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How to Make a Model of a Chinchilla

Chinchillas are members of the rodent family. They inhabit the rocky outcrops and crevices of the Andes Mountains in eastern South America and have developed numerous defense mechanisms to protect themselves from their many predators. If a chinchilla is caught by a skunk, wild dog, snake or other animal it may shed clumps of its fur or even spray its assailant with urine in an attempt to get away. Despite this habit, chinchillas are adorable animals with a great deal of character. This makes them ideal subjects for art and sculpture. Making a clay model of a chinchilla requires patience and considerable trial and error, but the finished product will reward all the effort.

Things You'll Need

Chinchilla reference picture
Modeling clay
Stiff wire
Wire cutters
Flexible wire
Sculpting tool
Pin
Gray glaze
Paint brush
Pottery kiln
Super glue
Paint brush bristles
Glass beads

Instructions

- 1
  Break off a large lump of the modeling clay. This should be equal in mass to the body of the chinchilla model. Warm your hands and knead the clay into an ovular shape. Keep kneading until the body is the size and shape you want it to be. Break off another lump of clay, about one quarter the size of the first lump. This will be the chinchilla's head.
- 2
  Roll the new lump of clay between your hands to make a spherical shape which tapers towards the chinchilla's nose. Use the wire cutters to cut a 2 inch piece of stiff wire and insert one end of the wire into the neck end of the chinchilla's head. Insert the other end into the neck end of the body and push the two clay balls together. Blend the clay from the two balls together to create a stout neck. The stiff wire gives the neck strength.
- 3
  Use the sculpting tool to create definition in the legs and arms of the chinchilla. The chinchilla's body is a compact unit so the limbs only appear right at the bottom of the animal. Use the chinchilla picture as a reference and push parts of the clay to one side to create the outline and the impression of limbs. Taper the legs at the ends, and then mold the clay into small triangular feet. As the chinchilla's stomach drags on the ground, these limbs do not need to be weight bearing.
- 4
  Use the wire cutters to cut a 4 inch piece of flexible wire. Curl this wire around three of your fingers to create a curl. Fill out the curl with modeling clay until wire is no longer visible. Use the sculpting tool to taper the end of the tail and to make small lines on the clay. These lines should start from near the chinchilla's body and emanate outwards, creating a feathering effect.
- 5
  Use the sculpting tool to continue this feathering effect all over the chinchilla's body. This creates the look of fur. Look at the reference picture and create two disks of modeling clay representing the animal's ears. Use the stiff wire to reinforce them and attach them onto the head of the chinchilla. Use the sculpting tool to gouge lines in the model's face, creating a nose and a mouth. Push two glass beads into the face of the chinchilla model to represent the animal's eyes. These eyes are central to the face, either side of a narrow nose bridge.
- 6
  Take a pin and create a cluster of little holes on either side of the chinchilla's nose and mouth. This is where the model's whiskers will go after firing. Paint the model all over with a grey glaze, taking care not to get any in the model's eyes or fill up any of the little whisker holes.
- 7
  Place the model in the kiln for firing. Heat the kiln up to around 1800 F and leave to bake for around 18 hours. Allow the piece to cool and then remove. Add a small amount of super glue to the end of each of your paint brush bristles and insert them into the small holes to create the whiskers.

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