Smoothing bumpy WED clay

[wholesomejoe]

What is the best way to accomplish this? Seems like a never ending battle.

 

[imnotahero]

A pass with a sculpting rake, then spray with a mist of water, then a pass with a reticulated sponge, then a pass with a ceramic sponge.

 

[wholesomejoe]

Can you expand on what a reticulated sponge and a ceramic sponge are?

 

[imnotahero]

Reticulated sponge is something like a fish tank filter sponge, you can find those at a pet store:

And a ceramic sponge is the kind of sponge they have by the sculpting or pottery stuff in Michaels or AC Moore:


Basically they work like finer and finer rakes for the clay.

 

[clonesix]

you need a metal kidney:

 

[Yodajammies]

Makeup sponges from the dollar store make fantastic smoothing tools.

 

[Mr Mold Maker]

Just a tip, don't drown the WED clay in water. If you keep spraying and spraying it, it will turn into a terrible soupy mess of clay. It will be a never ending battle against the clay.

I tend to use 99% alcohol when smoothing Water Based clay, as it softens the surface enough, without breaking it down completely.