10 Best Outdoor Light Fixtures

Best Outdoor Light Fixtures in 2023

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How to Make a Clay Wall Sconce Light Fixture

Remodeling and redecorating your home can be an expensive endeavor. This clay wall sconce project is the perfect way to completely change the look of existing lighting without spending a ton of money.

The clay wall light sconces are made out of air drying clay, so you do not need a kiln. You can incorporate these wall sconces into almost any design ranging from Southwest to contemporary.

If you don't have any existing wall sconce, but want some, this is also a great project for you. Simply insert candles into the wall sconce for more lighting!

To Get Started Making a Clay Wall Sconce you will need:

Air Drying Clay
Acrylic Paint or Spray Paints
Clear Acrylic Spray Paint (optional)
Paint Brushes
Clay Working Tools

The first step to making a clay wall sconce it to decide what kind of sconce you need. Are you replacing an existing glass shade? Do you want to completely cover a wall sconce to hide it with your new creation? Are you making a wall sconce and putting it where one was not before? The answer to these questions will help you determine the shape and design of your wall sconce.

My instructions will be for a wall sconce that completely covers an existing outdated wall light fixture. This works perfectly for anyone simply making a wall sconce holder for a candle as well.

Measure the area on the wall you will be covering. You need to measure how wide you wall sconce needs to be to safely cover your existing light fixture. How tall, wide, and deep does it need to be.

Rollout a slab of air drying clay to about ¼ inch thick. My wall sconce that I want to cover is 4 inches wide and 4 inches deep. This means at a minimum I will need a piece of clay that is 12 inches wide. That is 4 inches for each side as well as 4 inches across the front. I recommend adding on a few more inches though. This will keep your clay safely away from the light bulb.

Shape you slab of clay into a large concave shape that will cover your light fixture.

Roll out another slab of clay to about ¼ inch thick. Cut it out to fit the back of your first piece of clay, the front of the wall sconce.

Before you attach the two pieces together it is important to cut out the back of the wall sconce. The piece you cut out from the back needs to be big enough to allow you to easily insert you clay wall scone over you existing sconce. I removed the glass shade from mine to save some space, but this is optional.

Cut a small hole in this back slab of clay. It should be about an inch down from the top edge of the back. This will be you nail hole to hang the wall sconce.

Attach the back piece to the front of the clay sconce by scoring the edges of the clay with small X shapes. Use water on the edges and then work your clay together,

Now, work on molding and smoothing your wall sconce into the perfect shape.

You can carve details into it. I like to carve out little designs that cut completely through the wall sconce. This lets more light out. The top of the wall sconce is open, but you may need more light than that.

Cutting away clay will also make our wall sconce lighter.

Allow your finished product to sit out and air dry.

Once it is dry your can paint it with acrylic paints, hammered metal spray paints, or water color paint. For more protection add a coat of clear acrylic spray paint once the paint has dried.

I made my wall sconce out of a Mexican pottery colored air drying clay that I bought at Dick Blick art supplies. I left it as is and did not paint it.

You can make your wall light sconce into any décor this way. For a more contemporary feel stick to a simple design and one color paint. Traditional touches might be carving designs into your clay wall sconce to give it a craved wood feel. You could even paint it to look like wood with a selection of brown paints.