Kodama with Cosclay Glow: how to make a figure that glows in the dark

Kodamas are spirits from Japanese mythology, inhabitants of dense forests. Generally, they have a human appearance and each individual is unique in terms of looks and personality. They can take different forms, but they usually have a pleasant appearance. Their bodies, of short stature, can be semi-transparent, pale green or whitish in colour.

These characters are usually associated with Japanese mythology and, as a result, are a frequent feature in products related to manga, anime and video games, such as the Kodama character from Studio Ghibli's feature film Princess Mononoke.

Frame from Princess Mononoke by Studio Ghibli

Do you want to create your own Kodama and protect your garden or forest? At Feroca we show you how to create a Kodama with Cosclay Glow. Plus, this clay glows in the dark and will give your creation a more realistic look.

Benefits of working with Cosclay Glow, flexible Polymer Clay

Cosclay Glow is, like all Cosclay lines, a polymer clay that cures in the oven and is worked just like the others. But it has a special feature: it glows in the dark. Furthermore, thanks to Cosclay's flexibility you'll have a piece of lasting, durable quality so you can shape an endless range of creations. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. In this case, we're going to make a Kodama to protect your home or garden and give it a fresh new look.

Cosclay has been designed to be easy to model and blend, as well as to have a smooth texture that mixes and adheres to itself or other surfaces. When it comes to handling it, you can work it with your hands, with metal modelling tools or with rubber-tipped modelling brushes.

Step by step guide to making Kodamas with Cosclay Glow

We've got the step-by-step video on Feroca's Instagram:

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First you need to create a uniform mass, then gradually shape it with your hands.

• For the Kodama's head, you need to give the mass a round shape and insert a toothpick in the bottom.
• For the body, you follow the same process, but instead of rounding the mass so much, you need to leave it slightly elongated so it looks more like a character.
• Once you have these two parts ready, join them together using the toothpick you placed in the head so they won't move.

Since this is a very easy clay to handle, you'll find it very simple to mould it into whatever shape you want.

Our Cosclay Glow offers excellent levels of detail and texture after baking, so it's important to mark the points you're going to decorate beforehand.

• Using a small portion of the clay, you'll need to model and shape the Kodama's arms until they match the size of the torso. Try to make them very thin so they can be added to the body without any issues.
• In the same way, though with a thicker size, you should follow the same steps for the legs.
• With a spatula, hollow out the eyes and mouth to give your Kodama a human shape.

• Place your Kodamas on a baking tray lined with the appropriate paper, and bake them at 135 °C for 30 minutes.
• Once baked, you can add a few touches of paint. At Feroca we use the Vallejo game color range to paint the eyes and mouth in black to give it a look similar to the Kodamas we're used to seeing, although you can use whatever colour you prefer.
• Once the paint is dry, your Kodama will be ready to use.

Don't worry if the piece doesn't seem flexible enough or its cure doesn't seem durable. The formula of Feroca's Cosclay Glow is designed to give the artist confidence, knowing that delicate and intricate parts won't break or get damaged during handling or transport, especially on long-distance journeys.

You'll be able to place your Kodamas anywhere, as this clay has a high degree of self-supporting resistance that keeps it in place without drooping or sinking. Also, don't worry about leaving it outdoors, as it has great durability because, during baking, the Cosclay piece is prevented from warping or cracking.

Decoration ideas with Kodamas

With Cosclay Glow clay you can create numerous elements to decorate your home, give as gifts, or even sell.

With the steps above for making a Kodama, you'll end up with a piece you can place wherever you like. For starters, you can create a kind of dome with a wooden base and, inside it, recreate a forest to display your Kodamas and decorate it with these characters. Or if you prefer, you can place your Kodama inside a glass jar and add some green touches with branches and small plants to simulate a little forest.

And that's not all. Because this clay glows in the dark, you can create stars and other special motifs to accompany your Kodama or decorate the ceiling of any room or space, for example.

Buy glow-in-the-dark Polymer Clay

Now that you know how to create a Kodama step by step, it's time to get to work. At Feroca we offer a wide variety of Cosclay products so you can create endless pieces.

For more information about Cosclay Glow for creating Kodamas or other materials, don't hesitate to get in touch with us through our website. Our team of professionals will be happy to help you.

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