instructables

Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!

by Mastering Me

Hikaru Dorodango, translated into english as "shiny mud dumpling", is a Japanese art form that has been around
for many years but has only recently been acknowledged and appreciated. Making Dorodango is a process where
you take common soil, form it into a ball, and polish it until it gives o a magni cent shine. To see something make
such a transition from a useless material to a work of art is so satisfying! People who see a nished Dorodango can
hardly believe that it is 100% dirt!

I am surprised that this subject has only been touched on once or twice here on Instructables. sugarhi911 did a
great job with their Instructable here but left out a few important steps and an image of the nal product!

Today, I will teach and show you how to make your very own Dorodango from start to nish which will be one of
the greatest conversation starters you will ever have in your house. I promise that whoever sees this will be ba ed
by your amazing artistic skills!

If you like this Instructable, please leave a like and a vote for this Instructable on the Remix Contest page.

I'm so excited to do this Instructable with you! Let's get to it!

Supplies:

Water
Mask
Plastic Grocery Bag
Cookie Sheet / Plastic Container
Dirt (di erent types of dirt will have di erent features and challenges)
Small Mason Jar
A smooth glass surface like a bottle or this glass ice cream cup (this is EXACTLY what I used to get the
nal shine and it works like a dream! Also fun to eat ice cream out of too! :D)
Hand rag/ Hand Towel/ Micro ber Towel, Old T-Shirt (All will work just ne)

O pt io na l

Dyes for the dirt (non-toxic, non-irritant)

Cool displays for Dorodango

Like the pictures in this Instructable? Get your very own camera here so that you can take your own!

B o nus Inf o :
Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!: Page 1
Bruce Gardner is the Michael Jordan of Dorodango. He goes a lot more in depth on the steps of how to make
Dorodango, the best materials, di erent soils, various textures for Dorodango, and many other things as well. You
don't need this book to do this Instructable but if you nd yourself hooked on this new hobby, then this book is an
excellent resource!

Dorodango: The Japanese Art of Making Mud Balls by Bruce Gardner

Disclaimer: I may earn an a liate commission when support me by purchasing products at no extra cost to you by
using the links provided above. Thank you!

Step 1: Picking Your Dirt

The beauty of this Instructable is that to get your dirt,
you can either walk outside into your yard and pick up
the rst dirt you see, or you can go exploring and nd
some really cool, di erent colored dirt.
Like all things you make, try and create something
that is meaningful to you! For example, my wife and I
have moved once since we have been married. To
commemorate that move and to remember our old
home, I made a Dorodango from the dirt found
outside that old home. Similarly, when you go on
vacations, you can bring back (if it's legal to do so)
some dirt and make a Dorodango from that. The
beauty of projects like these are in the details!
A couple of years ago, I managed to get my hands on
some red dirt while my wife and I were on vacation. I
will be using it for its vibrant color! Remember, if you
do not have access to di erent colors of dirt, you can
used di erent dyes that can be found here

Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!: Page 2

Step 2: Sifting Dirt

Using a basic household strainer, begin to sift the dirt.
Try and remove larger particles of rock, hard dirt, or
any twigs/grasses that may have been allowed to fall
through the strainer. You want the dirt to be as ne as
possible. If larger rocks or twigs get in, cracking or
surface deformations may manifest as you are
polishing. While you are sifting the dirt, wear a mask
so that you don't inhale the ne particles of dust
directly into your lungs. Safety rst!

Step 3: Add Water

Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!: Page 3

Soils are all di erent so the amount of water needed
may vary slightly. For example, the red dirt for my
Dorodango needed more water than my regular
household dirt. However, no matter the dirt you still
want to aim for the same consistency in all cases -
brownie mix. Yes that's right, your easy-bake oven
days will now come in handy.
Slowly add water while mixing in the dirt. Be careful
Step 4: Forming the Sphere
Form a sphere with the dirt that you prepared in the
previous step by cupping your hands together and
compressing the dirt together. You may want to take
o any rings that you may be wearing so that you
don't nick the surface as you form the sphere. If there
are small holes or cracks in the surface, ll it in with
the wet dirt. Once the sphere is in its general form,
Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!: Page 4
not to add too much or the next step simply will not
work. If you nd yourself adding too much water, add
more dry dirt into the mix to bring it back to the right
consistency.
When you've achieved the brownie mix consistency, it
is time to start forming the ball.
place it in a plastic bag and allow it to dry for around
12-14 hours. During this time, it will start to solidify
but will still be malleable. You will know when it is
ready for the next step when the sphere feels cool but
not cold.
Step 5: Perfecting the Shape of the Sphere

Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!: Page 5

Once the sphere is in this semi-dry state, grab a
mason jar and begin to shape the ball to its nal
shape. This is done by rotating the mason jar around
the surface of the sphere. It is important to note that
the opening diameter of the mason jar will e ect the
nal size. For example, if you made your sphere much
larger than the diameter of the mason jar you are
using, the jar will shave the extra material o which
will make your Dorodango smaller than intended. If
you want a bigger Dorodango, use a larger Mason Jar.
Using a mason jar is great because it will make a
PERFECT sphere.
As you rotate the mason jar along the surface of the
sphere, wet malleable dirt will begin to accumulate
Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!: Page 6
on the rim. Remove this dirt as it accumulates with a
paper towel. Otherwise, the dirt on the rim of the jar
will begin to peel o layers of the Dorodango's
surface. Doing this will remove the need for excessive
repair of the surface. Also note that you should use
this accumulated dirt to ll in any small holes or
cracks on the surface as they present themselves.
Keep running the jar on the surface until you no
longer hear the scratching of the dirt on the jar. If you
can still hear it, it's not smooth enough. When you
hear clean movement along the surface, it is smooth
enough. Finally, leave the Dorodango out to dry
completely.
Step 6: Quenching the Dorodango / Polishing Pt.1

Now this step is where I diverge from traditional
Dorodango makers. Usually, you would continually
add layers upon layers of wet dirt and clay (repeating
the last step over and over again), but what I found to
be the fastest (while not compromising results) is to
quickly run the sphere under some cool water and
quickly begin to smooth out the surface using the
bottom of the ice cream cup (or a bottle) with a
medium amount of pressure (using same method you
used to smooth out the surface using the mason jar).
This quickly and e ciently introduces the dirt into the
surface and will almost immediately start to produce
a mid-to-high level shine. In 30 minutes you will see
great results. In an hour, you will see fantastic results.
Be patient with the process.
Again, if you see some small holes or cracks on the
surface, be sure to ll those in with some of the extra
wet dirt that comes o of the surface as you are
polishing. This is also the part where you would add in
any dyes as well. This is done by simply sprinkling the
dye onto the surface of the Dorodango and gently
spreading it into the surface with the bottom of the
cup/bottle. I prefer the organic look myself but it is up
to you!
Again, be sure that your are routinely wiping o the
build-up that accumulates on the surface of the glass.
I noticed that if you leave wet dirt on the glass and
continue to polish, it may start to pull o dirt from
the surface - which would then ruin the surface nish.
If this happens you can either ll it in and bu it out
with the glass, or re-quench the whole surface and try
this entire step over again. (I had to re-do this step
twice to make sure I got it exactly right so don't worry
if you have to try again - don't give up!)

When the Dorodango is giving o a pretty good polishing by hand which is contrary to popular belief.
amount of shine, leave it out to dry completely for the As a result, make sure you are satis ed with the level
nal time! of shine before leaving this step!

* No t e * t his g la s s /que nching m e t ho d w ill

pro duce 9 5% o f t he s hine in st e a d o f

Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!: Page 7

Step 7: Polishing the Surface Pt. 2 (with Cloth)

Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!: Page 8

This nal step REALLY makes the sphere shine! Like
the other steps it will take some time, but it is well
worth it.
For this nal step, I have seen people use micro ber
cloths, dishrags, hand towels, socks, you name it. I
have seen Dorodango done using each one and I can
safely say that as long as you put in the time, it
doesn't really matter which one you use. I will
mention however that some cloths may make the
process go a little fast and others may introduce little
bers into the surface that are undesirable so keep an
eye out for that.
Note: I have also seen people use wax to bu -out/shine
the surface as time-saver. If you want to be done
quicker, that is certainly an option. However, to stay
true to the essence of the craft I would encourage you
not to do it. It really is satisfying to tell someone that
Step 8: Display!
Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!: Page 9
your glistening Dorodango was made of 100% dirt
rather than 99% dirt and 1% wax.
The best method that I have seen/used is to hold the
dry ball in the rag/towel while cupping the bottom
with my hands. Then, with my thumbs, I do small
circles in a concentrated area until the ball really
starts to shine. Then I shift the ball slightly and move
on to the next area. Beware of over polishing and the
pressure you apply. Dorodango is fragile and may
start cracking if you are polishing too much/too hard.
Also be careful of polishing over small surface defects
- this will also peel up the glossy surface and expose
the rough interior.
Finally, after much polishing over the entire surface,
your Dorodango should be absolutely glowing!
Now that you are done, place your beautiful
Dorodango in a special place for all to see! Like I said,
people who come over to your house will be (and
have been in my experience) shocked to hear that the
shiny, smooth and beautiful piece of art on your
co ee table is only made of dirt!
If you liked this Instructable, please consider leaving a
like and a vote for this Instructable on the Remix
Contest page. I really appreciate it!
I hope you had fun learning how to make Dorodango!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

With this art form comes a respect for the simple I will see you on the next one!
things around us and the patience required to
recognize the intrinsic beauty that di erent objects -MM
possess. Who knew something so mundane and
overlooked as dirt could become something so amazing?

great job! I'm not ready to make my own yet, but you made it look simple! So maybe I'll give it a try
sometime :) Thanks for sharing!
Glad you like it - thanks for checking it out! The simplicity is in the quick quench process. It takes
out a lot of time and tedious extra steps. Let me know if you give it a shot!
This instructable caught my eye, and once I clicked on it, I couldn't believe what I was reading! A
ball of dirt? Your photography is helpful, your directions are clear, and I appreciate that you
encourage uniqueness through making this your own with different colors or dirt from different
places. It's a new taking on the idea of collecting sand from different travel sites. I may have to take
on this feat!
Hey thanks for your nice comment! If you give it a try let me know! :D

Dorodango - the Art of Polishing Dirt!: Page 10