What is your favorite sculpting medium?

Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
edited September 2015 in General
When it comes to sculpting mediums, there are so many great choices. Sometimes it's a matter of picking the right medium for the right job, but other times we select the medium based on preference. So when you can use any medium, what do you choose?

What is your favorite sculpting medium? 24 votes

Chavant NSP
37%
Tom StewartEleftheria PinakoulakiChris EllerbyAlicia LohJulian BakerDan CapozziMike ReganMcgregor AllenJohn Bannister 9 votes
Monster Clay
16%
Collier WilmesTravis DunnJoseph HumpstonChris Gospodarek 4 votes
WED Clay
12%
Charles YagerLiam ParkesKai Rottmann 3 votes
Water Based Clay
0%
Sculpey
16%
Jared LeeChristian Escalante CastilloWarlock NergalDavid Fox 4 votes
Wax
0%
CX5
4%
Seth Dehaven 1 vote
Other (please post in comments)
12%
Leonardo RodriguesMiguel Ángel De la sottaBlake Bradley 3 votes

Comments

  • Leonardo RodriguesLeonardo Rodrigues ✭
    edited September 2015
    Other (please post in comments)
    No brand Oil based modeling clay (homemade).
  • Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
    Chavant NSP
    Leonardo:  Nice.  Do you use your own recipe?

    /Chris
  • Leonardo RodriguesLeonardo Rodrigues ✭
    Other (please post in comments)
    Yes, Chris! In fact I´ve developed several recipes over the years (9 years) of different types oil based modelling clay, wax for modeling/carving, water clay, epoxy clays, polymer clays, etc. It´s a kind of "art/chemical hobby".

    I like very much to develop art & craft products. In my country (Brazil), it´s very expensive to buy/import quality products like Chavant, Sculpey, WED Clay, so I started to create myself similar products for using in my art and my hobby.

    I´ve even formulated my own foam latex system and makeup products (RMGP; alcohol activated makeup; derma wax; spirit gum; prosthetic acrylic adhesive; etc).

    I'm doing the Dick Smith's Basic 3-D Makeup Course and I´ll only use my sculpt and makeup products. 
  • Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
    Chavant NSP
    That's great that you are able to make your own mediums when branded products are too expensive or difficult to obtain.  I know that sourcing materials is a big challenge for many artists around the world.  If you ever want to share any of your recipes or what you have created please feel free to post a new discussion on the forums.

    /Chris
  • Leonardo RodriguesLeonardo Rodrigues ✭
    Other (please post in comments)
    Thanks very much, Chris. In near future I´m planning to post some of my oil based clay recipe.
  • Jared LeeJared Lee ✭✭✭
    edited September 2015
    Sculpey

    I sculpt small figures in Super Sculpey I prefer a mix of normal, and a bit of firm.

    For refined details I use Apoxie, or Magic sculpt. Then I sand parts smooth, or carve in details.

    For busts I use a lot of old Klean Klay, and Van Aken Protolina that I have had over the years. It is not expensive, and doesn't dry out. So I am not set to a strict time limit for completion. Just room temperature.

  • Miguel Ángel De la sottaMiguel Ángel De la sotta ✭✭
    Other (please post in comments)
    I´ve always worked on plasticin, untill this week, when i found out there is a recipe called Plasticera, which is plasticine hardened with paraffin and bee wax. I replaced the bee wax (too expensive here) with dental wax and it´s really working well. 

    Plasticine 1kg
    Paraffin 250gr
    Bee or dental wax 250

    First, heat the plasticine. When melted, add the paraffin and stir untill mixed. The same with the wax. Put in some container and make bricks. 

    And enjoy =D

    I hope this week i could show some work (i´ve been busy doing digital stuff DX )



  • Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
    Chavant NSP
    Hi Miguel.  Thanks for sharing the Plasticera recipe you are using.  It sounds interesting.  I wonder how it compares to something like a Monster Clay which is somewhat waxy in nature.

    Would love to see some of your work with this clay!

    /Chris
  • Miguel Ángel De la sottaMiguel Ángel De la sotta ✭✭
    Other (please post in comments)
    It is fantastic!

    But i haven´t used Monster Clay nor Chavant (wich i starve to put my hands on) because living in Chile and i don´t use credit card, and so on.

    When i get my camera back i´ll post some pictures. 

    When warm, it´s behaviour is like plasticine and it takes some time to harden, what it takes to make the general form. Detailing is great; i use a lighter to put some direct and focalized heat.

    I´ll let you know how it is to make some molds, but i guess it will be fun.


  • Miguel Ángel De la sottaMiguel Ángel De la sotta ✭✭
    Other (please post in comments)
    This is what i am doing in plasticera, just for testing. The brownish areas are the result of not being careful with the lighter. I guess i must use another thing. 
  • Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
    Chavant NSP
    Very nice!

    /Chris
  • Miguel Ángel De la sottaMiguel Ángel De la sotta ✭✭
    Other (please post in comments)
    =D Thanks =D
  • Chris GospodarekChris Gospodarek ✭
    Monster Clay
    I've only used wed and monster clay but I really like to work most with monster clay :-) 
  • Blake BradleyBlake Bradley ✭✭
    Other (please post in comments)
    Aves fix-it sculpt is amazing if you're doing a one off project. It's an epoxy compound so you only have about an hour and a half to sculpt before it starts getting hard but in each stage of its life before full hard youre able to get different effects. It' accepts extreme detail and last but not least it accepts all paints and stains without priming. On top of all that it's water friendly and feathers beautifully. Costly but worth ever dollar.
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