How to make elephant tusks?

Hello. You might consider either oven bake or air dry craft clay.

A wire armature might be suggested. It can be wrapped with foil tape or aluminum foil.

Heres a recent elf project but much smaller than yours.

Oven bake clay.

The hardened clay can be sanded and painted when cured.

Attach with e6000 or hot glue.

Hope this helps

I'm unclear what you're trying to accomplish. Are you trying to enlarge the tusks? Are trying to take the head off the basket along with the tusks? Please clarify.

I would go with Krylon paint once you are at that point.

I agree clay is definitely an option! I would also consider carving styrofoam to the shape you're looking for and painting - pool noodles might even work!

I like the idea of using solid foam. You can cut/carve it much like a sculptor would - use a serrated knife to cut the basic shape away. From there, you can use various tools (experiment on scrap foam!!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YINmKrCynhU&ab_channel=EricHart

Just scale these down lol!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqwB8dpT0JA&ab_channel=blackhillsfoamworks

OR - you can use spray expanding foam. Comes in a can from Home Depot, etc. Spray it into an empty box as you'll have to practice. Without anything containing the foam, it gets humongous! You can cut away using a box cutter or any sharp blade, it's lightweight, and it's paintable! As far as attaching the tusks, using spray foam allows you to insert wires that you can later use to lash them to the head.

😎🐘

I am only wanting to enlarge the tusks, make them longer, paint, and attach. Just replacing the original tusks. I will probably go with wire and molding clay and then Krylon paint

Thank you for the other good suggestions. When project is completed, I will post a picture.

Hi Cindy,

Thank you for the picture and the explanation of what your goal is, a big help. Looking at the elephant head, I thought that enlarging would look out of proportion, it is a matter of view. I was going to suggest just painting it gold to see how you liked it, or maybe gold colored foil.

It is really a beautiful piece. And, we are looking forward to see what you will accomplished with it. Best to you.

you could draw them out on a piece of foam and cut them in the shape you want or even a thin plywood and paint them

you could use tree branches, limbs, etc.

Depending on the clay you use. Paper clay would work. Or you can make your own paper mache. Krylon or Rustoleum 2X spray paint.

You could do a tusk out of paper mache wether an extension or a full elephant task. And pait spray it with appropriate color you prefer.