So, I got this idea the other day, kinda out of the blue. Was cleaning out the garage, found an old box with some childhood stuff, including some beat-up action figures. Made me think, you know? Simpler times. And then I thought, why not try making something with my hands? Ended up deciding to try and craft some ‘saban rings’. Not real jewelry, mind you, just a little project for fun.
Getting Started
First thing, I needed materials. Didn’t want to spend much, so I rooted through my old craft supplies drawer. Found a block of polymer clay, kinda hard but usable. Had some basic acrylic paints too – red, blue, yellow, black, white. Good enough. Also grabbed some sculpting tools, which are really just toothpicks and an old plastic knife.
The Making Process
Okay, actually doing it was the next step. I started by kneading that clay to soften it up. Took more effort than I remembered. Then, I rolled out little bits and tried shaping them into basic ring forms. Just simple bands, nothing fancy. Making them roughly the same size was tricky.
Once I had a few basic rings, I let them sit for a bit. Then came the slightly harder part – adding the iconic little symbols or designs. I looked up some pictures online just to get the shapes right. Trying to carve tiny lightning bolts and animal shapes onto soft clay with a toothpick? Yeah, needed some patience there. Definitely messed up a few times and had to smooth it over and try again.
Baking and Painting
After shaping, I laid them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Popped them in the oven according to the clay package directions. Watched them like a hawk, worried they’d burn or crack. One did get a tiny crack, probably my fault for not conditioning the clay enough.
Once they cooled down, it was painting time. This part was kinda relaxing. Put on some music, laid out newspaper. Started with base coats. That bright Power Ranger red, the blue, the pink, yellow, black. Needed a couple of coats for the color to look solid. Then added the little details on the symbols with a finer brush (or tried to, anyway).
The Final Look
So, how did they turn out? Let’s be honest, they’re rough. Definitely look handmade. The shapes aren’t perfectly round, the paint job isn’t factory smooth. But you know what? They have character. You can tell what they’re supposed to be.
- Got the basic colors down.
- The symbols are recognizable, mostly.
- They actually fit on a finger (tested that!).
It wasn’t about creating masterpieces. It was just about the process. Taking some shapeless clay and turning it into something tangible. Kept me busy for an afternoon, got my hands dirty. Felt good, actually. Sometimes these simple little projects are exactly what you need.
