DIY Kwanzaa KInara

My Finished Kinara Display

​Happy Holidays!!!! We are excited about this holiday season. This year we will observe the non-religious holiday, Kwanzaa. In preperation for the celebration, I decided to create a simple kinara using oven-bake clay. You're probably thinking, that a traditional kinara is usually composed of wood. While you are correct, I do not have the time or tools to carve one out of wood. Thus I used a more "elementary" medium. If you're interested in seeing how I created the kinara, check out the steps below.
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Materials: 
16 oz. of Oven Bake Clay
Craft Acrylic Paint
Ruler
Baking Tray
Ruler
Paintbrushes
Plastic cutlery
(6) 9.5" Tapers in green and red
(1) 12.5" Taper in Black
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Step 1. I used a ruler to make sure the candles would be evenly spaced apart. Then I cut the clay and measured it lenghtwise over the ruler. It measured at 10.5 inches. 

Step 2: I rolled the clay into two balls and sculpted each part into rectangular prisms. I blended the two parts together and made one long base.
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Step 3: I measured the area of the clay and the spaces with the plastic knife to mark the spots for the candles. Then I took the candles and placed them on top of the base. I traced around the bottom of each candle onto the clay base.
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Step 4: After hollowing out a portion of the clay from the space for each candle using the plastic knife, I made sure to leave clay in the bottom. Using my fingers, I smoothed out each space.
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Step 5: I carved a design into the sides of the kinara using the plastic fork, end of a paintbrush and the tip of a marker.
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Step 6: I placed the kinara on the baking sheet and baked it according to the instructions on the package for the clay. Once it finished baking, I allowed it to cool completely and painted it using the craft acrylic paint. ( This kinara is for display purposes only. I will use a professionally made kinara to light the candles.)

Make sure to explore our website to find art resources for Kwanzaa. Have a wonderful Holiday Season!