|
|
Post by blue on Jan 26, 2007 5:58:26 GMT 12
1.............bamboo place mats are great to use to stop our tools rolling around the table.
2.............make your own tool handles from waste clay with any home found instruments that could be handy for shaping etc.
3............. makeup sponges are great for skin detailing eg natural texture..... sea sponges are also great for detailing.
4............paper towel holders make great holders for larger heads and bigger thingies.
5............ bake and sculpt on a glass cutting board
6............. never sculpt while the cloths dryer is going unless its closed away from your area as the dust in the air will dirty your clay.
7............. clean everything before you sit for a sculpting session.... your board and your tools and hands.
8............... always consider the need for wire threw joins or full armature before you start a piece.
9...............please add your own tried and true hints to this list
|
|
|
|
Post by blue on Jan 26, 2007 6:58:06 GMT 12
10................. dont wear mohair jumpers whilst sculpting... or anything black and fluffy........ or anything fluffy..wink the fluff will get in the clay.....
|
|
|
|
Post by vixtribe on Jan 26, 2007 7:28:28 GMT 12
Good morning! :-) This is a great idea!
I'd have to recommend taking the guide plates off your pasta machine. I've had mine off for a few days now, and it's magic! No more tiny little bits of black appearing on my lovely fresh sheet of white :-)
I'd love some photography tips... for taking photos of my work. Mine is all small stuff, and I've discovered it's better to stand back, and use the zoom, than get too close. Other than that, I suck at photos! :-) Any tips would be appreciated! lol
|
|
|
|
Post by blue on Jan 26, 2007 7:43:25 GMT 12
from the doll-fan site
1. NEVER use baby oil on uncured prosculpt.....NEVER, EVER!!!! The clay will not cure and any hair you try to stick on it will not stick well and you will definitely be bald from pulling your own hair out....now other clays you might can, but I personally haven't used any other clays so I can only speak to this!! To my happy delight...my last sculpt I actually ROOTED with a rooting tool mohair into straight prosculpt and had wonderful success in the hair holding firmly...I was able to even COMB the hair without it falling out...how is that for success??..lol...
2. DON"T smooth with baby powder unless you are done COMPLETELY with sculpting...this deserves reiiterating: If you are going to smooth with baby powder, you must be done sculpting completely....I need to define completely...as this tip was given to me by a very good sculptor...BUT I personally did not understand the word COMPLETELY....what this means is that you can only lightly touch your sculpt after applying the baby powder...this does not, however, mean that you can push ANY (no matter how slight) of the clay around...trust me....you will end up with little baby powder spots embeded in the clay that look like moonies and you will bruise yourself kicking yourself for being so stupid and ruining a perfectly good sculpt!!
3. RESIST the urge to NOT wash your hands...even if you just washed them five minutes ago....in other words you need to scrub up as if you were doing open heart surgery on your mate!!! Your hands cannot be clean enough...seriously......and anytime you see a spec on the clay (because invariably there will always be specs unless you happen to be in an OR) go ahead and dig it out sooner rather than later.
4.DON'T waste your time detailing early on......it is a waste of time....you will be spinning your wheels...go ahead and get the landscape right first...in other words...you need to get the planes right.....nose field, eye field, mouth field where they are going to be before settling on any exact look or detail you eventually want....how many times have I sculpted the best nose ever only to realize that it needed to come out from the eyes a bit more because I didn't have it in the right plane???...well not too many as I haven't done that many sculpts....BUT the point is...spinning my wheels....in the end in truth each of my sculpts because of these errors is probably ten sculpts in each.....and practice is practice..but still ....don't waste your time on this inevitable frustration!!!
5. DON"T not set the eyes appropriately (forgive my double negative, but I am doing the ten DON"Ts LOL)....for mini's a great trick I invented (though I say I invented it but I only say that because I never read it anywhere..doesn't mean someone else didn't figure it out before me and invent it FIRST..lolol)....e.g. for two millimeter eyes...you are crazy if you think you can keep them in place while you sculpt a one to two inch doll around them without baking them in position first.....do yourself a favor and go ahead and bake those small eyes in position in a tiny piece of clay first and then sculpt around that eye block. If eyes are off, the sculpt will NEVER be good....so this is SO important....eyes being crosseyed are better than eyes being wall-eyed from an observer's perspective ..............the reason being that the eyes cross naturally when focusing on a near object, but will never go past straight ahead to wall-eyed even if looking in the distance in a normal adult....babies can go crosseyed and walleyed during the first three to six months of life, but it still makes for a disturbing image...seems out of place to the observer....so just align them from the beginning so that won't be why you sculpt doesn't sell. Also for sleepers make lids with eyeballs under them....in other words....make a lid somewhat spherical like half an egg, rather than flat like a plate...eyelids cover ROUND eyeballs that are spheres, so there should be some contour to the lids.....and if you have to bake little sphere balls and put them in place before you sculpt the lids if you can't trust yourself not to flatten them too much :0).
6. DON"T trust the light reflex to align eyes exclusively. Another comment about eyes..but this is my forte'.....I know it has been discussed that you line up the eyes by the little Hirschberg reflex in each pupil.....and this is one of the tests eye doctors do to test for eye alignment (fwiw, I am an eye doctor so maybe this is why eyes in sculpts are a big concern to me ;0) ....BUT I have had the unfortunate experience to discover that you can't base your glass eye alignment on this reflex completely....and I have realized the reason why......the corneas on these glass eyes (especially the miniature eyes) are not symmetrical to one another and so the reflex is skewed and if you line the eyes up according to this little light reflex your sculpt may in fact appear to have crossed or walled eyes even though the reflex is RIGHT where it should be...so use the light reflex as a guide but ultimately you have to 'eyeball' it (pun intended ;0)...LOL
7. RESIST...oh...RESIST the temptation to bake your sculpt too soon...this was very hard for me....VERY hard for me....once I got something looking right I wanted to bake it in place immediately dare I mess it up....it really is best to resist this urge and wait until the last possible second, minute, hour or day..lol...to bake it...because you will never have as much control over your sculpt as you do before the first bake. Even when you think you are finished and ready to bake...give it one final once over and especially look at head contour....that old sneaky head contour...so easy to get lost in the face and forget that your baby doesn't have a gulp...brain stem...;0)..LOLOL...you can use the old 'artist license' all you want, but people don't want to buy a baby with lumps and bumps all over his skull...they aren't practicing frenology and NO the added realism from the baby looking like they came through the birth canal will only go JUST so far....LOLOL....so that will be discussed in a bit more detail in number 9.
8. Don't rely on just washed hands to keep clay clean.....Seriously..use plastic wrap.....we hear about tinfoil...for armature etc...but really PLASTIC WRAP is your best friend....use it to store your conditioned clay in sections, make sure you cover your sculpt with it so it doesn't dry out or get dusty and even use it to smooth your sculpt...yes...sculpt with plastic wrap between your fingers and the clay...when you are roughing the structure it doesn't need to be perfectly smooth, but the less you touch your clay the better. I had read this tip and thought...NO....can't see me doing that...but finally I did it and am so glad I learned this tip and wonder why I didn't do this before.
9.Don't just 'go with the flow'......SYMMETRY MATTERS....whatever you do make it symmetrical...look from every angle.....unless it is a mouth or a particular expression that needs assymmetry make one half of the face look like the other...in fact I found that detail one half of the face first and then matching symmetrically the other side was a good technique for me (yes...in my seven sculpts...lolol....boy..I sure sound like an expert....like I have a ton of experience under my belt don't I???LOLOL)....but I know enough from plastic surgery shows on TLC that symmetry is key to beauty...so make your babies symmetrical....from all angles....look from below, above, straight ahead, right and left...seriously....this is an important tip....and can make the difference in a great sculpt and a sculpt that has something just a little 'off'.
10. I think the biggest DON"T is if 'you DON'T practice, you WON'T get better'.....I can tell that just getting your hands 'dirty' so to speak gives you more knowledge of the manipulation of the material and no book, tape or person can replace hours of practice. I did discover that sculpting with a very light pressure when detailing and making subtle curves and slopes in the clay rather than harsh distinctions would make a HUGE difference in the outcome of my sculpts....here I am talking like I am a good sculptor and believe me I am NOT...but I have seen improvement in just seven (or was that seven HUNDRED???) sculpts...felt like hundreds..lol.....but these are tips I would love to pass on to others in love with the art of sculpting. I cannot believe how passionate I am about this and hope everyone with this early love of this art can have a wee bit easier time at it by reading these ten don'ts :0)....Happy sculpting...xoxo
|
|
|
|
Post by pollyclay on Jan 29, 2007 17:26:32 GMT 12
Just a quick tip . I usually put cornflour down on my work surface under the base of my work , To stop it from sticking to your Work surface, If you don't it a hell of a job getting off without damaging it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Just my 10pence worth (cent)
|
|
|
|
Post by kimmie on Feb 2, 2007 15:44:33 GMT 12
I found something thats great to use for clay tools today. A cheap manicure set. All those little tools for around the cuticle are just perfect.
|
|
|
|
Post by pollyclay on Feb 2, 2007 20:05:27 GMT 12
Hello Kimmie, How are you getting on with your Pasta machine??? Yes Thats a good tip I'll have a scrounge around in my Beauty Draw.......
|
|
|
|
Post by BLL on Feb 2, 2007 21:07:36 GMT 12
Good morning! :-) This is a great idea! I'd have to recommend taking the guide plates off your pasta machine. I've had mine off for a few days now, and it's magic! No more tiny little bits of black appearing on my lovely fresh sheet of white :-) I'd love some photography tips... for taking photos of my work. Mine is all small stuff, and I've discovered it's better to stand back, and use the zoom, than get too close. Other than that, I suck at photos! :-) Any tips would be appreciated! lol Photography: i do the opposite! my camera has a macro focus function, you can show really fine detail this way (if you want to. not good for hiding flaws!!). Find out if your camera has this function - and USE IT! ;D |
|
|
|
Post by kimmie on Feb 3, 2007 14:16:15 GMT 12
Hiya pollyclay I just Loveeeeeeee My pasta machine thankee  I picked up a cheap manicure set for @2.95. |
|
|
|
Post by pollyclay on Feb 4, 2007 22:35:48 GMT 12
Kimmie , I was Looking in a Old Polymer Clay Magazine and you can get some great Tools In America they have heaps of choice over there ...Its not fair ...The Postage to here is so Expensive polymerclayexpress.com/tools2.html Have a look at this site some cool tools there... |
|
|
|
Post by pollyclay on Feb 4, 2007 22:39:18 GMT 12
example of currency exchange $30us = $44 NZ
|
|
|
|
Post by storkart on Feb 5, 2007 12:44:28 GMT 12
I just got a few dolls in from the US, which were not released to me from Auckland Mail centre, until I had paid an import tax as well $$ Really sucked!
|
|
|
|
Post by blue on Feb 5, 2007 12:57:48 GMT 12
they made you pay tax on dolls on what grounds did they say? that blows
|
|
|
|
Post by BLL on Feb 5, 2007 15:29:15 GMT 12
as the dog said: bugger.
|
|
|
|
Post by storkart on Feb 5, 2007 16:25:14 GMT 12
"All goods mailed into NZ are subject to goods and services tax (GST) and may also be subject to Import duty". and you don't get it UNTIL YOU PAY! (Which was really quick as I have been waiting for these ones for months: for those of you familiar with reborning: Marsha Farmer limited edition of 250).
|
|
|
|
Post by sapphyre on Feb 5, 2007 16:48:37 GMT 12
"All goods mailed into NZ are subject to goods and services tax (GST) and may also be subject to Import duty". and you don't get it UNTIL YOU PAY! (Which was really quick as I have been waiting for these ones for months: for those of you familiar with reborning: Marsha Farmer limited edition of 250). Can I ask how much the tax was? Partner is looking at getting some plants sent over from the US....but I think I will have to tell him about this! |
|
|
|
Post by storkart on Feb 5, 2007 17:03:17 GMT 12
For goods to the value of US$300 I had to pay NZ$60.
|
|
|
|
Post by pollyclay on Feb 5, 2007 18:52:58 GMT 12
"All goods mailed into NZ are subject to goods and services tax (GST) and may also be subject to Import duty". and you don't get it UNTIL YOU PAY! (Which was really quick as I have been waiting for these ones for months: for those of you familiar with reborning: Marsha Farmer limited edition of 250). |
|
|
|
Post by pollyclay on Feb 5, 2007 18:56:58 GMT 12
There are some good American sites for Polymer clay stuff........I sent that company an E-mail to ask how much postage was and Well..................................... I will copy the E-mail and post it , Not to bad I thought....................
|
|
|
|
Post by pollyclay on Feb 5, 2007 18:59:08 GMT 12
Hello there Julie So how is summer treating you guys Here it is 25 and snow in the Maryland area---just outside of Washington DC We ship all over the world using the US postal service Cost of shipping depends on weight www.usps.comis the US postal website if the order weighs less than 4 pounds and can fit into a 12/9/2 “ global priority box---cost of shipping can range from $8 to $27 over 4 pounds I would recommend global express- delivery is in 4-5 days, insured and has tracking any other questions please let us know as we many customers throughout your glorious country thanks again for your interest it is always appreciated Rob---Office MangerPCE |
|
|
|
Post by storkart on Feb 5, 2007 19:50:16 GMT 12
I am still waiting for another order which is still on preorder. Hopefully that will not sting as much, we'll see.
|
|
|
|
Post by kimmie on Feb 6, 2007 7:37:00 GMT 12
Wow polyclay what a nice email for a business
|
|
|
|
Post by pollyclay on Feb 7, 2007 21:39:12 GMT 12
Yes Kimmie, Thats What I thought very pleasent, I will keep their web site bookmarked and when i have a bit of spare cash might order something .As the postage wasn't as much as I thought!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by BLL on Feb 8, 2007 7:16:41 GMT 12
Here's a quick tip: check that your oven isn't switched to grill! That would never have happened in Rotovegas. |
|
|
|
Post by sapphyre on Feb 8, 2007 7:52:58 GMT 12
Here's a quick tip: check that your oven isn't switched to grill! That would never have happened in Rotovegas. Sorry but.......LMAO!!!! |
|
