For the Friesen Project, we are finishing up one of my favorite books, “Birds of a Feather.”  For this week’s extra-special tutorial, it is a Christi Friesen inspired parrot! Let’s get started!

Materials:

• Polymer Clay in red, blue, white and bright yellow
• Pasta Machine or Acrylic Brayer
• Teardrop Kemper Cutter Set
• Your hands
• Tiny-medium sized beads for eyes
• Bronze Mica Powder
• Craft Oven to bake your figurine

Instructions:

Body:

• Condition your clay.
• Start with a walnut size lump of bright red clay.
• Shape the clay into a tapered log.
• Use your thumbs and “pull” out a head shape from the log.
• Again using a gentle “pulling” motion, pull a beak from the head area.
• NOTE: For a more whimsical look, make a separate beak and attach to the front of the face.
• Indent the area where the “neck” of the parrot is.
• Flatten the tapered end to your work surface lightly.
• Now gently raise the head into an upright position, squash gently and smooth for a realistic look.

Belly:

• Using your teardrop Kemper cutter, cut a teardrop shape from a medium thickness of yellow clay.
• Affix it to the belly.
• Using your fingers, blend the edges of the “belly” into the stomach area.

Eyes & Feet:

• Again using your Kemper teardrop cutters, cut two small teardrops from a medium thickness of white clay.
• Place in the “eye” area.
• Attach black beads to the white eye area.
• Cut two teardrops out of a medium-thick slab of orange clay.
• Indent “toes” in the feet.
• Attach to the bottom of your parrot and blend the seams.

Tail & Wings:

• Using the Christi “Curl & swirl” method, add blue, red, & yellow curls & swirls of clay to make your tail in any pattern or design you choose.
• Use the same (or complementary method) to make the wings.
• If you so choose, put a “poof” on the head to add character to your parrot.

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS:

• If you have pulled a beak from the head section, use a mica powder to add pizzazz to the beak.
• Prop up the bird on something oven safe so his head and beak will not sag.
• TIP: I use foil balls to prop up my creations so they will not sag in the oven.
• Depending on the type of clay used: bake in the oven at 265 degrees, covered in foil, for approximately 45-60 minutes.
• NOTICE: Check your clay package instructions for appropriate baking times.

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Thanks for joining me today,