How to make a Poppy out of clay
This is how I make Poppies out of clay. Any clay will work as long as its soft and wet enough.
What you will need:
1. Clay
2. Craft knife
3. Old comb
4. Pointy implement (sharp pencil will work)
5. Stamp for impressions on clay (not necessary)
Making the Center
1. Create a sausage shape and flatten the end:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CenterofPoppyFlower-420x420-1.jpg)
2. Using a craft blade or similar, create a star shape with 5 lines:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/starshapecenter-420x420-1.jpg)
3. Create the following pattern in each section by pushing the blade into each triangle section:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Poppyflowercenterclay-420x420-1.jpg)
4. Using a pointy implement create a small hole in the center:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/pointyimpliment-420x420-1.jpg)
5. Next roll out a sausage of clay and flatten one edge:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/flatteningclaysausage-420x420-1.jpg)
6. Use an old comb to create the stamens:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/MakingStamenswithClay-420x420-1.jpg)
7. Wrap the strip of clay around the center a couple of times:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/stamensaroundcenter-420x420-1.jpg)
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PoppyFlowerCenterClat-420x420-2.jpg)
Making the Petals
1. Create 4 petals. Create the following shape by starting with a triangle shape and flattening it in the palm of your hands:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/poppypetal-420x420-1.jpg)
2. Flatten the edges of the shape excluding the bottom part:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/flatteningPetals-420x420-1.jpg)
3. Using a textured stamp press lightly to create the petal wave marks: (you could do this on both sides)
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/clayontexturedstamp-420x420-1.jpg)
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PoppyPetals-420x420-1.jpg)
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/4poppyPetals-420x420-1.jpg)
Putting Flower Together
1. Get your center and put the first two petals around the center like below:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PuttingPoppyTogether-420x420-1.jpg)
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/poppytwopetals-420x420-1.jpg)
2. Use your fingers to make the petals bend over slightly at the ends:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/claypoppy-420x420-1.jpg)
3. Then add the other two petals like below:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/poppy-420x420-1.jpg)
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ClayPoppyFlower-420x420-1.jpg)
Then you could create a stem with the under clay.
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/undersideofpoppy-420x420-1.jpg)
I have used this poppy to go on one of my flower ladies:
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/poppyheadonsculpture-420x420-1.jpg)
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PoppyFlowerLady-420x420-1.jpg)
Voila!
![](https://carolynclayton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/poppylady-420x420-1.jpg)
Below is a video of me making a poppy out of Bone China Clay: