Terra cotta?

[Chinosan]

I apologize if this is posted on the wrong thread.

I am looking to sculpt an Iron Man helmet. I wanted to know if Terra cotta is a good clay to work with. Because I am taking ceramics at my university so I know how to work the clay and it's cheap (20 bucks for a 50lb bag). The only problem is that it shrinks a bit when it dries. Or should I use an oil based clay like Roma Plastilina?

 

[Vermithrax 4]

I wouldn't recommend terra cotta, it's very gritty and normally used for clay vessels and the like. Go with Roma Plastilena if you have some but Chavant is the best IMO. www.chavant.com .

 

[Chinosan]

How much would a 50lb bag of clay worth? There are no prices on the website XD.

 

[aron42486]

on some websites ive seen 2lbs going for around $10, so im assuming that 50lb will be rather pricey. google "chavant nsp" to find some distributors

 

[clonesix]

You can use the finer grained white clay rather than Terra Cotta. It is also cheap. I get it for $12 for 50 lbs. It might be more expensive at art stores.

 

[Chinosan]

I've used white clay before in class. The reason why I like using pottery clays is that I can have any consistency I want and for a cheap price. I can use a super soft clay and then let it dry for a little and then I have a much firmer clay. Plus they're super cheap and reusable =D