Clay purchasing question

[inkmonster]

Im starting some sculpting projects and I need to know where is the cheapest place to get chavant medium clay in the U.S. And roughly how many pounds of it would be needed to sculpt a average sized costume? Im gonna sculpt the suits in sections and I know its reusable so just a rough est 20lbs 40lbs more?

 

[hez1]

Not exactly an answer Dwayne, but chavant do have a list of distributors on their site...maybe you could find one within driving distance of yourself? That way you'd save on shipping, which on clay can be significant. How much would depend on the costume and how large pieces you plan on tackling. My Gort bio took 13lbs over a plaster armature cast from the monsterroom mask...just to give you an idea of how far it might go.

 

[Ruffkintoy]

Never used Chavant so don't know about that. As for how much you'll need, all depends on what you are doing and what you are using for an armature. It's always better to have to much clay than not enough. If you are doing something like a leg sculpt or chest sculpt I would say 50+ lbs minimum and thats using a body form of some kind.

 

[inkmonster]

Thanks guys Im actually thinking of using wed clay. Its a water based clay but it has glyserine in it so it dont dry out as fast. I can get 5lbs of it for around 25 dollars. where 40 lbs of chavant is 150.00. But with my inexperience it may still dry out on me cause Im shure it will take me awhile to finish a sculpt.

 

[hez1]

Dwayne, are you sure about the WED prices? Because 5lbs for $25 isn't that great...did you mean 50lbs?

You could also get 50lbs of klean klay for $80 from sculpture depot, if you didn't want to risk it drying out.

 

[inkmonster]

Dwayne, are you sure about the WED prices? Because 5lbs for $25 isn't that great...did you mean 50lbs?

You could also get 50lbs of klean klay for $80 from sculpture depot, if you didn't want to risk it drying out.

Yeah I meant 50lbs just a typo I allways was told kleen klay is a water based clay the people in the industry use for making deviding walls for molding purposes. Im still uncertian about using the wed clay as Im affraid it will dry out before aI can finish a sculpture. That and its real easy to bump and mess up details. Pete can sculpt a suit or head in 48 hours and is used to this stuff. And for large scale sculpts like full suits I hear its the only way to go. Or else your hands will be so sore from carving a oil clay that you wont be able to turn a door knob for a month. But the guys that are using it are extremely fast sculpters and know just how much your supposed to wet it. Im really wanting to try this but may leave it to the guys that know what the heck there doing.

 

[MasterAnubis]

Klean Klay is not water based. I'm not sure if it’s a plastacene or not but I use the regular stuff. I've only made small things out of it and I know the consensus it is softer then some prefer. It is availible in a soft, firm and extra firm too. It has no sulfer so its fine for silicone, I have used it well with the 2 part rubber I have but I'm not sure exactly what it is. Yes its good for dividing walls.

I can't speak for the water based clay. I have seen the YouTube video people keep talking about that has the guy painting on latex over the water based clay. I think a lot of his preceved detail was in the painting. Somthing that might be apealing -might- be some sort of skim coat of clay over the water based stuff after it cures. That would fill cracks and alow for some detail. Of course that assuming it doesn't crack in half. Basically make it your armature.

Doesn't the water based clay shrink... a lot?

I'm still a big fan of Klean Klay.

Isn't one advantage of the Chavant that it can be melted?

 

[hez1]

This is where I get my stuff from http://www.sculpturedepot.net/clay-wax-tools/clay.htm

The klean klay I get from them is not water based. They may do a WED clay, but this isn't it. It is a lot softer than the chavant, the 'regular' I got is softer than the 'soft' chavant. I'll be going with the firm next time I need to buy clay. Or I guess I might try the chavant, now that I've spoken to them about which molding materials work with it...

 

[inkmonster]

I think Im gonna suck it up and spend the money on the chavant. It can be reused unlike the waterbased clay so in the long run it will pay for itself. I think for the big stuff like a full torso I will use the soft version I heard it can be built up fairly quickly like waterbased clay. Thanks for the help and advice guys should have some stuff to show soon.

 

[xdmray]

i was able to get my local art store to order it. it was slightly cheaper than buying from monstermakers plus saved on shipping. get yourself a crock pot and melt it in there. then i just slop it on. it's the quickest way to build up in my book. you will have to experiment with the heat settings to get it to a consistency you like.

GL

 

[Ruffkintoy]

i was able to get my local art store to order it. it was slightly cheaper than buying from monstermakers plus saved on shipping. get yourself a crock pot and melt it in there. then i just slop it on. it's the quickest way to build up in my book. you will have to experiment with the heat settings to get it to a consistency you like.

GL

I use a crock pot to soften my oil base clay as well, just don't forget you turned it on high and get distracted for say a day LOL. Burnt oil clay is nasty stuff.

 

[PredatrHuntr]

Is Van Aken modeling clay the same type of thing as Kleen Klay? It says "never hardens". I assume this is the same thing as Kleen Klay?

 

[xdmray]

couldnt tell ya Jason

my update- monster makers is now cheaper than my local art store. even with the shipping costs.

 

[Elkman]

Is Van Aken modeling clay the same type of thing as Kleen Klay? It says "never hardens". I assume this is the same thing as Kleen Klay?

I've used Klean Klay for most of my mask sculpture, but my local Blick Art Supply stopped carrying it, so I've been using Van Aken for my gauntlet sculpts. Both Klean Klay and Van Aken Plastalina are oil-based, non-hardening clays, but the Van Aken clay definitely has a different feel to it. Van Aken seems to get more pliable as it's warmer, so I either hold it in my fingers or pop it into a toaster oven for a few minutes to soften it. On the other hand, if I need to resurface or carve out some section that's cooled off, it's more difficult to get a smooth edge on the Van Aken than it is with the Klean Klay. It's easy to leave the surface rather rough unless I work at it more.

It's a little bit hard to try and explain the difference in words -- you pretty much have to work with the two materials for a while before you notice the difference. To cut to the chase, though, if you're planning to sculpt something that you want to make a mold out of, such as a plaster casting for a mask or a silicone casting for armor, Klean Klay and Van Aken Plastalina are interchangeable.

 

[PredatrHuntr]

Awesome - thank you!

 

[Elder one]

There is also an online store - Brick in the Yard (BITY) that sells Klean Klay at a decent price and reasonable shipping cost - owner's name is Mitch.

I personally use Klean Klay firm. Primarily because I live is San Diego and the temperature is warm enough to keep the clay pliable. Also, I go with the firm is the forgiveness. When you break for the evening, the next day your sculpt will have stiffened a bit from the clay cooling. With the sculpt a bit firm, I am less likely to "nic" the clay and screw up my prior work.

Another trick to soften your clay - I put my clay in a disposable aluminum pan (like you bake a turkey), then I put an electric heating pad under the tray. Put a towel over the top of the pan - wait 15 minutes you have a pan full of soft clay.




Just my 2 cents.


Elder - One