Sculpting material advice please

johnnyhungus · Jan 16, 2017

Thanks for looking in....

i am am going to sculpt a Heath Ledger Joker bust which I would like to eventually cast out to create a silicone bust. The questions I have are:

Which is is the best clay to use for a long term project? I am sure it will take a while to complete as I am a novice.

I would like to avoid having to bake or fire the sculpt, is that okay for a mole to be made around something not hardened?

Which is the best method to use to cast from the clay? Which materials are best to create a mole that works well with silicone and is best to remove the clay from?

i have some other questions regarding the silicone but as I haven't even begun, I thought it best to just get going first and be sure I am using the best materials for this particular type of project.

Thanks in advance for pointers and advice, really looking forward to doing this, as a perfectionist I want to get it right!!

mrbungle · Jan 16, 2017

chevant NSP clay or monster clay. it is sulfur free and you can work on it then forget it for a while and come back to it. i like the med. hardness.

johnnyhungus · Jan 20, 2017

Is it worth trying soft first I wonder?

cunningham · Jan 21, 2017

I agree with Mr.Bungle, Monster Clay medium is nice to work with. I have tried all three grades and I find the soft, while still great, you can accidentally bump or scratch it and damage your sculpt far more easily that the hard or medium. The three grades don't correspond with your experience with them (amateurs need to start with soft and so on), so don't be afraid to start with whatever grade you want.

johnnyhungus · Jan 23, 2017

Thanks for the replies.

I have also heard good things about Chavant NSP which comes in a few firmness types. I intent to build the 1:1 bust and then make a mold to cast silicone skin, are these clays ideal for this type of project?

ChickenHaunt · Jan 23, 2017

johnnyhungus said:
I have also heard good things about Chavant NSP which comes in a few firmness types. I intent to build the 1:1 bust and then make a mold to cast silicone skin, are these clays ideal for this type of project?

NSP Medium is pretty much the industry standard. The trick is to warm it up before use, as the block at room temp is too firm to mush around, but perfect for detailing once you're to that stage.

johnnyhungus · Jan 24, 2017

I just bought a block of NSP soft to play with, will see how it suits my hands before buying some more.

Thanks for your help!

clonesix · Jan 24, 2017

Best?! That depends on your skill level. Since you state that you are a "Novice," The choice is Water Clay. Because it is cheap, easily and quickly blocks out your shape, and after practicing on it for a few days, if you aren't satisfied, (No Novice EVER sculpted a work of art on the first try) you can throw it away and start over.

Just remember that water clay dries out, so be sure to put a trash bag over it when not sculpting on it. If well sealed, you can sculpt onto it for months.

While all who have posted above state that Chavant clay is "The BEST, " It requires heating up, it is more difficult to block out a shape.

My suggestion is to try and sculpt a 1/4 scale Joker 4-5 times as practice before moving to 1:1 and Chavant clays.

Good luck and be sure to post photos of the progress. We love photos

johnnyhungus · Jan 25, 2017

clonesix said:
Best?! That depends on your skill level. Since you state that you are a "Novice," The choice is Water Clay. Because it is cheap, easily and quickly blocks out your shape, and after practicing on it for a few days, if you aren't satisfied, (No Novice EVER sculpted a work of art on the first try) you can throw it away and start over.

Just remember that water clay dries out, so be sure to put a trash bag over it when not sculpting on it. If well sealed, you can sculpt onto it for months.

While all who have posted above state that Chavant clay is "The BEST, " It requires heating up, it is more difficult to block out a shape.

My suggestion is to try and sculpt a 1/4 scale Joker 4-5 times as practice before moving to 1:1 and Chavant clays.

Good luck and be sure to post photos of the progress. We love photos

Yes I am a novice but that does not mean I don't have the skill

For my first effort I have actually tried WED clay and found the effort involved in keeping it damp was not worth it, well, not for the attention to detail I am willing to put in at the speed I want to go. Saying that, it was very easy to work with, so that was a definite advantage

I want to take my time to complete my work and it seems NSP is the way to go. Especially as I will be taking a while to complete.

I totally agree that my first sculpt was not the best but it gave me the feels for sure.

I have a big block of WED in storage, just in case though......

Sculpting material advice please

johnnyhungus

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mrbungle

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johnnyhungus

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cunningham

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johnnyhungus

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ChickenHaunt

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johnnyhungus

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clonesix

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johnnyhungus

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