My first attempt at 15mm sculpting ever!

[Golan2072]

I've gotten my hands on some locally-available epoxy putty (something called Cargo MagicSteel) and a set of scalpels and I tried to work a little bit with it. First I tried to sculpt a large (for 15mm) cobra, but I found that even this was still beyond my meager skills. So I set to build something which could be a Shoggoth or a Slime.

And this is the result:

By golan2072 at 2010-12-11

A few issues and questions:
1) I still find it difficult to meld together "new" (i.e. still soft) to "old" (i.e. hardened or semi-hardened) putty. Any tips?
2) I find it difficult to create evenly-wide cylinders such as the tentacles; they usually end up a little flat.
3) Should I try to sculpt details when the putty is still soft, or etch them when it has hardened?
4) I find it difficult to work with really small pieces of putty for details.

I have a gnawing suspicion that the putty I'm using, and/or the scalpel set, are inappropriate for the job; would modelling-specific stuff greatly ease the learning curve?

[Commander Vyper]

Your wasting your time with what I think is that nasty stinky pipe welding putty (black and silver, stinks of epoxy and is stupidly sticky, correct).

No idea about the putty your using but I would suggest you get hold of some knedite/greenstuff.

Comes in a dual strip with yellow and blue putty, you mix the quantity you want and to the perferred level of hardner, (more hardener the darker green and the quicker the curing time).

Brown stuff, and Grey stuff I also use, brown stuff is better for sharp edges (swords/armour etc...) and grey stuff is an alternative to green that a lot of the high end sculptors now use. For you at the beginning of your sculpting journey, play with green.

With regards to tools, I used to favour dental tools but have since moved onto clay shapers, (you can get them on line or from any good art supplies stop, brush handles with rubber points in various shapes and patterns).

The different point sizes and shapes are great for edging, smooth work, detail etc... I still have dental tools, (flat blades, picks etc...) but use them less frequently now.

Easier to put detail into the putty before it cures than to etch it in afterwards.

Tentacles: secret is to wait 10-20 mins after you've mixed up the greenstuff, that way it should have started to cure and will be easier and less tacky to work with. How to get a perfect cylinder...practice!



At the end of the day you can have the best tools but you need to practice practice practice. At the beginning I was only able to fill gaps and do very simple things, since then I've undertaken full conversions, resculpts, etc.... all down to practice mate.

Goodluck, hope this helps.


The Commander

[Connectamabob]

The Commander covered things pretty well, but I'd add some advice:

Green Stuff actually comes in two different packaged forms: the ribbon-type mentioned above, and as cylinders. You want the cylinder kind, if you can get it. The cylinder-type packs keep the A and B parts of the putty separate, while the ribbon types have them in direct contact. Having the putty start out in contact like that leads to cross contamination, shortening the useful life of the putty, and sometimes causing flakes of pre-hardened material in the mix. Some people cut a strip away where the two are in contact and discard it, but this is wasteful, and only delays the effects of the contamination.

Try to get "Kneadatite" Green Stuff instead of Games Workshop Green Stuff. GW just buys Kneadatite and repackages it under their brand at a markup, so the actual Kneadatite brand will always be cheaper. Plus GW only sells the ribbon kind, so if you want the cylinder kind you have to go back to the source.

There are other modeling epoxies that can work too. Aves Apoxie Sculpt and MagicSculpt are two major brands, but IMO they're better suited to mods and large stuff than full figures at gaming scales, as they lack GS's hard rubber-like durability. ProCreate is a putty specifically designed with gaming mini sized sculpting in mind. Milliput is an old-school brand, not as nice as the ones listed above, but still sees a lot of use due to wider regional availability. Each has it's own working properties. Green Stuff, for example, is popular in part because it's highly elastic in a way that makes sculpting rounded organic details easy.

The stuff you have now is probably okay for practice. It's poor in comparison to any of the above, but it can be used, and you can learn with/from it, so don't toss it. Worst comes to worst, you can still use it as bulking/filler material after you've moved on to something better.

In small amounts water can be used to lube the surface of pretty much any epoxy putty to help keep it from sticking to the tools. It also has a mild solvent/dilutant effect, and so can be used to soften or smooth putty as well. Alcohol works too, but it's more aggressive, so it's not good to use as a tool lubricant. Lots of sculptors will use saliva as a tool lubricant (it's convenient, and works better than water), but that's only with some of the sculptors putties mentioned above which are known to be non-toxic: you don't want to be licking your tools with plumbers putty (or Milliput).

Also practice on reusable clays like plasticine, or on clays that need to be baked like Sculpy. The time cure factor with epoxies can work against you when you're first learning. Later it becomes a good thing as it forces you to be more decisive and efficient, but when you're just starting out it'll harshly limit your ability to explore and develop.

[Golan2072]

Thanks for the tips!

I'll either buy some tube-shaped Green Stuff online (do I also need Brown Stuff?) and/or FIMO which I can very easily get locally (which I was recommended on another forums).

[Commander Vyper]

No start with the green stuff, (yup sorry forgot to mention that I cut out the middle bit where the reactions occurred. Second the issue re: GW green stuff, massive mark up, tiny strip for £6.50!!! bloody rip off, told the single key holder at my local store to keep it when he told me the price. He was stunned as surely Gamesworkshop_tmCR is the only place in the world to get this stuff... 

Again until you clarify I have to assume that the stuff you're using is pipeweld putty, if so junk it. Keep the mix light green, that;ll give you plenty of time to work, and if you mix too much, clingfilm and freeze it. Alot of people keep their greenstuff in the freezer out of course.

[Golan2072]

Thanks for the advice, I'll buy some Green Stuff soon

[Golan2072]

Ok, ordered a tube of Green Stuff as well as a set of sculpting tools, from Heresy Miniatures.

[Commander Vyper]

Ok, ordered a tube of Green Stuff as well as a set of sculpting tools, from Heresy Miniatures.

Andy has a good range of tools and very nicely priced GS too.

Good luck, make sure you share what you do.

The Commander

[Golan2072]

I'll definitely share my progress at learning how to sculpt.

[Golan2072]

Ok, also bought two packs of Milliput from EBOB.