Could i get some advice please

[Slushycart52709]

Hi there this is my first ever post and from what I've seen everyone is pretty helpful

I was wondering if I could get some advice on what I could use to make a fairly accurate replica of the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis the one specifically with the face on it (hopefully I've attached the right photo)

I've seen loads of places saying to use epoxy putty some to use latex and some to use cardboard and others to use air-dry modeling clay

Could I have some beginners tips please as I need something to occupy my time right now as its not going so well
Thank you

 

[Yaan]

I would use modeling clay and if the model is finished, get a cast from it then paint.

 

[Slushycart52709]

Thanks for the input if you don't mind me asking is there any particular reason you suggested modelling clay?

 

[Rogviler]

One of the most forgiving materials would be polymer clay, since you can work with it for as long as you need and choose when you want to finalize the sculpt (by baking it). Most other clays are going to have some sort of time limit, either from curing like epoxy or drying out.

 

[renaissance_man]

One of the most forgiving materials would be polymer clay, since you can work with it for as long as you need and choose when you want to finalize the sculpt (by baking it). Most other clays are going to have some sort of time limit, either from curing like epoxy or drying out.

I second this motion.

 

[Slushycart52709]

I second this motion.

Thanks for that, I looked at the shop near me and they only really have drastically different colours to what I ideally need. would it be worth looking at dyes for it or paints for after it's been modeled? I feel like dyes would be "harder" because the colours might look different after it's dried then I'd need to paint it anyway right?

 

[renaissance_man]

Thanks for that, I looked at the shop near me and they only really have drastically different colours to what I ideally need. would it be worth looking at dyes for it or paints for after it's been modeled? I feel like dyes would be "harder" because the colours might look different after it's dried then I'd need to paint it anyway right?

Acrylic paints, Tamiya or Revell. You can get small pots for a couple of pounds/dollars and mix custom colours. For a project like this they would be perfect you can create lots of those dark browns and reds and dab them with wet kitchen paper to get washes and texture.
I did a similar thing when I hand painted my Osmotic Eel from Star Trek Enterprise.

 

[Slushycart52709]

Acrylic paints. You can get small pots for a couple of pounds/dollars and mix custom colours. For a project like this they would be perfect you can create lots of those dark browns and reds and dab them with wet kitchen paper to get washes and texture.
I did a similar thing when I hand painted my Osmotic Eel from Star Trek Enterprise.
View attachment 1753824
View attachment 1753826

That's weirdly beautiful, that is more or less the style I was thinking of but maybe a bit more squidgy so it looks like aged flesh if that makes sense

 

[renaissance_man]

That's weirdly beautiful, that is more or less the style I was thinking of but maybe a bit more squidgy so it looks like aged flesh if that makes sense

I modelled the original in plasticine and then made a mold. But for the book you're planning I would oven bake clay like Fimo.

Oven bake clay

 

[Slushycart52709]

I modelled the original in plasticine and then made a mold. But for the book you're planning I would oven bake clay like Fimo.
Oven bake clay

I think I already know the answer but do I need to have a big specialised oven or just a normal oven?
Also somehow my mom figured out what I was planning and offered me some liquid latex/rubber thing so that it would feel like flesh and I feel like that's a bit extreme but really cool would that be worth looking into?

 

[renaissance_man]

I think I already know the answer but do I need to have a big specialised oven or just a normal oven?
Also somehow my mom figured out what I was planning and offered me some liquid latex/rubber thing so that it would feel like flesh and I feel like that's a bit extreme but really cool would that be worth looking into?

I'm not sure how well acrylic paint would take to latex but I would say get the main body of the book covers sculpted as you want them then bake them in a regular oven on a metal tray. I would personally make the basic shape without any of the added detail on top, bake that with another flat bottom.mwtal.tray on top to stop it warping, then when that has cooled, sculpt the final details on top and rebake at a slightly lower temperature to prevent warping and when that has cooled you will be free to go to town with the paint finish and texture work.
Good luck.

 

[Slushycart52709]

I'm not sure how well acrylic paint would take to latex but I would say get the main body of the book covers sculpted as you want them then bake them in a regular oven on a metal tray. I would personally make the basic shape without any of the added detail on top, bake that with another flat bottom.mwtal.tray on top to stop it warping, then when that has cooled, sculpt the final details on top and rebake at a slightly lower temperature to prevent warping and when that has cooled you will be free to go to town with the paint finish and texture work.
Good luck.

Thank you, I'm going to start buying everything on Nov 1st when I get paid I'll update with how I'm getting on thanks for the advice

 

[renaissance_man]

Thank you, I'm going to start buying everything on Nov 1st when I get paid I'll update with how I'm getting on thanks for the advice

No problem.
I'd invest in an acrylic rolling pin whilst you're buying supplies.
You can use two chopsticks or wooden dowels as a raiser and place the Fimo clay between the these two on a non-porous surface and then use the rolling pin to get an even thickness to the base rectangles of the cover.

 

[Riceball]

I'm not sure how well acrylic paint would take to latex but I would say get the main body of the book covers sculpted as you want them then bake them in a regular oven on a metal tray. I would personally make the basic shape without any of the added detail on top, bake that with another flat bottom.mwtal.tray on top to stop it warping, then when that has cooled, sculpt the final details on top and rebake at a slightly lower temperature to prevent warping and when that has cooled you will be free to go to town with the paint finish and texture work.
Good luck.

I've been using acrylics for ages now and in my experience, there's few things that acrylics won't adhere to. But to be safe, I'd spray the finished model with primer first. Model or figure primer is ideal, but regular hardware store primer should work as well given the general lack of small, fine details.

 

[Slushycart52709]

I've been using acrylics for ages now and in my experience, there's few things that acrylics won't adhere to. But to be safe, I'd spray the finished model with primer first. Model or figure primer is ideal, but regular hardware store primer should work as well given the general lack of small, fine details.

That's great to know, appreciate it

 

[Riceball]

Since the bulk of the prop is going to be brown, I'd use spray paint for the base coast and do washes and highlights in acrylic so that brush strokes don't show and you save yourself paint and time if you're not using an airbrush. If you don't want to use spray paint and/or can't find the right shade of brown I'd thin the paint (water works just fine) to avoid brush strokes. You just have to wait for the paint to dry first before applying more coats, how long it takes to dry will depend on how warm or cold it is where you're painting and just how watery you made the paint. And to water down the paint you can either spray down the finished prop (generously) with water or squirt paint on something like a plastic lid to use as a pallet then add water.

For something this large and what won't have lots of intricate color details, I recommend just getting the cheap dollar paints from Michael's. They're perfect for projects like this when you're going be using lots of mostly just one color. I use those paints all of the time with no problems and they'll save you money over using much nicer, and more expensive paints like Tamiya.

 

[Snow Builder]

I've had bad luck spray painting polymer clay -it gets tacky and won't cure. You can't go wrong with acrylics.

There's an excellent YouTuber, Ace of Clay (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ace+of+clay) who does great videos that can answer a lot of your questions.

 

[JPH]

Hi there this is my first ever post and from what I've seen everyone is pretty helpful

I was wondering if I could get some advice on what I could use to make a fairly accurate replica of the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis the one specifically with the face on it (hopefully I've attached the right photo)

I've seen loads of places saying to use epoxy putty some to use latex and some to use cardboard and others to use air-dry modeling clay

Could I have some beginners tips please as I need something to occupy my time right now as its not going so well
Thank you

Make a 2 photo copies to the size you like. One on paper, the other one on transparency

Put clear tape over the paper copy.

Place the paper copy on an anchored, flat surface. Modelling clay is a great idea to sculpt it. You have the paper copy with clear tape as a base template. Hold the transparencies over it when you lose sight of the paper caopy.

When happy with your sculpt, make a mold with Rebound 25.

Cast in Task 16 rubber.