Tutorials

I want to make it clear that the tutorials I provide here are how I find it best for me to sculpt. They are in no way intended as strict guidelines to follow and have been completely devised by myself through practicing various methods. I am still very much a beginner myself. The best advice I can give anyone who is starting to sculpt is to just practice, practice, practice and eventually you WILL find your own special way of doing things. If I help just one person sculpt a little easier from these tutorials then I've achieved my goal. PLEASE CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO VIEW RELEVANT TUTORIAL...
	HANDS	LEECHING	ARMATURE	FACE

HANDY HINTS AND TIPS...

Preventing Moonies
How annoying is it to spend hours and hours on a piece only to have it ruined by little cracks and lines in the clay which are commonly referred to as "Moonies"??? Well, the main reason I personally have found to cause this problem is due to drastic temperature change. I always preheat my oven (using a good quality oven thermometer) before I cure (bake) a piece and I NEVER open the oven door until at least an hour after I turn off the heat. Moonies are bubbles of trapped air that lay just beneath the surface of the clay and my tests showed they occured due to a fast temperature change (eg opening the oven door too soon). If you ever see a tiny line or white blemish in your sculpture prior to curing you can simply prick it and refill with clay before you place it in the oven. More often than not the moonies are only visible AFTER curing so make sure you condition your clay well before sculpting to help eliminate them. Translucent clays are prone to moonies and often a ratio of about 1 part white clay to 3 parts flesh coloured clay can totally stop the moonies appearing. This is because you are making the clay more opaque. The wide range of Fimo Clays I stock are superb and you should not experience problems with moonies if you cure your piece correctly.

Glazing Nightmares
A few people have asked me what causes glaze to make their sculptures go sticky, yellow or remove paintwork from a piece. This is one of the first problems I encountered and it was simply from not using compatible glaze. You MUST use a glaze/gloss/varnish that is suitable for use with polymer clay. It is just not worth risking hours of hard work to apply a glaze that will react so badly with your piece that it ruins it. Trust me! I think most brands of clay have their own glaze but I always use FIMO glaze. It is perfect for all varieties of polymer clay and dries very quickly. Also, it is best to glaze your piece only after baking AND when the piece is totally cool. If the piece is still hot or you choose to bake after you have applied glaze then it may run. Not nice!

Which Paint?
I use only a tiny amount of paint on my sculptures. This is generally for eyes, nails and eyebrows/lashes. I only ever use high quality acrylic paints on my pieces followed by a matt or gloss varnish to seal. Oil paints should not be used with polymer clay as they can react badly and ruin a piece. Genesis "Heat Set" Oils should not be confused with regular oil paints and are perfect for use with polymer clay. They remain "wet" until heated (ie with heat gun or oven).
It's wise to invest in a good set of paints as they will last a long time if you create small pieces like me. Cheaper paints are false economy as they are much thinner, not so easy to work with and can peel off if not sealed correctly.

How to add depth to a piece
I find the best way to shade or add depth to skin tones on my work is to use blusher. Yes, good old regular make-up! Once you've finished your sculpture but BEFORE you bake it, use a small brush to apply blusher to the areas that you wish to highlight. Such areas as cheeks, forehead, knees, elbows etc. I do this to all my pieces as I really feel it brings them to life. I tend to use matt blushers rather than the shimmery/glittery variety as they look a lot more realistic. This technique will not work on an already baked piece but you could always use watered down acrylic paints rubbed onto the same areas to achieve a similar effect.

Why does my piece droop or move position whilst being cured/baked?
This is simply due to no armature being used inside the piece. If you want to create a piece that is for instance in a standing position you will probably find it in a heap on the oven floor if you do not use an armature. Details of how to make an armature (wire skeleton) are avaible on my tutorials section. Alternatively you can purchase them ready made from my store in many sizes. I use armatures in ALL my pieces.

What glue should you use to apply hair?
The best glue to use when applying any kind of hair to your piece is "Tacky Glue". The higher the tackiness the better. Tacky Glue is basically a very thick white PVA glue (some call it wood glue) that dries clear. There are many brands available and they all do pretty much the same job. Anita's Tacky Glue is the one I use as I find it just right for what I need. I do not advise using superglue of any kind to apply hair as you will probably just end up with werewolf-like hands! ;o)

What can I use to make wings with?
Perhaps I should have said "what can't you use"!!! The list is endless! Be creative! Try out various fabrics (silk, organza, voile etc), polymer clays, angelwire, TLS (Translucent Liquid Sculpey), Acetate, Paper, the list really is endless. My favourite method at the moment is to use Liquid Fimo as it is beautifully transparent after being baked. Whatever you choose to use it is always important to create a good strong wire frame first or they won't hold up very well. The wire can be used to simulate veins if you use your imagination too!

Where can I get sculpting tools from and are they expensive?
The best tools you can get are free - your hands! Following at a close second are home-made tools. Sewing needles, knitting needles, straws allsorts of everyday household items can be used. I've made most of my own tools over the past year and most have clay (handmade) handle for ease of use. I have two "shop bought" clay shapers (also referred to as paint shapers here in the UK). Their actual use is to push heavy paint around (such as oils/acrylics) and come in all manner of shapes and sizes. I use a tiny round ended one and a small flat edged one. The only other tool I have purchased is a stainless steel double-ended tool which has a spoon-like implement at one end and a sharp double-edged knife at the other. You can also use paint brushes to smooth the clay.