Lookbook view
Styled context
Treat this as a starting point for a test piece, not a finished spec. AI may help explore design directions, organize notes, and draft parts of this guide. Clay brands, ovens, glues, finishes, and hardware behave differently, so check product instructions and test on scrap before making a batch. Measurements, spacing, and timing are estimates from the reference images. Test them on scrap before making a batch. Some product links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Check listing details, dimensions, materials, and fit before you buy. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosures
Sculpt a chunky, dimensional pink ghost block (about 1-1.5cm deep) to give the brooch a substantial, high-end feel. Cut the clean, stepped silhouette from a thick clay slab, cure, and then hand-paint the charming yellow eyes and black mouth before mounting a secure brooch finding on the back.
A delightfully chunky pink ghost brooch boasting bold, stepped shoulders and a flat, modern silhouette. Hand-painted round yellow eyes and a black mouth add character to this substantial, touchable design.
Use the list to check tool size, pin-pad width, dome placement, and slab thickness against the piece you want to make before you buy.
The color stock and clay body choices that carry the visible design.
Useful for the full ghost body, which does most of the visual work.
Matches the two round eyes.
Handles the stepped mouth block.
Useful for bonding raw-on-raw applique, layered details, and small joins without crushing the shape.
A firmer polymer clay ideal for crisp details, pixel grids, and canes to prevent distortion during slicing and assembly.
A polymer clay safe glaze that seals the piece without becoming sticky over time.
What you condition with and how you keep the slab even.
Stencils, blades, and cutters for cleaner outlines.
Bake surface and oven check tools for the finished brooch.
Adhesives and attachment choices when the build needs them.
Optional surface products if you want to shift sheen, sand, or coat.
Useful add-ons that sit outside the main build tasks.
Cut a thick pink slab to the ghost silhouette, bake it solid, then paint the face details with acrylic paint and a fine liner brush. The thickness gives the brooch real presence on a denim jacket lapel.
Condition your polymer clay (FIMO Professional for crisp edges, or Sculpey Soufflé for a lightweight, velvety finish). Roll out a thick slab of pink clay to about 1 to 1.5 cm. If stacking layers to reach this thickness, wipe the contact areas of the raw clay with a damp cotton swab to remove any dust or oils before pressing them together to ensure a strong raw bond.
Create a paper template of the pixel ghost silhouette. Lightly dust your template and a sharp craft blade with cornstarch as a release agent to prevent sticking, then carefully cut out the stepped shoulders, three bottom feet, and blocky top.
Lightly dust your fingertip or a silicone clay shaper with cornstarch as a release agent, then gently smooth the cut sides of the raw clay so the thick side walls remain flat and vertical without losing their sharp pixelated corners.
Place the pink ghost flat on a parchment-lined baking tile. Bake in a preheated oven according to the clay manufacturer instructions, then allow the piece to cool completely before handling or painting.
Using a fine liner brush and acrylic paint, paint two round yellow circles for the eyes. Once dry, add a small black dot inside each eye for the pupils, and paint the stepped, pixelated black mouth. Allow the paint to dry fully.
Clean the back of the ghost and the metal brooch pin with rubbing alcohol or a damp cotton swab. Secure the pin back using a high-strength adhesive like Devcon 2-Ton Epoxy or E6000, avoiding brittle cyanoacrylate (super glue). Seal the painted front with a compatible water-based polyurethane like Varathane or a thin layer of UV resin, avoiding solvent-based aerosol sprays.
Open these when you want more depth on a technique behind the build, not another supply row.
Graphic lips, eyes, mushrooms, and badge-like brooches are often easier to build as flat or gently domed pixel slabs. This guide covers crisp staircase edges, stacked layers, and ways to keep left and right pieces matched.
Brooch fronts can tip or lose grip when the rear contact is curved, too small, or glued over a finish. Prepare a flat zone, match the finding size to the scale, and place it on the visual balance line before the adhesive cures.
Your slab cracked at the edge or the cane squished because the clay was still stiff in spots. Condition until every color folds in a similar way, then do the fold test before you roll the working slab.
Custom range
Use this piece as the starting point for a make-ready plan, cutter or tool model files, a supply list, or a finished range inquiry.
More pieces with a related form, finish, or making path.
Pin it to a board, copy the link, or hold it in your saved list while you sample your version.
Tag Clay Bake Studio on Instagram or TikTok so we can see how you adapted it.
