Mixed Media Goblin Wizard

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To make this little four-inch goblin wizard, I used a variety of different materials to make him look convincing. With Yoda and Dobby floating around in my mind, I worked on this guy over several days, adding to him each time.

I haven’t experimented too much with wire frames yet, but this attempt went well. I shaped a rough outline to support his limbs. Obviously, I spent the most time on creating the wizened head, then the hands and feet. I attached those body parts to the frame, using white clay to roughly cover the rest of the skeleton and connect it all together. I baked it with foil guards all around it to keep it stable as it hardened.

Then came the fun of adding various details to him:

  • a green fabric robe (sewn around his body), which I clumsily embroidered with some golden thread
  • a braided yarn belt
  • a brown fabric satchel (which actually has a few gold clay coins inside)
  • an amulet made of clay and thread
  • a walking stick with a few notches hacked into it for decoration
  • and lastly, white yarn untwisted and soaked in grayish water to make it less pristinely white, then rebraided and superglued to his head

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Now he just needs a name!

Soft-bodied Troll Dolls

As presents for my niece, nephew, and my own children, I decided to experiment with making troll dolls with clay faces, hands, and feet, but soft bodies. I made five in all, trying different features and body designs. I was very happy with how sturdy they turned out – they can be dropped and actually played with without breaking.

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Creatures of Another World

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Goblin Meadow

I have recently started to make little creatures of the sort that hide in forests, practicing magic. I call them goblins; you may call them something else. Whatever they are, they are quite fun to make. I made the first one holding a lantern, venturing forward. The second was a wizard wielding a bent stick, and the third was a little guy roasting a drumstick over a fire. From there, I made a bookworm buried in a book of spells, wizards with crystal balls, etc. I am experimenting with different skin tones, poses, and props. The possibilities are many. I would like to start focusing more on details, especially in their facial expressions and clothing.

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The lantern bearer
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The green-skinned goblins, lantern bearer and coin hoarder
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Hungry camper and cloaked wizard
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The coin hoarder
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Archer and stew-maker
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Hobbler and ball-gazer
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Wizard ball-gazer
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Apprentices dedicated to their studies

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Three goblins
Three goblins
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Goblins with dagger and sword
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Goblins with slingshot and bow
Creatures of another world
Creatures of another world

Dragon Awakening

Dragons are great fun to sculpt. I usually start with the head, body and tail as one piece of clay, to which I add appendages. Then comes the fun part: a variety of intricate details such as eyes and eyebrows, horns, ears, teeth, claws, spikes, scales, wings, and textures. I will definitely be making more.

Fire Dragon
Fire Dragon
Scaly Purple Hatchling
Scaly Purple Hatchling