Making Rapunzel

I took these pictures the other day while working on a set of Rapunzel pendants. As I was snapping away, I wasn't thinking that I would be using the pictures for anything and omitted many steps in the process of making them, so this post is not meant as a tutorial, but rather a peek at how she is created from almost start to almost finish!

Just getting started here. Heads and bodice of the dress...arms are rolled and a big lump of purple clay has been mixed and softened. I rarely use a color straight from the wrapper. I love to create my own "pallet" and usually arrive at the final colors through a mix of several different colors of clay. Also, certain colors are very soft while others are really hard...both extremes are undesireable, so I have to make adjustments by adding a pinch of this and a pinch of that to get the right consistency. The clay is also affected by the temperature.

The dress bottoms have been rolled shaped and cut. To create the scalloped edge, I use a 3 inch scalloped-heart cookie cutter. I roll out sort of a wide pie-shape, flatten it and then cut the edge with the heart cutter.

I made a scalloped edge for the dresses of light lavendar clay. The bodies are ready to be attached. I use a piece of wire to add strength. I always use a drop or two of liquid clay between the joints to make sure that they adhere.

She now has arms, hands, and dress details!

Tiny pieces of light lavendar to make the laces on the dress bodice.

Ok, I skipped a couple of steps here...but you can see that she has her hair, made of spirals of golden yellow clay, and her face....rosey cheeks made with a dusting of blush, a smiling mouth, created with a round cutting tool, or sometimes I will free-hand it. Her eyelashes are tiny, tiny pieces of black that are rolled and placed on her face with my stylus...my fingers are way to clumsy for this!!

adding the details.

On the baking tray (with a couple friends!) and ready to go into the oven.

30 minutes later she is smiling and ready for a little glitter and glaze!! This particular Rapunzel will be used as a pendant, note the small silver loop. Others will be used as bow centers or traditional beads, with horizontal holes for stringing. You can find her hanging out with her princess friends on my shops!!