Whiskers and Sunflowers on the Starry Night: a Van Gogh-Inspired Polymer Clay Project

As some of you may know from one of my previous Instructables, "DIY Relief Painting - Starry Night" (https://www.instructables.com/DIY-Relief-Painting-Starry-Night/), I have a deep fascination with Van Gogh's Starry Night and love creating projects inspired by it. This time, I’ve crafted a relief image using polymer clay, combining the magic of Starry Night with two of my other passions: sunflowers and cats. I truly hope you enjoy following this tutorial as much as I enjoyed bringing this unique artwork to life.

1. Paper (Starry Night coloring print)
2. Baking paper
3. Masking tape
4. Polymer clay (mainly shades of blue, yellow, brown, green, and white)
5. Black cardstock
6. Silicone glue
7. Picture frame

First, I took apart the photo frame and removed the placeholder papers. This allowed me to measure the exact size of the image I would create, ensuring a perfect fit for my artwork.

Next, I searched online for a version of Van Gogh's Starry Night that I liked for coloring. I copied it into Illustrator and created a rectangle matching the dimensions I measured in Step 1. Then, I added the shape of two cats at the bottom, completed the design, and made it ready for printing.

Using masking tape, I secured the corners of the paper to the surface I would be working on. Then, I placed baking paper over it, which is similar to tracing paper and allows the image beneath to show through. Since baking paper is designed for the oven, I could safely work on the polymer clay piece directly on top of it and bake it without any issues.

I used a polymer clay extruder with the smallest extrusion shape I have. (My extruder is a standard one, but my dad and I made a few modifications to make it easier to use.) With this tool, I began creating many thin strips in the different colors I would need for the artwork.

I began with the yellow strips, which sometimes had a hint of orange, followed by pure yellow, and then a touch of yellow mixed with white. Using my fingers, I flattened the strips slightly and started rolling them onto themselves to form circles, creating the stars for my artwork.

Once I finished the stars, I turned my attention to the moon. I began by shaping a circle with a bright yellow mixed with plenty of white. Then, I added pure yellow to one side to create a crescent moon. Then I added more yellow and white around it.

Next, I began working with light blue. I used various shades of light blue, white, and even some yellow mixed with white in a random pattern. Just like with the stars, I started by forming a shape that spiraled in on itself. However, instead of creating a circle, I added more and more strips, following the curves of my reference image to replicate the dynamic flow of the sky. As I approached the silhouettes of the cats, I used a cutter to remove any excess clay, ensuring their shapes remained visible.

I continued filling in the light blue section, carefully layering the strips to enhance the texture and depth of the sky.

Next came the dark blue. Just like with the light blue, I worked with various shades of dark blue, applying them randomly while always keeping an eye on the reference paper beneath.

Just as I used the cutter to remove excess material and reveal the silhouettes of the cats, I did the same along the borders of the image. This meticulous detailing ensured that the outlines were clean and distinct.

I followed the same procedure for the remaining colors and sections of the image, carefully layering each hue to create a vibrant composition. I saved the area for the cats for last, ensuring that all other elements were set before focusing on them.

For the cats, I began by shaping their bodies, adding texture and direction to the forms using a fine-tipped tool.

For the stripes of another color on their legs, I added a bit of material in this second color before creating the texture. Using the fine-tipped tool again, I began to carve delicate lines that simulated their fur, ensuring the stripes blended seamlessly into the other color without mixing the hues.

The next step was to create the ears. I formed triangles from the color of the cats, then added a slightly smaller pink triangle on top of each.

Next, I created a slightly oval shape for the heads. On top of this, I added a white oval and began to craft a texture of thin lines, mimicking fur just as I had done with the legs. This time, I was careful about how I shaped it: I started from the center, stretching the white area upward and outwards, while from the upper right and left corners, I pulled towards the center to deepen the area around the eyes.

I then added two small white circles and shaped the nose with pink clay.

For the eyes, I marked curved lines on each side and added a very thin stick of brown material. Next, I crafted the whiskers using delicate white sticks, giving the cats a complete and expressive look that added to their charm.

Next, I created the tails by adding sections of a different color, just as I had done with the legs in previous steps. This not only added visual interest but also contributed to the playful character of the cats, tying the whole design together.

Last but not least, I created the sunflowers using a flower mold I had, which wasn’t originally designed for sunflowers specifically. I added brown material in the center and pressed it slightly to form the core. Then, I added yellow and pressed again to finally reveal the sunflower shape.

I distributed the sunflowers across the image where I felt they looked best. To enhance their appearance and ensure they truly resembled sunflowers, I pressed gently on the petals to open them up slightly and defined the central points even more.

Using a different mold, I crafted the leaves in the same way I had made the sunflowers. I applied a bit of green material and pressed it into the mold to create the leaf shapes.

Finally, it was time to bake the piece. I carefully lifted it along with the baking paper and, following the instructions provided by the polymer clay supplier, placed it in the oven. After baking, I patiently waited for it to cool, ensuring that my creation would be durable.

I prepared a black cardstock to mount the artwork onto, ensuring it would stay in place within the frame.

Next, I assembled the frame, carefully inserting my artwork into it. This final step brought everything together, transforming my creation into a complete piece ready for display. Seeing it framed and finished was incredibly rewarding

Now it’s time for you to create your own masterpieces, whether by following this idea of crafting the Starry Night with cats and sunflowers or by exploring entirely different concepts. I hope the technique of first printing an image, using baking paper as a tracing medium, and creating artworks from extruded strips proves useful and inspires you to make beautiful new creations. Don’t forget to share your photos of your artwork—I would love to see them and hope you enjoy the process as much as I did!

Happy making! 🎨✨😊