Two-Turtle Tango

How many turtles does it take to tango? Two of course! This sculpture is absolutely awesome and ever so much fun for sophisticated Crayola Model Magic® fans.

1. You might want to watch dancing shows or movies to see how the tango is done. The moves are really complex! Decide which Crayola Model Magic® colors your dancing turtles will be. We made ours with a solid color for a smooth shell look. Contrasting colors really stand out as decorative elements.

2. To begin your sculpture, you’ll need armatures on which to shape your two turtle shells. Crush pieces of aluminum foil into the sizes and shapes of your tangoing turtles. Cover both shells—their round tops and flat bottoms—with a thin layer of Model Magic. When it’s fresh from the pack, Model Magic® sticks to itself. If pieces dry while you’re working on this large piece, just use glue to attach them.

3. If you look at photos of turtles’ shells, you’ll see that they are made up of plates. You might want to build up the shape of the shells with overlapping discs of more modeling compound in a slightly different color.

4. Use more aluminum foil to shape armatures for the turtles’ necks, heads, tails, and limbs. Plan ahead to make sure that the two dancers will actually fit together! Make the heads, tails, and legs from marbleized Model Magic compound for a more textured, reptilian look. To marbleize, mix two or more colors together and stop when they are halfway blended. Cover the armatures with modeling material and then texturize it by overlapping more small discs on top.

5. Sculpt features on both turtles’ extremities such as socketed eyes, subtle nostrils, sly mouths, and pointing toes. Add whimsical features that you imagine dancing turtles possess, such as high-heeled shoes and rose boutonnieres.

6. When you are happy with the individual pieces of your statue, begin to fit them together to express the intricacies of the dance and the complexities of their partnership. You might show a down-turned face, a leg dragging, and the leaning together of partners, for example.

7. Gently maneuver the pieces to give the emotional content you wish your sculpture to evoke. Join the pieces with glue. Air-dry your sculpture at least 24 hours.

8. For a shiny, polished look that strengthens your sculpture, coat it with a glaze. Here’s how. Cover your craft area with newspaper. Mix half glue and half water to make the glaze. Apply with paintbrush. Air-dry. It’s time for your turtles to tango!

Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.

Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, and Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough—

• Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
• Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
• Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
• The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
• Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
• Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient.
• Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Modeling Tools—Use the least dangerous point or edge sufficient to do the job. For example, craft sticks, plastic knives and forks, and cookie cutters can cut or carve modeling materials.

Crafts

crayola supplies

• Arts & Crafts Brushes
• Model Magic®
• No-Run School Glue

household supplies

• recycled newspaper
• aluminum foil
• modeling tools
• container(s) of water

"I’m always saying ‘it takes two to tango.’ This activity inspired us to look up where that expression came from and to listen to the Pearl Bailey song that coined the phrase. "
Frances G., grandmother of 13-year-old triplets.

"Our older students are always talking about dancing shows. The group listened to tango music, tried out a few steps themselves, and then worked in pairs to make these stunning sculptures. They held an art show and got rave reviews!"
Ondine R., after-school volunteer.

Tango refers to dance and/or music. The origins of the tango are deeply disputed. It is thought to have started in Argentina at the turn of the last century among poor young men as a way to show off. Its popularity has risen and fallen a number of times since then, sometimes even for political reasons.