Rusty here, I've got questions, do you have answers?

[RustyBlade1964]

Hello all!

I answer to Rusty and most anything else anybody calls me. I just found this site today and am new to physical art expression. So please pardon my blaton lack of knowledge.

ISC? What and where is it. I have been hibernating.

Any suggestions about quality modelling tools and where to find them? I work in polymer clay primarily doing the human form around 1/10 to 1/6 scale.

Th :p ank you.

[fritchie]

Rusty... - Welcome! ISC, for probably about the tenth time for newcomers, is "International Sculpture Center", one of the main U. S. sculpture organizations, on which board of directors Russ RuBert sits. He’s the originator, manager and general sponsor of this site. Don’t be embarrassed by the question. Their address is http://www.sculpture.org/main.htm.

As for tools, you probably can find some at most art stores. Some small, flat or slightly rounded blades will give you a good start. I use a simple kitchen paring knife much of the time.

[RustyBlade1964]

Fritchie, thankyou. I did figure it out and made metion elsewhere how the repetitive question might be dismissed with a link to said site.

As for tooling indeed I have raided my kitchen. Toward this endeavor I have recently bought a manual pasta machine and a high end toaster oven. Yet it looks like I should of bought a convection style so thBlack and Decker will likely be going back.

But I was thinking more along the lines of jewelers wax sculpting tools as polymer clay is simular. I have my eye on a set from Alpha-Supply.
http://alpha-supply.com/175.htm

Then today I found some over the pond.
http://www.tiranti.co.uk/data/Photos/WaxToolsSetStainless.jpg

I'm hoping before the 3rd when my wallet traditioanally catches fire I might be pointed to a particularly good set, that todays searching did not unearth.

[kaidu]

Most ceramic supply stores will have a variety of small scale sculpture tools.

[jwebb]

Those tools you show are spiffy, and I'm sure they'll serve you well, but I agree with Fritchie. A simple paring knife - a flat bladed one without fish-scalers, saw blades, etc., is very effective and versatile. Welcome aboard.

[RustyBlade1964]

Thank you everyone for making me feel so welcome.

After reading Kaidu's suggestion I re-thought ceramic stores. Good thing too as when I just called "The Clay Art Center," I found out they have about 200 different sculpting tools!

I had called them about a month ago and was told "Ya, we have a few." Maybe that was sarcasim I did't pick up on. So tommorow or Monday, off I go to The Clay Factory to find where the fact and fiction part ways.

I am still going t do some more web searching too. Thanks again Kaidu.

[RustyBlade1964]

Just a quick note. They did have a ton of tools, mostly kemper. But for the small figuritive artest atleast in polymer I think the wax moddelers, jewlers, and dentist supplys is the way to go. Ceramic, and natural clay tools are useful to me to point. But most of them would be dupplicated in the embossing application of the wax tools.

I was a journyman craftsman in the insulation trade, and learned the slow way that tools DO make a difference, even if it's just to make you re-evalueate the posture and pressure in how we hold them. It was rare to come accross another installer that used as many different tools as I, but it was also rare to come accross craftsman that did as the quality of work, while being amongst the fastest in the state. (Paid by the Sq. Ft.) I sure miss those 36" stilts, they were fun.

[obseq]

Hello all!

Any suggestions about quality modelling tools and where to find them? I work in polymer clay primarily doing the human form around 1/10 to 1/6 scale.

Th :p ank you.

Welcome to you, Rusty!

Incidentally, I do not work with clay (yet) but stumbled across a good site for supplies. If memory serves me the url is:

www.montoyasculpture.com

You can also request a catalogue..

Looking forward to your posts!

[Stephen Casey]

Thank you Obseq.

They look very professional. So far it looks like I will be buying Dental tools and wax modeling tools. http://www.tiranti.co.uk/index.asp Great looking and I suspect quality tools. Reasonable cost but I must look a bit furthur to stretch dollars. Thank you again. I will make purchases one way or the other the first week of January.

Bye the way I dropped the RustyBlade1964 handle in favor of plain old Stephen.

Stephen Casey