Spongebob's pineapple definitely portrays a unique and funny home choice. Now you can have your own with this make-your-own pineapple mini tutorial!
These are the materials you will need to make this awesome piece:
-Pottery clay
-Water
-A balloon
-Pottery tools (A toothpick and a knife will do just fine)
-A sponge
-Paintbrushes
-Paintbrushes
-Paint:
+Green for the leaves
+Yellow for the pineapple
+Light blue for the windows, chimney & door
+Orange for the details
Here's a small step-by-step with supporting images of the process:
1. Inflate the balloon just above the minimum capacity and build the pineapple's body around it. Make sure to make the bottom flat.
2. Carve out the two circles for the windows and a smaller lateral circle to insert the chimney.
3. Make the outer door and window frames molding thin clay rolls (about half a centimeter thick). Attach them to the body by making small markings with the toothpick on the areas to put together, wet them a little and stick the parts to the body. (You can also make the whole door with the helm instead of just the arch).
4. Make another roll for the chimney and attach a bell-like ending. Stick it into the lateral hole.
5. Take out the balloon carefully through the bottom of the body for the pineapple to stand on its own.
6. Trace the body lines with the toothpick or carving tool. Don't make them too deep or you could end up cutting part of the body! Then do the "X" markings in the middle of each "diamond" in the body.
2. Carve out the two circles for the windows and a smaller lateral circle to insert the chimney.
3. Make the outer door and window frames molding thin clay rolls (about half a centimeter thick). Attach them to the body by making small markings with the toothpick on the areas to put together, wet them a little and stick the parts to the body. (You can also make the whole door with the helm instead of just the arch).
4. Make another roll for the chimney and attach a bell-like ending. Stick it into the lateral hole.
5. Take out the balloon carefully through the bottom of the body for the pineapple to stand on its own.
6. Trace the body lines with the toothpick or carving tool. Don't make them too deep or you could end up cutting part of the body! Then do the "X" markings in the middle of each "diamond" in the body.
8. Attach the whole leaf bunch into the center-top body of the pineapple (same technique as before).
9. Leave it all to dry for a couple of days. (Unless you have one of those fancy pottery ovens).
10. Once dry, paint it all. I started by painting the orange details and the inner piece. Then I moved on to the yellow part. Next, the leaves. Afterwards, the door, windows and chimney. Finally, I passed a brush with orange dust-paint over the whole body in order to give it that fresh-pineapple appearance.
11. You can later coat the piece with white glue or varnish for extra protection. If you are going to use it on a fish tank or over humid dirt, you MUST bake it and coat it at least twice with varnish.
11. You can later coat the piece with white glue or varnish for extra protection. If you are going to use it on a fish tank or over humid dirt, you MUST bake it and coat it at least twice with varnish.
Voilá! A perfect Spongebob's pineapple home.
You can use this pineapple as an ornament, as a cake topper, as an aquarium decoration or as anything you like. I personally made this one as a home for my escargot snail, Gary. Unfortunately he passed away before I managed to finish it properly. Now I just use it as a decorationin my tiki-themed bedroom.
