Potter DIY: Mandrakes

This DIY was submitted to us by Mademoiselle M. from her website Frenchy Potter Party. This French blog is filled with tips for throwing Harry Potter parties and has many Potter DIY tutorials. You can find the original mandrake tutorial here.

What You’ll Need:

• Clay (air drying clay works best)
• Beads
• Wire
• Acrylic paint
• Wooden toothpicks
• Matte varnish
• Hot glue
• Artificial leaves
• Artificial moss
• A small planter
• A sharp blade

Directions:

Step 1: Use the clay to make four shapes, a ball for the head, another ball stretched into a cylinder for the body, and two small balls stretched into arms.

Step 2: Connect the head and the body with a wooden toothpick. Do the same with the arms. If you would like a more natural look, you can connect them with wire.

Step 3: Use a sharp blade to sculpt the head. Draw eyebrows and lips and then sculpt some horns. Then add beads for the eyes. Be careful if you use clay that needs to be baked because the beads might melt.

Step 4: With the sharp blade draw lines on the body to make it look like bark. Add lines and twist the arms to make them look like roots.

Step 5: Use hot glue to attach wire to the artificial leaves and then insert them into the head of your mandrake.

Step 6: Wait until your mandrake is completely dry and then paint it. Use a matte varnish on the body after the paint is dry.

Step 7: Put your mandrake into the small planter and use paper, foam, or polystyrene to keep it in place. Add the artificial moss on top to make it look like it is growing.

Step 8: Buy some earmuffs. You’re going to need them.

Are you planning on making some mandrakes of your very own? Be sure to post your tips and results in the comments. You can send your result photos to our email. Check out our main Potter DIY page to find more fun crafts.