~SANTA'S VISIT ~

 Santa's Visit  was inspired by my cherished ideal of a Victorian Christmas that harkens back to this Christmas innocence of childhood dreams. For this I had an old-fashioned yuletide Father Christmas in mind, a true classic Jolly Old Elf who is the Santa Claus of sentimental Christmas Eve anticipation. With his arms full of toys and a symbolic evergreen of the season tucked in his embrace, Old Saint Nick has come on his promised visit to deliver his joyful delights to each hopeful child. 

As I was sculpting for a Christmas Curio Display and also for an Ornament, I had two mediums. The weight of a firm polymer clay is ideal for a heavy and higher-end work with detail that requires more depth and this clay works wonderfully for the curio piece. Here "Santa's Visit" is already baked for permanence and getting cleaned for the next stage of being painted

 (*see below). 

For the Christmas Tree Ornaments, I used PaperClay™, which is a light medium and is actually similar to Papier mâché, but in pulp form and is not a non-layering technique; it is made from a clay-like pulp and requires complete drying time before being painted.  The process of sculpting in this medium also is different and is more additive rather than subtractive. It can be sanded, rather than carved. Like watercolour painting is different from oil painting, this paper medium is light and more expressive of its own medium than is a true clay - which holds more to a highly realistic detail sculpting. 

*Note the differences and the beauty of these variations and techniques.

 Both of these unpainted pieces are fully dried Paperclay™ sculpts and are ready for paint - as seen completed below. As no two pieces made by hand are exact, each piece is one of a kind and has its own personality. Look closely and one may see that even the face of each Santa different in expression, as are the toys! 

 These are Christmas tree ornaments, yet may be used as a wall hanging for Christmas decor, as they are light and retain the look of an old-fashioned heirloom. Upon request, an Antique finish may be added to complete the feel of Christmas Past.  

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