Lotsa basic questions. o3o;

Here we go - these are answerable through a quick tour around the forum but its rather convenient to have all the answers in one place than to have to click here and here and there to get them otherwise ^^;

What kind of clay do I need to get?
I reccomend you get Super Sculpey if you can get a hold of it, a whooole lot of people use it. I can attest to its durability - I've dropped parts of Andrei so many times, dropped his hand onto hardwood floor once, and he is so very fond of faceplanting. But mysteriously he hasn't a scratch. At any rate Super Sculpey comes at about seven bucks for a one pound box.

How much should I get (for an SD sized girl body)?Since it takes about two one-pound boxes to make an MSD sized doll (At least, that's if you know what you're doing and don't have to remake parts because you're a retard like I am), how about you get five ...or six, boxes for an SD sized one? That sounds like it might be too much. But I've never tried out a SD.


How do I paint it?
Just like you would a resin doll - acrylics, watercolor, chalk pastels, etc. plus a sealant/fixative like MSC or Testors Dullcote. And I reccomend you get an airbrush to lay out a skin color on the doll, brushpainting and trying to keep from getting brushstrokes is horrible. Because super sculpey is part plastic, if it doesn't do good to resin, it probably won't do good to supersculpey (Like nailpolish will indeed yellow it very quickly, and probably eat away at it eventually).

What kind of paint is the best to get?
That can be debatable. I use acrylics.

What kind of tools do I need?
As for sculpting, just look around the sculpting section of a crafstore to get your hands on a few tools. You know, those sticks with the round ends and curved ends and pointy goodness. Or you could use your fingers and fingernails (thats a li'l harder, especially if you're looking to make it smooth). It works to brush the uncooked doll lightly with alcohol to rid it of fingerprintmarks but I myself haven't tried it. You will also, after baking it, need sandpaper and a blade like an xacto or pocketknife (I use the latter) to carve off whatever faults you find, into smoothness.

As for painting, Rediculously small brushes for faceup and other small details, just like a resin doll, plus an airbrush to lay out skin color.

What do I use to string her?
Elastic just like any other. Stray from that elastic that has the rubbery smooth surface because then you can't tie it into the loops you would need to string a doll, it'll slip. When you're sculpting you should put Shooks in the hands and feet and headcap just like a resin doll to string them. I mean, you can find alternatives - Andrei has snapswivels in his feet and the wires from twistties, in his hands.

Are there any measurments I'll need that aren't on the luts site?
Nope, but then again this is coming from someone who goes the way of Billy Lane and hardly makes any measurements/preplanning. If you do feel the need for measurements, all that's needed is a quick poke-around through DOA.

Should I seal the whole body after painting?
Yes, unless you want the paint to come off easily. And when you're painting your doll, do it in layers just like on a resin doll, else it gets all thick and gross and weird. When you want to remove the paint, just remove it with nailpolish remover or alcohol, etc.

 

I'll try to add to what's been said... :3

What kind of clay do I need to get?
Super Sculpey works best for me, but not everyone likes how it feels. I'd try it first, but you can switch to air dry clays or epoxy clays if it doesn't feel good for you.

How much should I get (for an SD sized girl body)?
Of Super Sculpey I'd get at least four boxes to start with. Super Sculpey fresh out of the box can be really soft, so you might have to leech it. To leech it you take a layer of it and roll it about 1/4 an inch thick, then wrap it in cardboard or typing paper and put something heavy on it. the paper will leech out the excess plasticine stuff in it so it's not so soft and will hold detail better as you work.

How do I paint it?
Just about any of them you need to sand first. Once you've sanded go over the doll with rubbing alcohol or acetone. Then you can prime it with gesso or a spray sandable primer(I use krylon) if you wish- this helps the paint to stick to your sculpture. Then either paint or take an airbrush to your doll with acrylic paints. :3

What kind of paint is the best to get?
I use acrylic. for covering large areas craft paints work just fine.

What kind of tools do I need?
I use a tool that's like a tiny flexible finger. You can find it in the painting section, it looks like a paintbrush but instead of bristles on the end it's a got a flexible piece of plastic. It helps me shove clay around in tiny areas. other than that... the package of tools that sculpey makes and the melon baller thing that lithefinder uses to hollow out her joints. Also cut your fingernails real short so you don't leave marks! X3 I always forget.

What do I use to string her?
You can either buy some elastic when you order the head or you can see if your local fabric stores carry it. My Joann's carries it so I get mine there. It's a type of very thick elastic a little thinner than a bungie cord.

Are there any measurments I'll need that aren't on the luts site?
No, but I'd lay out the whole thing on paper first so you can have something to follow as you make your doll. Don't be afraid to change it on the fly, but just so you have a map.

Should I seal the whole body after painting?
Yes.

And anything else I might need to know!

If at first you don't succeed, try try again! You might not like super sculpey, you might like paper clay better. You might find tools that work better for you. As far as Super Sculpey goes it's pretty forgiving. after you get the basic shape done, stick it in the fridge for a few minutes to cool it off. that'll keep you from accidently squashing it.

You might want to get an anatomy book from the library. I used one called, "2000 years of sculpture" and referenced the sculptor Bernini for my doll. It helped a lot to figure out where muscles connected and where I was getting my anatomy wrong.

 

This is helping me too!! thanks ^_^

 

One quick question...where might one find acetone or alcohol?

 

Fingernail polish remover with acetone will do the job. You can find tins of acetone in hardware stores.

 

I read that fingernail polish remover with acetone was not so good as pure acetone. I'm not sure, Is it right??

 

For the purpose of cleaning up the Super Sculpey either should do. I've used both. It'll melt the SS a little but that's what you WANT it to do, because after all that sanding it'll make it a very nice perfect finish. You can find Acetone fingernail polish remover at most drug stores, wal-mart/k-mart/ect, groceries in the beauty aisle, and beauty supply shops!

 

Oh I understand... thanks for the info