Materials Giving it a shot... edit: OMG WHEN SCUPLEY BURNS

That's bad, dood. {{HUGS}} .... ok, more {{{HUGS}}}...

 

OK..here is an idea.. If are only "trying it out", why don't you do your "training" w/ Paperclay? Paperclay is non-toxic and air-dries. Very easy to work with.

You can use a styrofoam ball as core, and scrape it off when the clay dries...

Even if Paperclay is very light and probably not to resistant to make a bjd, you can do your training without worries, kwim?

http://www.paperclay.com/

Can you tell I'm a big fan of Paperclay? ops: It's my material of choice to make my characters... I never made a bjd, though...

Just an idea...

 

I just found this link, where this girl did this GORGEOUS doll in paperclay..check it out!

http://www.denofangels.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29646&highlight=paperclay

 

What do you use paperclay for? I mean, other than sculpting dolls or such?

I'm truly curious, I promisse! ops:

 

I've never actually used Super Sculpey, only regular Sculpey...but when I bake it at the recommended 275 farenheit for about 15 minutes, there isn't really any smell. When I open the oven, I get this BLAST of heat, and maybe this faint whiff of Sculpey smell (basically just the same smell as regular unbaked Sculpey XD, only kinda hotter), but it's not very strong or icky at all. It practically goes away when you pull it out of the oven and let it cool down/cure, and you can only smell it afterwards if you put the piece right up to your nose and inhale.

Of course, if (as you've discovered ops: ) the Sculpey BURNS...then, hoooboy. You get this burnt-sculpey-stench that pervades the house.

 

Well...many doll artists use paperclay to scult dolls. One of my biggest idols and inspirations when it comes to sculpture is Robert Mckinley. He was AMAZING! He passes away a few years ago.

This is a memorial on the NIADA page. Take a lot at his dolls in paperclay. http://www.niada.org/robert.html

So, yes, you totally can make details w/ paperclay.

NOTE** I apoologize for going a bit OT. I promisse it was as example of performance.... ops:

 

I agree with shizalent, I’ve been using sculpey for 10 years, it really doesn't smell when baked properly. But yes, burning produces toxic vapors and a very bad smell. DON’T OVERBAKE! It also makes it brittle…and turns it black… XD.

For Nixie’s pieces (she’s a MSD-sized doll) I baked them for about 15 minutes each, 20 minutes for her torso.

The directions on the package call for 15 minutes per ¼ inch, which I’ve found is BUNK and only counts when your piece is hollow and ¼ inch thick or is a flat piece that is ¼ thick. For a 2-inch solid clay piece I’d bake it no longer than 25 minutes, and that’s pushing it. (In things that big you should be using foil anyway! XD saves clay)

For a tiny doll like you are suggesting, (less than 10 inches tall) I’d say no more than 10 minutes for a piece. Maybe 8 minutes. You can tell if it’s done by looking at it (crack the oven door, turn on the oven light and peep in at it) and if you see any smoke rising off of the piece (like steam rising from a evaporating puddle) it’s DONE (at that point any longer and it’ll burn)! When baked a little too long a piece of super sculpey will turn a little darker (not brown, just darker) and will have little “bubbles” in it, which aren’t textured at all but are just part of the coloration. When baked just right it should still be a matte pinkish color. ^^

Also, you can tell it's done by taking it out (careful hot!) and poking it gently with your fingernail. If the indent you poked easily goes in and stays it's not done, if it's hardish and bounces back it's done.

Remember, you can always bake it LONGER, but once you bake it too much you can’t go back! XD Super sculpey can always be re-baked.

Man, I should write a super sculpey FAQ, I've been repeating this same stuff FOREVER! ops: haha

Good luck, hope I helped!