Sculpting and airbrushing footpads

In this tutorial you'll learn how to achieve those wonderful sculpted feet you've always wanted to give your little furry friend... :0)))

First of all, you'll have to start with a foot pad that has a wide toe area, otherwise the foot will end up quite narrow at the toes and wide at the ankle.

Stuff only the foot (not the leg), and not too full, otherwise you won't be able to sculpt it.

It's always better to do the sculpting before attaching the legs to the body. You can always add more stuffing to the foot (if you need to) after the sculpting is done. Then you can attach the legs to the body and continue to stuff the rest of the legs.

Most of my creations have 4 toes, and I use pins to mark where the needle will be inserted or exit from. There are 3 pins on the foot pad, another 3 at the front seam where the leg joins the foot pad...

 ... and another 3 at the top of the foot.

 Thread double upholstery thread on a long darner needle. Make a small knot at the end of the threads. Insert the needle into one of the side seams of the foot, right beside the toe area, and exit at the middle pin on the foot pad. Make a tiny knot.

  Insert needle next to the knot you’ve just made and come out at the top of the foot where the middle pin is.

Make a tiny stitch where the middle pin is, at the front of the foot (this will ensure the thread stays right in the middle between the toes).

Then insert the needle back in the same spot where you made the knot in the middle of the foot pad, and exit at one of the side pins at the top of the foot.

  Pull and hold thread while making a tiny knot. Now you have to big toes, one on either side of the sculpting you’ve just made.

Make a tiny stitch where the corresponding side pin is, at the front of the foot.

Insert the needle back in the corresponding side pin of the foot pad, and exit at the other side pin at the top of the foot.

 Pull thread tight and mnake a tiny knot to hold in place.

 Make a tiny stitch where the corresponding side pin is, at the front of the foot.

Then insert the needle in the corresponding side pin of the foot pad...

 ... and exit at the middle top of the foot. Pull thread tight and mnake a tiny knot to hold in place.

 To accentuate these toes even more, I run a stitch from side to side to squash the toes a little. Do that a couple of times and finish off with a couple of tiny knots.

To make these footpads come alive, I have airbrushed around the perimeter of each foot pad and each separate toe with Copic marker #E18 (Copper). Then, I highlighted each toe, as well as the middle of the foot pad, with Copic marker #R85 (Rose Red).

Hope this technique will help you make your creations come alive... :0)))

Bear hugs,

Mon.