What is sculpted clay and how to choose it?

Sculpture clay is in great demand among professionals and amateurs. It is often used by students of faculties of sculpture or pupils of art schools in training sessions. The plastic properties of this plasticine provide great opportunities for creativity, self-expression.

Children can discover a talent for modeling and try their skills while practicing with this clay, while adults are happy to improve their skills in creating sculptures. The material is indispensable in the process of learning and training at the relevant faculties.

Sculptural clay differs from the usual, first of all, the fact that its plastic properties are higher. Colors are similar to natural shades. You can, for example, make a mask out of it, similar in color to a natural skin tone, or fruit and vegetable fruits. The result will look pretty realistic.

The hands of the sculptor warm up the clay well, it becomes pliable, soft, which allows working through even the smallest details.

The structure of the sculpture clay is made by beeswax, various fillers, in the role of which sulfur, dry clay, and talc usually act. Plasticizers are added, and technical petroleum jelly or vegetable oil is used to give softness. This clay has natural colors, but it can be painted with any colors you like.

Choosing sculptural clay, you should pay attention to some of its properties:

• It should be elastic, pliable. It is necessary that the softness and hardness were in the correct ratio.
• When heated, it should become very plastic, almost melt.

• Should not leave behind smeared traces. It can easily roll on a hard surface or in the hands.
• Stains wash away is not difficult. Special means do not need to remove, enough water and soap.
• After the clay has been shaped into a shape, it does not freeze, does not crumble, and elasticity does not disappear.

For the operation of this clay, you will need special equipment: plastic boards, small knives for cutting (stacks), various molds, metal wire for the frame (internal support is needed). Copper will not work. Some substances in the composition of the clay can destroy it.

Before you start working with this clay It must be heated with water or special devices. You can heat the whole briquette and keep it hot and soft during the whole process, or you can heat it up in small pieces that you will need to work at a given time (for one model, one piece is heated, for the other - the next, etc.).

Overheated clay loses its plastic properties. If you heat the same mass several times, the components that give softness and elasticity gradually evaporate. The mass becomes hard and brittle, and such clay is not suitable for work. However, you can restore the desired properties. To do this, the material is remelted, and substances are added to the liquid mass to increase elasticity.

To make the model more realistic, Need to perform parts symmetrically. To do this, find the axis of symmetry. You should also determine the center of the composition and take it as a basis. In a human figure, for example, it will be a face. This part should be done as close as possible to the source.

Sculptural clay is available in two types: soft and harder:

• The first is suitable for beginners lovers of sculpting. It can be used to simulate simple shapes. Sold in any store for children's creativity, respectively, can be used to develop fine motor skills of children. Its use will develop the creative abilities of the child, stimulate the imagination. You can sculpt first with pictures, photos, then use models designed by yourself.
• More rigid type of clay is more suitable for professional sculptures. From it you can create miniatures, working models of the exterior of buildings, medals, developments, samples of large final sculptures. It can act as a molding modeling mass for the manufacture of gypsum elements for painting ceilings. Its structural composition allows working with small elements of models.

Before work, clay of any type be sure to warm up. To do this, you can use warm water (the temperature is not higher than eighty degrees, otherwise the mass will lose plastic properties) or a building dryer. From the briquette, the stack cuts off a piece of the required size for the manufacture of a figure (you should not cut off more). Use a plastic plate for work.

You can not worry about the fact that the shapeless mass, if not to touch it for a long time, will suddenly become a hardening paste. Under the influence of high temperature, the sculptural clay softens and becomes more elastic. To make it a little more pliable, the heat of the master’s hands will be enough.

The color palette of sculptural clay does not stand out diversity. It is available in briquettes of white, solid, gray, olive, black:

• White color is suitable for the manufacture of professional products. They will be similar to plaster in appearance. Can be used to create layouts and sketches. White color is also good because the model can be painted in any suitable color. Therefore, it is possible to make figures of white sculptural clay, which should be multi-colored.

• Body - natural color. Great for classic sculpting. You can make masks, busts, human figures from plasticine skin color.
• Gray, olive and black shades can also be found appropriate application. Or paint the product in the desired color.

In any case, sculptural clay is most often used to create samples or as educational material. And the color is often not important, the shape of the product, small details.

In order to make sculptural clay, you must first melt the wax. Dry ground clay or sulfur is added to the wax, dry dye is added here, and the whole mass is well stirred. Then it all spreads out in a small layer on a thick film. Allow time to cool. Cold paste is ground, for example, in a meat grinder.

The mixture obtained is melted, technical vaseline or oil is added to give plasticity, talc or flour is mixed in for hardness. Everything diligently stirred, poured and cooled.

Such clay can be made at home. There are several ways to do this:

• We take flour (two glasses) and salt "Extra" (three quarters of a glass). We connect, we interfere. Add food pigment. Next, in a dry mixture, add a glass of water and stir until the salt is completely dissolved.Then add one tablespoon of starch and then a spoonful of PVA and vegetable oil. The resulting mash mix for about 20 minutes. It is better to place the finished clay in packaging, where gases, liquids, vapors do not penetrate and keep in the refrigerator. Please note that the clay prepared according to this recipe is stored for a short time, drying out after a few days.

• Boil half a glass of water. In a boiling liquid add, gradually stirring, a glass of flour. Pour salt "Extra" (50 g), dye, add a spoonful of vegetable oil. Stir. 20 minutes to keep the mixture on low heat until thickened. If necessary, you can add more flour. The finished product must be shifted to a small container, stored in a cold, dry place. Do not be discouraged if the desired consistency does not work right away. This is in the order of things for this cooking method.

• We take the same products as in the previous recipe. Fall asleep, pour them into a container suitable for a microwave oven, stir until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Cover with a foil or lid and place in the microwave. We put on the average power, set the time to 5 minutes and turn it on. Next, take out the tank and cool it. Stir the mixture until smooth. This clay also need to be sealed. Store in the refrigerator for no longer than a month.

Russian manufacturers provide the choice of buyers with good quality and inexpensive material. There are several of the most popular companies.

This company produces both children's clay and clay for professional sculptors. Product in demand among students of art schools and students of special faculties. It is great for training, creating trial models, and it can also be used many times, as it does not dry out and does not harden to the end. Plasticine consists of a waxy mass, mineral pigments and various fillers. Does not contain sulfur. Soft, has a high elasticity, in the hands of both beginner and experienced sculptor takes any shape.

As a rule, it is good to use this clay for accurate study of forms and lines, for the manufacture of small objects, miniature compositions, decorative items. It is good that it is not smeared, leaving the clothes clean, does not stick to hands and working inventory. The properties necessary for work do not change with time, therefore such material will last for a very long time, possibly several years.

Perfect for kids because does not contain harmful substances. Produced with briquettes weighing 1000 g. The company improves the material, expands the color palette, tries to provide the consumer with a wide range of types.

Another well-known manufacturing company - "Ray." The composition of the clay of this factory is the same as that of the Gamma company. The color spectrum is gray and solid. Shelf life is also not limited, but it is more convenient to work with fresh material. Available in bars of 300 g.

The company produces soft sculptural clay of gray, olive, solid, terracotta color. The weight of the bar is 500 g. The recommended age for work is from three years. It is resistant to temperature changes, holds the shape of finished products well.

Reviews of materials of different brands do not differ much. Basically, customer opinions converge on the issue of plasticity and color.

Some buyers point out that sculpted clay is just necessary at the stage of learning sculpture. It is great for the manufacture of trial products, layouts, samples. But the finished figures are short-lived. Dust will sit on the surface of the sculpture, and it may eventually become deformed.

Other buyers note the hardness and steady shape of their products. This fact largely depends on the mark on the package with the material: M - soft, TM - hard-soft, T - hard.

All reviews point to hardness of clay before starting work. He practically does not crumple. But once it is heated, the process goes on smoothly: warming up is easy, effortless, it is pleasant to work.

Everyone notes the poverty of the color gamut. The customers are not happy with the colors, some reviews even say that solid plasticine does not resemble solid plasticine. It is good that the material can be painted in the desired color.

Consumers also talk about shelf life. The packaging indicates that it is not limited. But buyers recommend using fresh material, because it is more malleable, plastic. Old clay, for example, a year ago, will have to be heated for a long time to work. But the qualities, in general, are preserved.

The price for all is acceptable, low. The availability of the material is noted, it is possible to purchase it both in the stationery shop, and to order it online. In general, reviews of sculptural clay positive. All that he is capable of, wave satisfies buyers.

In the next video you will find a lesson on molding clay sculpture.