Things You'll Need
Modeling Clay
Wooden toothpicks
Grey and black paints
A small paintbrush
Whether constructing clay animals to fill a miniature forest or making a gift someone with a love for the outdoors, making a clay wolf is an exercise in creativity. Wolfs differ from dogs and other four legged mammals in their feral stance, their bushy fur and their super aware head postures. All of this can be conveyed in a clay model by someone with a bit of sculpting skill. To really get the most life-like clay wolf model possible, finish it off with paints that give it highlights and texture.
Step 1
Create a rectangular base for your model. A good size is about 6 inches long by 2 or 3 inches wide. Make the base about a 1/2 inch thick.
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Step 2
Shape the four wolf paws for your wolf. Wolf paws have four toes which feature claws and a wide pad that is similar to a palm of a hand.
Step 3
Stick the toothpicks though the middle of each paw. Allow a 1/4 inch of toothpick to stick out of the underside of each wolf paw.
Step 4
Stick the toothpicks, with the wolf paws attached, into the clay base you have created. You want to have the paws flush with the base and the toothpicks sticking straight up.
Step 5
Take equal amounts of clay and sculpt the legs of the wolf around the toothpicks. Use a bit of water to smooth the seam between the legs and paws.
Step 6
Roll a piece of clay into a round body for the wolf and attach it to the four legs. Once again, use water to smooth the seams between the different pieces.
Step 7
With a small piece of clay, shape the tail. Give it an upward tilt and slight fan at the end to show off its bushy tail. You can use other toothpicks to etch lines into the tail to indicate fur.
Step 8
Let the figure dry before you add the head. But, use the toothpicks to add detail and design elements to your wolf before it dries.
Step 9
Sculpt the head of the wolf. Create upright ears, a snout and eye recesses that look lifelike. Attach the head to the wolf body using water to seal and smooth the two pieces together.
Step 10
Paint the wolf in black and grey. Use shading techniques in areas where you have etched fur with the toothpick by first painting the area black and then painting the relief areas grey.
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