Clay wont stick, any advice?

[yaris]

I've never used clay before, so don't really know what I'm doing.

Built an Easter Island head from a pep file, fiberglass resin the outside to firm it up, then clay over the top to get the stone look. I'm very happy with how it was going, but I can pick off the clay from the model, it's not sticking very well

Is there anything I can prep the pep/resin card stock with to make the clay stick better?

Should I use something other than clay?

I'm using air dry clay.

Thanks for your help

 

[rbeach84]

How large is this piece? (I can't tell from the image...) Thickness of your application may be causing the problem (too thin or too thick...)

R/ Robert

 

[yaris]

How large is this piece? (I can't tell from the image...) Thickness of your application may be causing the problem (too thin or too thick...)

R/ Robert

Hey mate, thanks for the response, photos included below. I don't think it's a thickness issue, but I'm new to clay, so I don't really know:confused.......thick or thin it can be picked off. The statue is about 2 ft or 60cm

 

[rbeach84]

Yaris, is that wax I see dripped on the armature? If so, then I'd expect the clay will not stick properly. Air drying clay may also be able to absorb oils from the wax such that it will contaminate it, preventing it from working further as desired. Please describe how & of what you made the armature (it looks like paper with wax applied just from the pix... but that is just guessing!) to help further "troubleshooting".

I have a good friend who has done a great deal of clay sculpting (though he used non-hardening clay to allow him to work on pieces intermittently) and since he often was making masters for latex masks & appliances, was sculpting over a plaster 'life cast' of his head which he reused. I also have seen wonderful works (unlike my own efforts!) using wire armatures wrapped in aluminum foil (to bulk out the shape) followed by a 'skin' of Sculpey 'arts' clay, which is oven baked to harden. Although more expensive, this allows for a hard, paint-able surface.

I applaud your process, working with unfamiliar media takes exactly this - experimentation and discovery. Hope this helps...

Regards, Robert

 

[brandomack]

Tear off the clay, and start over with this stuff...

LePage PolyTM Super Strength Cement Concrete Patch

i've used similar products, you can simulate cracks easily.

The trick is to get it to the right consistency that it will stick, but not be too runny.

 

[yaris]

I used fibreglass resin to harden up the card stock and then put the clay over it. It odesn't flake off, I do have to pick at it quiet hard, but it does come off.

I'm thinking of getting some mortar and using that

 

[DizzyStrmtroopr]

I put monster clay over my peps. you have to rough up the outside resin coat with 60-80 grit sandpaper. that's what I do and it works okay. if you did already or youre still having issues you might consider using fine mesh as "rebar" for the clay to hold onto, similar to how chickenwire is used on houses here in the west for stucco. hobby lobby sells sheets of it in they clay section for less than $10. its meant for making masks and will easily bend around the pep and hold its shape