If you are looking for a versatile material for crafting and designing that will delight both children and adults, modeling clay is a really great choice. Whether plaster, play dough, craft clayor papier-mâché, the masses can be wonderfully transformed into various things such as figures, bowls and pictures. And especially now in autumn, when the bad weather often doesn't allow us to spend time outdoors, a few craft ideas of this kind are very welcome, aren't they? Below, take a look at some creative modeling clay ideas for autumn that you can recreate at any time.
Autumn leaf-shaped bowls made from craft clay
Leaves are one of the most popularMotifs for autumn decorationsand crafts. For this reason, we start our list of modeling clay ideas for autumn with this motif. More specifically, we'll show you how you can make pretty bowls out of simple craft clay that will be the perfect fall decoration. The bowls are also great for giving as gifts. Use clay that dries in the air or that hardens in the oven as desired. This is how easy it is to make the bowls:
- craft clay
- any leaves
- Rolling pin or wooden stick for rolling out the craft clay
- Messer
- Bowl (a fireproof model for craft clay for baking)
- Spray paint (copper in the example)
- cling film
Take about a handful of clay, shape it into a ball, flatten it with your hand and roll out the clay a few millimeters thick with the rolling pin. Now take a leaf and press it lightly into the clay. Carefully remove the sheet again. The impression should now ideally be transferred into the clay along with the leaf veins. Now use the knife to cut out the leaf shape along the outline.
Then line the prepared dish with cling film and place the sheet inside. Gently press it into the curvature so that it takes the shape of the bowl. If you are using clay that needs to be baked in the oven, you should use a dish that is suitable for the oven and bake the clay as it lies in the dish according to the package instructions. Air-drying clay simply remains in the bowl to dry for approximately 24 hours (or as directed by the manufacturer). Then you can spray the leaves with the selected color. This should be done outdoors in the fresh air and on a surface. If you like a minimalist look, you can also leave the leaves white.
Modeling clay idea with pumpkin and homemade clay decorations
Like the leaves, the pumpkins can be used at theAutumn decorationnot missing. And this time we don't mean the scary Halloween faces. Instead, use real or artificial pumpkins and decorate them with elements that you previously made yourself from craft clay. You make these using silicone molds for chocolates, which are now available in a wide variety of versions. This is how the pumpkins are made as modeling clay ideas for autumn:
- pumpkin
- craft clay
- Chocolate candy molds
- Paints for painting the pumpkin (e.g. acrylic or spray paints) and brushes
- Glue
Take a small piece of craft clay and place it in the first praline mold. You can press firmly so that no cavities are created. Simply wipe off any excess clay with your thumb. The clay should form a flat surface with the mold so that you can attach it to the pumpkin more easily. Make as many shapes as you want. Then carefully take the clay out of the mold and coat the smooth side completely with glue. Decorate the pumpkin with it. Finally, decorate the finished pumpkin with any colors you like, let them dry and you can decorate the house!
Making pumpkins with children and play dough
While we’re on the subject of “pumpkins” – you want cute ones like thisMake pumpkins with your children? Then you can use good old modeling clay, but craft clay that you can buy colored or then paint is also suitable. There are special tools that you can work with to make a variety of figures out of plasticine. If necessary, ordinary household items can also be used. Small pumpkins as modeling clay ideas for autumn can be made from modeling clay as follows:
- orange dough
- green dough
- Tools for shaping
Take some orange modeling clay and form it into a smooth ball. Then you have to form a hollow. For example, you can use a pen with a rounded end or cap, or anything else you can think of. Then take some green play dough, shape it into a stem and stick it into the cavity. Then, using the blunt side of a knife, spatula, or similar, create slits on the sides of the pumpkin to imitate its typical wave shape. Complete!
Or how about the variant from the picture above? Simply make white balls, design the slots as described above, and then decorate the pumpkin with tiny leaves in fall colors. Of course you can also make larger pumpkins. However, you should keep in mind that the more voluminous the figure you make, the longer the clay has to dry.
Make monsters out of play dough with children
Autumn time is also Halloween time. That's why monsters like these are a good idea for children during Halloween week, right? All you need is playdough in different colors, googly eyes, pipe cleaners and some pom-poms. You can then make any monster bodies and heads out of the dough. The more unusual, the better! Finally, glue one or more eyes depending on the monster, cut the pipe cleaner into small pieces, glue a pom-pom to one of the two ends and stick the other end into the monster's head. Make two such feelers for each monster.
Autumnal pendants for a necklace
Thispretty pendantsconsists of several homemade leaves and can decorate a necklace or bracelet as desired. They are made from craft clay and are a really very simple craft idea. Of course, you can also try other shapes and experiment a bit. Either way, you will need the following materials:
- Craft clay in any color
- Varnish for modeling clay
- flat brush
- thin chain
- small piece of wire (thin enough to fit through the chain links)
- Eyelets for pendants
- Necklace
- Wire pliers, round nose pliers
- toothpick
- optional: copper color
Shape small leaves out of the craft clay. Then use a toothpick to poke holes through one of the ends (test whether they are big enough for the chain) and use its tip to create the leaf veins. You can then bake the leaves or let them air dry if you have chosen this type of craft clay. By the way, you can also use white craft clay and paint it with acrylic paints after it dries if you can't find clay in the colors you want.
Once the clay has dried, you can paint it. The version in which half of the leaf is copper-colored looks very pretty, but you can of course also come up with your own designs. Once the colors are dry, seal them with the clear varnish (be careful not to cover the holes with the varnish) and let the varnish dry. Then cut short chains for each leaf (a different length for each leaf) and thread them through the holes.
Now take a piece of wire and thread it through the ends of the chains. Before you twist the wire in with pliers to close it, you can check the arrangement of the leaves. If you don't like how they fall, swap them between each other as you see fit. Close the wire and form the other end into an eyelet. Then attach the eyelet for the pendant to this.
Keychain with leaf prints
Keychains like these are really great ideas made from modeling clay, don't you think? You can't just yoursDecorate keychain, but also those of your friends and relatives when you give them as gifts. If you are looking for modeling clay ideas for autumn for beginners, this is the perfect choice because they are really very easy to make and can also be individually designed. You need:
- craft clay
- small leaves
- Acrylic paints and brushes
- Key rings and chains
- optional: clear varnish for sealing and additional decorations such as small tassels
- Rolling pin or other rolling pin
- round cookie cutter or a glass
- toothpick
Roll out the clay and cut out circles using a cookie cutter or the open side of a glass. Take a sheet and gently press it onto the circle to transfer its imprint and remove the sheet again. Poke a hole anywhere below the edge. Now dry the pendants (in the oven or in the air, depending on the craft clay). You can then paint the leaf shapes. You can get the slightly worn look by mixing the acrylic paints with a little water. Allow the colors to dry and then seal with clear varnish if you wish. Then just attach the key ring, chain and possibly an additional decoration and you're done.
Tip: Instead of using the prints, you can simply paint the plates freehand with acrylic paints if you're feeling creative. Simply choose autumnal motifs to match the theme. Or how about another oneIdea for Halloween? The funny zombies from the picture above are really great modeling clay ideas for autumn and Halloween, don't you think?
Make hedgehogs
Children find hedgehogs really interesting, but adults also enjoy them. So how about you make them out of play dough or craft clay to match the fall? They can then be used as decoration or just for your children to have a fun afternoon. Whether you choose the variant from the picture above or prefer your ownMake hedgehogs, is up to you. In the video instructions you will find some helpful suggestions for making the individual elements that you can use for this purpose.
Look tooin our latest articleto discover more creative craft ideas for children!
The spiked dress also looks very interesting and effective on such a decorative figure. But if spikes are too complicated for you, you can simply create a smooth surface and then design it with a toothpick or just paint spikes on.
Hedgehog with spiked coat
Also read:Ideas for modeling clay in autumn: jewelry, decorations & animals
