Learn how to make a foam clay pancake turtle with fake maple syrup and butter on top. Makes a cute gift and a fun decoration on your kitchen shelf. Check out my other food turtles and create your very own collection for a fun display.
Why Foam Clay is So AMAZING!
Crafting with foam clay is not just about creating cute figures; it’s like a therapy session that’s all about relaxation and pure enjoyment. Imagine the joy of squishing, molding, and creating without any mess – that’s the beauty of foam clay! It’s not just for the kids; adults can totally get in on the fun too. So, if you’re looking for a creative outlet that’s soothing and brings out your inner artist, foam clay is the way to go!
It’s a fantastic indoor activity for the whole fam! It’s the perfect medium to improve your sculpting skills. If you are looking to quickly learn new skills to master your other mediums such as polymer clay or ceramics you are at the right place! Foam clay is so quick and easy to work with that you can practice many projects in a short amount of time improving your skills along the way. What are you waiting for? let’s get those creative vibes flowing together! 🌈✨
Tips for working with Foam Clay
- If you have a particular soft and sticky clay I suggest to let it dry just a little bit and then mix it well or you can add a different type of clay called SOFT Clay. This will take the tackiness out and give the foam the needed support to hold its shape.
- The Secret to a super smooth and wrinkle-free appearance is your palm and the right pressure. When you roll the clay between your palms don’t be afraid to really squish and roll it around. This will ensure all the wrinkles disappear. Then you lessen the pressure and shape it into its final form.
- if you are trying to save money and color your own clay use Gel Food Colors. I find that acrylic colors will mess with the clay’s consistency and will dry it out which makes it impossible to work with.
If you are brand new to foam clay watch my beginner playlist on youtube that will go more into detail and teach you everything you need to know about foam clay.
Lets get started!
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MATERIALS YOU WILL NEED:
- Foam Clay: Brown, yellow and white (I dye my clay with food gel colors to get any shade)
- brown soft pastels: I mix the tan, a medium and a dark brown together
- Toothpicks
- Safety eyes
- Resin
- Gloves
GOOD TO HAVE BUT NOT NECESSARY:
WATCH ME MAKE THE PANCAKE TURTLE
Mix your own Colors
Don’t be afraid of mixing your colors. It gives you so much more control of “waste”. Especially if you find yourself using a color very rarely but still need it on hand for THAT ONE project. I use Chefmaster gel food colors, but also use Wilton gel colors. Both are great, I just prefer the bottle style over the tubes for easy application. One thing people don’t like about mixing their own colors is that they are afraid of running out and then not being able to mix the same exact shade again. I get that!!! And I tried to make it a “science” creating a coloring recipe BUT it’s no fun! It’s not necessary IF you can make sure you make enough for your project in one go. If you download my measurememts you will know exactly how much you will need.
The gel colors are easier to mix than regular liquid and don’t mess with the consistency of the clay as much as you might will. I rarely get the clay to the final shade, because I love to finish off with soft pastels for that extra brightness and soft look. So you never have to add tons of gel color, just enough to get the “background” shade you desire.
Take all my measurements with a grain of salt. It’s really just to get you some framework. Every clay is different and every food color is too. So adjust to your situation and don’t stress about being accurate!
1 Step: Coloring your Clay
I added 2 drops of brown gel food color to 50g of white clay to get a light brown pancake batter shade. you could even add a speck of yellow.
Mix well until all the pigment is evenly distributed. It’s not as messy as you think with a little practice you’ll be able to avoid staining your hands during this process and after the pigment is mixed in, the clay does not stain your hands.
Step 2: Shape the Turtle
Take some light brown clay and shape it into a 1.75 inch flattish ball for the turtle’s body.
Next, shape a 0.75 inch egg-shaped head.
Use half a toothpick to join the head and body together. Use some glue for extra hold.
shape 4 teardrops, about 0.5 inches for the legs and attach with a quarter of a toothpick for more joint stability.
For the turtle’s eyes, I now use glass eyes to save the step of making them shiny. For this size turtle I use the 6mm pin eyes. Stick them right into the clay, no glue is needed.
To get that nice, baked look I mix tan, light brown and dark brown soft pastels. Shave each color to a powder and mix and apply all over leaving the edges more pale while the top is more dark.
Step 3: Turning the Turtle into Pancakes
For the plate, roll out some white clay and cut a circle with a round (1.5 inch) cookie cutter. Then add some details to the plate edge with the end of a paint brush. Add the plate to the turtle’s back.
Next, make the pancakes with the same light brown clay. Flatten them to about 0.75 inches then take a toothpick and engrave the baking line for a realistic look. Shade the pancakes the same way as the turtle’s body. Then stack them up on the plate
For the butter, color your clay yellow and mix well. Take a small piece and shape it into a rectangle or square (about 0.25 inches) to top the pancake stack and an even smaller piece for the head.
To create the syrup, I use UV resin and the same gel food colors as for the clay. Mix a couple of drops of yellow with just a speck of brown to get it to that golden color of the maple syrup. Then apply it and spread with a toothpick. If it’s runny, have your UV light handy to harden it right in the spot before it drips all the way to the bottom.
Safety precaution: wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated area due to the fumes
After you’re done let the resin cure under a UV lamp for as long as directed on the bottle.
Congratulations! You just made your own pancake stack turtle!!! Admire and adore! Don’t devour 😃
This is the cutest! I love this. I’m going to make this with my nephew. Thank you for sharing!
Awesome!! I hope you both enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions 🥰
This is so cute. Thanks
I love turtles! This is absolutely adorable. Thank you for sharing how to make it.