Gonna try my hand at GreenStuff

[gauntman]

After years of painting.  I'm finding that I want to try my hand at making a couple specific miniatures.  I'm about to place some orders for greenstuff , some modeling tools and a few armatures.

Any suggestions, tricks on stuff that might save me some time on mistakes or common problems to first timers would be appreciated.

Also what is a good way to support and hold your figure during the long process of fleshing it out.

Are there any real common tools that can be used for Smoothing the surface of the figure or should I spend some cash on professional clay smoothers?

[Malamute]

I have seen alot of greens mounted on wine bottle corks. Obviously you need ot drink lots of bottles to build up a supply.

[Hammers]

Are there any real common tools that can be used for Smoothing the surface of the figure or should I spend some cash on professional clay smoothers?

I use dental tools and water. I also have a rubbertip tool, originally used for applying stencil letters, which does the business admirably to.

[Ironworker]

I use to sculpt quite a bit and I only have one major bit of advice for new sculptors.  Start with something easy.  Get a feal for the tools and materials before you try Supercharacter X.  I suggest something like a ghost or wraith.  I've seen too many people run into a wall because they bit off way more than they could handle in their first few projects.

[meninobesta]

about a month ago a fellow chap here from Portugal was giving a lesson on working with Green stuff and he also used a set set of tools called clay shapers in order to work the Green stuff:


you can see his work here:
http://buglands.moonfruit.com/

[gauntman]

So I do need a good rubber tipped type tool for surfacing & smoothing.

Hammershield .... What does one of these stencil tools look like if I tried to find it in a hobby store?

[gauntman]

Wow!  I bet someone threw some bucks down for those.

[Hammers]

So I do need a good rubber tipped type tool for surfacing & smoothing.

Hammershield .... What does one of these stencil tools look like if I tried to find it in a hobby store?

Well, as meniobesta shows... I'd rather look in an artstore than in a hobby store. You're in the US, right? You could try Michael's.

Edit: I should add that it is inno way a silver bullet. It is exactly like Ironworkers say and you may be just as well off with a tooth pick wet with saliva.

[meninobesta]

Hammershield -> sorry I didn't understand that you were talking about the same set of tools!

and Yes! they are usually bough in art Stores, and at least in Portugal they are very hard to find

[gauntman]

Hammersheild, Yeah I was thinking a Michael's or Hobby Lobby...

Was the tool you were refering to found in the stenciling section or the clay modeling section??

[Hammers]

Can't remember.

[Svennn]

check out Ebobs and Heresy sites. Both sell both dental and clayshaper tools etc etc etc. and ebob has some good tutorials


The clay shapers are very easy to get here in the UK in bookstores, model & craft shops and my local market sells sets of dental tools for about £3.00

[Aaron]

I have a friend who does some sculpting. He has gotten pretty good and he swears by those rubber clay tools when it comes to smoothing the green out. I believe he bought his at the university art supply store, but I'm sure I have seen them in Michaels near the clay.

[audrey]

Yeah I was thinking a Michael's or Hobby Lobby...

Was the tool you were refering to found in the stenciling section or the clay modeling section??

I am not sure if Michael's of Hobby Lobby will carry them. If they do they will be in the clay modeling area. I bought my clay shapers at an art supply store (Binders in Charlotte, NC). I know a number of online art supply places carry them.

I use a mix of metal dental tools and the clay shapers. The shapers are great for smoothing.

-Audrey

[Admiral Benbow]

Gauntman, I can recommend this workshop about sculpting a face by Stefan Niehues from Masquerade Miniatures:

http://www.gw-fanworld.net/board/showthread.php?t=88233

Work through those steps a couple of times, make some 10 or 20 heads and then everything else concerning sculpting is a snap ...

 :wink: