (about as much as

For this project you will need: polymer clay: I recommend Premo clay in Burnt Umber and Black paper, pen, scissors (for the

PolyBonder recommended wire: 28gauge craft wire 2-3 feet total wire: 20gauge craft wire 6 inches total þ Wire Lace : black 2.

the chain), I used Swarovski s 2-hole column beads (19x5mm) in Crystal Red Magma color, substitute any other beads you

with everything all in one box! (see Resources).

1 Just A Little Batty Make this funky fun bat with moveable wings using polymer clay and mixed media by Christi Friesen Sometimes you just need that perfect necklace to go with that cute little vampire outfit, you know? Well, this bat focal can clip onto some black chain in a heartbeat and you re dressed to kill. Plus, the wings move on little hinges how cool is that?! The bat is sculpted with polymer clay, then assorted fun bits are added to really make him special. So let s start with the polymer. Condition your clay to get it flexible and ready to use. Clay is conditioned by squeezing, rolling, twisting and folding until it s soft. Or run it through a clay-conditioning machine to accomplish the same thing quicker and easier. Next we ll mix a special bat-body color. I suggest using Premo clay, it s delightfully sculpt-able! Mixing is easy you just mush several colors together until they re all blended together to make a new color. For the bat-body color I used about a quarter of a package of Burnt Umber blended with just a bit of Black (about as much as a large grape). For this project you will need: polymer clay: I recommend Premo clay in Burnt Umber and Black paper, pen, scissors (for the wing pattern) mini hinges: metal, four 3/8 tall hinges or two 1/2 tall hinges (see Resources) glue: Lisa Pavelka s PolyBonder recommended wire: 28gauge craft wire 2-3 feet total wire: 20gauge craft wire 6 inches total þ Wire Lace : black 2.5mm, about 2 feet total beads: two dark, round 4mm beads metal ring, about ¾ wide crystal beads: three (for dangling from the chain), I used Swarovski s 2-hole column beads (19x5mm) in Crystal Red Magma color, substitute any other beads you prefer, in any quantity you prefer chain: assorted colors, sizes and styles, I used a nifty chain/jump ring/clasp package with everything all in one box! (see Resources). Black and brass recommended jump rings: several, for attaching chains; brass and black recommended clasps: several, for attaching chains & closing necklace; lobster black and brass recommended mica powder (optional): I used PearlEx Aztec Gold and Russet; paint and brush to apply tools: needle tool, sculpting tools (I recommend some of my favorite tools for this project! the Wow, It s Awesome tool, and the Can t Live Without It tool see Resources), pliers, wire cutters, round-nose pliers, scissors, cutting blade equipment: oven, oven thermometer From this blend, roll out a ball about the size of a hard-boiled egg yolk. 1

into a flat sheet. (If you re rolling it out by hand, that s about as thick as a dollar coin).

Bats have wings, otherwise they d just be pointy-eared mice.

It doesn t need to be too complicated. The wing should be wider than the body is long. Google bat images for a reference if you need to.

) Cut out your bat wing pattern and use it as a guide to cut your sheet of clay into two wings.

Lay the wings and body into position to see how it all looks together. Are the proportions good? Adjust now if you need to.

Press the pointy part down onto the end of the wingtip and continue to lay the snake down along the top edge of the wing.

Do you see those lines from top to bottom that are part of the wing pattern? Use a tool to slice those lines through the clay.

2 Prepare some black clay for the wings. Just condition about half or three-quarters of a package, then run it through your clay-conditioning machine at the widest setting to turn it into a flat sheet. (If you re rolling it out by hand, that s about as thick as a dollar coin). Form the ball into a fat teardrop shape the rounded end will be the top of the bat, and the pointy end will be the tail end. Bats have wings, otherwise they d just be pointy-eared mice. To make the wings, first lay the clay body down on a piece of paper and sketch out a bat wing to use as a pattern. It doesn t need to be too complicated. The wing should be wider than the body is long. Google bat images for a reference if you need to. (Or you can just use the one that I sketched as a pattern, if you prefer.) Cut out your bat wing pattern and use it as a guide to cut your sheet of clay into two wings. Remember to flip the pattern to cut out the wing on the other side, otherwise he ll just fly around in circles. Lay the wings and body into position to see how it all looks together. Are the proportions good? Adjust now if you need to. Soften the cut edges of the wings by gently pinching with your fingers all around. Next roll out a snake of the brown clay mix. Press the pointy part down onto the end of the wingtip and continue to lay the snake down along the top edge of the wing. Press firmly to attach. Trim off the excess to make it even with the wing edge. Repeat for the other wing. Do you see those lines from top to bottom that are part of the wing pattern? Use a tool to slice those lines through the clay. Don t slice all the way to the top of the wing, leave at least a quarter of an inch or more of un-cut clay up there for strength. With a tool (I used the Wow, It s Awesome tool see Resources for info), gently stroke the black part of each wing all over to add texture. This will give the wing a more realistic look. We re going to want a bit of a gap between each of the cut parts of the wings so there will be space to add the wire and lace later, so use a tool to carefully slice out a sliver of clay from each of the cut sections to create a small gap. I use a needle tool for all this slicing, but you can use any tool that you re comfortable with, of course. 2

This bat is edgy, with chains and wires or at least he will be soon.

Use the point of your needle tool to create the holes, and make sure you create them as matching pairs of holes, one on each side of the cut.

Add a little curved claw too, if you want to just a little short snake of clay, pressed onto the top of the wing at the bend. Did I mention that the bat has movable wings?

You can use four tiny hinges (about 3/8 tall) or two small hinges (about ½ tall) whichever you can find.

It s a super glue, so it s strong and sets fast, but it s formulated to be used with polymer clay so it keeps its adhesion, even in the oven.

Don t get any glue on the hinge mechanism, or there will be no flapping.

First roll out a few little snakes of black clay, then add another dab of glue to the top surface of the hinges and immediately press the clay snakes over the metal.

At this point, we have to bake the wings. Wiring up the wing sections only works if the wings are hardened, as you might have already figured out.

3 This bat is edgy, with chains and wires or at least he will be soon. To get ready for that, let s add a string of holes down each side of the wing cuts for the wires to lace through. Use the point of your needle tool to create the holes, and make sure you create them as matching pairs of holes, one on each side of the cut. The closer you make your holes, the closer your wire crisscrosses will be. Use a tool to add some furry texture strokes to the brown part up at the top of the wings. Add a little curved claw too, if you want to just a little short snake of clay, pressed onto the top of the wing at the bend. Did I mention that the bat has movable wings? Because he totally does! You ll want to be flapping them all the time! The wings move because they re hinged... with lil hinges! You can use four tiny hinges (about 3/8 tall) or two small hinges (about ½ tall) whichever you can find. (See Resources for suggestions) I like to use Lisa Pavelka s PolyBonder glue to secure the hinges. It s a super glue, so it s strong and sets fast, but it s formulated to be used with polymer clay so it keeps its adhesion, even in the oven. Brush a bit of glue onto one side of the hinge and immediately press it onto the edge of the wing (the side that will connect with the body). Don t get any glue on the hinge mechanism, or there will be no flapping. Once the hinges are in place, let s hide them, (which will also make them more secure) under a layer of clay. First roll out a few little snakes of black clay, then add another dab of glue to the top surface of the hinges and immediately press the clay snakes over the metal. Again, be careful not to get glue into the working area of the hinge. Use a tool to smooth the clay, and add texture strokes to match the rest of the wing. At this point, we have to bake the wings. Wiring up the wing sections only works if the wings are hardened, as you might have already figured out. Bake the wings according to the clay manufacturer s suggestions. If you re using Premo, bake at 275ºF (130ºC) for about 25 minutes. Preheat your oven before baking the clay, and use an oven thermometer to monitor the temperature accurately. I laid the wings down on a piece of stiff white paper to bake on. Once the clay is baked, let it cool completely before moving on to the next step. Next we re going to add strips of black WireLace in the wing gaps and use craft wire to hold them in place, when we lace up through the holes. I just like the way the WireLace dangles, and I like the way it fills in the spaces. So, cut four strips of Black 2.5mm WireLace, each long enough to go up and over the wing and still have an inch or two of dangle down below (which should be about 4 inchs). Now snip the 28 gauge craft wire that will be used for each lace-up (about 8-10 inches for each of the 4 gaps). 3

Lay a strip of WireLace over one space, wrap it over the top of the wing and hang down the backside.

the wire should be sticking out the front side of the wing. Ready... lace!

Keep an eye on that WireLace to make sure you are capturing it with every loop of the wires, front and back!

press firmly. This will cover the wire end, keep it secure and stop it from poking you later. Isn t that nice?

Let s add the finished wings to the body now.

teardrop). Slice almost halfway down the length, to give you plenty of room.

Leave the other side of the slice open so you can repeat the process with the other wing. Whew.

4 Lay a strip of WireLace over one space, wrap it over the top of the wing and hang down the backside. Slip the ends of the 28gauge wire through the top holes, as if you were getting ready to lace up a shoe the ends of the wire should be sticking out the front side of the wing. Ready... lace! Just thread the wires in-and-out, criss-cross all the way down the wing slice - just like lacing a shoe. Keep an eye on that WireLace to make sure you are capturing it with every loop of the wires, front and back! Finish on the backside of the wing by twisting the craft wire ends together, snipping them short and bending them into a tight hook. Add a drop of liquid clay on top of the wire hook end and then press a little ball of black clay over it all and press firmly. This will cover the wire end, keep it secure and stop it from poking you later. Isn t that nice? Wire up the other three slits in the same way. Now, don t those wings look nifty! Let s add the finished wings to the body now. Use a cutting blade to slice open the body of the bat right where the wings will go (the rounded, top end of the clay teardrop). Slice almost halfway down the length, to give you plenty of room. Ease open the slice, hold one of the wings and brush a bit of glue on the flat parts of the hinge/hinges on both the front and the back of the metal. Place the hinges into the opening immediately and close the clay back onto the hinges, firmly. Leave the other side of the slice open so you can repeat the process with the other wing. Whew. That was the hard part. You can take a deep breath now. Tuck a bit of toilet paper under the wings to hold them straight, if they sag. Next, let s add wire loops that we ll use later for attaching the bat to the necklace stringing chaings. We ll make the hanging loops from 20 gauge wire. Use roundnose pliers, and curl the wire around one prong in a full circle, making a loop. Wrap one part of the crossed wire around and around the other part. Trim off the excess wrapped wire. Leave the other wire long about half an inch or so. Bend a hook in the end. Now make another one! 4

Push the wire loops, hook-side first, into the body of the bat, right next to the wings.

Roll out a bit of brown clay, about the size of chocolate-covered almond (and the same shape too).

Don t press it on yet, though. For eyes, I love using beads - the shiny-ness contrasts nicely with the clay.

To make sure the eye beads stay secure, let s wire them in.

Hold the wires with pliers and twirl the bead with your fingers to twist the wires together until they touch

Bend the end of the wire into a hook. This hook will embed into the clay and hold the bead in place.

Press the beads into the clay head, one on each side, then push both eyes in at the same time to prevent

The bat s mouth is just a line, pressed in with a tool. It should go below the bump of his nose.

.. kinda. Nostrils are just little indentations, pressed in above the mouth, on the topside of the nose bump.

It should go on top of the body so that the top of the head is a bit higher than the body.

A bat is all about the ears, you know. Roll out two small balls of brown clay about the size of peanuts.

) Use a tool to press an indentation into the teardrop. Keep the pointy part pointy!

5 Push the wire loops, hook-side first, into the body of the bat, right next to the wings. Smooth the clay around the wire, if it needs it. Time to make the head! Roll out a bit of brown clay, about the size of chocolate-covered almond (and the same shape too). With a cutting blade, slice an angle off the head clay, which will allow it to press onto the body easily. Don t press it on yet, though. For eyes, I love using beads - the shiny-ness contrasts nicely with the clay. Use two dark, round beads. I used 4mm black onyx. Glass will work just as well. To make sure the eye beads stay secure, let s wire them in. Snip an inch or so of your 28 gauge wire and slip on a bead. Pull the wires together. Hold the wires with pliers and twirl the bead with your fingers to twist the wires together until they touch the bead. Cut off the excess wire, to leave a tail about a quarter inch or less in length. Bend the end of the wire into a hook. This hook will embed into the clay and hold the bead in place. Pretty clever, huh? Wire up the other bead. Set the head clay onto your work surface, sliced-side down. Press the beads into the clay head, one on each side, then push both eyes in at the same time to prevent smooshing the head. Press deep enough to hide any exposed wires, if you can. The bat s mouth is just a line, pressed in with a tool. It should go below the bump of his nose. You can add the look of little teeth by pressing indentations along the top line of the mouth. Oooh, scary... kinda. Nostrils are just little indentations, pressed in above the mouth, on the topside of the nose bump. Now press the head onto the body. It should go on top of the body so that the top of the head is a bit higher than the body. Press down using your fingertips in the eye area to minimize smushing. Ears! A bat is all about the ears, you know. Roll out two small balls of brown clay about the size of peanuts. Shape them into teardrops. (Teardrops sure are useful shapes, aren t they!) Use a tool to press an indentation into the teardrop. Keep the pointy part pointy! Pinch the fat end closed. Use your cutting blade to slice off the extra clay from the pinched end, at an angle. That gets rid of the excess clay and allows it to lay onto the head very easily. Make the other ear in the same way, but cut off the excess angled the other way (for the other side of the head, of course). Press the ears onto the head. The sliced part will grab right on. Place it above the eye, on top of the head, towards the back you know, in the ear area. Use a tool to blend the edges of the ear into the head. 5

What a nice bat so far, huh? Hmm, he looks kinda bald... and naked... let s add fur. Luckily, that s easy.

I left the nose un-furred since then he d look like a werewolf, and that would be a bit much, don t you think? The last detail to add is feet actually, just toes.

If you like the sound of that, take a round wire ring (about ¾ wide) and press it into the clay near the bottom of his body. Add a bit of PolyBonder glue for extra grab.

Use a tool to add a bit of fur texture over the top of the toe shapes to make them look like they belong.

Likewise a bit of Russet (a coppery-red color) works beautifully to accent the insides of his ears and inside his mouth.

Now is the time to add, change or adjust any of the sculptural details or any added accents. All good? Great now bake your bat for 45 minutes to an hour.

Keep the toilet paper props under the wings (if you added those) during baking, they won t be affected by the oven, and they ll keep the wings from slumping.

6 What a nice bat so far, huh? Hmm, he looks kinda bald... and naked... let s add fur. Luckily, that s easy. Just use a tool to drag the clay in shallow, short strokes all over this body and the top of his head. I left the nose un-furred since then he d look like a werewolf, and that would be a bit much, don t you think? The last detail to add is feet actually, just toes. Roll out six little rice-shaped (and rice-sized) bits of clay. I wanted my bat to be holding a ring in his feet so I could dangle some chains and crystals. If you like the sound of that, take a round wire ring (about ¾ wide) and press it into the clay near the bottom of his body. Add a bit of PolyBonder glue for extra grab. Now press the toes all six of them over the ring. Curve them to make it look like he s holding on tightly. Use a tool to add a bit of fur texture over the top of the toe shapes to make them look like they belong. With a soft brush, you can add a light dusting of gold mica powder (I used PearlEx Aztec Gold) to the tops of his toes to make them stand out more. Likewise a bit of Russet (a coppery-red color) works beautifully to accent the insides of his ears and inside his mouth. If any powder gets where it shouldn t, a bit of tape will lift it off. Look everything over. Now is the time to add, change or adjust any of the sculptural details or any added accents. All good? Great now bake your bat for 45 minutes to an hour. Same time and temperature as before. Keep the toilet paper props under the wings (if you added those) during baking, they won t be affected by the oven, and they ll keep the wings from slumping. Let you bat cool completely before moving on to the next steps, which will be adding chains and beads, and stringing him onto a necklace. Oh, by the way, if the baked wings are somewhat flexible, then you baked it correctly! Thin areas of polymer are slightly bendable when cured. Add some jump rings and chains to dangle off the ring in his feet. I added three, but you can add however many you think looks good. I don t know why, but I felt my bat would look good with chains crossing his body, bandolier-style. I guess it goes with his whole wired-up look, huh? Anyway, it s easy to add the chains, since the hanging loops embedded into the clay near his head are big enough to add jump rings to, then it s easy to slip the chain ends into the jump rings, and close the rings around both the chain and hook. Make sure the chains are loose enough to dangle, but tight enough to stay in place. 6

I thought a nice blood-red crystal at the end of the chain would be soooo in keeping with the whole vampire bat theme, so I used a bit of the WireLace to tie the crystals onto the ends of the chains.

Use a lobster claw clasp, added to the end of the chain with a jump ring to clip onto the hanging loops embedded in his shoulders.

7 I thought a nice blood-red crystal at the end of the chain would be soooo in keeping with the whole vampire bat theme, so I used a bit of the WireLace to tie the crystals onto the ends of the chains. Plus the scraggly ends of the lace looked delightfully spiderwebby.) To wear your awesome bat, think chains! Use a lobster claw clasp, added to the end of the chain with a jump ring to clip onto the hanging loops embedded in his shoulders. Lobster claw clasps will also connect the ends of the chain around your neck too. Oh, and a few wisps of WireLace tied randomly to the chain add a bit more of that spiderweb fun. Killer! RESOURCES:. mini hinges: style #FB-BH-C1. WireLace : chain/jump ring/clasp set: tools, mica powder, PolyBonder glue, wire: 7

Bang! Zoom! Off to the Moon!

Bang! Zoom! Off to the Moon! by Christi Friesen Get ready for a blast from the past when you create this steampunk rocket ship pendant from polymer clay. In the late 1800 s people s imaginations were fired