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scenceable — Mini Baking Clay Tutorial
Published: 2011-07-26 08:48:53 +0000 UTC; Views: 40535; Favourites: 1104; Downloads: 462
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Description
So, I get tons of questions on this type of thing. At some point I do plan on making a new unicorn tutorial that explains things start to finish. However, for now, here's a little one on baking. I did another little tutorial a while ago on hairing sculptures. Eventually I do hope to make a big long one.Anyway, I'd like to mention that this is just how I do things. There are many ways to bake and mine is certainly not the only way. Just what I do, and what works for me currently
I also want to say that I paint my horses, so I can be a lot more flexible with baking. When making dolls or humans you have to be a lot more careful since the skin tone of the clay matters a lot. Dirt particles, cracks, dents, and discolouration can ruin dolls, but with painted sculptures they hardly matter.
As always, if you have questions please ask... I kind of threw this together randomly so I may have left things out. I have a FAQ section on my website where I talk a bit about materials and things, you might find it helpful as well! It's here: [link]
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Comments: 164
an very interesting tutorial..... and stunning o,0
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This is really helpful, thank you!
I'm totally new to polymer clay, and have just bought a small pack of FIMO Soft to test. For the armature, what's the hardness of the wire? I mean, can you bend it with the strenght of the hands, or do you need to use tools for bending it?
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Glad you like it! The wire I use is 14gauge or so, for the legs, which you can bend with your fingers but you need pliers for certain bending (like a tiny bend for the ankle or something) but it's not that thick. For larger sculptures I would need thicker wire though.
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Good to know
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Most of them are 5 or 6 inches long, about the size of a classic breyer. Some are a bit bigger or smaller, but I have pretty awful vision and so don't like working small
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I'll have to read this in sections but I do have one question XD
I know you will at one point be making a tutorial for armatures, but this is related to that... How do you keep the foil from coming apart? I seem to run into a problem with the end of the foil not wanting to stay put and the whole thing ends up not as stable as I would like it to be.
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Hmm good question. I have that problem a little bit, if I do I usually wrap some tape around the sculpture (floral tape or masking tape)... but generally I wrap the foil in strips and fold it on a figure 8 around the front limbs or back limbs, so that the "end" coils around the leg tightly. But tape is quite popular
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Ah I might try the masking tape. I did the strips (after looking at one of your other tutorials) but foil just seems to hate me XD
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Its so inspiring to see that you start with simply an armature for your horses instead of a resin cast that is modified. And you have such an amazing understanding of Horse anatomy! I love all these horses of yours, and this tutorial is wonderfully informant! Thank you for taking the time to compose one of these!
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Thank you 
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How awesome to see your work from start to finish!
You do amazing work!
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Thank you! I learned many things.
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Thanks, glad you liked it!
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This is very insightful and helpful! I will be trying this! However, the website "dickblick.com" makes think I'll be put in the middle of some grotesque fetish porno website, Ha! Going to check it out anyway since I'm an adventurous unit.
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I'm glad you like it! I know what you mean about dickblick, such a weird name... the actual stores are just called "Blick art materials" or something.
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Haha, well I've looked at the materials (I really want to make some decent models... I tried it with air-drying clay but it was too difficult... Everything was too heavy and it wasn't working) and ebay has some cheap stuff. Sculpey is rare in Australia, and super expensive. Ebay seems the way to go. Except the superflex stuff is hard to find and costs a lot (Is it expensive for you?) Is there an alternative to this? Can I go without it and would it work all the same?
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There are other polymer clays you can use, like fimo or kato or cernit. I'm not sure what you can get where you are. If blick will ship to australia, and it would probably cost a lot to ship, it might be reasonable to get sculpey. It's like $40 to ship clay from the states just to canada since it's so heavy so when I do a blick order I get a whole lot at once. 20lbs of clay costs pretty much the same to send as 10lbs. Canadian prices are expensive, I think superflex is like $25 for 6oz. In the states you can get 16oz for $15. I do live quite close to the border so I try and cross and buy a bunch of clay in one go, it ends up being cheaper than ordering from blick. Superflex is just what I like but most people don't use it and do just fine! Ebay might be good to find things, I tend to buy in bulk nowadays and have yet to find a reliable ebay seller who sells mass amounts of clay 
Ugh that reply ended up being super long! Sorry
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Thanks so much for all the info! Because it will be my first go at this, I will buy only one block of what you suggest, to make sure I actually enjoy it (haha). I think I'll leave out the superflex, because it is expensive, and I can be a real jew when it comes down to it. I wouldn't looking at ordering off an external site from America because as you said, postage is ridiculous. I think I could only justify the money spent if I'm earning it back again, you know? Thanks again for taking the time!
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I know what you mean!
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I've always wanted to try sculpting at home, but I've never done it. If I finally get off my butt and try it out, this will be nice and handy. Thanks for the info!
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Thanks, glad you liked it!
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This is an amazing tutorial. Baking a sculpt is always nerve wracking to me, it can be a challenge to find info on temperature and time. Like you said there are many ways to do things, but it's always good to have examples from people who know what they're doing!
The tips on fault lines is invaluable, for any sculpt not just horses. I had so many issues with stage baking that I have done my last few pieces with just one long bake. Also using the bend and bake clay is genius, especially if you don't have access to many brands. Have you had any issues using different brands with one another?
Your work is just stunning! I enjoy seeing work that just improves to no end, it gives me hope 
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Thanks so much, I'm glad you found it useful! I've never had issues mixing brands. I've mixed prosculpt, kato, fimo, and sculpey all with each other before and not had any issues. I guess if you're using good quality clay it doesn't matter as much
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That's great to know! I have wanted to try different brands but have so much super sculpey I don't want it to go to waste. You have a lot of great info for beginners and advanced people alike, it needs to be shared
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Thank you for posting this so much! I'm still learning the ways of sculpting and have been looking for a good indepth tutorial on all the steps. The baking step has always been my hang up. I even turned to air drying clay to try and get around it, and all I got were thousands of big moonies. I'm mainly thinking of doing dragons, but I'm SO thankful for the time you spent on making this and for sharing it with us.
A question I have is which convection oven do you have and which polyfil is that? I work at JoAnn fabric and craft store, and I know we sell a little oven there, but yours is really nice. Also I wouldn't want a fire so knowing which polyfil you use would make my nervousness go down
Have you used liquid sculpey? like to make fins of webbed wings?
Thank you again sooo much <3
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I'm glad you enjoyed it! 
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I look forward to your new hairing tut, as I'm not sure of all the different types of hari out there which is good to use ^^
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I have a hairing tutorial I posted a while ago in my gallery, it's just on hair and not actual sculpting. I'm still hoping to do a full "how to make a unicorn" from start to finish tutorial though
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Totally awesome!!! Thank you soooooo much! That was indeed very helpful. I have saved it and will look back as often as necessary while working on my sculpture. For someone just starting out, You have been an irreplacable inspiration. I realize there are many artist who, like you have tutorials and the such but the differance is that I feel like you are more approchable on the subject of sculpting and technique then others (not that they wouldnt offer, just saying).
I loved that you posted this as well as your tutorial for hairing!!! I cant thank you enough!! The other thing about you is your final peices. I LOVE them and though I see many fantacy sculps out there that are beautiful and give me that "I need to have" feeling, Yours always makes top of the list for me so having said that PLUS all the tips you are willing to share just makes you a fabulous teacher!
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Wow Megan you're really just too kind 
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Amazing
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Fantastic! I've never understood how to use foil and wire underneath clay, it always pops out through the clay on me. T^T Thank you for this tutorial. ♥
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It took me a long time to learn to prevent that from happening. Especially along the spine and back...I always got foil popping through there on older sculptures. I guess with practise I got better at designing the armatures, not really sure though! I'm glad you like the tutorial either way
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this is a great tutorial! thank you SO much for doing this! i really appreciate you sharing your knowledge ^.^
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Thanks! Hopefully I can do an actual sculpting one at some point
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This is a wonderful tutorial. It answered many questions I had about baking scultures.
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Thanks, glad you found it helpful!
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YOU make your own horses, AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!! Maby I'll make some too!!
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just lovely. very nice equine anatomy! and its so cool to see were you start and then were it all ends up. thanks for this tutorial.
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Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
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Wow, I'm not a sculptor and i have to admit ignorance on the process but that was fascinating. *wants to try*
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Thanks, I hope you do sometime!
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