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  • February 5, 2014 at 5:03 pm #991592
    mediaexplorer
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        I’m doing small (20″ max so far) mixed media sculptures. I’ve liked using Magic Sculpt because I can combine it with wood, metal, found objects, etc., it’s easy to prepare, dries very hard, and I can sand, drill, and paint it. However, I want to start building a little larger, and MS is pretty expensive. I’ve heard of other materials like Winterstone, Hydrocal, Apoxie Sculpt and I wonder if anyone can describe their experiences with those media or other suggestions – characteristics, toxicity, cost – and how they compare with Magic Sculpt. My forms are abstract, not delicate or detailed, and are not for outdoors, so those aren’t issues. I also wonder if I can start a form with a less expensive material like Claystone or Amaco or Activa (from Dick Blick’s educator catalog) and then finish it with the better stuff. Also, what other armature materials do you use? And…when I’ve bought Magic Sculpt from several suppliers, shipping costs were almost as much as the product. Any cheaper places you know of?

        Unrelated question: I’m curious – do most “pure” ceramicists (kiln, trad. techniques) and/or galleries look down on these materials as not as legit? (Not that that would stop me from using them!)

        February 6, 2014 at 7:30 am #1199642
        AprilJoy
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            Hi & welcome!
            I don’t have answers to your questions, however, the links at the top of this forum may be beneficial to you.
            Maybe you can find some direction there :).

            [FONT="Impact"]FuzzyNacho
            [FONT="Arial"]"No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist."
            Oscar Wilde

            February 6, 2014 at 10:19 am #1199644
            J Miller
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                I use magic sculpt too and I love it. But then again, I work very small small so it’s quite cheap for me. Apoxie is very similar to Magic Sculpt, it’s a two part epoxy type thing you knead together.

                Hydrocal is plaster, so it’s entirely different. You can build that up on chicken wire armature and carve it down. I would think you would be able to apply MS over it without problems. I don’t know what winterstone is.

                I buy mine from the Compleat Sculptor. Shipping can get quite expensive for me too, since it’s so heavy.

                I don’t really like any of the self hardening clays you mentioned from Blick, but they might work fine for larger work. I do detailed figures at about 3.5 inches tall.

                Not knowing your work, this may not work, but you might try styrofoam to bulk out your sculptures. It’s quite cheap and readily available.

                Hope this helps!

                Jim

                February 7, 2014 at 8:24 am #1199640
                ArtsyLynda
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                    Welcome to our forum! I have used Apoxie Sculpt and Magic Sculpt and hydrocal and they do have their uses, but they don’t suit my work the way plastilene does, so I can’t answer your question very well, but I’ll answer what I can.

                    I would have a longevity concern if you use cheaper materials under better ones – if the two materials don’t dry and shrink at the same rate, there could be cracking, or perhaps the cheaper material might crack over time sooner than the better quality material. I’d be concerned about that. Of course, you can always experiment and see what happens.

                    Blue styrofoam makes an excellent armature. You can glue together blocks in your basic shape and carve it down with a rasp, then spread your clay over it and work the clay. That’s how bronze enlargements are made (like my life-size horse). Be sure to use the fine-grained blue or perhaps pink insulation styrofoam – it doesn’t crumble like the white kind does.

                    Post pics of your work! We’d love to see it!

                    Equine Art by Lynda Sappington


                    February 7, 2014 at 11:45 am #1199641
                    sculpturedolls

                        You could try Forton MG for casting (hydrocal and fiberglass)which is light weight and strong. Here’s a link about it: http://heidimaiers.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=139&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

                        I can see that what you wanting is to have something to sculpt with and have a finished work without making a mold. I really don’t know of any cheap materials that work well. I’ve heard of Winterstone. Does it come in a sculpting puddy? I know it can be casting material that is hard and durable for outdoors.

                        Some galleries do look down on materials other than ceramic or bronze but some don’t. Just depends on the gallery.

                        [FONT=Arial Narrow]~Sculpturedolls
                        [FONT=Arial Narrow][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry, live simply, expect little, give much, fill your life with love,scatter sunshine, forget self, think of others. -Norman Vincent Peale

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                        February 13, 2014 at 12:48 pm #1199643
                        mediaexplorer
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                            Thank you all for replying. I’ve been looking at posts mentioning Winterstone. If you look up Yielding, she’s done some great stuff. I’d still like to hear from someone who might be able to compare working with Magic Sculpt, Winterstone, and/or cement/concrete. As far as using styrofoam for an armature, it seems so chintzy to me – won’t it deteriorate under the Magic Sculpt or Winterstone or cement? Or does that not matter? Any other comments on armature – wire, wood, etc. would be appreciated. Maybe I’m unfairly biased against styrofoam.

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