When I shared making my bear stealing honey I wondered what would pop into my head to make next. https://thebutlerspottery.ca/2022/11/28/keep-calm-create-sculpting-animals-calms-me/ Of course, something did pop into my head.

This is how I made a frog, playing the bongos.

Sculpting starts with a ball of clay. It’s always best to start at the beginning.

Next comes the basic body shape with its head. The body is hollowed as it needs to dry completely before being fired in the kiln. By making the body first I can determine how big I want it to be.

Once I get the basic shape I work on the details. I made the bongos then the arms. The arms can break easily as the arms are thin. I often build them up at the connection to the body. I carved details on the bongos and then put them into the frog. Then I placed the arms into their approximate positions. I leave the tweaking to the end because I tend to mark them when I’m working on the others.

Mr. Frog is shaping up quite nicely. I have made many frogs that sit in trays made from leaves. I can almost make them in my sleep.

The coil is the beginning of the legs. I fold them and put them on the frog. Details are coming like holes for the eyes to go.

My animals come to life when the eyes are added. Eyes are the light to our soul for reason. When I sketch portraits I find they don’t become people until the eyes are drawn in.

Musicians are often happy when they play. Mr. Frog needs a great smile.

I then fine-tune the details and clean up the scruffy marks.

When he is bone dry I will paint him with underglazes, then he’s ready for the kiln.

Check out my other sculptures and pottery on Etsy.

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