What to sculpt with?

[GodEmperorOfMankind]

Hi Guys, I do some small sculpting, mainly filling in gaps in kitbashing etc and I've run out of Greenstuff. My question is do I just buy some more of that or do I get something else, like milliput?

 

GS can be a bit of a pain sometimes, a bit too sticky, setting time takes AGES! and not always that rigid. IS Milliput any better?

 

Is there anything else people would suggest? Or should I just stick with GS?

 

Cheers

[Lorenzen]

I use miliput AND gs and often mix the two, plastruct is something ive been told to check out

 

What is it you want to sculpt?

[Subtle Discord]

Lorenzen has the right idea, mixing the two will get you the better qualities of each product. Any 'epoxy putty' (which all of these sculpting mediums are) can usually be mixed with other epoxy products.

Greenstuff will cure like an ever-so-soft plastic - just a bit rubbery and soft. If it's a larger object it will be fine, but finer details can bend. You can add extra Blue compound to the mix to get a stiffer end result, but it also speeds up curing time. That might be a good thing, but sometimes you want more working time.

Milliput will cure as hard as stone - no bend or flex, but it is much more brittle. Finer details and crisp lines/corners will hold better in Milliput, but the brittle factor must be considered. Note, Milliput also works much like clay, (unlike they very plastic feel of Greenstuff) you can even use moisture to thin and/or smooth it if you want.

Brownstuff is a product that is a cousin to Greenstuff and cures much harder than Greenstuff. I just got some of this and I have yet to give it a try, but it seems to do the job of mixing Milliput and Greenstuff together.

 

If I had to pick just one product, I'd still choose Greenstuff. It's just a good average of everything I've ever tried; not that I'm an advanced sculptor by any stretch.

[GodEmperorOfMankind]

Cheers for the responses guys, I hold both of you in very high regard so your opinions mean a lot :)

 

@Lorenzen , I'm not looking to sculpt anything on your level, it's pretty much a filling of gaps, minor conversion work. for example I'm making a contemptor with dreadknight hands on the CCW arm and need to fill/mold to make it look right. On a marine scale it's down to things like creating flex joints when I cut and repose legs/arms.

 

I asked the question as I'm out of greenstuff and wondered if it was worth trying something else. From your responses it looks like I may get a little of both and "roll my own"

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

I've been hearing great things about Apoxie Sculpt and I'll be trying some out very soon, but for now I'm using greenstuff. It is a pain to get used to, and always make sure you're using some sort of lubricant, like oil, talcum powder, etc, to keep it from sticking to your tools.

[GodEmperorOfMankind]

in my case tools = fingers

[Lorenzen]

clay shapers, a new scalpel blade and a pin bodged into an old mechanical pencil are your friends.. fingers leave finger prints.. fingerprints are bad!

 

soft armour is a tricky one.. most people struggle with it because it has a limited space to fit into and has to be neat to look right. personally i fill most of the joint in with greenstuff but leave enough room for a small layer to go on top after its cured (which is what i sculpt the soft armour out of) this way theres less material for my super sharp (and lubed up) knife blade to move out the way and deform the shape.. slowly make each indentation by rolling the knife around the gs (do not drag it over it.. it will deform the shape) make sure it looks right and carry on.. once its done to a satisfactory degree.. walk away from the model, leave it alone and dont come back to it until the greenstuff is most definitley cured

 

gap filling is a miliput job, it can be sanded, carved and smoothed out with the addition of water.. for very small gaps (like grey knight writiing on legs etc) you can make what is known as miliput juice.. which is like 70% water and use it as a really runny filler that will dry solid.

[Subtle Discord]

Agreed! Get some sculpting tools, even if you have to make them yourself. To start you can carve, file, sand, and generally shape anything into a useful tool-tip you want. Just look up stainless steel sculpting tools for some inspiration. Naturally there are also tons of as-is items (Pins, plastic toothpicks, paper clips, street-sweeper needles, etc., etc.) that can be useful with no modification.

 

Lubrication on almost any material is a must. Where Greenstuff will stick and peel, Milliput will tear and crumble; moisture of some sort is needed. Water works, but tends to no stay were you want it. Dip a tool in it and you don't get enough, in my opinion. you can add some glycerin (Check you drug store) to the water to help it bead and stay in place. Oil is good as well; it won't evaporate, is slightly viscous, and is an actual lubricant, so it gives smooth results. It's best used on 'plastic' putties, not 'clay' putties like Milliput. I don't like the greasy factor, personally. In the end, you've got all the lubricant you need in an endless, portable supply- spit. Many (most?) miniature sculptors lick their tools; spit has enzymes in it that give it a tiny bit of viscosity and 'stick'. Don't like the idea of licking your tools because of possible contamination? Put a drop of saliva on the back of your hand and touch your tool to it as you work.

 

And yes, if you struggle with getting smooth blends of material, rubber tools are your best bet. If you can't find 'Clay Shapers' look for 'Colour Shapers' in the painting section of an Art Store. They are expensive and you still need to keep them lubricated, but when you want a very soft touch to get subtle blends and final finishing, they're great. A simple homemade tool you can use is to take a very large/thick rubber band and wrap or stretch over the end of a paint brush handle. You can use some super glue to lock it in place, or pull it down low and wrap the band with some wire to keep it secure. It's not as accurate as a Colour Shaper (they come in many great shapes and sizes) but it can work very well to roll over a surface and smooth nicely.

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

These are the clay shapers I have: http://www.dickblick.com/products/royal-sovereign-clay-shaper-sets/

 

I bought the smaller set a few years ago, but for a lot of things, they're just too small. The larger ones are amazing and they are a bit pricey, but if you plan on doing a decent amount of sculpting work, they're completely worth it.

[GodEmperorOfMankind]

Wow guys this stuff is awesome! Far beyond my abilities but I'm grateful for the imparted knowledge, maybe this should be stickied?

 

@Lorenzen, cheers for the examples on where to use either GS or milliput

 

@Discord, I lick my brushes to keep the tips on point so I'm not really fussed what goes in my mouth ;)

 

@kage, Appreciate the link. There's a sculpting set on ebay going for about £4 think that'll do to start me off