SANTONS

How to Make Santons

Sculpting one santon is easier than it looks. Sculpting twelve that match is a lot harder. This page covers both: a one-of-a-kind piece shaped by hand, and the plaster mold that lets you make a whole series, the same method invented in Marseille around 1800.

Which clay

Material Pros Cons
Air-dry clay No kiln needed, works like clay, can be sanded once dry Stays fragile and sensitive to water; not suited to heavy series molding
Red earthenware clay The real material of the santon; sturdy after firing, holds detail Needs a ceramic kiln: a community clay studio, a rec center, an art school, or a potter willing to fire for you
Polymer clay Bakes in a home oven, very fine, comes in colors Plastic look; doesn’t behave like clay and doesn’t take the same paint
Plaster-based modeling compound Cheap, white, paints well Brittle, little detail

To start, use air-dry clay. In three evenings you’ll know if you enjoy it, without having to track down a kiln.

Supplies

  • Fine air-dry clay, or earthenware clay
  • Armature wire, 20-gauge (0.8 mm), or florist’s wire, for large sizes
  • Modeling tools: two or three are enough: a spatula, a point, a ball
  • A toothpick, a butter knife, an old toothbrush
  • A sponge, a bowl of water
  • An improvised turntable: a cork glued to a jar lid
  • For the mold: pottery plaster, liquid soap or petroleum jelly as a release agent, cardboard sheets for the mold box
  • 400-grit sandpaper for dry finishing

Proportions

Getting the proportions right matters more than the details.

  • The head is one-seventh of total height for an adult. On a 7 cm (2¾-inch) santon: about ⅜ inch (1 cm) from jaw to crown.
  • The midpoint of the body is at the hips, not the waist. The legs are half the height.
  • The elbows reach the waist, the hands mid-thigh.
  • The shoulders are two heads wide for a man, a little less for a woman.
  • A child’s head is bigger in proportion: one-fifth of the height, not one-seventh. It’s the most obvious mistake on homemade santons.

With old-fashioned clothes, most of this barely shows, since the clothes hide the body. Focus on three things: the size of the head, the balance of the body and where the figure is looking. A santon whose head tilts slightly toward what he’s doing looks alive. One standing perfectly straight looks stiff.

Modeling a single piece

  1. The base and the balance

    Start with a cylinder of clay on a flat base, as tall as you want the finished figure. Make sure it stands on its own before you do anything else.

  2. The overall volume

    Rough out the big shapes: head, body, legs under the clothes. No details yet. Turn it and look at the outline from a distance. You should already be able to tell what it is.

  3. The pose

    Tilt it, turn it, shift the weight onto one leg. A perfectly symmetrical figure looks lifeless. This is the most important step, and it takes two minutes.

  4. The arms

    Add them last, ideally close to the body or holding something. An arm sticking out will break while drying, in transit or in storage.

  5. The drapery

    Two or three big folds are enough, carved with a modeling tool. Lots of little folds look messy at this size.

  6. The face

    At 7 cm, a face is just three hollows (the eyes and mouth) and two bumps (the nose and chin). Don’t try to sculpt eyelids. The paint will do the rest.

  7. Dry finishing

    Once the piece is dry, and before firing or painting, lightly sand the smooth areas with 400-grit paper. That’s what turns a figurine into a santon.

Making a plaster mold

A two-part mold, just like the workshops use. It’s what lets you make a whole series. See how santon makers use molds.

  1. Choose the parting line

    This is the line where the two halves will separate. It should run along the widest points of the figure, usually down the sides, and stay away from the face.

  2. Bury half of it

    Lay the model in a bed of modeling clay, pressed in right up to the parting line. Smooth the clay so it’s flush with the model.

  3. Build a box and pour

    Build a cardboard box around it, with ¾ inch (2 cm) of space on each side. Coat the model with a release agent. Pour the plaster in a thin stream, tapping the box to get rid of air bubbles.

  4. The keys

    Before the first half fully sets, carve three small dimples into the flat face of the plaster with a knife tip. They’ll help line up the two halves.

  5. Flip it and repeat

    Remove the clay and coat the whole plaster face with plenty of release agent. People often skip this step, and then the two halves stick together for good. Rebuild the box and pour the second half.

  6. Open and dry

    Pull the halves apart carefully, take out the model, and let the mold dry for several days. A damp mold won’t let go of the clay.

Casting a series

  1. Press

    Press clay into each half of the mold in an even layer about 3/16 inch (4 to 5 mm) thick, working from the center out. The plaster soaks up water, which helps the piece come loose.

  2. Join

    Dampen the edges of both halves, scratch them with a toothpick, add a thin line of slip (watered-down clay), and press the halves together.

  3. Release

    Wait ten to twenty minutes, depending on the humidity. The piece will come loose on its own when it’s ready. Never force it.

  4. Clean the seam

    Smooth the seam with a modeling tool, then with a damp sponge. This is what separates a professional-looking piece from a sloppy one.

  5. Refine the details

    Molding always softens the details a bit. Re-carve the folds, deepen the eyes and redo the hair.

Drying and firing

Drying has to be slow and even, or the piece will crack. Cover it with plastic wrap with a few holes poked in it for the first two days, then let it air-dry away from heaters and drafts. It takes one to three weeks, depending on size and season.

For firing, if you have access to a kiln: around 1,740 to 1,830 °F (950 to 1,000 °C, roughly cone 08 to 06) for earthenware, with a slow ramp. Two musts:

  • The piece must be completely dry. A damp piece can explode in the kiln, sometimes taking its neighbors with it.
  • Hollow out thick areas from below. Anything over ⅝ inch (15 mm) thick should be scooped out from the base with a modeling tool, leaving walls about ¼ inch thick, plus a small vent hole. That keeps trapped air from blowing the piece apart.

No kiln? Air-dry clay works great. Just keep it away from humidity, and never wash it.

The pitfalls

  • Too much detail too soon. People sculpt a face before the figure can even stand. Big shapes first, always.
  • Outstretched arms. They break. Every time.
  • A base that’s too small. Make it wider than you think, and perfectly flat.
  • Rushing the drying. Put it near a heater or use a hair dryer, and it’ll crack within two days.
  • Making just one. Sculpt three of the same character. The third will always be much better than the first, and that’s the one you’ll keep.
  • Trying to match the pros. Santon makers have years of practice. Your first santons will be a little clumsy, but they’ll be yours, and in a family nativity that’s worth more.