Clay sculpting?
polycounter lvl 10
Hello all, it's been a while since my last visit to polycount, but it's nice to be back. I see a few changes around and the main page is really picking up steam! (yeah, it's really been a while -_-)
So! I've been busy taking some rl-scultping classes to improve my self as an artist, mostly doing micro figure scultping, whatever the hell that means.
Actually let me show you -
This is the first piece I did with armature and stuff, it's pretty crap, but I guess it's a start. The smaller image in the bottom left side is just for reference, it's too blurry on its own.
So anyway, I know there's some dudes out there doing the same thing and I would like to ask you what materials you use, where do you buy them etc. For instance, at the school I'm going at we use this weird thingy which isn't exactly clay and you have to cool it before making a cast out of it in order to make copies of your sculpts.
My question is this: Has anyone here used Sculptie brand clay? Is it good? What other brands/materials are suitable for this sort of miniature sculpting?
Thanks in advance, I didn't put this thread on pimpin' cause it's mostly about information on the mats available and not about pimpin' my brown little dude.
So! I've been busy taking some rl-scultping classes to improve my self as an artist, mostly doing micro figure scultping, whatever the hell that means.
Actually let me show you -
This is the first piece I did with armature and stuff, it's pretty crap, but I guess it's a start. The smaller image in the bottom left side is just for reference, it's too blurry on its own.
So anyway, I know there's some dudes out there doing the same thing and I would like to ask you what materials you use, where do you buy them etc. For instance, at the school I'm going at we use this weird thingy which isn't exactly clay and you have to cool it before making a cast out of it in order to make copies of your sculpts.
My question is this: Has anyone here used Sculptie brand clay? Is it good? What other brands/materials are suitable for this sort of miniature sculpting?
Thanks in advance, I didn't put this thread on pimpin' cause it's mostly about information on the mats available and not about pimpin' my brown little dude.
Replies
Sculpey clay is decent but pretty hard to work with as far as polymer clays go -- you have to massage quite a lot to get it into a state where it's workable. This is true for all polymer clays to some extent, but I've always had the most trouble with Sculpey. Fimo is the brand I found easiest to work with overall. There are some different techniques required compared to what one does with regular clay, but you should be able to google that part. Most craft supply stores will have a decent selection so you can at least see what's available and pick up a small amount to see if you like working with it and which brand you prefer. Prices are probably drastically better online, however, so I wouldn't suggest buying much there.
If you go miniature sculpting , ie like Warhammer stuff, then the stuff to use is 'green stuff' a two part material you mix and leave to set. I had a go at it, but frankly its a bit too small for me to do anything decent with !!
For larger sculpts I used Chavant, from memory it comes in different 'hardness' levels. I used a homemade clayoven to keep the chavant at a workable temperature.
The first thing about sculpting in smaller scales is that the size of the finished object will probably dictate the material that you use. Anything from 1/9th above the I would use Chavant, usually medium. anything 1/9th or below then a polymer mix, sculpey, sculpey extra firm, and fimo. for anything 54mm and below you can start using the epoxy putties, Duro (green stuff) procreate, milliput etc.
You can mix polymer and epoxy clay together , a ratio of about 60 epoxy to 40 polymer is nice, a little crumbly, and will give you about 4 hrs working time before it goes off, you can bake it after that but reduce the temperature that you would bake at by about 20 degree's celcius and reduce the time by about 5 mins.
I have used most things at one time or another but my favourite is champagne fimo with a little sculpey extra firm thrown in for good measure. Its very nice to work with.
if you are going to use polymers for the smaller scale stuff....75mm or below really, then I sugest priming your armature with epoxy putty first, I used to use old green for this, you put a thin layer of epoxy down and then layer polymer over the top and give it an hour or two for the epoxy to cure before sculpting over it.......not doing this can mean that you chase clay around a piece of wire for half an hour for it to just fall off
if you decide that epoxy is for you then once mixed, give it about ten minutes to calm down before you wrk with it, and remember that you will need to keep going over any corners or sharp edges that you want as it cures, unlike polymers
if you have any other questions about miniature sculpting then give me a shout and I will do my best to help innit
oh and http://www.georgeweil.com/polymer-clay-pit.aspx for anything polymer and chavant,
and http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com/ for epoxies, wire and tools.
http://www.tiranti.co.uk
On a more serious note, seth's advice on mixing is quite sound. I have no idea why I didn't think to mention it.
A friend of mine who used to work at McFarlane raved about it.
Also, as its wax you can use it, mould it then heat the mould up to drain the wax out and run a cast, which is quite handy, especially if you don't want to worry about running multiple copies.
As badger baiter says you can build with wax without even an armature, its a right pain in the arse for me though, I prefer softer waxes which dont really hold up to being used to build up with, I used to rough out in chavant or plastaline, take an alginate mould from it, and pour moulten wax to get a rough that you can sharpen up and polish to final. But that's just the way I liked to work, there is no right way to do it really.
The smallest that I have seen anyone work wax in is 54mm....even then I think that the guy was insane (clever yes...but totally insane
check out http://theclubhouse1.net/phpBB3/index.php its the home of a lot of garage kit sculptors and guys that work exclusivley in wax, it mioght give you a better idea of how its used etc.....
You are quite correct, I am sorry
Has been a couple of years since I last sculpted - completely forgot about building it up over an alumunium foil base!!
http://www.free3dtutorials.com/minotaur.php
http://www.free3dtutorials.com/war-troll.php
Edit: I would be a bit careful with the heat gun. I used one once on one of my figures and it started to tear the surface of it. When baking in an oven you get a nicer consistent bake on the whole thing.
Also, whilst we are on handy hints and hot tools... don't fall asleep on a soldering iron. I woke up to find one melted to my forearm after being awake for 3 days and nights