Part 1: Sculpting Medium
FORWARD
Before you read this article, I need to set the stage a little. First and foremost, sculpting miniatures is a relatively new hobby for me. I have been sculpting for two years as a hobby. I sculpt in between painting miniatures and playing roleplaying games. In other words, if you are seeking the advice of a master sculptor you won’t find that here. If that hasn’t scared you away, I have one more revelation… I probably can’t teach you to sculpt even if I was a master. Sculpting requires a lot of practice, a lot of patience and, in my opinion, that undefinable eye towards form. I can’t teach any of those things.
For those of you who feel you have an eye to form (whatever that is), have patience and are willing to practice, I can offer some insight and some suggestions. I can describe things to look for and explain some of the challenges I have faced so that you can avoid some of the pitfalls I’ve encountered.
Since I’m not planning to photograph myself working, this will mostly be advice on how to approach sculpting as a hobby and how to approach some of the unique challenges of sculpting miniatures for fantasy or sci-fi gaming.
MATERIALS
Sculpting at its most basic only requires two things; your hands and clay. For miniatures, however, you will likely be dissatisfied with this approach. You really need 3 things for sculpting miniatures at the scales commonly used for gaming; a medium, tools and an armature.
1. Sculpting Medium
There are many mediums to use for sculpting. Everyone has their favorite and they all are equally valid. All sculptors encourage you to try different mediums to find one you like. Some of the ones I’ve tried are Fimo, Sculpey (multiple varieties), Magic Sculp, Milliput, A+B Putty, and Kneadatite ‘green stuff’. All of these have something in common. You sculpt by building up a model. What that means is that you sculpt something, let it cure (based on the medium) and then sculpt more. The other properties are how it handles, how it adheres to itself and other materials, how long it takes to cure, and what it takes to cure. For example, Fimo and Sculpey require an oven to cure.
The other mediums I have listed are 2 part epoxies. They cure by a chemical reaction when you mix the two parts of the putty. These are most commonly associated with sculpting miniatures. Some work like clay (and except for the cure time feel just like clay). Others work differently.
I have tried all of these products and more. I am biased toward Kneadatite™ personally. The reason for me is that Kneadatite™ acts nothing like clay. It also takes the most minute details, including perfect fingerprints.
‘Green Stuff’ – the choice of many mini sculptors:
• Kneadatite™ Blue/Yellow ‘green stuff’ is an industrial epoxy-putty created by Polymer Systems Inc. Its design purpose is bulk adhesive that can handle high pressure and temperature. It was originally used by mini sculptors because the ability to handle pressure and temperature is very useful in the mold making process.
• Kneadatite™ is a 2 part epoxy. There is a yellow part and a blue part. You mix the two to make the green putty. It can be shaped and sculpted during the early stages of the cure process.
• The properties of Kneadatite™ have made it one of the most common sculpting media for fantasy and sci-fi miniatures.
• It is a useful product for miniature hobbyists too. I can be used in place of or along with glue to hold parts together. Because it is sculptable, it can be used to fill holes and gaps and then the area can be sculpted to blend with the surrounding parts. It is not a difficult leap to go from this kind of work to modifying or converting existing miniatures. The leap from conversions to sculpting, however, is a bit bigger.
• Greenstuff cures firm, not hard. It can’t effectively be sanded or carved after it cures, so it makes a poor ‘dry sculpt’ medium. You need to sculpt it during the first 30-60 minutes, and then let the cure complete. These 30-60 minutes are the effective workable time for that batch of Kneadatite™. Make sure not to mix too much at once, or it will go to waste.
• It is ‘stickiest’ early in the cure process, which is important as you build up a model. Use the adhesive properties to stick more green stuff onto an armature or an existing sculpt project. You can use the adhesive properties for some effects too. If the Kneadatite™ is sticking to your tool, you can pull it into shapes. This can also be frustrating if you don’t want to ‘pull’ right then. Practice and patience are needed here.
• To keep from sticking to tools and fingers you can use a little oil. I use Vaseline, but others find it too thick and don’t like to use it. Some sculptors get by with a little water, although that doesn’t really change the adhesive quality in any way. (In fact, Kneadatite™ doesn’t really react to water at all. This is one of the reasons it is my favorite medium. For the main reason see below…)
• If you use Vaseline or oil on your tools it will get on the Kneadatite™ and thus impact the adhesion to your project. If you are planning to use something like that on your tools, it is best to stick the Kneadatite™ to your project and then start working it with your tool.
• To get the green stuff smooth like the professionals, you have to burnish it. Late in the cure, just before it is completely set, you can use a burnish tool and rub the model. This will smooth out bumps, finger prints, sculpt marks and if you aren’t careful… Detail. Practice and patience are needed here.
• Kneadatite™ Blue/Yellow is perfect for organic structures: muscles, flesh, faces, skin, fur, hair, clothing, leather, etc. One of the reasons for this is that in the middle and end of the workable time it reacts to your sculpting much like skin/fur/clothing would. What I mean is that if you pull on one side, it will pull on the other. If you push in, it will stretch around that point. This plasticity is probably the single biggest reason that the medium is my personal favorite.
• Kneadatite™ ‘green stuff’ can be used for mechanical sculpts, but because it doesn’t cure hard it probably isn’t the best for that. Many sculptors get fine results, others turn to different mediums. I’m becoming one to look for dry sculpt mediums (see my ‘brown stuff’ notes below).
• Since it is a two part epoxy, you can use more or less of the two parts to create different properties. Instead of 1 to 1 ratio of yellow to blue, you can use different ratio mixes for different effects. Feel free to experiment. I currently stay pretty close to 50-50.
• Kneadatite™ is available at some game stores. It is most often sold in a Games Workshop blister pack. While this is fine if you just want to experiment, I wouldn’t recommend this for a long term source. It is also available from hobby sources online. If you decide you want to take up sculpting and Kneadatite™ becomes your medium, I’d recommend you buy it as Kneadatite™ , not as Games Workshop ‘green stuff’ or another repackaged product. If your local game store doesn’t carry it or can’t special order it, the Internet has several vendors that carry it.
• Kneadatite™ was originally sold in strips with the yellow/blue together in a band. This was not optimal because where the two colors touch the chemical cure reaction can occur. This will ruin a bit of the putty. When you work the putty you will find clumps of partially or completely cured putty in the middle. It is easy to just pull the cured bits out and throw them away, but it can be annoying.
• Today Kneadatite™ Blue/Yellow comes in tubes. If you have the Kneadatite™ as a strip, store it in the freezer or fridge to slow the cure process. It probably isn’t necessary for the tube version.
TIP – The Fridge: If you get a phone call while you are sculpting, you can slow the cure process by putting the piece in the fridge or freezer. When you get off the phone, take it out, wait for it to warm slightly and go back to work.
‘Brown’ Stuff
• Kneadatite™ Brown/Aluminum is another epoxy I’m currently playing with.
• It is a two part epoxy, like the Blue/Yellow but it cures hard.
• When it is cured, it can be sanded and carved. This allows for different sculpting techniques, often called ‘dry sculpting’.
• This is most often used on mechanical items like weapons, armor, constructs, cyborgs, you get the idea.
• It is a two part epoxy and the ratios can be altered for different effects, like the Blue/Yellow.
• You can mix Brown/Aluminum with Blue/Yellow to vary hardness and other properties. I haven’t done much experimenting with that, but understand that it can make for very good results.
• You can get Kneadatite™ Brown/Aluminum from most of the same sources as the Blue/Yellow. Since it is more specialized, it may require a special order, or to order from the Internet.
TIP - 2 Part Epoxy: With the 2 part epoxy, you have limited time after you mix the two parts together. The key is to mix the minimum amount of material to sculpt the next part of your project.
TIP - Kneadatite™ : Hold your project in a cork, pin vice, clamp or other device. If you touch it, your fingerprints will show, no matter how lightly.
