New and trying to figure things out.

[Z3r0M0nk3y]

Hey all. I hope this is the right place to post this question. I am thinking about getting into sculpting, and have been doing my research on all that I will need (though if it's like any other art I've worked with, that list never REALLY ends). I am looking to ultimately (after teaching and practice and working through sketches) hoping to be able to make maquettes, statuettes and maybe even some action figures of things I'm interested in. Mostly things like Transformers, Comic characters, and just random monsters and aliens I may dream up. So my question is as to the medium. I'm thinking about shying away from water based clay and going more towards oil based. But in this I'm seeing things like Monster Clay, Castilene, and Chavant's Clayete. So what would you guys all suggest? I understand that the three of those require like a heat box and all that, but I like how you can get detail and it holds up nicely. Also since I'm not sure how often I can get to things, being able to pick it up once a week helps. Any help and suggestions would be tremendous. Also any tips or links to tutorials on starting out would be great. Thanks

[Dimitri kaliviotis]

Don't forget to look at smellybugs tutorials in this section of the site. Unbaked polymer clays of course might get stiff and start cracking. I like using NSP medium or Roma #3 if I'm going for detail in the end, but the more waxy MC and Castilene are great too. You need to experiment. If I'm just playing with the volumes and pose, the softer clays are nice too.
For mechanical characters I alsways prefer to go the model-making way and build them with stiff materials instead of sculpting them.

[philofmars]

Since you are going to be doing this for yourself, start with sculpy3 (the tan stuff) white is too crumbly. You can practice, and when you make something great, you can bake it and paint it. finished piece! It stays pliable like oil clay until you bake it, so you can work on it off-and-on for months.

If you use a wax like chavant, you can do nothing with it after it's done unless you mold and cast it (big bucks). I can tell you from experience, your kids or friends will find some way to destroy it before then!!!

The other option is something like magic sculpt. It's a 2-part epoxy clay that is wonderful. You can take an action figure, grind it down to the joints and build it back up with the clay. it cures and you paint it. wonderful stuff, expensive but worth every penny. The down side to it is you have a working time of 45 minutes or so before it gets too stiff to work easily, so your experience with the sculpy will be invaluable when you get to this point.