for centuries, making hikaru dorodango has been a traditional pastime for children in japan. translation? mudballs. dorodango are balls of mud shaped by hand, dried and polished to a perfect luster. once a dying tradition, this meditative exercise has recently enjoyed a revival of sorts, appealing to both children and adults.
the basic ball is first formed using regular mud and then covered with a finer grained dirt. after the ball has dried and hardened, it is polished to a high sheen with a cloth. the end result looks more like a pool ball or a large marble than mud.
bruce gardner’s hikaru dorodango are beautiful objects to gaze upon while contemplating or reflecting on life…or the day ahead. minimalistic. devine simplicity. read about garner’s process here. and learn more about how to make your own dorodango here.
thanks to janice vanbeek for enlightening me. when janice sent the link, she also wrote that she’s working on her own dorodango with polymer clay. hope she’ll let us take a peek…
I saw these in Craft Magazine, and have been dying to try to make them. It sounds so cool and they look so elegant. I let you know if I give it a try.