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Activities / Dhokra / Dhokra Coil Figurine

Dhokra Coil Figurine

Dhokra-Inspired Coil-Texture Figurine in Air-Dry Clay

Level
Beginner
Duration
1.5 - 2.5 hours (plus 2 days drying)
Budget
₹970 – ₹1,762
Age
10+
State
Chhattisgarh
Craft
Dhokra

Materials

  • Air-dry clay, white or terracotta
  • Acrylic paint set (needs dark brown, or red, green and black to mix brown)
  • Metallic gold acrylic paint
  • Paint brush set with a small round brush and a flat brush
  • Clear water-based acrylic varnish
  • Fine sandpaper
  • Dust mask (N95 or FFP2)
  • Toothpick
  • Damp cloth and a small bowl of water
  • Board or baking paper to work and dry on
  • Newspaper

Steps

  1. Understand the idea and lay out your supplies
    Real Dhokra figures are made in brass by wrapping a clay core in thin wax threads, coating it in clay, melting the wax out and pouring in molten metal. You will copy only the look, with air-dry clay and paint, with no heat or metal. Cover the table with newspaper. Lay out clay, a toothpick, a small bowl of water, a damp cloth, a board or sheet of baking paper, paints, brushes and sandpaper.
    Tip: Keep the clay wrapped in a damp cloth when you are not using it. It dries fast.
  2. Knead 60 g of clay until it is smooth
    Break off about 60 g of clay, a lump the size of a golf ball. Knead it in your hands for about 2 minutes until it feels soft and has no cracks. If it is crumbly, wet your fingers and knead again. Common mistake: using clay that has dried at the edge, so cut off the hard skin first.
  3. Pinch and pull the clay into a small standing animal
    Make a horse or an elephant about 8 cm tall. First roll a thick oval body, then pull 4 short legs out of the bottom, each about 1 cm thick, or press on 4 separate rolls. Pinch out a neck and a head and stand it on the board. If it falls, thicken the legs or splay them a little, and smooth cracks with a wet finger. Common mistake: thin legs, which snap when dry.
    Tip: Do not worry about being perfect. Dhokra figures have simple, bold shapes.
  4. Roll very thin clay threads and keep them damp
    Roll a pea-sized piece of clay on the board with your fingertips until it is a thin string about 1.5 mm thick, thinner than a pencil lead is wide but thicker than a hair. Make about 10 threads, each 10 to 15 cm long. Lay them under a damp cloth so they stay soft. Common mistake: threads that are too thick, which look like ropes and hide the detail.
    Tip: Roll with your fingers flat and spread out, moving from the middle outwards.
  5. Press thread coils around the body and legs
    Dab a little water on the body with a finger. Lay a thread around the neck and press it in gently, then press more threads in spirals and bands around the body and legs, with about 1 mm between rows. Trim each end with the toothpick and blend it lightly into the body. This coiled-thread surface is the classic Dhokra look.
  6. Add eyes, ears, mane and tail with threads and dots
    Press a toothpick tip into the head to make eye dots. Make curly threads for ears and a mane, and a short curl for the tail. Press small dots in rows on the sides. Keep the surface covered, with no big smooth patches. If a thread lifts, dab water under it and press again.
  7. Let the figure dry for 48 hours
    Leave the figure on baking paper in a dry, airy place, out of sun. After 24 hours, turn it gently on its side so the base dries too. It is dry when it feels hard and light and pale all over. Common mistake: painting too early. Damp clay makes the paint peel.
  8. Sand lightly and paint the figure dark brown
    Wearing a mask, rub rough bumps with fine sandpaper, then wipe the dust off with a damp cloth. Paint the whole figure dark brown, pushing paint into the grooves between the threads. If you have no brown, mix red, green and a little black. Leave to dry for 1 hour, since one thin coat is enough. Common mistake: thick paint, which fills the grooves and hides the coils.
  9. Dry-brush gold over the raised threads
    Put a little gold paint on a plate. Dip a dry flat brush in it, then wipe it on a rag until it almost leaves no mark. Lightly brush over the figure so the gold only catches the raised threads and the dark brown stays in the grooves. Add a second pass if you want it brighter. This makes the figure look like old brass.
    Tip: Practise on newspaper until the brush leaves a faint, scratchy gold mark.
  10. Add a brown wash, then seal
    Mix a drop of dark brown with 4 drops of water. Brush it over the figure, then wipe the high spots with a cloth so the gold shows again and the grooves stay dark. Wait 1 hour, then brush on one thin coat of clear acrylic varnish and let it dry for 24 hours before touching it. Keep it dry, since air-dry clay softens in water.

Sustainability

Medium - air-dry clay and acrylic are not biodegradable. Inspired-by exercise: real Dhokra is cast in brass from a wax model using lost-wax casting, which cannot be done safely at home

Safety

Do not use heat or molten metal. Air-dry clay dust irritates lungs, so wear a mask when sanding; keep paint away from the mouth