Hey,

Sorry I didn’t get all the preparation stuff into a single post, I’ve split it into three instead.  The first (here) dealt with putties, and the third will deal with getting concepts.  This one will tackle the tools and materials we’ll be using.  I’ve tried to include all the information you could possibly need, but I will have missed stuff I’m sure, so feel free to remind me of any missing salient points.

A couple of points of business before that gets started though.  Firstly, I’ve had a few people contact me to confirm their attendance (full list here), so if you’re planning on getting involved, then contact me to let me know.  Secondly, as was quite rightly pointed out, a point of clarification from the last post, boiling polymer clay works best for curing little details, but big lumps need the oven.

Anyway, onto the reason we’re all here for this post – tools.  What I’m going to do is to make a point of running the project with as few tools as possible.  You can actually use many more than I’ve listed here, and indeed I’ve got lots myself, however I’m coming to the conclusion that whatever your preference, learning to use a few tools well is much better than using many poorly.  So what are the implications of this?  well if you’ve already got tools, then the good news is that you can sculpt with pretty much anything you are comfortable using, unlike paint brushes where things get very much more specific.  On the other hand, if this project finds you starting totally from scratch, then you’re not going to have to buy a bunch of really expensive tools.  wonderful!

Here are a list of the tools I recommend you use.  Have a look at what you’ve already got, and see if there is something you could substitute it for, to save you unnecessary expenditure, or if you’re keen, go out and buy one.  They’re listed in order of ‘sharpness of finish’, that is beginning with things that will give a general, less defined shape to something, moving to the most defined of all.

1.Clay shapers – sometimes called ‘colour shapers’ or ‘rubber brushes’, these little beauties are designed for the task of pushing wet clay around to make pretty shapes.  Putty isn’t much different.  When I first got one of these it was a true revelation, and that’s not an exaggeration.  Stunning stuff.  For the first time I was able to sculpt things with something that was forgiving if I slipped slightly, and which left my sculpt with a smooth surface.  Fantastic stuff!  I would highly recommend buying some if you haven’t used them before.  For this project I am going to use three.  One large pointed one, one small pointed brush, and one wedge shaped one.  If you are just starting out and can only afford one thing to set up as well as the putty, then these are what you want.  A note on hardness too.  The brushes come in a number of hardnesses.  These will be denoted on the brush somehow, and that depends on the make.  For mine it is the colour of the tip, white for softest, black for hardest, and grey for in-between.  Which firmness you choose to go with should depend on the putty you have decided to use (see why we looked at putty first? ).  For a soft putty, like magicsculp, I will be using soft (white tipped) brushes.  If  I was working with pure greenstuff, I would be leaning more towards the medium or hard ones.  Likewise, if you’re working with fimo or sculpey, which can vary a little more depending on how much you’ve kneaded them, then I would tend to use a medium one to get the best of both worlds.  Rubber brushes.  Use ‘em, you won’t be sorry!  few putties will stick to them (unless it cures in contact with the putty), so as long as you look after them well, and don’t dip them in superglue or anything, these should last you longer than any normal paintbrush, these really can be an investment in your hobby future.  The ones I’ll be using are second and third from the left, and a much larger version of the pointed one third from the left too.

You can buy them here and many other places besides.  This was just a link I found, I dont know necessarily if they’re any good, or cheap or if it’s a good company, but it should start you off looking.

2.  Metal sculpting tool – This I use less than the other tools, but it can serve a useful purpose when you want the putty to really go somewhere or do something, and you couldn’t simply tease it into place with a clay shaper.  These come in many shapes and sizes, but i tend to use one with a blade shaped thing on one end for ‘sketching’ on the putty, and a ‘spoon’ end for squashing little balls of putty flat or teasing one layer of putty to blend with another where the weaker clay shaper would slip from the putty leaving a seam.  Games workshop make one like this and sell it as the ‘be all and end all’ of sculpting tools, but even their own sculptors freely admit to using a variety of different tools including those that I’ve recommended here.  Go figure.  I happen to have got mine from a family member and they can’t remember where they got it from, so I can’t link you to the same one, but any that you’re comfortable with will do.  You could also use dental tools, things from manicure sets and a whole assortment of other things.  Heck, if you’re really keen you could quite easily make your own if you’re that way inclined.

Here are examples of some.  The second from the right looks like mine, with a little spoon end and blade end.  Anywhere that you look for clay shapers are likely to carry some of these as well

3.  Scalpel (and lots of blades) – this is something that I use for my most precise work, and a tool I couldn’t live without.  I was lucky and got a good stash of scalpel blades from a professional, so I don’t have a good source for you to buy from particularly.  However, the good news is that there are many.  You could also use xacto blades, or even small stanley knives if you wish, the important thing is that when you drag it through the putty, it should leave an almost invisible, impossibly thin line.  This I use for getting sharp edges to things, either before or after the putty has cured.

They tend to come as a handle, and then replaceable blades.  I tend to use the second in from the left – but this is purely personal preference and preferring a straight edge to work with.  pick the one you like best, and don’t forget to check that your blade’s size matches your handle’s size, easy, expensive mistake.  Expect to be changing your blades pretty regularly, so if you can, have fresh blades to hand as well.  Again, art shops stock them.

4.  Sandpaper/files – These go last because I tend to use them for final touches.  One of the reason why I mix magicsculp with my greenstuff is to make it sandable/carveable when it is cured, something that it is not normally (it would tears or deforms like old chewing gum on it’s own).  This also works on cured polymer clays, and some other epoxy putties, like milliput (also good as a greenstuff additive).  I’ll make a point of showing you pictures of this in action in one of the first progress posts next month.  There’s nothing wrong with sculpting cured putty  I was told by Seb Perbet, one of the games workshop sculptors, and it’s advice I’ve taken to heart.  Cheap files are fine, though you do get a better finish with the better quality ones..none of them will last you forever.  If you have to ditch something from your shopping list though, then these should be it.  They don’t do anyhthing that you couldn’t do with skillful use of a scalpel or other precision blade.  Tamiya make a good sandpaper, make sure it’s grit 800 or above – the higher the ‘grit’ rating, the smoother the paper.  if it’s ‘wet and dry’ paper, then all the better.  Tamiya produce a good sandpaper, which I use, although there are many much cheaper options out there, if you’re on a budget, a quick stop at a hardware store will do the trick.

They are all the tools I’ll be using, aside from something to clip armature wire.  What you use there will be dependent on the type of wire you use, but many types can even be cut with scissors or brittle enough to snap, so I don’t feel the need to labour the point particularly.

I should be clear at this point – you don’t need everything in the pictures, in fact here is a shot of the tools that I’ll be using for the project (excluding a few square centimetres of sand paper and a pair of common garden variety pliers)

For the thrifty among us, or for those who are just plain sensible, there are a number of redily available other sources for tools, dental sets (ask your dentist, obviously!), manicure sets, needles (hypodermic, knitting etc.), all of these can have their uses, as can a damp cocktail stick/toothpick even!  It all depends on what you decide works well for you.  Having a paint brush to hand (of any quality) can be handy too.

Huzzah! we now have the tools we need!  now come the other materials.  In the last post I asked you to keep a look out for a bunch of common household items.  hopefully now you’ll see why.  here is a list of the other materials we’ll be using during the course of the project.

1. Lubricant – Sorry, you need it.  It’s up to you what you choose, but it’s vital for getting a smooth surface for your sculpt, for making thin layers which you can then work with and I couldn’t work without it.  Heck, you can use KY jelly if you’re mental, it doesn’t matter too much what, but there are a number of other better alternatives to that.  You could use your own spit or the waxy stuff your nose and forehead produces called sebum…which works suprisingly well.  Watch out for being poisoned by your putty though, that would suck I’m sure.  However some artists use this with great effect (cough, Adrian Bay cough!)  The next option, depending on the putty is water.  this works well with water soluble epoxy putties (like milliput and magicsculp), and less well with greenstuff and polymer clay.  Speaking of polymer clay, there are several good ones designed for this very use made by the manufacturers of the clays.  I’ve not got much experience with these though, so I don’t feel comfortable recommending them to you, I shall withold my judgement there.  Another good option is vaseline, otherwise known as petrolium jelly.  You’ve probably got some in your medicine cabinet.  While you’re looking in, grab the surgical spirit as well, this stuff works great too on some putties.  Lastly, my personal favourite, talcum powder.  It’s most likely that an elderly relitive has this, but you may also find that in the bath room.  Think of this like flour when rolling a sticky pastry.  It doesn’t matter if it’s fragranced, although you can buy it unfragranced for this purpose from some art shops, including ‘Hobbycraft’ in the UK.  Some people also use an actual rolling pin with it, but I’ve always found the ferrule (metal bit) of my largest clay shaper thick enough to do a good job.
2. Visor/visual magnification – I’m a lucky guy.  I have great vision.  For now.  As such, I don’t currently need to use magnification at all, although I have no doubt that I will in the future.  You know your eyes, if this is you then find yourself a solution.  You can’t sculpt what you can’t see.  Many art shops sell visors and magnifiers that are hands free, maybe you could start there.  Likewise, some opticians sell magnifying reading glasses, whatever works for you.
3. Superglue – if I’ve lubricated a piece of putty it sometimes needs a helping hand to stick to another piece of putty, or the armature.  that’s where your superglue comes in.  Pick the thin stuff, not the ‘gel’ (silly invention) or any other gimmick, just some good old plain thin superglue.  As a side note, try to avoid the little metal tubes of cheap stuff, I nearly lost an eye to one of those babys, you have been warned!
4. Armature wire – Florist wire, copper wire, brass rod, and even the humble paperclip can be used here, it really doesn’t matter.  See what you can find.
5. Corks – Something to attach the sculpt to while you work on it is really helpful.  The dense ‘fake’ corks are best here, the heavier the better.  Sticking a coin or something to the bottom of them can often help to keep them upright too, particularly if the mini is coming out at some sort of an angle.
6. Baking powder -  A quick trip to the kitchen will get you this.  It’s really not a necessity by any means, but some people find that their putty sticks to their armature better if it’s been dipped in superglue and baking powder to give it a rough ‘keyed’ surface.  Don’t worry if you don’t have this!
7. Silver foil – This is useful for bulking out the inside of the mini in order to save on the amount of putty used, or in the case of polymer clay, to reduce the chance of burning the sculpt as it bakes through.  This is most often used on large scale work, and so it’s not going to feature in my project.  However, I wanted to list it for your information, it’s saved me a few pennies.  However, if the piece is going to get cast, then the air that this traps inside the mini can become a problem, so it’s good to avoid it’s use in those cases.

Phew!  Tools and materials for sculpting in a mere two thousand words.  Marvellous!  Coming next, ‘getting the concept’.  Once you’ve got that, we’ll be ready to kick off in the new year.  It’s getting exciting!  Thanks for coming on this journey with me, you’re all wonderful!

James