so i've drawn up my 35cm doll and last year i started actually sculpting her (i'm using air dry clay and will be casting her in polyurethane) but i decided to restart. my main concerns are: 1) sculpting the interior of eye sockets. should i get the actual eye size i want to use and then press that in through the moist clay to get a good shape? i'm also worried using putty to fix the eyes in will seep through and discolour or damage the resin post-cast. 2) i can't seem to seperate the torso/abdomen and headcap/head well. i know a lot of people praise dremels as the godsent gift but one tutorial i'm following said to score the lines where you want to seperate, and when the clay dries it's easier to break apart. does anyone have any other method or is a dremel the way to go? 3) i've used foil covered in plastic wrap for the cores but i was so worried about the actual sculpt breaking when i took it out. could florist's foam blocks/foam cores be better for the core? i'm a pretty blatant beginner but i've got a lot of time i want to put into her. any tips or personal experiences would be really appreciated
1- for the eyes, yes, pressing the actual eyes you'll be using with the wet clay is the way to go. Make sure there's some wiggling room, don't make it tight 2- I've cut fine with a coping saw using cores made of florist foam covered in plastic (with them still inside). I think regular foam would be better for air dry clay because florist foam isn't waterproof
I agree with varebanos suggestion for the eye I like my dremel- it was only 50$ plus bits, but bar this scouring is a good way to go. Scour deep and be firm in your hold of the part but not so firm things crack. You may be able to scour and then chip through with wood working tools, the slanted blades or an xactoknife to cut through the last little bit. I have found it actually easier to pull out bit by bit tinfoil rather than styrofoam, dunno about other types of foam. You want your grip on the part to be firm but not damaging, don't use anything mechanical to hold it. Then I just use needle noses and pull out bit by tiny bit. It will take a while in my experience, no matter which method you use. Some people prefer to do cloth filled with rice or small grains/beans because you just snip a hole, pour out, then yank. But this requires some sewing skills. Air dry clay also has issues drying next to certain surfaces... Be prepared to let it dry longer than it says on the packaging, just in my experience.
