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DIFFERENT KINDS OF CLAY _________________________________________________________________________________ AIR DRY CLAY: a clay that air dries over time. This clay can be brittle, is prone to cracking & shrinkage. It is not ideal for Breyer customizing. POLYMER CLAY: A plastic-like clay used for original sculpture and charms. It remains workable until baked to cure. Armatures must be made of wire and tin foil, oven safe materials. It can not be used for Breyer customizing directly onto a plastic model. COSCLAY: A type of polymer that bakes to a cure with flexible properties. It is good for fragile pieces on a sculpture. OIL CLAY: A clay that becomes workable when heated, and hardens when cooled. It never cures. It is good for Original sculptures and practicing. You can reuse this clay over and over. EPOXY PUTTY: A two part resin based clay that once mixed has a working time of up to 2 hours before curing. It air dries, sandable, waterproof, permanent and does not shrink/crack. This is the best clay for model horse customizing! FREE FORM AIR: An epoxy putty that cures to a super lightweight solid _________________________________________________________________________________ WHICH ONE TO USE? _________________________________________________________________________________ MODEL HORSE CUSTOMIZING Epoxy Putty | Magic Sculpt or Apoxie, Free Form Air as needed ORIGINAL SCULPTURE FOR CASTING Oil Clay | Monster Clay ORIGINAL SCULPTURE FOR PAINTING OR CASTING Epoxy Putty or Polymer | Apoxie, Magic Sculpt, Super Sculpey _________________________________________________________________________________
MODEL HORSE SCULPTING _________________________________________________________________________________ SHOPPING LIST
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SCULPTING WITH APOXIE _________________________________________________________________________________ Use 2 Part Epoxy putty to customize your Breyer Model Horses. You must use this kind of clay, air dry, oil, and polymer clays will not work. _________________________________________________________________________________ CLAY Breyer Customizing or sculpture requires two-part Epoxy putty. APOXIE SCULPT Natural OR MAGIC SCULPT Natural Apoxie 1lb : https://amzn.to/3MdY6ta Apoxie 5lb : amzn.to/3AJ2hun Magic Sculpt 1lb : amzn.to/4draceq Magic Sculpt 5lb : amzn.to/3XdeJvk _________________________________________________________________________________ BRUSHES Use cheap, soft, brushes. These build up with clay and need to be disposable Synthetic Brushes : amzn.to/4fPKLop _________________________________________________________________________________ TOOLS These are my go-to tools, the only handful you should need CLAY SHAPER TOOLS Royal Sovereign is my favourite brand, they are high quality and strong. These eventually break down over time. You can get cheap sets on Amazon, but the quality is hit or miss. Size 0 is my go-to, but size 2 can also be useful. Extra firm is best for Epoxy clay. Taper Point is most useful. Colour Shaper Size 0 Taper Point Extra Firm : amzn.to/3Xam2nB Colour Shaper Size 0 Taper Point Firm : amzn.to/4dvPquh Cheap Amazon Set : amzn.to/3AzFQrA METAL TOOLS Metal tools are most effective and easy to clean. The Large spoons are good for texturing manes & tails. I like to use Metal Spoon Set : amzn.to/3PPG6XG Detail Metal Tools : amzn.to/40Hl8kb DETAIL TOOL This is the best tool for sculpting tiny details. The tips are replaceable. Gum Stimulator : https://amzn.to/3T2c1Gv CALIPERS : amzn.to/4czTYyj Use a pair of calipers for measuring your work. These can be purchased on their own or found in a simple geometry set. 2 SPOONS Label two spoons for part A & part B to better retrieve the clay out of the containers. Go to your local thrift store! Set of 6 Spoons : amzn.to/473lOBZ _________________________________________________________________________________ SMOOTHING AGENT & SURFACE PREP Use water or isopropyl alcohol to smooth the clay. 99% is strongest. Isopropyl 99% : amzn.to/3Xagjhs Use a small container to hold the alcohol for dipping tools and your fingers. I like to use the Sistema ToGo cups, but a fluid pump also works really well. Sistema ToGo : amzn.to/3SX0NTE Fluid Pump : amzn.to/3SXgmuC Jar for Water : Use a jar to keep water on hand! You will need to wipe off your toll of excess clay/isopropyl as you work. Use Scott Blue Shop Towels. These are durable and lint free. Fold into 4 and use each side until saturated. You can use normal paper towel as well if that is all you have. Scott Blue Shop Towels : amzn.to/3WVgbkP Plastic Lid : Use a plastic lid off a yogurt or similar food container for clay while you work, this prevents it from sticking to your desk surface and damaging it. _________________________________________________________________________________ GLOVES Gloves are optional. Note that you may develop an allergy to this clay in which you will be forced to wear gloves. I risk it because I like to use my fingers when I sculpt. If you use them, pick the right size so they are as tight to your fingers as possible. Rubber Gloves: amzn.to/3E27Q9a _________________________________________________________________________________ OTHER TOOLS AND CLEANUP If you want to keep momentum on a project, using a space heater or heat lamp can help cure the clay quicker. Space Heater : amzn.to/42oGO5O If you are working off a touch screen device for references or need to send a message. Get a touch stylus so you do not touch the device. This clay will ruin clothing and anything it comes in contact with as it cures to a solid. Touch Screen Stylus : amzn.to/3SUJLFK Use a scrub brush, warm water and soap to clean up your fingers when done sculpting. I like Dawn Dish Soap. Dawn Dish Soap : amzn.to/46XAC58 Scrub Brush : amzn.to/46ZURPM _________________________________________________________________________________
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SCULPTING WITH FREE FORM AIR _________________________________________________________________________________ Valuable in original sculpture work or filling large areas of your Breyer custom, Free Form air works like Apoxie but dries to a super lightweight solid. It easily sands and holds a rigid shape for sculpting details ontop. Keeping weight down is important. THIS CLAY MUST BE USED WITH GLOVES & A RESPIRATOR Use in a well ventilated area, it has a very strong odor! I don't use tools, just my hands when working with this clay. FAST VARIANT Use the Fast version for quicker results. I personally use this one! SHOPPING LIST
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SCULPTING WITH MONSTER CLAY _________________________________________________________________________________ Valuable in original sculpture work, medallions, or practice but NOT model horse customizing. Monster Clay is the perfect oil based clay that is infinitely reusable. It does not cure. It cools to a rigid solid and warms easily for soft working, all the way to a liquid for pouring. It is also helpful in mold making. Supposedly the clay can be primed and painted, though I do not recommend that. In order to cast a Monster Clay sculpture, a waste mold is required to achieve a hard copy for the demands of casting. This clay allows for long working times and easy fixes in the preliminary sculpture phases. SHOPPING LIST:
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CLAY Monster Clay comes in Terra Cotta or Grey in Soft, Medium & Hard Firmness can be mixed. I prefer Medium. Grey is slightly translucent but both work the same. This clay heats to a liquid and cools to a solid at room temperature. It is good for practice, original and medallion sculpting. It can be infinitely reused and never cures. Monster Clay | Terra Cotta | Soft : amzn.to/3PIgqwp Monster Clay | Terra Cotta | Medium : amzn.to/40u3Aqk Monster Clay | Terra Cotta | Hard : amzn.to/4jthIJ0 Monster Clay | Grey | Soft : amzn.to/42n5qfc Monster Clay | Grey | Medium : amzn.to/4apvCYN Monster Clay | Grey | Hard : amzn.to/4htetjj _________________________________________________________________________________ TOOLS Use metal only tools that are separate from your Apoxie Tools. I prefer Loop tools and a subtractive sculpting method. Sometimes a Silicon shaper is nice for smoothing areas. Loop Tools : amzn.to/4joUOmi Detail Metal Tools : amzn.to/40Hl8kb Silicon Shaper Tool - Point Extra Firm - Tape - Size 0 : amzn.to/3Xam2nB _________________________________________________________________________________ SMOOTHING Monster clay smooths differently than other clays. Use a blunt ended brush or Scotch brite pad to 'buff' the surface, almost like sanding. Then smooth with a limited amount of Isopropyl Myristate, blot onto a blue shop towel. Cheap, soft, synthetic brushes - disposable : amzn.to/4fPKLop Scotch Brite Pad : amzn.to/4h31DbH Isopropyl Myristrate : amzn.to/40T6pmx Sistema ToGo or Fluid Pump : amzn.to/3SX0NTE or amzn.to/3SXgmuC Blue Shop Towel : amzn.to/3WVgbkP _________________________________________________________________________________ HEATING This clay heats to a liquid. The container is heat safe, it can be placed in the oven at low temperature, or warmed in the microwave. If you want ready to use clay, heat in a small crockpot. Sometimes that keeps the clay too warm, so a multifunction crock pot is best. Use a glass measuring cup for heating and pouring liquid melted clay. Microwave or Oven : Use your kitchen! Pyrex Glass : amzn.to/40T8yi5 Mini Crock Pot : amzn.to/3EfR3zf _________________________________________________________________________________ SETTING Flash cool the clay using canned air held upside down for a cooling effect. Canned Air : amzn.to/4h4lOpA _________________________________________________________________________________ MEDALLION SCULPTING Sculpt your flat medallion on a ceramic tile. You can also get these as scraps from a local flooring store. Pour you liquid clay into a cookie cutter shape for specific forms. Breyer box plastic works well as a flat surface as you can bend it and peel the sculpt off to work in sections. Tiles : amzn.to/40oky9z Round Cookie Cutters : amzn.to/40uctjA Breyer Plastic from Box : Keep this! _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
SCULPTING WITH POLYMER CLAY _________________________________________________________________________________ Polymer is a nice option of clay you can bake to a solid. Good for original sculptures, sculptural elements and practice. Using a wire armature, this clay has an infinite working time in its natural state. It has a plastic like consistency. It comes in many colours which bake the to the same tone. I find it to be a little brittle and it can be easy to burn the sculpture in the curing process. Parts can be baked in layers as you work. A great tool for the toolbox with fun outcomes! You cannot attach this to a Breyer custom because it needs to be baked to cure. Be sure to use armature elements that are oven safe! SHOPPING LIST
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POLYMER CLAY TYPES I recommend sticking to Sculpey brand. Living Doll is the perfect consistency. Firm is much harder. Premo comes in many colours. Living Doll Polymer Clay : amzn.to/4hJQBIn Sculpey Firm: amzn.to/42l3KmD Sculpey Premo : amzn.to/3ClUcxa Use CosClay for elements that are fragile. This clay works the same as a Polymer, but cures to a flexible form. CosClay: amzn.to/4gn7siQ Use metal tools to work with this clay. Metal Tools : amzn.to/40Hl8kb Silicon Shaper Tool - Point Extra Firm - Tape - Size 0 : amzn.to/3Xam2nB Smooth with baby oil on a synthetic brush. Baby Oil : amzn.to/4g71B0Z Synthetic Paint Brush : amzn.to/4fPKLop Work on a glass cutting board with polymer specific tools. Use a hammer, clay roller, liquid conditioner or clay press to condition the clay. Cutting Blade : amzn.to/4ghXvDy Glass Cutting Board: amzn.to/4jkPtMR Clay Roller : amzn.to/40HNQBj Polymer Clay Press : amzn.to/4g944If Hammer : amzn.to/4h401yp Clay Softner: amzn.to/40I9IMZ |
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