Hey there, crafty friends! Today, I’m going to walk you through one of the most adorable and easy projects ever: DIY Air Dry Clay Ghosts!
This tutorial is perfect if you’re looking for a sweet addition to your Halloween DIY decor or just want a fun crafting session. These little ghosts are cute and easy to make, and they’ll add that perfect touch of charm to your space without giving anyone (including you!) nightmares.
Let’s get into it!
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How I Came Up With This Project (A Cute Little Backstory)
Okay, confession time: I hate spooky stuff. Like, seriously!
I’m all for the fun and festive part of Halloween—the costumes, the candy, the parties—but the whole scary vibe? Not so much.
So, a while ago, I decided that instead of avoiding Halloween, I’d just make it cute! That way, I could still enjoy the holiday without freaking myself out every time I see a decoration.
These tiny air-dry clay ghosts are part of that plan, along with my other cute Ghost DIY Projects. They’re a spooky but sweet project that lets me embrace Halloween in a way that feels cozy and fun rather than terrifying.
I mean, who can be scared of a ghost that’s smiling at you, right?
Tips & Tricks for Working with Air-Dry Clay
Before we dive in, here are a few things I’ve learned and researched from working with air-dry clay (it’s honestly so much fun, but a little prep goes a long way).
First of all, when working with clay, it’s helpful to keep your hands slightly damp. This prevents the clay from sticking to your hands and helps to keep the clay smooth and easier to mold.
Take your time with the drying process—patience is key! Let the clay dry fully to prevent cracks from forming.
Another thing that I found very helpful was keeping a mini spray bottle so I could smooth the edges and cracks with water. Just spray a little bit of water and use your fingers to smooth it out. Finally, store your leftover clay in an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out. I like to use Ziploc bags and remove all the air before sealing them.
DIY Air Dry Clay Ghosts. Step-by-Step Tutorial
Materials You’ll Need
- Air-dry clay (any color, but white works best for ghosts!)
- A rolling pin (or something similar to flatten the clay)
- Toothpicks or clay tools for detailing (sewing pins work great!)
- Black acrylic paint (for the eyes and mouth)
- Pink and purple acrylic paint (for the pumpkin and flowers)
- A small paintbrush
- Water in a small dish or spray bottle (for smoothing the clay)
- Any type of paper you have
- A toilet paper roll
- Plastic film wrap
- Tape
Step 1: Roll out the clay.
Start by taking a small chunk of air-dry clay and rolling it into a ball.
I used half of the package for both of the ghosts. Make sure to leave a little bit of extra clay for the details of the pumpkin and flowers for the ghosts.
Then, using your rolling pin (or something similar), flatten the clay to about 1/4 inch thick and shape it into a circle. You want it thin enough to shape but not so thin that it’ll tear.
It doesn’t have to be a perfect circle; any circular shape works. Cut the excess on the edges with a knife.
Step 2: Shape your ghost.
First, make a cylinder shape with your paper and try holding it in place with tape. To make it stand, I cut a piece of toilet paper roll and made a base for our shape. Then, use your plastic film to cover the whole thing.
Now for the fun part! Gently lift your clay circle and locate the middle, which will be the ghost’s head. The sides will naturally drape down, creating the ghost’s “sheet shape.” Use your fingers to form the perfect shape.
You can play around with the shape here—make it as flowy or as structured as you like!
Step 3: Add the face details.
Grab a sewing pin or clay tool and gently press to form two little eye dents near the top of the ghost’s head. Be creative! You can make them smile or have funny eyes just like these guys here.
You can leave them as is, or if you want a more expressive ghost, use the tool to create a small, smiling mouth.
To add the arms of the one ghost you first need to let the body of the ghost dry completely.
Then, make these shapes for the arms and add them by using water and smoothing the edges until you can no longer see them.
Step 4: Add the flower details
To make the pumpkin, you need to form a small ball. Then use a big pin or a toothpick to form dents on the ball, and finally use a pin to dent the top of the pumpkin. After that roll a bit of the clay to create the steam and the leaves. Put it on the arms of the ghost.
Making the tiny roses was pretty tricky and time-consuming, not gonna lie! To make them, I rolled a piece of clay and then flattened it with my fingers to finally roll it against itself (think of a cinnamon roll). I made a bunch of these and let them dry.
Then I made a crown with the little flowers on the head of one ghost.
Place your ghost on a flat surface and let it air dry. Depending on the thickness of your clay, this can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours. I know waiting can be hard, but trust me—it’s worth it!
Step 6: Paint the details.
Once your ghost is completely dry, it’s time to bring it to life (or at least give it some personality).
Using black acrylic paint and a small brush, paint in the eyes and mouth. You can make them cute, funny, or even a little cheeky—it’s totally up to you!
Finally, use your favorite colors to paint the pumpkin and the little flowers. I decided to use pink and purple because are cute!
Finally, I decided to add a coat of white glue so they could have a nice shiny finish. I first tried using a clear coating spray, but it didn’t give me the shine I wanted. The white glue, though, did an amazing job.
Step 7: Enjoy your adorable DIY Air Dry Clay Ghosts!
Once the paint is dry, your cute little ghost is ready to haunt your home in the sweetest way possible.
There you have it—a simple, fun, and not at all spooky DIY to celebrate Halloween in the cutest way!
I hope you had as much fun making these little ghosts as I did. If you try this project out, I’d love to see your creations!
Feel free to share your finished ghosts on social media and tag me so we can celebrate our cute Halloween together.
Let’s make Halloween adorable!
