DIY
Mom and Me
F I G U R I N E S
BY HEATHER M. ROSS
This craft is not recommended for children younger
than 3 years old.

YOU WILL NEED:
4-ounce packet of Crayola Model Magic
3 or 4 colors of acrylic paint
(including hair, skin and clothing colors)
Paintbrushes (including a fine tip)
A cup of cold water and a paper
towel for cleaning brushes
2 toothpicks
STEP 1: GETTING READY
Gather all of the above supplies and clear a space
on the countertop or table. For the Model Magic
clay, you’ll want a smooth, clean and hard sur-
face to make rolling easier. Do not open the
paints yet.

STEP 2: DIVIDING UP THE CLAY
Divide the clay so that the “mom” piece is twice
as large as the “child” piece. Any children par-
ticipating in the craft can start working with the
child piece to get familiar with the clay. Next,
take one third of each piece and separate it from
the main lumps, as pictured. These small seg-
ments will become the fi gurine heads.

STEP 3: THE HEAD
Mold the head segment into a ball shape with
your fi ngers. Then, roll it in your palms or
against the hard surface to smooth out any odd
pinches or lumps. When you have a nice sphere,
set it aside.

STEP 4: THE ARMS
The arms will be simple. For this step, you’ll
want a long, thin piece of clay. Take a piece about
10 Washington FAMILY
MAY 2023
half the size of the clay used for the head and roll
it fl at on the table until it resembles a worm. If
your worm ends up too short, roll it until it is
longer. If your worm appears too long, you can
either mash it up into a ball and roll it again or
pinch some of the clay off the ends.

STEP 5: THE BODY
Mold the main body piece to be a long tube. If
you want your fi gure to wear pants, divide the
bottom part to about halfway up the body piece.

Then, roll each “leg” between your fi ngers to
give it a rounded shape.

STEP 6: THE HAIR
Depending on how much hair you or your child
have (and the style of hair), you will need diff er-
ent amounts of Model Magic. Mold the hair into
shape around the “head” piece, but leave space
for the neck. If your fi gure has longer hair, it will
add stability to the fi nal fi gure.

STEP 7: ASSEMBLY
To assemble your fi gure, place the arm segment
behind the main body so the sides are equal
lengths. Then, press to blend the pieces. To
attach the head, use the toothpick to push one
end into the body piece where the neck would
go and the other end into the “head” piece. No
part of the toothpick should be visible. Press
any pieces of the hair not against the head to the
body for added stability. Before setting your fi g-
ure out to dry, stand it up and gently press the
“feet” to the fl at surface.

STEP 8: DRYING
If your fi gure doesn’t stand on its own, prop
it up against something so that it dries in the
vertical position. Allow at least 24 hours for
the Model Magic clay to dry completely.

STEP 9: PAINTING
Once your fi gurines are dry, use the fi ne-tipped
brush and paint for details and edges. When
changing colors, rinse the brush in cold water.

(Hot water can melt the glue and cause bristles
to fall out and get stuck in your work.) Allow the
paint to dry.

Ta-da! 1
CLAY PHOTOS: HEATHER M. ROSS; PAINTBRUSH: LOOPALL
ake a memory this Mother’s Day
with a craft that’s fun for all ages.

This month, make painted fi g-
urines of both parent and child
using a kid-friendly clay substi-
tute that’s easy to handle. The
completed fi gurines can be used as dolls or
decorations!