Creating

Animals in Wire and Clay

Susie Benes
Copyright © 2019 Susie Benes

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or in any means – by electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without prior written
permission.

ISBN 978-1-9995241-2-8 (Paperback Edition)

ISBN 978-1-9995241-3-5 (Digital Edition)

First published November 2019

All images by Susie Benes

Printed in Canada
www.susiebenes.com

Table of Contents
Epoxy Clay Foundations 1
Armatures: Understanding Wire 2
Your Wire and Clay Sculpture 2
Painting and Decoration 8
Horse Armature Template 9
Dog Armature Template 10
What you’ll need:
- Epoxy clay or air dry clay
- String
- Wire (see page 2 for details)
- Needle-nose pliers with a wire
cutter (strongly recommended)
- Paint (optional)

What clay should I use? Fig. 1 The basic materials

This book will use both epoxy
clay and air dry clay (Creative Paperclay), but you can use either exclusively
to complete your sculpture. Epoxy clay is generally stronger, especially
when the sculpture is very small.
If you wish to complete this project using air dry clay, it may be helpful to
read my book, Sculpting Horses in Creative Paperclay, which discusses the finer
points of using air dry clay for sculpture.

Epoxy Clay Foundations

Epoxy clay can be carved, sanded, and painted once dry. Unlike air dry
clays that dry through water evaporation, epoxy clays cure as the result of
a chemical reaction: Two separate clay parts are mixed together to create a
sculpting material that is very durable once cured.
Some common epoxy clay brands include: Apoxie Sculpt, Magic Sculpt and
Milliput. They behave similarly and can be used interchangeably.

To get started: Take a small, equal, amount of clay from part A and
part B. Important: Retrieve each part with different tools/fingers to keep
from contaminating the clays.
Mix together for 2 minutes to completely combine (using disposable gloves
makes this sticky process easier): the clay should be a uniform color. Be
thorough. Allow the mixed clay to rest for 5 minutes: It will be less sticky.
Epoxy clay hardens from a chemical reaction, and depending on the brand,
you typically have about 2 to 4 hours before it starts to harden. Check your
specific product.

There’s no need for special tools; try pencils (the tip and eraser side both
work), toothpicks or wooden skewers, and inexpensive craft brushes.
Rounding the end of a piece of wire also works. Be creative!
 Armatures: Understanding Wire
An armature is the inner support system of a
sculpture and can be constructed of many materials,
one of the most common being wire. The armature
stays inside the sculpture and provides structural
strength, which is why it needs to be sturdy and
balanced.
Aluminum armature wire is best for sculpting:
it’s easy to shape, yet solid. In a pinch you can use
galvanized wire from the hardware store, but it’s
much stiffer and is difficult to mold (though it does
hold it’s form well). Plastic-coated wire is kind to
Fig. 2 Wonderful wire!
hands, but paint can have a hard time adhering to it.
The sculpture described in this book has wire exposed outside the clay.
Since you will likely want to paint your sculpture, consider that galvanized,
brass, and copper wires oxidize and can potentially deteriorate your
finishes or cause them to flake off.
In North America, wire thickness is generally measured in gauges (or
AWG) - the higher the gauge the thinner the wire. It can also sometimes
be shown as a fraction. In Europe, wire thickness is generally measured in
millimeters.
If you use the armature templates in this book, 14 to 16 gauge wire is
recommended. This is around 1.63-1.29mm or 3/16 thickness. If you make
the armature larger, use thicker wire.

Your Wire and Clay Sculpture

Note: The reference images utilize 12 gauge wire on full-page armature templates.

The Armature
The armature templates at the back of
this book will help you construct your
sculpture by providing a basic starting
point for measuring and shaping the
wire. The spine (red), body (blue) and
each pair of legs (yellow) are single
pieces of wire. You can draw your
own template once you understand
Fig. 3 Measuring string over the template

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 the steps.
Notice that the leg wires on the templates mimic
the animal’s bone structure. This is helpful when
you’re adding clay to certain areas. Study pictures
to get a better understanding of animal anatomy; it
will help your sculpture feel closer to life.
The template is a guide to help you. Don’t be afraid
Fig. 4 Twisting the wire to experiment. You can always get more wire!

The Spine
Take a piece of string and lay
it on the armature template
from the animal’s nose,
following its body, down a
Fig. 5 Twisted wire spine shaped over template
hind leg and out through
the foot (Fig. 3). Add 2in (5cm) on either side of the string and double its
length. Cut the piece of string. Using this string as a guide, measure and
cut a length of wire. We will use this first wire to form the spine.
Fold the piece of wire in half, and holding the folded end using pliers,
tightly twist it together to make a single strand (Fig. 4). Bend the wire to
the shape of the spine on the template (red line) and cut off any remainder
(Fig. 5).

The Legs
Using the string you cut earlier, measure out a piece
B
of wire, but BEFORE cutting, add an additional
half string-length (the wire will be 1.5 strings long).
Legs need the extra wire. Cut the wire and fold
it in half. Don't twist it together just yet. Position
the wire where the front legs meet the spine and
wrap the wire twice around it,
tightly. When you add clay, it
will help to further stabilize
this joint, as it can be loose.
Create some width between A
the legs so the sculpture won't
be flat. Shape each side of the
wire to the front right and left
Fig. 6 Bending the foot legs on the template. Fig. 7 Wire wrapped legs

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When you get to the bottom of the leg, take the
pliers, and holding the wire just where the foot is,
bend it 180° to fold it back on itself (Fig. 6). This
bend will make it easier to sculpt the hoof/paw
because it leaves a small, smooth bottom.
Now that the wire is facing up the leg, you're
going to wrap it back up towards the spine (Fig.
7A). You can choose to twist it, which is better Fig. 8 Ways to shape the wire
on smaller sculptures, or mimic the shape of the
animal’s leg (Fig. 8 shows the variations). The leg wire can be left exposed,
or you can sculpt the legs (check out the picture of the foals on the back
cover).
Once you reach the spine with the wire, wrap the end once more over the
spine to secure it (Fig. 7B). Use any excess wire to create support for the
clay around the spine. Repeat these steps again for the back set of legs.

Sculptor’s Tip
It’s easier to shape the leg wires before you twist the wire back on itself.
Bend the leg shape you want before you start to wrap wire back up.
Wrapping the wire sets the position of the leg, making it more rigid.

The Body
Using the string again, measure and cut
another length of wire (no extra this time).
Fold the wire in half, and fit it into the A
spine wire at the head (Fig. 9A). Twist
the sides of the wire down and around to
wrap it tightly around the head a couple of
times. Face the wire ends down to start the
bottom of the neck (Fig. 9B).
B
Twist the wire to create the neck line.
This can be anywhere from 3 to 8 times
Fig. 9 Attaching the body to the spine
depending on neck length (Fig. 10A). Once
you make enough twists, position the wires
facing outward (Fig 10B), and bend a diamond shape to create the chest
(Fig. 10C). Try not to make the diamond too wide.
Join the wires after the diamond and twist 3 to 4 times to create a space
for the front legs (Fig. 11). Then, spread the wires outward to form the

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belly. Where the belly ends
and begins to turn upward
on the template, twist the
wires 3 to 4 times and
follow the curve (Fig. 12). A
Keeping the wires separate,
but next to each other, curl
the wires slightly down and B
then back upward toward
the spine, creating a "C"
shape. Cross the wires once C
(Fig. 13) before you wrap
each end of the wire around
the spine a couple of times, Fig. 10 Neck and chest Fig. 11 Chest to belly
just in front of where the
tail begins. Cut off excess
wire and push the ends flat
onto the spine. You’ll cover
this joint in clay and hide it.
Don’t worry about the
spine being bulky. You can
even add additional wires
there to act as supports for
the clay or to strengthen
the armature. In Fig. 14,
you can see I used extra
Fig. 12 Curved belly wires Fig. 13 Body to the spine
wire from the legs to create
a support in the middle of the dog's back. The spine is where the majority
of the clay is added: it doesn’t need to be pretty, just robust
Since these sculptures have no base,
ensure the completed armature
stands unaided. If it has trouble, it
means that the finished sculpture
will also have a tendency to fall over.
Alter the armature’s position until
it stands securely. You can even out
small inconsistencies with clay.

Fig. 14 A balanced armature stands

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Adding Clay
Once you’re satisfied with the
armature, it’s time for the fun -
adding clay! The best tools are
your fingers. Press the clay onto
the armature, trying not to alter
the wire’s position. Get the clay
around the wires to ensure it holds.
Don't forget the underside: Fill it
to ensure the connecting wires of
the spine are completely hidden.
I create a base layer on the
important areas (body and head),
letting the clay dry/cure fully, and Fig. 15 The first layer of clay
then sculpting another day. This
ensures the position of the sculpture will be fixed and you have a stable
base to sculpt on (Fig. 15). To reinforce the armature joints and feet, I first
add a layer of epoxy clay, and let it cure overnight.
Add as much or as little clay over the wire as you want. Maybe you’ve made
a really cool armature and want to show it off. Guess what? You can!
Don't forget to sign your artwork. You can carve it into the clay (wet or
dry) or sign in paint. I like to sign on the underside so that it's discreet.

Eyes, Ears, and Toes

When the sculpture is small, the most
straightforward way to make eyes is to
use the back of a small paint brush to
create hollows and then sculpt the eye
area to give the animal an expression Fig. 16 Sculpted eyes. On the right, the
(Fig. 22). The same goes for the nose. ball is dry, on the left, the eyelids added

On larger sculptures, roll tiny clay balls and attach them to the head. Once
they dry, you can sculpt the eyelids and everthing
else; this helps preserve their roundness (Fig. 16).
Alternatively, you can also embed beads for eyes.
Horse ears (Fig. 17): Make a flat, elongated diamond
shape. Roll the long sides together inward, so the
edges are touching. Attach the ears by pushing the
Fig. 17 A horse ear base of the ear into the head and blending the clay.

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Dog ears: Each breed has very specific ears, so study your chosen type. It’s
always best to start with a flat piece of clay and then shape it accordingly.
Sculptor’s Tip
For really solid ears, use wire mesh (Fig. 18). Cut the mesh, shape it, and
attach it to dry clay using super glue. Then layer fresh clay over top. This
will allow you to create very thin structures. It also works well for horse
manes and tails.

Don’t make the ears too thin or

they will be fragile. Make sure they
are well-secured to the head. After
the ears are fully dry, you can refine
their shape carefully with a craft
utility knife. Make sure the clay is
completely cured or it will break.
Sculpting the Fig. 18 Using wire mesh to make ears
feet can help
to balance your sculpture if it’s slightly wobbly. Use
clay to even out small differences in height between
legs. Add or remove clay as necessary. While horses
have a single hoof, dogs have toes (Fig. 19). Don’t
Fig. 19 Dog feet over-complicate the structures, especially on smaller
sculptures.

Fig. 20 A sculpture ready for your decorative ideas!

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 Painting and Decoration
Once your clay is cured (or dried if
you’re using air dry clay), it’s time to
decorate!
Before applying paint, it’s best to
apply a layer or two of gesso or
primer. Gesso is an artists’ primer
that can be found in most art stores.
It ensures that any paint you apply
will adhere properly: this is especially
important over the wire. You may
need two layers of primer to cover
the wire.
The most popular paints for
decorating air dry clay sculpture
are acrylics. They are easy to find,
inexpensive, quick-drying and
versatile. Layering different shades
of paint can help emphasize any
texture and make your work visually
appealing.
You can also use other mixed media, Fig. 21 Your sculpture can be very detailed...
such as collage or even gold leaf.
You’re final art piece is limited only by your imagination.
Finally, varnishing your sculpture will help to protect the finish. This is
helpful since it doesn’t have a base and will likely be handled.

Now step back and

admire your hard
work. Practice makes
better, so don’t be
discouraged if you’re
first sculpture doesn’t
work. Keep creating!

Fig. 22 Or wonderfully simple...

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Horse Armature Template

9
Dog Armature Template

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About the Author
Susie Benes is a Canadian artist who has spent years experimenting with
sculpture clays, and exploring new techniques with a variety of art materials.

Using what she’s learned, Susie will show creative animal-lovers how to design
and build unique sculptures using wire and clay that will surprise and delight.

Learn how to construct a complex wire armature to support your clay creations,
and techniques to make your sculpture a success using air dry or epoxy clay.

Susie’s one-of-a-kind artwork is in private collections around the world. She

shares tips for artists on various non-traditional sculpting mediums on her blog.

www.susiebenes.com