How Do You Make A Necklace Pendant Out Of Clay?

Gather your materials

To make a clay pendant, you’ll need several supplies and tools. The type of clay you use will determine much of the process. Air-dry clay is an easy material for beginners to start with. Other necessities include:

• Air-dry clay – This doesn’t require baking and dries at room temperature.
• Rolling pin – Helps roll the clay into an even sheet for cutting shapes.
• Cookie cutters or other shape cutters – Cut shapes out of the flattened clay sheet.
• Acrylic paints – Paint the finished pendant for color and decoration.
• Paint brushes – Use for painting on the acrylic paints.
• Sealant spray – Once painted, spray with a sealant to protect the paint.

Gather these before you start so you have everything ready to go. Air-dry clay and the basic tools are available at most craft stores.

Prepare your workspace

Before you start working with the clay, you’ll want to protect your work surface. Cover your table with newspaper, cardboard, or plastic to prevent the clay from sticking. You’ll also want to have water readily available for smoothing and blending the clay as needed.

Lay down a disposable covering like newspaper, wax paper or plastic over your workspace. This will protect your table or countertop from getting damaged by the clay. Make sure the covered area is larger than your planned pendant size.

Have a cup or bowl of water close by. As you sculpt the clay, you may need to dip your fingers in the water periodically to moisten the clay and smooth uneven areas. The water prevents the clay from sticking to your fingers and allows you to blend seam lines. Don’t over-wet the clay though, as excess moisture can make details lose their sharpness.

Knead and soften the clay

Kneading the clay is an important step to ensure your pendant has the right consistency for shaping. Start by taking the clay out of its packaging and placing it on a clean, flat surface that has been lightly dusted with cornstarch or flour. This will prevent the clay from sticking.

Use the palms of your hands to knead the clay, pressing into it firmly and folding it over itself repeatedly. Knead for at least 5 minutes to work the clay thoroughly. This helps blend any color variances and makes the texture smooth and uniform.

If the clay is too dry and crumbly, add a few drops of water while kneading to soften it up. Continue kneading until the clay is a soft, pliable texture that’s ready for shaping.

Roll out the clay

Once your clay is kneaded and softened, you’re ready to roll it out to the desired thickness for your pendant. For most pendants, you’ll want the clay to be rolled out to around 1/4 inch thick. To roll out the clay:

– Work on a flat, smooth surface like a tabletop or countertop. Avoid rolling directly on the table, use a flat board or silicone mat for best results.

– Lightly flour or rub the surface with cooking oil so the clay doesn’t stick as you roll it out.

– Use an acrylic rolling pin and roll the clay evenly in all directions, turning the clay 90 degrees after each pass, until you have a flat, even sheet at the desired 1/4 inch thickness.

– Do not roll too thin or the clay risks tearing when you go to cut out the shape. Thicker areas can be trimmed later as needed.

– As you roll, check for any creases in the clay and smooth them out. Use your fingers to gently ease out any uneven areas.

– Lift and turn the clay periodically and re-flour the surface to prevent sticking.

Cut out the pendant shape

Once you’ve rolled out your clay into an even sheet at your desired thickness, it’s time to cut out the shape for your pendant. You have a couple options for cutting out your shape:

• Use a cookie cutter or stencil – This allows you to easily cut uniform shapes and sizes. Press the cookie cutter into the clay, then carefully lift it up to reveal your cutout shape.
• Freehand cut with a craft knife – For custom, unique shapes, you can freehand cut the clay. Use a sharp craft knife to carefully cut around your desired outline. This takes practice, but allows for custom designs.

Cut out a single shape for a singular pendant, or cut out multiple shapes if you want to layer and combine shapes. If cutting multiple pieces, consider cutting additional “backup” pieces in case some don’t turn out perfectly.

Carefully remove the excess clay around the cutout shape(s). Reroll and reuse the leftover clay if needed.

Smooth and refine the edges

After you’ve cut out the basic shape of your pendant, you’ll want to refine the edges and smooth out any rough areas. Use your fingers and a little bit of water to gently smooth the cut edges of the clay. The water helps soften and blend the clay. Don’t overwork it though or the pendant may start to lose its shape.

As you’re smoothing the edges, take a look at the overall shape and proportions of your pendant. Refine the shape as needed to achieve the look you’re going for. You can pinch and pull areas of the clay to refine the shape. If part of the pendant is too thin or thick, roll a small piece of clay and attach it where needed to build up certain areas.

Getting the edges and shape just right will help your final pendant look smooth, refined and professional. Take your time with this step to perfect the shape before moving on.

Add decorative details

One of the best parts of working with polymer or air-dry clay is that you can easily add decorative details to customize your pendant. Use clay sculpting tools like stamps, rollers, cutters, and modeling tools to imprint textures or patterns into the clay. Press the tool directly into the raw clay to emboss designs. You can also use toothpicks, skewers, or other found objects to create unique patterns.

For added dimension, attach additional pieces of clay to your pendant before baking. Cut out shapes like stars, hearts, flowers etc. and use a drop of water to adhere them. Stack layers of clay to make the pendant 3-dimensional. Add balls of clay for knobs or buttons. Get creative with the extra clay and build up textures, shapes, and interest.

Jewelry pendants often incorporate metal findings like bails, clasps, and jump rings. These can be tricky to model directly in clay. Instead, use sticky tack or play dough as placeholders. Insert a bit of tack where you want the bail or ring to attach. Then after baking, use jewelry glue to affix the actual finding.

Create the hole for the necklace

An important step in making a clay pendant is to create a hole near the top so you can string your necklace chain or cord through it. To make the hole, take a drinking straw, skewer, or other long thin object and gently press it into the top of the still-soft clay, creating a tunnel shape. You’ll want to make sure the hole is large enough for the type of necklace material you plan to use – test it out by threading your chain or cord through once the hole is created. Aim for at least a few millimeters across so you have some room to work with. Making the hole while the clay is still soft ensures a clean piercing through the material. Letting the clay partially dry out first can cause cracking or chipping which mars the look of the final pendant.

Bake the Clay

Once you’ve finished sculpting and detailing your clay pendant, it’s time to bake it to harden and finalize the piece. Be sure to follow the package directions for recommended baking temperature and time. Clay generally needs to bake for 10-15 minutes at 275°F. If using an oven, place the pendant on a baking sheet or ceramic tile. You can also use a countertop clay oven or toaster oven if you have one. Set a timer so you don’t forget!

When the baking time is up, carefully remove the pendant using oven mitts or tongs since it will be very hot initially. Place it on a heatproof surface like a stovetop or wire rack. Allow the pendant to fully cool before handling so it sets properly. Baking evaporates any moisture left in the clay and hardens it into a ceramic material that won’t deform anymore. Your sculpted pendant is now ready for the finishing touches!

Finish the Pendant

After baking, you can finish off your clay pendant by painting, sealing, and adding a necklace cord or chain.

If desired, use acrylic paints to decorate the pendant with designs, patterns, or colors. Apply 2-3 thin coats of paint, allowing each coat to fully dry before adding the next. You can also use paint pens to add finer details.

Once painted, seal the pendant by applying 1-2 coats of water-based sealant, such as polyurethane, Mod Podge, or acrylic varnish. This will protect the paint and give the pendant a nice glossy finish.

To turn your pendant into a necklace, slide a jump ring through the hole and attach a necklace cord or chain. For a cord, try leather, waxed linen, or braided designs. For a chain, opt for sterling silver, gold fill, or stainless steel in varying lengths.

Add clasps or knotting to secure the ends. Now you have a unique handmade clay pendant necklace to wear!