How To Make Diy Clay Pot Flower People Step By Step Tutorial Instructions?

Flower pot people are whimsical decorative pieces made from clay pots decorated to look like human characters. They first became popular in England in the 1930s but have had a resurgence in recent years as a fun DIY garden craft.

To make your own flower pot person, you’ll need:

• Terra cotta flower pots in various sizes
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Wiggly eyes
• Glue
• Embellishments like buttons, fabric, popsicle sticks, etc for accessories

Air dry clay works best for sculpting details like noses, ears, and hair. Use terra cotta pots without drainage holes so the clay will adhere better. Let paint fully dry between coats for the most vivid colors.

Making the Head and Face

The head and face are the focal point of your pot people project. Here is how to get started:

Form a smooth ball of clay about 2-3 inches wide. This will be the head. Firmly attach it to the top or side of your clay pot so that it stands upright. Consider the angle you want the face to be looking as you attach the head.

Next, use small pieces of extra clay to add the facial features. For the eyes, roll two tiny balls of clay and attach them slightly above the middle of the face area. Use a chopstick or other tool to indent eye sockets. For the nose, roll a small cone shape and attach below the eyes. For the mouth, roll out a small coil of clay and shape into a smile.

To make hair, roll thin strands or coils of clay and carefully attach them around the head. Let them drape over the forehead or shoulders. Add as much or as little hair as you like!

Adjust the facial features as needed. Add eyelashes, eyebrows, ears or other details to bring your pot person to life!

Adding the Body

After finishing the head and face, it’s time to build the body out of clay. This will involve rolling snakes of clay for the arms, legs and torso, then attaching them to the flower pot in the desired positions.

Start by taking a lump of clay and rolling it between your hands to create long, snake-like coils. These will form the arms and legs. Make two arm pieces and two leg pieces per figure, in proportion to the size of the head and pot. Roll each section until it is an even width, smoothing out any lumps or bumps.

Next, attach the arm and leg pieces to the pot by gouging a space to insert them and scoring the clay with a toothpick or skewer. This roughing up of the surface will help the pieces adhere together firmly. Position the arms and legs how you want them – some ideas are sticking straight out, bending at the elbows/knees, crossed legged etc.

For the torso, roll out a thicker snake of clay and cut it to the height you want. Attach this to the pot and blend it into the arms and legs. Now you can further shape the limbs by making hands, shoes, sleeves, pants etc. Have fun sculpting details like jewelry, buttons and other accessories out of additional clay.

Your clay figure should now have a basic body comprising arms, legs and a torso sculpted out of clay and affixed to the flower pot base. Feel free to refine and add to it as desired before moving onto painting and final detailing.

Creating Accessories

One of the best parts of making DIY clay pot flower people is customizing them with fun accessories. You can let your creativity run wild by making hats, flowers, gardening tools, and more out of clay to attach to your creation.

For hats, roll clay into a long coil and form into a circle that will fit around your flower pot person’s head. Add details like a brim or bow. Make clay flowers by rolling different sized balls of clay for the center and petals. Pinch and ruffle the petals to shape them. For gardening tools, roll clay into a cylinder for the handle and add a flattened oval shape for the spade or rake end.

To attach accessories, wet the end of the item and the spot on the flower pot person where you want to place it. Firmly press and smooth the clay together. Let the clay dry completely before moving the flower pot person or accessories may fall off. Get creative with the accessories to give your flower pot person their own unique style and personality!

Facial Expressions

One of the best things about making DIY clay pot people is being able to sculpt different facial expressions to give them personality. Here are some ideas for facial expressions you can try:

Happy

A happy facial expression is a classic choice. To make a happy face, add a smile by molding the clay upwards into an arc shape. Make sure to indent the corners of the mouth using your fingers, smoothing out any sharp edges. For an extra joyful look, add smile lines by pressing small grooves out from the nose. Shape the eyes with curved eyebrows to complete the cheerful face.

Sad

For a melancholy mood, sculpt a sad face instead. Make downturned eyebrows and a slight frown by molding the mouth downwards into a shallow U shape. Add bags under the eyes by thinning and smoothing the clay downwards. Drooping eyelids can also enhance the sad expression. Keep the rest of the face smooth.

Surprise

A surprised facial expression is fun and animated. To achieve this look, make wide round eyes and raised eyebrows that curve upwards in the middle. Open the mouth in an O shape. For extra emphasis, add some wrinkles on the forehead.

Get creative with the many possibilities for facial expressions. Adding dynamic and distinct faces will give each of your pot people a unique personality.

Painting Your Clay Pot Flower People

Painting is one of the most enjoyable parts of making DIY clay pot flower people. But there are a few important tips to ensure your paint job lasts.

First, allow all the clay pieces to dry fully before painting. Clay contains moisture, so paint will not properly adhere to wet surfaces. Let the clay air dry for at least 24 hours.

Next, choose your paint. Acrylic craft paint works wonderfully for painting clay pot projects. Tempera or other thick poster paints also work well. Stay away from watery paints like watercolors – they will not cover or stick to the clay properly.

Apply paint in thin layers, letting each layer dry before adding another. Thick globs of paint may crack or peel. Start with base colors, adding finer details in additional layers.

Finally, seal your painted clay with a clear acrylic varnish. This will protect the paint and give your piece a nice finished shine. Let the varnish dry fully before displaying your clay pot flower people.

With proper preparation and painting technique, your DIY clay pot flower people will have a colorful, durable paint job you’ll enjoy for years to come.

Making a Scene

Once you’ve made your clay pot people, the fun doesn’t have to stop there. Consider creating additional figures, animals, objects, and accessories out of clay to build an entire scene or display for your flower pot people. Get creative with the types of scenes you can make!

For example, you can create an outdoor scene by making trees, bushes, benches, and other objects. Make a clay squirrel or bird to sit on the branch of a tree. Add a clay dog or cat to sit beside your clay pot person on a bench. The options are endless!

You can also build indoor scenes featuring clay furniture and decor items. Make couches, tables, chairs, shelves, and more. Add clay books, plants, pictures, clocks, and other accessories throughout the scene. Your flower pot people will look right at home.

Building out an entire display lets you tell a story with your clay pot people. Place them together in interesting positions and give them fun props that suggest what they are doing. Are they playing sports? Having a tea party? Building a castle? Making scenes gives your imagination room to run wild!

Don’t worry about perfection. The charming, handmade look of clay makes even the simplest additions captivating. Focus on the fun of creating and let the scene come to life naturally. With a bit of creativity, you can build a clay world that brings joy to you and anyone who sees your flower pot people display.

Special Effects

Adding special effects can really make your clay pot people come to life. Consider using glitter, faux gems, feathers, googly eyes, and modeling putty to give your characters some extra personality.

Glitter is a fun and easy way to add some sparkle to your clay pot people. Simply mix glitter into the clay before shaping your character. You can also paint liquid glue onto the surface of the dried clay and sprinkle glitter over top. Use glitter to give your characters festive outfits, magical effects, or fairy wings.

Faux gems make great jewelry and decoration for your clay pot people. Glue them onto the clay as earrings, necklaces, crowns, belts, buttons, and more. You can find inexpensive faux gems at most craft stores.

Feathers add a whimsical touch to clay pot people. Glue them into the clay as hair, wings, tail feathers, or accessories. Use feathers in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes for the most interest.

Googly eyes instantly give your clay pot people a friendly and fun look. Simply glue them on as you would real eyes. Googly eyes come in lots of different colors and sizes.

Modeling putty allows you to sculpt details like teeth, horns, noses, and other 3D elements. Let the putty dry fully before attaching it to your baked clay character. Modeling putty adheres well to cured polymer clay.

Troubleshooting

Clay is a delicate material, so it’s common to run into issues like cracking, breakage, and paint problems when making clay pot people. Here are some tips for troubleshooting common problems:

Fixing Cracking and Breakage

If your clay pot person develops cracks or breaks into pieces, don’t panic! There are a few ways to fix this:

• For small cracks, mix a bit of water into some clay and press it into the cracks as a filler. Allow to dry fully.
• For larger cracks or breakage, apply white glue over the broken edges and press the pieces back together firmly. Let dry completely.
• If a piece broke off completely, roughen the broken edges with sandpaper and apply white glue. Hold the piece in place until the glue sets.

Paint Issues

Clay is porous, so you may encounter issues like paint rubbing off, cracking, or bleeding. Try these fixes:

• Apply a sealant like polyurethane over painted areas to protect the paint and prevent smudging.
• If paint cracks, gently sand the area and reapply paint in thin layers, allowing to dry in between.
• For bleeding paint, allow the piece to dry fully. Then apply a primer to block the bleeding.

Displaying Tips

Once you’ve created your adorable clay pot people, it’s time to show them off! Here are some tips for displaying your flower pot artworks so they look their best:

• Shelves or tables – Place your pot people on shelves, mantels, side tables, cabinets or any flat surface inside your home. Angle them towards each other for a conversational scene.

• Flower beds or gardens – Nestle your pot people into flower beds or vegetable gardens for a whimsical touch. Just make sure they have some shelter from harsh sun and rain.

• Covered porches or patios – Give your pot people a comfy covered spot outside where they’ll be protected from the elements. Group them together for a tea party!

• Under eaves – Position pot people under roof eaves or overhangs so they stay dry in rainy weather. Point them outwards overlooking the yard or garden.

• Avoid harsh sunlight – Make sure your clay pot people don’t face constant, direct sun, which can cause damage, fading and cracking over time.

• Bring them in during winter – In cold climates, protect pot people by bringing them indoors during the winter to prevent damage from freezing temperatures and snow.

Get creative with displaying your delightful clay pot people! With a little protection, they’ll bring whimsy and charm to your home and garden for years to come.