smooth

[YueLiang]

hey everybody, I am having trouble getting my sculpture as smooth as i would like it. does anyone have any tips on how to get oil based clay smooth? --yueliang

[fritchie]

YueLiang - I have used oil clay for quite a while now. Usually I finish the surface with one of two major tools, and a couple of minor ones. The major tools are (1) a finger or palm of my hand, especially the palm, when the surface is fairly large and flat. A second type of tool I use is something I found in a sculpture-supply store many years ago - thin, flexible sheets of spring steel. This can easily be bent temporarily in the hand to follow most large or medium size forms. I cut a sheet into two sizes and shapes, with both convex and concave edges.

When curves are very tight, too small for the above, I use fine stainless-steel spatulas, also available in supply shops. I often have trouble with these leaving fine edge markings, though, so eventually I got a couple of regular bulk-sized rubber erasers and cut the ends into blunt and fine curves. I was thinking that the rubber would have strength and a bit of softness, like the human hand. I find that these work well in tight corners.

I don’t put any foreign substance on my clays, but you might consider a fine film of oil on your hand or tool. This would provide lubrication and might help. I don’t think it would harm the clay, as it contains oil already. I would try light machine oil, but a heavy machine oil is what’s already in the clay, I believe.

Let us know what works!

[lowpoly]

Also working with rakes in a criss cross pattern is good to even out slight bumps on larger surfaces. I make my rakes myself from jigsaw - and larger - saw blades. I usually use the straight back of the blade with little pressure for removing the tooth pattern.

You can further smooth the surface with chemicals. What works and what not depends on the type of clay you use. So far with Chavant Professinal Plasteline (a sulphur based soft clay) I could use Isopropyl alcohol which is a rather safe material to work with.

In any case check for safety precautions if you're going to use chemicals.