Before you begin:
- Here are some sculpting techniques I've learned from other customizers and my own trial and error. None of this is too profound. Sculpting is 95% self-taught. If you have some artistic talent, you'll likely pick it up pretty quickly. If you (like me) have very little talent more practice will do wonders. It's just a matter of getting the proportions, the size and then the details right.
- Here [pending article] is Tony Colucci's (a GREAT sculptor!) article on how to sculpt a head. It shows what an accomplished artist can create and has some very good tricks and tips. Most of us can't just jump in and start sculpting like that, however. So hopefully the advice below will help you get to that point.
- There are a variety of soft sculpting mediums available to customizers, each with its own properties. For example, epoxy putty has the advantage of curing at room temperature but it has a very limited working time. Polymer clays are a wiser choice for beginning customizers. I specifically recommend Premo® and Fimo™. Polymer clays generally need a lot of kneading (follow package instructions) and if they get too cool become crumbly. Primo® and Fimo™ require less kneading and stay workable longer than other polymer clays. Even so, if at all possible try to complete your sculpt in one sitting.
- For most of my examples below I use a head sculpt. That's just because it is easy to refer to features on a head. The techniques work as well for any other sculpt. I actually suggest you DON'T try a head for your first sculpt: try something easier like a hat, vest, cloak, etc
Step 1
Get at LEAST 3 references of your subject. Try to find a side, front, and even top view just to get the proper proportions and relationships of the various features. Use some 3-D references too, if at all possible. For example, if you're sculpting a vest have a Han Solo figure nearby. If you're sculpting a Duros head use a Bith head to gauge the general size and shape.
Step 2
Gather a variety of sculpting tools. Stay away from "real" sculpting tools found in art stores, as most are too large for detailed sculpts. Most customizers use household objects to get great results. A paint brush handle is a pretty good sculpting tool. It's just about the right size and shape to make appropriate sized folds in 3 3/4" scale clothing. Ball point pens, toothpicks, straight pins, dental tools and your exacto knife are all very useful sculpting tools. You can use each of these tools by either pushing it into the clay or by dragging it across the clay's surface to get a different effect. For example, pushing a paint brush handle will create nice eye sockets on a head while dragging the handle down a vest or cloak will make realistic folds. By placing plastic wrap on the clay then pushing or dragging with the various tools you can make nice rounded indentations without the sharper edges. You can even press cloth into the clay to impress a weave pattern when sculpting clothing [article 1] [article 2].
Step 3
After you knead your sculpey and are ready to start you need to decide if you are a "take-away" sculptor or an "add-to" sculptor or a combination of the two. Let's say we want to make a big "T' shape 4" tall by 3" wide by 1" thick. Using the "take-away" approach you would start with a 4" X 3" X 1" block and cut clay away until a "T" was left. Using the "add-to" approach you would make 2 cylinders or blocks 1" thick X 3" long and attach them. You join disparate chunks of clay by BLENDING: just push and rub the joint of the 2 pieces until no seam is visible. Most of our better sculptors are from the "add-to" school. That way is probably best. I usually prefer the "take away" method. I had a few finished and cured sculpts that separated at the seams when a tried "add-to", so I may be a bit paranoid. If you use good blending you shouldn't have that problem.
Step 4
Here is my main advice: DO MANY SCULPTS! Keep sculpting the same subject over and over until you either get it right or you get sick of it. If you are sculpting an integral piece of a figure (like a vest) sculpt your first few tries on junk figures instead of the final figure. Ploymer clay is reusable if you don't cure it, so there's no material wasted by doing multiple sculpts. Your first stage is just for proportions, so don't spend a lot of time on details. For example: ears should be the same size, even with each other, and far enough back on the head... but don't even try to carve the whorls and earlobes, etc yet. Pay attention that the eye sockets are symmetrical and and in the right spot (about half way down the face) but don't waste any time etching in the eye lids yet. Don't worry about the size yet (if it's a separate piece) either. In fact, you can make your initial sculpt intentionally large so you can see the proportions better. Try just to get the basic proportions right. If the sculpt looks right then WALK AWAY! Give it a few hours. Then come back to see if it sill looks about proportional. Your perception can play tricks on you when you've stared at an object too long, so it's essential to get away for a while. Does your sculpt match the shape of your reference from all directions? Are the various features where they should be? While you're asking these questions you should be kneading another chunk of sculpey. DO NOT try to fix any bad features!! Instead, repeat step 4 as needed. Do as many as you need to get the basic shape. None should take long to do. The initial sculpt(s) NEED to be right there as reference(s) for points that need changing, so don't destroy them yet! Pick good features to copy from various sculpts: see why the nose of sculpt #2 looks better than sculpts #1 and #3 and try to recapture that. When you are satisfied that you have the basic shape and proportions correct, then...
Step 5
Make another sculpt concentrating on getting the size right while maintaining the correct proportions. Concentrate on the details more on the second, but don't spend a lot of time and feel free to experiment. For example, see how deeply you'll need to push a pin into the clay to make convincing eye lids (not very!). Don't sweat it if the details don't turn out well yet.. you're still experimenting and this sculpt will eventually be re-kneaded into a ball. Use other figures for a size comparison now. If the size is way off then sculpt another. When the size is about right, then...
Step 6
Do your final sculpt(s) with details. By this point you should have a very good idea of how to arrange the proportions and a good idea on the proper size. NOW is the time to make eylids, ear whorls, lips, hair, scars, etc to faces. For clothing this is when you'd make buttons, seams, stitching, tiny folds, or tears. Repeat the sculpt, if needed, like you did in previous steps to correct mistakes but for the final stage I suggest stopping after 3 tries. Making all of those tiny details can get REALLY frustrating afer a while. After 3 tries you will probably start making more errors instead of correcting errors. Compare the 2 or 3 sculpts and pick your favorite. NOW IS THE FIRST TIME YOU SHOULD BOTHER CORRECTING ANY FLAWS. Touch up any details that need it.
Step 7
Before you cure, GENTLY rub a q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol over the surface. this should remove fingerprints.
Step 8
Oh, yeah! Now you can take all the prototypes and ball 'em up into a chunk for another project!
Step 9
I suggest baking for curing. Some like to microwave/boil sculpey. That is necessary if the clay is attached to plastic. But baking seems to cure better for me. Cure the clay according to instructions.
