Unread post
by cognitivedissonance » Thu May 06, 2010 6:24 am
Protip from a puppeteer/sculptor: If you're going to embed objects in a clay doll, I've found that the air-drying PaperClay (it's a brand name, it's usually available near the Sculpey/Fimo at Michaels or Joann's crafts) is the most forgiving and it has the advantage of not shrinking as it dries. Real clay loses moisture as it dries, and so you run the risk of cracks/ruptures. PaperClay dries in about 2 days, at which point it needs a layer of ACRYLIC* varnish to make it waterproof, if that's what you're needing it to do. Crayola air-drying clay has some problems over the long run with fading and the color can leech out and get into anything it touches if it's touching it for a long time.
Another trick of the trade is "Gorilla Glue", which is a wonderful glue that I recommend to EVERYBODY for these sorts of projects. It is the strongest and most powerful glue money can buy. I tend to use it for screw-eyes, chain clips and karabiners, since it's rarely a good idea to put hardware into a sculpture before it dries.
Also, one more thing: if you're looking for a doll with a lot of flexibility, Fimo produces a line of bendable clay, that basically those need old Gumby style wire bendy dolls. You can make your doll baby literally "tie itself in knots" if that boosts your spell. They also make a line of glow in the dark Fimos, which I haven't played with yet.
If/when I go for the Lucky Mojo certification, I might actually take up doll baby and amulet sculpture, since this is literally my line of work. I also know quite a bit about acrylic casting, lapidary, metalsmithing, etc, so if anybody has any interests in these subjects, PLEASE contact me and I can advise. I know a lot about this stuff, it's my passion.
*It needs to be noted that acrylic is mandatory with PaperClay, it will melt with an oil based varnish. Once it's varnished, it can then be dumped in water, run through the wash, buried, whatever, with no harm done. If, of course, you want it to be harmed, that's your business!
HRCC Student #2174G