"Sculpting tutorials and tools questions" Topic

I'm dabbling with sculpting again and I'm interested if people have any favourite tutorials online.

I've fooled around some with procreate and kneadatite. They worked well for me for small conversions I did but I never could get the hand of doing a full mini. Lack of time and effort mostly. I have a selection of tutorials for green stuff but would be happy to see more.

Recently I bought some super sculpey firm to play around with. I'm really happy with how it works and I'm already noticing an improvement in what I'm doing. I've found tutorials for using SSF, Fimo or other polymer clays but most of them aren't of subjects or scale that I'm trying to do (roughly 28mm minis). If anyone had more specific tutorials about this I would appreciate it.

I've read that clay shapers are a great tool for this. I've got a selection of dental pick, wax carvers and other odds and ends. I checked out clay shapers locally but they were way too large for what I'm doing. I'm thinking of picking up some online but don't know what sizes are best. I'm thinking I need some sort of tiny ball shaped tool for working on faces. Any suggestions?

I am in the same boat. I have watch a couple of these

link

and for they are pretty good.

The rest of my stuff is magazines.

Try visiting Massive Voodoo. Theu have some tutorials.

massivevoodoo.blogspot.co.uk

Tony

Definitely Clay Shapers and Dental tools. Though the latter have largely been replaced by the former for me, I only use them for very fine detail, the non-stickyness of the clay shapers is a huge advantage over metal tools!

Clay shapers for me too.

Thanks for the tutorial links. What sizes and hardness of clay shapers do you use? I'd hate to go and order something that's to big for what I'm trying to do.

Clay shapers deffo. The black tips are the hardest. Get the smallest you can or a mixed multipack.
Ebob do the full range and some other good stuff.
Si

A paper embossing tool is handy too for the tiny ball shape you need.
The sewing section of craft shops have interesting stuff as well.
Si

Yeah, I second Simon on the size – go for the smallest possible. I have yet to find anything smaller than size 0. Use either medium (grey silicone) or hard (black). Depends on what putty you´re using and what consistency it has.

Right now I'm working with super sculpey firm which seems to be pretty soft compared to greenstuff. Otherwise I use greenstuff or procreate and have some old epoxy that my dad bought a case of for plumbing repairs. It's good enough for doing bulk work or dollies. So black size 0 clay shapers should be good.

When I did a search for paper embossing tools this was one of the first things that popped up
link
Looks exactly like what I was thinking of but I didn't know the name.

Right now I'm using the blunt end of a medium needle for fine details. It works well but without a decent handle it's not the most comfortable to use. If I try the sharp end for very fine work it gouges and leaves a trail of crumbs along the edges. Something smooth like those styluses should work a lot better.

I do some 6mm sculpting and essentially use the black clay shapers, scalpel, and a needle mounted in a craft knife handle. The trick with the craft knife handle is to find one which has a quartered closing section which fully closes (a lot are either two part or have a circle taken out of the centre).

I have some extra pin vices. That would probably work for a handle. I'll have to try it. I'm thinking of grinding the point off the needle to make it a bit smoother. I don't sew but I'm got a ton of different pins and needles left here from my mother.

Do you do infantry, Dr Mike Salwey, or vehicles. I've got bunch of Renegade Legion grav tanks I want to modify but never did. Never even wanted to try 6mm infantry. I have enough troubles with 28mm.