Need a Hand?
If there’s one creature that’s having a moment right now – it’s zombies.
They pop up in tv, movies, books, and of course, Halloween costumes and decorations.
Lots of kids love creepy things, and at this time of year, we wanted to take a break from cute clay projects (think unicorns and bird houses!) and give the masses what they want: a zombie art project.
This lesson using air dry clay shows a zombie hand bursting through soil – what’s creepier than that! Students will practice observing their own hand to get those spooky details.
And of course, if you’re not feeling the undead vibe, create something different like a cute puppy paw!
What you'll need:
- Air dry clay
- Plastic wrap or parchment paper
- Modeling tools
- Acrylic or craft paint
- Mod podge
- Water (and optional sponge)
- Scrap cardboard to hold the sculpture
Zombie Ghost Art Project Instructions
Start by rolling a 2 inch thick slab of clay for the base.
Add 4 fingers and a thumb by rolling thick coils of clay and attaching them to the base.
Move your base around and look at your sculpture from different angles as you work. Add details to the digits with your hands or modeling tools. This is your chance to make it gory and gristly as you’d like.
Continue adding details to the fingers.
Add texture to the ground with different tools, like pulling and twisting bits of the clay base with tweezers to create grass and ground texture.
Let the clay dry.
Once your sculpture is dry, use acrylic paint to add color to the ground and the hand.
Experiment with mixing paint, adding layers, and even touching spots with red for wounds.
When your acrylic paint is finished and dry, seal it with mod podge. Keep your piece on cardboard to be able to move it around.
Use your sculpture as a holiday decoration or to give someone a little scare!
Rather see it done? Click below to see a handy video, or scroll down for a FREE step-by-step handout!
Ready to give a spooky hand?
Click the banner below to download the FREE lesson plan.
We would love it if you’d share!
Don’t forget to tag us at @soulsparklettes on social media if you do this zombie art project with your kids or students – we love to see what you create!
Join one of our Memberships!
This is an example of the fun we have inside the Glitterbombers Memberships. Chose the level right for your students – Glitterbombers (K-7th) or the new Glitterbombers HIGH (7th-12th). With either choice, you’ll have hundreds more art projects, videos, and resources at your fingertips for whatever you’re studying, or whatever art concept you’re ready to teach. Head here to hop on the waitlist and find out when we open next!
