Sculpting help, text in clay

[jackdoud]

I'm working on a sculpting project that requires text. I've done a little messing around and I can't find a way to cleanly sculpt text into clay. Are there any recommended tools or even letter stamps I should use or should I do an initial cast and cut the letters into that later?

 

[Fulcrum]

Here is a set of small letter stamps
http://www.hobbytool.com/metalalphabetlettersstampingset.aspx

 

[VashDstampede]

The best way I can think of is to do an initial mold and engrave the text on a cast.
If you want to skip that step, depending on the shape of the sculpt and what kind of clay, you may be able to engrave the text on another material and embed it into the clay.

 

[yeti667]

The method I've been using is getting a rubber stamp made of your text - leave a blank where the text will end up being, allow materials to fully harden (I do everything with ApoxySculpt or Sculpey, so this may not help you at all depending on materials), carve out a little depression, fill with fresh apoxy, and after it firms up a bit, press in the stamp. After that bit hardens, you can go back and sand the surface smooth, leaving your text.

What I like about this method is you can get good-looking, correctly spaced text on curved surfaces (like gun barrels, circular statuary base, etc). Most custom rubber stamps come just in a little sheet of rubber, without the wood block. You can trim it down and mount it to a matching curve as your intended surface, to help with applying a more even pressure.

Hope this helps.

 

[jackdoud]

Thanks guys, I'm taking a crack at it with sculpting tools and knives and so far it's coming out alright. Even if it doesn't cast well I can then use the cast to clean up the wording. :thumbsup