Clay Head Sculpt Attempt

[Lonewolf260]

Hi everyone! a while back i purchased a rubies mask, i fixed it up, and it looks good. But i could do better and its too big. So i decided i wanted to give a clay sculpt a try. I have made things from clay in the past so i do have some experience. I'll be getting clay within a day or two then ill start my progress pictures! I plan on only going after a p1 look, but customizing things like scars, blood, etc.

-Ian

 

[XilianX2010]

Can't wait! I love masks with added customs good luck!

 

[Lonewolf260]

I actually came up with a use for my rubies mask, i was planning on making it look bloody with a spear going through it so it looks like my pred killed another, i may make one mandible on my sculpt missing too, sort of like wolf

-Ian

 

[XilianX2010]

Awesome The idea with your pred killing another, would consider your pred to be a "Bad Blood", a pred who hunts preds. Cant wait to see it

 

[Lonewolf260]

Im getting my clay today, im assuming 20 pounds of modeling clay is enough? also im buying an airbrush, foamies, clay tools and a mannequin head! Should be able to start tonight, more likely tomorrow morning!

-Ian

 

[wonko]

I've never done a head, but from what I hear most use between 30-40 lbs of clay.  Allot of that depends on your armature, but I don't think 20 is gonna get it unless you plan on doing something smaller than 1:1 scale.

Brian

 

[Lonewolf260]

I haven't gotten the clay yet but I can get more than 20, as for the scale I don't know how I'll do that, I was going to use a foam mannequin head and just sculpt one not too big and not too small

-Ians

 

[Lonewolf260]

Ok I have just bought 30 pounds of clay and a head!

-Ian

 

[Lonewolf260]

After working for maybe 6-7 hours I have finally come to this! Still have some more things to do but I'm close!
-Ian

 

[Lonewolf260]

I added a top crown and dread holes

-Ian

 

[XilianX2010]

Wow! Looking great so far! The crown looks neat! You got the basic shape of head, and the face is coming along great! 

 

[Lonewolf260]

Thanks i am having a little trouble with detail on the face. as on the skin texture but other than that i have latex on its way!

-Ian

 

[XilianX2010]

Thanks i am having a little trouble with detail on the face. as on the skin texture but other than that i have latex on its way!
 
-Ian

If want some advice:

If want to make realistic creases and idents, use plastic bags, or plastic, like the sandwhich bag. Put it over the clay, then using your sharp sculpting tool, and make creases, and idents loke wrinkles. I use it to make skin textures hope that helps.

 

[Lonewolf260]

Thanks for sharing your idea! I will start that!

-Ian

 

[Lonewolf260]

I detailed the back where the dread holes go

Next i began adding teeth

Then I took the scar off and improved the top of the head

One thing i need is latex and thats on its way. I noticed that predators have quills on their head. Any ideas on how i should do this?

The Bio mask is next but im still trying to think how i will do that, i wont be able to make a resin/plastic/fiberglass one because i dont have much money. But i have seen people make clay bios then put on plaster strips, does this work?

-Ian

 

[backbone]

Looking good, cool to see more sculpting. I thought the same thing about attempting a bio, but you will have a hard time getting good results out of a plaster bio. I tried the same thing before, it is fragile an leaves no detail. If you go through the sculpting of it, why not go all the way? Molding and casting isn't as expensive as you think.


~Henry~

 

[Lonewolf260]

Could you maybe give me an estimated cost on making a cast? Also what will I need? I know of some videos Ive watched about casting but It looks very hard and expensive. But if you say it isn't as expensive as it looks I'll take your word for it!

-Ian

 

[backbone]

I mad my cast extra thick so I got 2 cans of resin, but you only really need one. I spent about 80 altogether. Without that extra can it would be about 60. For the mold I bout a couple of caulking tubes of pure silicon. You can get them just about anywhere, I got mine at my local dollar general at $3 a pop. Just put gloves on and use a caulk gun to squeeze it out on your piece, then spread it around. I used 6 tubes and it came out decently thick. Use your plaster bandages to make a mother mold shell on top of that. Trim it up and now you have a mold without spending a couple hundred dollars. You can buy ether fiberglass mat or cloth. I recommend mat because its generally easier to use. At Walmart you can get fiberglass resin and the fiberglass mat. Together it's about $25, not bad Mix up about 6 oz and pour it in. Slush it l around and brush it up to the edges over and over until it gels up, try to get it as even as a coverage as possible. Then cut up some mat, enough to cover it and then some extra. Brush some mixed up resin in a smallish area, and push some mat into it, the dab the brush on and around it until it soaked through. Slightly overlap another piece and repeat the process. After you cover the whole thing mix up another small batch and slush it around the edges to make it strong there. Then mix up your last batch and slush it around to make it stronger. Try to get an even coating. Leave it overnight and viola, a cast for around 60 bucks.


~Henry~

 

[Lonewolf260]

Thank you so much! I think I will give this a go! so with this resin and the mat that solidifies and becomes a hard plastic product? I've seen some videos of this. If you have any pictures id really like to see them! That way I have something to look at to make sure I'm doing it right!

-Ian

 

[wonko]

Bear in mind that silicone and latex don't play well together.  Sure, you can cast latex in silicone, but it's a less than ideal way to do it.  Also remember this...  Hard casts use soft molds, and soft casts use hard molds (in most instances).  In other words, if you're resin casting a bio you would do that in a soft (silicone) mold.  Casting a soft mask is best done in a stone mold, meaning plaster.  Save you time and money and stay away from plaster of paris.  It's not nearly strong enough.  There are of course exceptions to every rule, but time and experience has shown the correct way to do things.  Ultracal 30 is the way to go, especially if you want more than 1 pull out of your mold.  Like with your suit, my suggestion is not to rush into it, do as much research as you can (then do more) and use the correct materials the first time.  YouTube has lots and lots of good info from the pros, and there are at least 3 pages worth of topics that apply to this already available here on the lair.  If I've learned anything in my time building, creating, and constructing things it's that there are 2 way to do things... the cheap way OR the right way.  Ask yourself this... wouldn't the pros do it the cheap way if it was the right way?  Ultimately it's up to you, and I really don't mean to come off as an ******* here, but after your "latex problems: thread I have a hunch you're going to do it the way you want, but hopefully this will save you some time, effort, and money.  Up to you.  That being said, I will leave this topic alone from now on.

Brian