How to make little Shri Ganesha with Air-dry clay

I would like to dedicate this post to one of the Sahaj sister, Seetha, for sharing the knowledge of making little Shri Ganesha.  So, I am sharing this lovely information with all of you.  Hopefully the little Shri Ganesha will bring you joy and love and lots of vibrations.

Before we begin, just letting you know that if you want to buy air-dry clay and polymer clay in Malaysia, you can get them from Malaysia Clay Art.  They also have tools and accessories and best part is free tutorials for newbies like me.  Their products are cheaper than the outside stores and I love how it came in small packets with 24 colours in one box (I bought Air-dry clay Set E at RM55). Take a look.

Love the colours!  Their service is also very quick.  After you have made the payment, you will get your product in 2 working days (provided they have stock).  They will also send an email to you to update you on your order.  And when they have delivered, another email will be sent to inform you.  I love efficiency.

And the clay is softer and easier to mold.  

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Here's how you do it.  (Disclaimer : We (me and hubby) are still amateurs and sharing with what little we know.)

Ingredients:
Air-dry clay from Malaysia Clay Art
Wooden board from Daiso
Toothpick
White glue
Penknife

Method:

Before we began, you can make Shri Ganesha sitting on the wooden board or you can make a small stool for him.

Step 1 : Legs and feet

a) Take any colours you like and roll it into 2 balls of the same size.  This is for his legs, wearing the dhoti/veshti

b) For each ball, roll them into a cylinder.
c) Slightly bend them into 'L' shape.
d) Take another colour and roll them into smaller balls like (a).  This is for the feet.

e) Optional : You can shape the feet and use a penknife and make small cuts for the toes.  If you prefer it to be simple, then just leave them as balls.  You can also use toothpick to make marks instead of sculpting them into toes
f) Join the 2 legs at the top.  Remember this will form the buttock.
g) Attach the feet to the legs.
h) Optional : You can make Shri Ganesha sit cross-legged or sit with both feet close like a baby.

Step 2 : Body

a) Use the same colour as the feet and roll into one big round ball.  Remember this will be his belly.  Ensure the ball is big enough to sit on his legs.
b) Optional : You can decorate his body with garland or brahmin string or anything you like.  This is the time to do it before anything else.
c) Gently attach the body on top of his legs.
d) Use a toothpick and gently poke the center of his lower abdomen to create the belly button.  Remember this is an important process.

Step 3 : Arms and hand

a) Use the same colour as the body and feet and roll 2 balls of  the same size.  The balls should be smaller than the leg.
b) Repeat steps from Step 1 (b) to (c).
c) Optional : You can create his hands with another 2 sets of smaller balls or you can lengthen his hand from the arm.
d) If you choose to create his hands separately, roll 2 smaller balls.  Then use a penknife to shape his hand by making small cuts for the fingers.  Similarly, you can use a toothpick to mark the fingers.  Then attach them to the arm.
e) If you choose to extend the hands from his arm, just slightly flatten the end part.
d) Right hand is the blessing hand and palm should be facing out vertically.
e) Left hand is the hand holding his favourite food and palm should be open facing up.
g) Slowly and gently attach the arms to his body.  Please ensure it is from the shoulders and not in the middle of his body.

Step 4 : Head and trunk

a) Use the same colour as the body, feet, arms and roll into a ball.  Please ensure the size is smaller than the body.
b) Then gently roll the ball to form a carrot shape.  You do this with the sides of your palm.
c) Turn the lower part of the carrot to the left side.  This forms the trunk.  Note : Shri Ganesha's trunk on the right side has another meaning and he is more ferocious.  Left sided trunk is a gentler Shri Ganesha.

d) Poke a toothpick on the top of the body with the sharp side upwards.
e) Gently attach the head to the body with the toothpick as the stabiliser.
f) You can use a toothpick to gently make some marks on the trunk.

Step 5 : Ears

a) Use the same colour as the head and roll into 2 small balls.
b) Flatten the balls and make the shape that you like.
c) Attach to the head.

Step 6 : Food

a) Optional : You can create a small plate to hold his favourite food or just create a modak or ladoo and place it on his left hand.

Step 7 : Tusks

a) Use white clay and roll into 2 small balls.
b) The tusk on the right is broken.  Flatten the end.
c) Roll the left tusk into a carrot shape.
d) Attach to the head.

Note: You might wondered whether the right side is the broken one or vice versa.  Read them here.




Step 8 : Eyes

a) Optional : You can use some small seeds as his eyes or create your own using clay.  You can also make eye-lashes, etc.
b) Use the white and black colour.  Eye white first then black for cornea.

Step 9 : Crown (optional)

a) This step is optional.  You can make a crown, tiara, hat, cap, anything your creativity can do.

Step 10 : Bindi / vibhuti / tilaka (optional)

a) Another optional step.  Up to you how you would like to decorate Shri Ganesha.

And that's it!  Easy right?  If you have better fingers and able to sculpt, am pretty sure you will make one even more beautiful.

Top view

Ta da!!

Side view

Front view