Polymer Clay Frog Tutorial – Friesen Friday Book 2, Week 4

Well, this is the final week in our Jungle Book … I have really enjoyed this book, especially this week’s tutorial!  I had so much fun making Señor Froggy and I can’t wait to share him with you!  

And now, without any further ado, let’s get started with this polymer clay frog tutorial.

The Basic Frog

First thing’s first, open your Jungle Book to page 40 and follow the instructions that Christi gave.  Again for this tutorial I will briefly summarize what Christi has taught.  Make a football shape with a “squeeze” near the first 1/3 of the football, this section will create the frog’s head.

Next, make two indents where the eyes will be.  Then make balls of clay and insert them into the “eyes” of the frog.  Using this method, insert your choice of beads into the eyes.

Next make two long and thick ropes, as well as two thick ropes that are 1/2 the length of the first to (not shown).  These will be the legs to your frog.  I tried my best to follow Christi’s instructions to make legs and thought my frog looked like a dork.  So, I made Señor Froggy’s legs as I went.

Make Some Froggy Feet

At right you will see step by step photos of how I made my froggy hands (read the picture left to right, one row at a time).  These steps are similar to Christi Friesen’s (page 41) until the joining of the hands to the legs.

• Make four even balls of clay
• Mold into a teardrop shape
• Smoosh onto work surface to make them flat
• Cut grooves in the middle of the widest part
• Cut two more grooves (one on each side) to make the four “toes”
• Lengthen and shape the toes using needle tools and your fingers.
• Place “legs” on top of hands.
• Blend the seams (show bottom left)
• Taper and pinch to form cute “hands” and legs

I found it much easier to join the legs and hands to the frog before placing them on my Froggy.  I thought the frog sat better.  Not to mention that joining the hands to the legs first allowed me to position them on my frog so much easier.

Add Some Fingertips … or Toes … Whatever You Want to Call Them

This part is fun and easy!  Once you have you hands & legs attached to your frog, roll a snake of clay and cut little “circles” from it.  Then roll them into balls and “smoosh” them onto the froggy toes.  Blend the seams near the frog toes if you’d like to make a more natural look.

And the best part of all … texture, play, color, & swirls of fun.  Now it’s time to give your frog some personality! Add other colored bits of clay, add bumps, pearls, beads, whatever you’d like.  But claim that froggy as your own and make him come to life. (See pictures at the end)…

That’s it! You’ve Now Completed Your Polymer Clay Frog Tutorial.

But what happens when you want to make something more out of your froggy?  Christi’s book shows us several examples of what to do with your frog, from sculptures, wall hangings, pendants, jewelry, etc.  Here’s what I did with my frog …

Put Señor Frog on a Pile of Logs

This idea came to me because my hubby has to chop oodles of wood all summer long as we heat our entire house with wood in the winter.  This being said … often when there are lengths of trees laying in the back yard, we often see toads sitting there near dusk hours.  They sit there happily waiting to hop all over the place.
Making this log background is simpler than it looks when it is finished.  Marbled some “tree colored” clay (I’ll let you pick your own colors).  Now roll it into a long snake and cut that snake in half.  Use one half and “plop” it down on your work surface.  The half that’s leftover, reshape it into another log and repeat until you have enough “logs” for your project or you’ve used all your clay, whichever comes first.  I like this technique because it instantly changes the marble, look, feel, and size of your logs.

Once your tree background is finished, use what you’ve learned in Christi’s Book, here in the leaf tutorial, & even add a bug, flower, or two.

Finish It Up

Now take all your elements and put your frog on your log, leaves, or whatever background you’ve decided to give him.  Add texture, beads, swirls of fun, leaves, bugs, flowers, whatever you want.  Get creative, be inspired, and have fun with it.  Make sure you take a good look at your piece and add in any details you want now.  Then plop him in the oven (follow the instructions for the brand of clay you are using – I baked my piece for over an hour).  When he’s done, you can choose to leave your piece as it is, or add an antique look and a coat of varnish.

The Friesen Project was done in conjunction with Christi Friesen in 2013. All tutorials were retaught here with her expressed permission. The project has come to an end, but many tutorials have been left on the site with her permission. Please make sure to read about the project here, get answers to the most common FAQS here, and visit Christi’s website here.

Sculpt Your Dreams,

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