New to all this....

[Gwyndaff]

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum and also new to the world of sculpting with clay.

Its something I kind of stumbled into really by playing around with some of my daughters plasticine initially. I discovered I had fun creating little models and was getting quite good results. My father and my sister are fantastic artists but I never really had a flare for it until I discovered clay sculpting. So I went online and bought myself an oil based clay called Kleen Klay, some cheap modelling tools and started playing around to see what I could do. I have created some quite nice work in a short time but am always finding I have to trash it to do more pieces. I did have some success making a mould out of alginate of a heart with detail on it and then casting it in plaster, for a gift for my wife. But when I have tried to make a mould out of figures I have failed miserably. I even tried painting layer upon layer of liquid latex on one piece and peeled it off over the top. This did work but when I poured plaster in, the mould would stretch and mis-shape the finished plaster model.

My question is really are there better methods of moulding or should I start using a different type of clay so I can keep some of my work.

Thanks,

Carl

[mantrid]

Although cheap latex is very difficult to use for the beginner. Silicone is much better. Its a bit pricey so a cheaper alternative for just experimenting with is that silicone bathroom sealant. You can get it in places like Lidl for a pound a tube. Latex is not good at supporting itself (or silicone) so you would use a second mould called a mother mould on the outside as a support.

Heres some threads I started that include mould making as well as bronze casting. They are on this forum too somewhere but dont know how to locate them.

http://www.alloyavenue.com/vb/showth...t-lots-of-pics

http://www.alloyavenue.com/vb/showth...ots-of-pics%29

http://www.alloyavenue.com/vb/showth...tart-to-finish

http://www.alloyavenue.com/vb/showth...Latest-casting

[Gwyndaff]

Thanks Mantrid, I'll look these over. I'll let you know how I get on.

[JAZ]

Hello Gwyndaff.
Mantrid's answer is good - a plaster mother mold would solve that problem for you. In using the bathroom silicone, you need to spread it well with a disposable tool, otherwise its viscosity leave little spaces nearest the clay. Otherwise it's a good, easily accessible material for you.
There is a Search key at the top of this page. However, you would want to search for the American English spelling (because this website was established by Americans!). Therefore "moldmaking" or "molds".
There are wonderful how-to-resources here, if you dig a bit.
Best of luck and show us some photos when you are ready.
JAZ

[Gwyndaff]

Thanks Jazz, I'll have a dig. My spelling is where I must've been going wrong before.