Ceramic Llamas

Grade 6 students made these clay llamas.  I have to say it was super challenging for them, especially attaching the legs.    

Here's the steps:

Make a pinch pot for the body.  Flip over and shape to appropriate oval-y body shape.

Make nice thick sturdy legs out of columns of clay.  Scratch and attach well.

This was by far the most difficult part- students had a tendency to make the legs waaaay too thin and long to support the heavy body. 

After some time - whew!, the legs should be able to support the body.

Let this part air dry while you sulpt the neck and head separately.  I demonstrated how to make realistic eyes, ears, etc. Then scratch and attach that to the body. Use a plastic fork to scratch 'fur'.  If there's any time left (we had one-90 minute period), kids can make a basket to sling over the llamas back as they are used traditionally as pack animals in South America.

Here's some llamas that I taught to an older grade- Grade 8, and they had an easier time of it.

Here are some of the final glazed ones.  Ta da!

This one is three headed.