New to sculpting! How to sculpt a Beard?

[Mike5401]

Hi guys,

I am new to figures let alone sculpting. I do manily 1/35 US Modern figures. I have some Hornet heads and I want to add beards too them. Kinda like what you see on US Special Forces guy's. Does any body know a good easy way to make beards on them? I have seen people say some stuff called kneadatite? What is it and how do you use it? I have a few small packs of Sculpey would this work?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Mike

 

[RobH]

Hi Mike

Kneadatite is a 2-part epoxy putty consisting of a Yellow and Blue component that when mixed together become green (it's often refered to as Green Stuff by some) and begins to set and becomes cured in approx 3 hours. It was originally used for plumbing repairs and auto repairs but it's properties proved usefull for sculptors.

Kneadatite

Sculpey needs to be baked so to cure it the whole figure would need to go in the oven.

The mixed kneadatite is applied to the face and shaped using a tool - could be a toothpick, dental tool, or piece of brass rod whose tip has been shaped.

 

[Mike5401]

Thanks Rob for the help! I will be buying some of this stuff soon. One of the sellers: BrookHurst Hobbies is only 20 min. from me and I go there all the time.

Thanks
Mike

 

[minimaker]

Hi,

if it helps, I put a demo over here:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/minimaker3/d...50e.jpg&.src=ph

That's with brown stuff but green stuff works the same. Just make sure you have a picture around of a real beard as a reference.

Bye, Ming-Hua

 

[RobH]

Nice one Ming-Hua

Mike. I did sculpt a beard on a larger scale figure here
that I tested originally using plastiline, but you could do a trial practice with your sculpey to see how how it looks.

 

[Mike5401]

Thanks guys! That looks great Ming-Hua.

Rob yes I will try using the sculpey for the beard in a few mintues as a practice run. I'll post some pics so you can see what else I could do.

Thanks
Mike

 

[Mike5401]

Hey guys,

Ok I just finished sculpting the beard and hair on a plastic DML figure using Sculpey. I am trying to get good pics but my flash seems to be wasing out the whole face and thus removing all the detail from the picture.

I wanted to know since I used Sculpey and used a plastic DML figure head is there any way I can cure the Sculpey with out melting the DML head? I know it needs to be put into the oven to cure but can I do that at a lower Temp. that will still cure but not melt the DML head??

Any help would be great! I am happy with the results for my first time sculpting but you guys can be the judge once I can get better pics.


Thanks
Mike

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Mike5401@Jan 24 2006, 10:03 AM
...is there any way I can cure the Sculpey with out melting the DML head?

Yes, boil it in water for maybe ten minutes and let it cool in the water. You'll have to figure out some way of weighing it down to make sure it gets heated consistently.

Sculpey may not bond properly to the plastic but it's certainly worth a shot.

Einion

 

[garyjd]

Originally posted by Einion@Jan 24 2006, 07:12 AM
Yes, boil it in water for maybe ten minutes and let it cool in the water.

Einion

I never would have thought to do that. In order for the sculpey to adhere, you may want to try putting a small amount of 3 minute epoxy on the area you are adding the sculpey to.

It's worth a shot but it might work. I guess after putting the piece in boiling water and letting it cool you'll know.~Gary

 

[Mike5401]

Thanks guy's I will diffinetly give it a shot. I would have never thought to boil it.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks
Mike

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by garyjd@Jan 24 2006, 01:27 PM
I never would have thought to do that.

Yeah, the setting temperature for Sculpey and other polymer clays is below the boiling point of water, I tried this myself recently on two practice heads so it definitely works. You'll need longer for thicker applications obviously. The great thing about boiling is that you can't scorch Sculpey in the same way that baking for too long (or too often) can.

I'm estimating ten minutes based on how thin this is likely to be Mike, just test by pressing gently with the back of your nail, if there's no rebound then it has set; if it's still a bit rubbery then boil for a little longer.

Einion

 

[Mike5401]

Thanks Einion!

So the boiling water won't melt the Plastic DML head? So I guess the DML figure plastic must have a high melting point then. Well I am gonna try to sculpt a few other little things on the head and then boil it. I just gotta figure away to keep it down like you suggested or else its gonna float.

I'll let you know how it turns out.
Thanks
Mike

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Mike5401@Jan 26 2006, 03:38 AM
So the boiling water won't melt the Plastic DML head?

Nope, the melting point of polystyrene is ~185°C, which is well above the boiling point of water for those of you still stuck using Fahrenheit

Einion

 

[TorMag]

So the boiling point of water won't melt the head, then neither will the temp of the oven to cure the sculpey............. 250 F.

Second, remember if you are going to boil the sculpey, the pan you do it in is now NO LONGER good for cooking in.....

I would suggest going down to your local Good Will and buying a pan, less than $2.

Tor

 

[Mike5401]

Thanks for the heads up guys!

Yeah I think I'll just buy a cheap pot to boiling it in. In the over I have a chance of over cooking the sculpey.

Thanks a lot for the help!
Mike

 

[minimaker]

Hi,

just a little remark on plastics from my days at the engineers college. Polymers have a (temperature wise) long stage between solid and melt which is called the rubberphase. For polystyrene this starts around 95°C.
Heating it above that point will make the plastic flexible and the closer the temperature gets to the melting point the more flexible it becomes. At a certain point the memory of the material will plat a role which can cause deformations (like when you fill a cheap plastic bottle with cooking water).

Boiling in water may be ok but I think heating it in an oven at the polymer clay curing temperature may cause detail loss and deformation.

Bye,
Ming-Hua

 

[Arminous]

Hi all!


Is this all about sculpting a beard on a plastic head?I'm not familiar(I think...)with the materials you described,but I'm sure that it will be done properly using epoxy clay(Milliput,Magic Sculp,A&B etc...).I think the material you proposed is one of them...My favorite is Magic Sculp.Apply the clay on the face using a needle of a surgery sculpel.Wet your painting brush with water and use it to form the clay,it may get softer with the water.After the clay gets the desired form,use a surgery sculpel very gently to draw lines imitating the hair on the beard.After that,use once again your brush with less quantity water to make these lines look clearer and smoother.

No need of oven or boiling water.The oven may cause the plastic head to melt while the boiling water may cause a deformation(it depends on the quality of the plastic and wheher you touch it soon after letting it i the water.Furthermore,the epoxy stock will be thinned in water and the beard may change form.If you want your clay to harden sooner than 4 hours(it will get hard anyway,it's just too boring to wait...)set the head under a lamp(one that gets hot after being on for more than 2 minutes) and the clay may get hard in 30 mins.


Cheers!
-Kostas.

 

[Mike5401]

See I am getting a lot of info. here!! I haven't had time to do anything to my figure head, but the beard is done. I took the Sculpey and formed it on the DML figure head using my finger. Then I took a new xacto-blade to kinda shape and form it a bit, and then made the hair lines with a very sharp and thin sewing needle. I just need to clean it up a bit to look more clean. Gonna work on a hat next maybe some sun glasses then try and add a bit more neck to him. If anybody who has used DML figures knows most of them don't have to much of a neck on them.

Yes I have thought about places it under a hot lamp. I have a very bright little Hologen lamp that gets hot fast. I just need to keep checking to make sure not to melt the head.

Thanks again for all the help guys!!!
Mike

 

[garyjd]

Originally posted by Mike5401@Jan 30 2006, 12:29 AM
Yes I have thought about places it under a hot lamp. I have a very bright little Hologen lamp that gets hot fast. I just need to keep checking to make sure not to melt the head.


Mike

Be careful to not place the bulb of the lamp too close to the piece and watch it carefully.~Gary