Commodore Spark
New Member
Hello, RPF! I've been lurking around these forums for a couple of days now hoping to find a thread which answered some of my basic newbie questions but my search-fu appears to be really weak.
I'm really interested in the technique of sculpting from clay, making a mold, and then casting it in a tougher positive (fiberglass/resin/whatnot) - however there seem to be so many routes/materials/tricks that I'm finding myself completely cross-eyed and confused.
I figured I needed to just bite the bullet here and ask you talented folks what you'd do or if you could offer any advice.
- Clay? I've heard Roma Plastina and WED clay are both pretty popular, but it sounds like the WED clay has a more limited lifespan. Also am not sure what the best place would be to purchase it? At least Roma Plastina comes up on froogle search...
- Mold? I've heard that generally you use a hard mold for soft things and soft mold for hard things. I've also heard/read that smooth-on's products are fantastic... I've been wondering if it's possible to make a fiberglass mold over this soft clay (wanted to start with something that didn't have any undercuts) or if that's a ridiculous idea. It seems most people are using some sort of silicone/brush-on mold base with harder support shell for their mold making over clay...?
- Positive/Final? I'm sure it really depends on what it'll be for and all. I've been messing around a bit with fiberglass and was hoping to be able to use that for final pieces but wasn't sure how it would work in various mold types.
I'm sorry, I realize these are all really general questions and I'm sure you guys get them all the time- any advice would be really appreciated. As I mentioned, I am a complete newbie when it comes to molding/casting - In the meantime I will continue practicing my search-fu.
I'm really interested in the technique of sculpting from clay, making a mold, and then casting it in a tougher positive (fiberglass/resin/whatnot) - however there seem to be so many routes/materials/tricks that I'm finding myself completely cross-eyed and confused.
I figured I needed to just bite the bullet here and ask you talented folks what you'd do or if you could offer any advice.
- Clay? I've heard Roma Plastina and WED clay are both pretty popular, but it sounds like the WED clay has a more limited lifespan. Also am not sure what the best place would be to purchase it? At least Roma Plastina comes up on froogle search...
- Mold? I've heard that generally you use a hard mold for soft things and soft mold for hard things. I've also heard/read that smooth-on's products are fantastic... I've been wondering if it's possible to make a fiberglass mold over this soft clay (wanted to start with something that didn't have any undercuts) or if that's a ridiculous idea. It seems most people are using some sort of silicone/brush-on mold base with harder support shell for their mold making over clay...?
- Positive/Final? I'm sure it really depends on what it'll be for and all. I've been messing around a bit with fiberglass and was hoping to be able to use that for final pieces but wasn't sure how it would work in various mold types.
I'm sorry, I realize these are all really general questions and I'm sure you guys get them all the time- any advice would be really appreciated. As I mentioned, I am a complete newbie when it comes to molding/casting - In the meantime I will continue practicing my search-fu.
