How To Make A Wedding Cake Topper Out Of Clay?
A wedding cake topper made from clay is a unique, personalized decoration for your wedding cake. Handcrafting clay figurines of the bride and groom is a fun way to add a custom touch and make your cake truly special. The clay allows you to sculpt the figures in your likeness and create a keepsake that reflects your style. The finished clay topper will sit atop your wedding cake on display for all your guests to enjoy. By following the steps below, you’ll learn how to make DIY clay cake toppers from start to finish, resulting in a charming, one-of-a-kind cake decoration to commemorate your wedding day.
Choosing Your Clay
When making a wedding cake topper out of clay, it’s best for beginners to use air-dry clay. Air-dry clay is easy to work with, inexpensive, and dries at room temperature without needing to be baked. Some common types of air-dry clay include Crayola Model Magic, ACTIVA Air Dry Clay, and Original Sculpey. These clays come in white or neutral colors, can be painted after drying, and provide enough time for shaping and detailing when making cake toppers.
Polymer clay that requires baking may be too difficult for beginners, as it can be tricky to mix colors, condition properly, and achieve thin delicate parts like arms or flowers. Similarly, pottery clay requires a kiln to fire and harden. So air-dry clay is the easiest material for DIY wedding cake toppers. Look for a brand that is lightweight and pliable enough for shaping figures and decorative elements.
Tools and Materials Needed
To make your clay wedding cake topper, you’ll need a few basic sculpting supplies. Here are the key tools and materials to have on hand:
Clay
Polymer clay or air-dry clay work best for sculpting detailed cake toppers. Opt for white or neutral clay, as you’ll be painting it later. You’ll need a couple blocks of clay, around 1-2 lbs total.
Paint
Acrylic paints are ideal for painting the finished clay figures. Gather a variety of colors like black, brown, red, pink, white, silver, gold, and blue for painting clothing, hair, and other accents.
Paintbrushes
An assortment of small paintbrushes will help you add finer details. Round brushes in sizes ranging from 0 to 5 are useful.
Sculpting Tools
Clay sculpting tools like loop tools, rubber tipped tools, and ribbers allow you to smooth, shape, and add texture to the clay. Bamboo skewers work for poking holes and adding details.
Base/Platform
Consider using a wooden disc, tile, or thick cardboard as a base to display your figurines upright on the cake. Hot glue can adhere the baked clay to the base.
Making the Bride and Groom
The bride and groom figures are the centerpiece of the cake topper, so you’ll want to take your time sculpting them. Start by shaping basic body forms out of clay. For the bride, sculpt a cone shape for the dress and a ball shape for the head. For the groom, sculpt a cylinder for the torso and balls for the head and joints.
Next, add details to bring them to life. For the bride’s face, use a small dot of clay for the nose and roll thin coils for the mouth and eyebrows. For hair, roll out long strands of clay and attach them around the head. Use a clay modeling tool to add strand detailing. For the dress, roll out a flat sheet of clay to cover the cone and add textures like lines, dots and flowers.
For the groom, flatten balls of clay for facial features and attach hair chunks the same way as the bride. For the tuxedo, roll out black clay for the jacket, bowtie and pants, cutting shapes to fit the body form. Add shirt and pocket details by etching lines into the clay. Don’t worry about getting everything perfect, as small imperfections will add charm. Focus on getting the basic shapes and proportions right.
Creating Other Decorations
In addition to the bride and groom figurines, you can make various clay decorations to embellish the base and further customize your cake topper.
Some popular options include:
- Flowers – Mold roses, daisies, lilies, and other flowers out of clay. Make each petal separately and assemble them together around a center piece.
- Hearts – Cut heart shapes out of flattened clay using a cookie cutter or craft knife. Add texture by imprinting designs into the clay.
- Doves – Shape small doves out of white clay to represent love. Add wings, tail feathers, and other detailing.
- Initials – Roll thin coils of clay and cut out the newlyweds’ initials.
- Stars – Cut out star shapes using a small star-shaped cookie cutter.
Get creative with the clay by making whatever design elements fit the bride and groom’s style. Let these decorations dry fully before assembling.
Assembling the Cake Topper
Once you have made the clay figures and decorations, it’s time to assemble them into the finished cake topper. Start by taking the base and attaching the bride and groom figures to it using a small amount of water or clay as “glue.” Press gently but firmly so they adhere. Make sure they are straight and positioned how you want them.
Next, add any other clay decorations you have made, such as flowers, hearts, bells, etc. These can be attached in the same way, using a dab of water or clay to fix them in place. Arrange them artfully around the base. Make sure any long or fragile elements, like flower stems or ribbons, are supported and reinforced so they don’t break off.
If you want to add non-clay decorations, like crystals or pearls, they can be glued on with a strong adhesive like E6000 glue after the clay has been cured and painted. Consider adding ribbon around the base for an extra decorative touch.
Take your time assembling the pieces and be creative with the design! The wonderful thing about making your own cake topper is you get to customize it exactly how you want.
Baking/Curing the Clay
Once your clay wedding cake topper is assembled, it’s time to bake or air-dry it to cure and harden the clay. The process you use will depend on the type of clay you chose.
For polymer clay, follow the baking instructions on the packaging. Typically, you will bake polymer clay in a standard oven at temperatures between 265-300°F for 15-30 minutes. Check on the clay regularly as it bakes to ensure it doesn’t burn. The clay is cured when it becomes hard and has a slight glossy look.
For air-drying clays like Crayola Model Magic, you simply leave your creation out to dry for 24-48 hours. Make sure the shape will maintain structural integrity as it dries and doesn’t droop or sag. You can periodically rotate the piece to ensure all sides dry evenly.
Work in a well-ventilated area when baking polymer clays, as they can release fumes. Regardless of drying method, make sure the clay has completely hardened before painting or transporting your cake topper.
Painting/Finishing
After the clay has been properly cured, it’s time to bring your wedding cake topper to life with color and details. Acrylic paints work well for painting polymer clay. Be sure to use acrylics designed for clay or plastic to ensure proper adhesion. Always test your paints on a scrap piece first.
Paint your bride and groom figures in colors that match their clothing and accessories. Add finishing touches like rosy cheeks, lip color, and eye details. Paint any additional figurines or decorative elements in colors of your choosing to coordinate with your overall cake design.
Once all pieces are painted, you may choose to add a protective sealant like polyurethane or varnish. This is especially important if your figurines have small, delicate details that may rub off over time. Apply 2-3 thin coats of sealant, allowing it to fully dry between applications. The sealant will protect your hard work and keep the colors looking vibrant.
Take care when handling the dried pieces, as clay can be fragile. Now your custom cake topper is ready to take its place atop your beautiful wedding cake!
Transporting and Displaying
Once your clay cake topper is completely finished, you’ll need to carefully transport it to the wedding venue and display it on the cake. Here are some tips for getting your handmade topper there safely:
Allow plenty of time for the clay to fully cure and dry before transporting it. If it’s still even a little soft or moist, it could become damaged or even warp during transport. Let it cure for the recommended time based on the type of clay you used.
Wrap the finished topper very carefully in bubble wrap or tissue paper to cushion it and prevent any rubbing or impacts during transport. Be sure to wrap any delicate areas like hands, flowers, etc very gently.
Place the wrapped topper in a sturdy box or plastic container so it can’t slide around and get jostled during the drive.
Drive slowly and carefully over any big bumps or potholes on the trip.
At the venue, unwrap it carefully and keep it in a safe place until it’s time to put it on the cake. Position it on the cake shortly before the reception starts.
Consider transporting and placing the bride and groom separately, then joining them together on the cake for a dramatic reveal.
With some care and planning, you can safely get your lovingly handcrafted clay cake topper to the big event without any breaks or smudges!
Alternative Ideas and Tips
Once you get the basics down, there are many ways to make your clay cake topper unique. Here are some ideas to try:
Unique Designs
Instead of a bride and groom, make your topper feature:
- Two grooms or two brides
- A platonic couple like best friends or siblings
- Favorite fictional or cartoon characters
- Bride with her dog or cat
- Personalized caricatures of the couple
For a fun spin, sculpt the figures in non-traditional poses like dancing, hugging, or jumping for joy.
Troubleshooting Issues
If your clay figures become misshapen, add more clay to reshape them before baking. Let the clay sit out briefly to soften and make blending easier.
If the figures start to crack while baking, the oven temperature may be too high. Try a lower temp like 275°F for a longer time, and tent foil over them.
If paint doesn’t hold well on the baked clay, try sanding it lightly first to help paint adhere. Apply a primer/sealer before painting for best results.
Expert Advice
Start the figures simple – focus on getting the main shapes and proportions right first. You can always add more intricate details later.
Use wire, toothpicks or aluminum foil inside to reinforce thin parts like arms and legs so they don’t droop.
Mix different colored clays to achieve custom skin tones, hair colors, etc. Lightly blend for a natural look.
Work on small sections at a time so the clay doesn’t dry out. Knead it frequently to keep it pliable.
