Sculpting tutorial /w voice over: Female Witch Doctor - part 6 - finishing paint
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Materials used are Super Sculpey polymer clay, Super Sculpey Firm, Original Sculpey, Metal Wire, Base primer from citadel, acrylic paints, Inka gold paints, Game's workshops Citadel paints.
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1
Understand that "Polymer" clay is a special kind of manufactured "clay" which is hardened in a home oven. It is not the same as earth clay (hardened in a kiln), air dry clay (hardened in the air), or plasticine-type modeling clay (never hardened).
2
Learn the many different uses of Polymer clays:
sculpting (simple items or more complex ones)
making jewelry and beads of all kinds
making "canes," "covering" (items made from glass, wood, metal, paper-mache, etc.)
making large or small containers
making simulations of natural materials (jade, pearl, ivory, metal, wood, stone,etc.)
making tiles for mosaics, making actual "paintings," etc.
3
Learn about the versatility of polymer clay. You can combine it with many other materials (mixing media). It can have images "transferred" onto it, and there are many special techniques for polymer clay as well as special techniques involving "liquid" clay.
4
Take advantage of its pliable consistency before hardening. It can be molded in various kinds of molds (and the molds themselves can be made with it), and it be stamped and textured, etc. After hardening, it can be sanded and buffed, drilled, carved, antiqued, varnished (with glossy finish, if desired), etc.
5
Make something fun. You can make some really fantastic sculptures using polymer clay, but if you're just getting started, have some fun with simple shapes and easy projects. That way, you'll get familiar with how the clay feels, how to work it, and how to bake it.
6
Make a wire skeleton for your sculpture. This will provide support for the clay and allow it to be a bendable, poseable armature.
Double-twist wire in any weight-bearing limbs. It is also a good idea to leave loops of wire on the ends of weight-bearing limbs. For example, a U shape at the end of a foot will hold weight better than the sharp point of cut wire.
Try to use as few pieces of wire as possible to keep it sturdy. Major areas to be bulked out, such as the rib cage, may require loops of wire to later fill with tinfoil.
You will also want to put wire in any thin bits that will be standing on their own, such as long ears. For fingers, you can probably get away with just using tinfoil for support.
7
Apply an initial coating of polymer clay. Breaking off chunks and working the clay between your fingers until you can press it into about ¼ thick sheets, which you press onto the tinfoil and smooth together.
Continue until all the surfaces that need to be covered with clay, are. If the clay seems hard, don't worry, it will loosen up with the heat of your hands. If you are having a lot of trouble just start with smaller pieces.
Feel free to keep it simple at this stage, such as leaving a nub of clay on the face for a nose, or a clump on the arm to remind yourself to add more bicep.
8
Refine your sculpture. After the armature is covered with a rudimentary layer of polymer clay, go back into areas that seem to need more detail and refine them.
Add muscle, remove excess clay, smooth lumps and shape the figure into what you envision.
Take breaks to look at the sculpture from several angles until it looks correct from all sides.
9
Optional: attach to base. Usually in the above steps, it is a good idea to have the sculpture unattached to any base, to permit easy turning in your hands, good anchorage points for smoothing, access those hard-to-reach places, etc.
You will get to a point in refinement that the pressure of holding it in your hands is squishing detail. At this point it is time to put it down. If it is not a sitting or self-supporting figure you will want to staple it to a wood base. This can be later be sculpted over to make it a setting.