Casting WED clay, cracking

Silly DufferSilly Duffer ✭
in Sculpture
I recently finished a full-size head and shoulders sculpture out of WED clay. I kept it hydrated while working on it, but once I was happy with it I figured I would let it dry, then make a silicone mold from the dry piece. 

Unfortunately I think I am going about this wrong, since the clay has started to crack now that it is drying. When is the appropriate time to make a mold of a WED clay sculpture? Should I have been making a mold while it was still wet? Is it possible to make a mold of a dry WED model? Is my sculpture going to fall apart? 

Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Just to be clear, I am aware of how to keep the clay moist while working on it, I thought that once it was finished it would be safe to let it dry.  

The two photos are from a couple days of drying.

Comments

  • James ShaverJames Shaver ✭✭✭
    you can cover the cracks/fill in with more moist WED clay but if it is any help at all i would switch clays...go to a chvant or Monster clay...oil based clays never crack
  • hummble98hummble98 ✭

    Cracking in WED clay casting usually happens due to uneven drying, improper moisture content, or rapid temperature changes. To prevent this, ensure uniform thickness, slow drying, and proper wedging. Controlling humidity and avoiding direct heat exposure can significantly reduce cracks and improve casting quality. :D



  • Tom LucaTom Luca ✭✭✭
    Oh that's no problem, just get a spray mister bottle or atomizer bottle and spray the sculpture down every once in awhile. You see, W.E.D. clay, Walter Elias Disney clay is really meant for large jobs that are needed in a hurry. Just get a spray bottle and fill it with water and sometimes glycerin, you'll be fine. Good job.
  • Tom LucaTom Luca ✭✭✭
    Oh, if you add Glycerin just be careful because WED has glycerin in it to slow drying times down so don't go crazy with it, be very subtle when spraying the sculpture.
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