Best sculpting medium for fine detail

[G.I.*EDDIE]

So I'm looking to get a good sculpting material...what in your opinions is the best?

Personally, I'd like something I can get fine details out of and when dried, is sandable...something that doesn't take a week to cure or eat plastic figure parts would also be a bonus...

I was using Mighty Putty, but I can't find it anywhere locally any longer...bout time I dip my toes into real sculpting agents anyway...


Annnnnnnd GO!

 

[Giga Bread]

Aves Fix it Sculpt

 

[MMorelock66]

Aves definitely.

 

[Obi-Shinobi]

Found this... sculpey firm.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Are both suggestions sandable?...are both suggestions self hardening?...are they basically the same thing but different brands?...
Have any of you guys had expireince with both or mutable brands?

What are set up times?...do you need water to work with them?...

I know I can look all this stuff up, but I started this thread to ask guys I "know" for their personal opinions...

The one thing that was good and bad about mighty putty was that it set up really quick...so I could quickly add details until it set then Dremel in ones I couldn't finish on time...but the project was finished FAST!

 

[Joerhyno]

I used aves fixit sculpt and greenstuff. Both are similar but could be used for different things.

Fixit sets in a couple hours but starts curing in about 45 mins. After that, you still have time to work with it. It's just harder. You can use water to make it easier to work with. Its rigid and hard when cured and unless you plan on dropping your sculps, it should hold up really well to wear.

Greenstuff is the same, only slightly softer. So if you want to sculpt something that will have a bit of give (long hair), then you'd want to go with this. Similar cure times and again water it needed to help with clean sculpting.

With the whole cure time thing, sometimes you want to let it sit 30-45 mins to get that consistency you want. It all takes practice and the more you work with it the easier it is.
Hope that helps.

 

[Giga Bread]

Check out Sith_fire to see what you can do with aves.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

I guess I'll take the suggestions and advice here and hit up the couple of local hobby stores tomorrow and see what they have on hand...I wanna get my hands dirty sooner rather than later...waiting for something to arrive a week from now doesn't sound desirable...

Thanks for the advice fellas...

 

[joesilver]

i use Aves and i recommend!!! easy to work, durable and fast cure!!but i only use a sculpting stuff for some minor details like hair,beard, caps and other small things

 

[Falcone]

What about sculpting wax. You don't have to worry about ruining the part you are not working on and you can go back an modify any part you already completed.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Tell me more Falcone...is it paintable?..."wax" doesn't sound like it would be...and if you can go back and mod things further after completion, does it ever fully cure?

 

[Joerhyno]

Wax is only good for making a master copy you'd later cast in a resin or other plastic

 

[Mr. Black]

I use Aves Fixit Sculpt and I'm becoming more and more comfotable with it. I mostly sculpt small details/addons, but I'm also moving into the larger world of sculpting:



He started out as this:



I love this stuff and concur with Joerhyno's statements.

Greenstuff's great too and like Joerhyno said, doesn't cure rock hard, which lends itself for details like long hair, capes, etc.

Water is handy for mixing parts A and B and for smoothing out sculpted parts (fingerprints!). You also want your sculpting tools to be wet, but I recently found a different solution: Nivea creme!

Speaking of tools: you can use anything that's on your workbench, but your fingers are most imporant. Besides that, go buy a small set of dental tools and use things like screw drivers, toothpicks, Exacto blade, the handle of your exacto blade, Dremel bits....

 

[Giga Bread]

Aves safety solvent is also a must. I think it's better than water.

 

[Falcone]

Wax is only good for making a master copy you'd later cast in a resin or other plastic

Yeah, my fault. Every time I hear about sculpting I just immediately assume it will be casted.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

So on my hunt today all I could find was sculpty...something that needs baking isn't gonna cut it...couldn't find anything epoxy based...so I guess I'm gonna have to order online...bummer

 

[Joerhyno]

I think aves is on amazon now.

 

[Joerhyno]

Aves safety solvent is also a must. I think it's better than water.

I just lick my tool... waaaay better (quick... get Eddie!!!)

 

[Giga Bread]

The safety solvent allows the use of brushes to build surface texture or completely smooth. I've never faired nearly as well with just water.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

I just lick my tool... waaaay better (quick... get Eddie!!!)

GIGGIDY!...wait, you can reach?!...luckyeeeeeee!

The safety solvent allows the use of brushes to build surface texture or completely smooth. I've never faired nearly as well with just water.

What does that mean?

I ordered two types...the fixit sculpt, and the super white...1/4 lb of each...just the shipping for them on amazon was $12.50!!...fuuuuuuuuuu*# you!...found it for the same price on ebay with shipping at $2.50...should be here tue-Thursday...

Aves says super white is their best sculpting medium...it dries quicker too...but it didnt say whether or not it was paintable, so I played it safe and got both...

Hobby Lobby had the Sculpey Firm you were talking about Obi, but it says it needs to be baked...I can't bake my figures...

 

[Giga Bread]

Additive sculpting. I don't really know another way of describing it.