1. Sculpture foundation

-     Sketch your concept for the sculpture, including multiple angles of the turtle

-     Build a clay base angled around a support such as a brush handle

-     Press slabs of clay into place, smooth the seams, and reinforce with skewers

2. Sculpting water

-     Use a ribbon loop tool to carve out ripple patterns radiating from the turtle

-     Smooth the carved surface with water and a filbert brush

-     Let the base dry fully over several days

-     Repair any cracks with fresh clay and water

3. Clay turtle head

-     Shape the turtle’s head by layering and sculpting clay until the proportions feel right

-     Form the shell using a rounded slab and build up until the volume feels balanced

-     Add facial features such as eyes, nose, and texture using a pin tool and hook tool

-     Create shell and skin textures using reference images and detailing tools

-     Add a raised ripple around the shell edge for definition

-     Let the sculpture dry completely

4. Seal and paint

-     Seal the surface with a 1:1 mix of craft glue and water and let dry

-     Mix a green undercoat using Lamp Black, Hooker’s Green, Chinese White, and Yellow Ochre

-     Paint the entire turtle with the green underpainting and let dry

-     Mix Gold and Bronze Metallic acrylic paints in equal parts

-     Dry brush the metallic mix over the surface to create the faux bronze effect, layering slowly