Polymer clay
is ideal for sculpting clay shoes because you can easily manipulate it and then heat it until hard. Making a shoe from polymer clay isn't a difficult process. You can shape it from a relatively simple form and add details with nothing more than a toothpick or sculpting knife, making it an ideal project for a beginning sculptor.
Instructions
1. Knead a block of polymer clay to begin shaping. Twist and pull the clay for five or ten minutes, then form the basic outer shape of the shoe you want to make. If you are making a shoe with a heel, you'll make the heel separately. As you form the shoe, wet the palm of your hand with water and use your palm to smooth the edges of the design until you complete the general shape of the shoe.
2. Press your thumbs into the top of the clay shoe to begin an indentation for the opening of the shoe (where a foot would go). Press down to create the indent and then use your sculpting knife to remove clay from the indentation. Continue to remove clay until you've created the foot opening of your shoe.
3. Detail your shoe using the tip of your sculpting knife. Carve a line around the base of the shoe to separate the sole of the shoe from the shoe itself and then work from the tip of the shoe up, cutting away small strips of clay to bring out the shape of the shoelaces.
4. Add the small eyelets for the shoe with a small toothpick or sewing needle. Form these eyelets by sliding the tip of the needle into the clay and gradually widening each circle until they are uniform. This will create a small lip around each eyelet. Place the eyelets around the shoestrings to make it appear as if the shoestrings are going through the eyelets.
