Friday, September 21, 2018

Step by Step finishing of Scissor Tailed Fly Catcher Bird in Color

Scissor Tailed Fly Catcatcher, State bird of Oklahoma
Materials Needed:
•Flexible Art Mold PJ055 Scissor Tail Flycatcher
•Polymer clay:White & tiny bit of black. (Optional: if a subtle sparkle is desired, mix a marble size piece of Glitter White clay into the 1 inch ball of white clay before molding)
•Water mister for polymer clay release.
•Mica Powder: Magenta, Red, gold & Silver or Argent
•Heavy Body Acrylic Paint: Black
•Brushes for mica powder application •Small Brushes for painting black feathers and details. Tiny brushes for eye, beak and the head stripe.
•Findings for jewelry: Wire cutter, pin back, jump ring
•Bake N Bond or Poly Paste: for pin back. •(Optional Glue ifor pin back)
•Wire: 24 gauge Icy Silver Fun Wire-8 inches
•Favorite clay tools. You never know......
•Varnish  recommended by the manufacturer of the clay: Varnish Beak and eye if desired.
•Optional Color application if painting after baking: Metallic Red, gold & black Acrylic paint
•Optional: •Pasta machine for conditioning clay.
Brushes used for this project.
PJ055 Scissor Tail Flycatcher mold
  1. Condition white clay and the tiny bit of black clay until smooth and flexible. Mix the white and tiny bit of black thoroughly to create a soft gray color. (Optional Color: Use four parts white and one part sparkle white clay for a bright, light bird.)


  2. The bird is narrow in the center and if you would like to create inner support to strengthen the finished bird you will need 24 gauge Fun Wire or other wire to support the center and long tail feathers. Cut the wire 3.5” and 4.25” long. 

     
  3. Make a very small loop in the shorter wire, it will go in the left wing in the mold. The tiny loop will help to hold the wire in place after de-molding. Make a larger loop in the longer wire as shown. Using your pliers, halfway through the loop, bend it upwards in a 90° angle. This will allow the loop to protrude after molding to use as a hanging loop for a pendant.
     
  4. Trial Fit the wire into the mold to check the length of wire needed. Do the same for the shorter wire with the tiny loop. Notice where the wires cross. 



     
  5. Twist the wires a time or two at the center as shown. If the lower wires are too long, cut them off to fit inside the mold. Set the finished wirework aside for now. 

     
  6. Using the one inch ball of either light gray or sparkly white clay, roll a plump, short rope. Pinch it into a cross like shape and cut the lower part of the clay to separate the lower part into two thin parts. 

     
  7. Mold the Part: Mist the mold lightly with water, tip out excess. Starting in the middle of the bird, hold the clay down and begin to push the clay into the lower feathers. Push firmly to get all of the detail. 


     
  8. When the lower feathers are full, start again at the center and begin pushing the clay up and out into the head and wings. To prevent accidentally picking up the part be sure to keep one finger on the clay at all times. 
     
     
  9. After completely filling the wings and head use a scraper or blade to remove any excess clay. Always work from the center out when removing excess clay to avoid distortion. 
     
  10. Go over the entire part being sure all areas are filled and that any excess clay is removed. 

  11. Pick up the wirework frame you created earlier and press it into the clay taking care not to lift the clay from the mold. Press the wires into the clay first with your fingers.



  12. Next, slightly press the wires down further into the clay using a tool like a blunt Popsicle stick or other similar tool. 

     
  13. As you press the wire into the clay you will notice the clay will begin to bulge up around it. Use a round tool like a Peej Shaper, or paintbrush handle to close the clay over the wirework. Be sure that the upper right loop is not buried completely. Clean up the edges, pulling any clay on the mold back into the mold until a line of separation shows all around the bird. 
     
  14. Optional: Texturing the back. If desired, press a texture into the back of your bird before de-molding. If desired, use mica powders to bring out the design. 

     
  15. When you are finished with the molding and texturing if desired, flex to de-mold. If you wish to use mica powder to color the bird now, go to step 16. (Optional: If you wish to paint the details, bake the bird now on a Fiber-fil® surface to prevent distortion during baking.)



  16. Coloring the bird with mica powder: Begin with the deepest reds on the inner wings and sides of the body. See color image on packaging. Apply in a soft triangle as shown. Add lighter red or a mix of red and gold to extend the reds as shown. 


     
  17. Create the lightest red by adding gold to the outermost colors. Review your colors and add more color as needed. The colors on the bird are brilliant. 
     
  18. Shading: for this design the silver powder is used to give some shading and depth. Lightly brush silver to the wing feather edges. 



     
  19. When the mica powder colors are completed bake on a soft surface like Fiber-Fil®. Allow to cool.
  20. Paint the black details: Using a paint brush paint all of the inner tail feathers as shown and the tips of the long tail feathers. Let dry for a while. Next, using a damp cloth, wipe off some of the black to bring out the feather texture.



  21. Using a small flat brush, very, very lightly drybrush the edges of the wing tips. The color should only be on the very edges of the wings.
  22. Using a very small brush, paint the toes, beak and eye. For the black streak on the face, dry brush a thin line as shown. When dry, varnish eye and beak. Allow to dry.
  23. Optional: Add a Pin Back if desired. Position the pin back and lightly sand the area where it will go. 
  24. Put either Bake n Bond or Poly Paste onto the pin and put it in place on the back of the bird.






     
  25. Cover it with a small piece of clay spreading the clay outwards from the pin back. Smooth the edges. If desired, press the texture mat into the newly fresh clay. Color if desired. 
     
  26. Bake face down in Fiber-fil® so that the uneven back can lay flat. Allow to cool. 


    The Best Flexible mold  PJ055 ScissorTail Flycatcher Bird comes with a step by step instruction sheet. This blog is the exact same sheet with color photos instead of black and white pictures.