@ Tasia Chiba's comment

For some reason I can't figure how to answer back on the actual comment or it won't let me.

Thanks for the advice on pancake's butt, I'm getting there. The reason behind pancake is to experiment, make mistakes, and fix them. I need to take pictures of the rear end. After yesterday's tweaking the hips are working much better. 

As for baking some air dry clays say on their package not to bake in the oven so I let them all air dry. I have baked Sculpt-A-Mold paper mache paste inside polymer clay parts without trouble but found the hassle of getting it out not worth my time.

And if you look up projects by the name of Pete and Sid you'll see my polymer dolls. I'm not entirely happy with their joints so I decided it would be best to work out those kinks with an air dry, which heals from surgery better, then try again.

All of this is heading towards a doll making book which is why I'm trying all kinds of clay but not posting all the pictures or how to do its. 

Comments

[Tasia Chiba]

I almost did not see this for some reason, lol! I think you just have to leave a normal comment with Typepad. A pity I also couldn't find a better reply option or nested comments. =Is shamelessly spoilt by WordPress=

I saw your recent "butt" post and it's definitely coming along nicely. :) I love experimentation... it's where you can let your real genius shine! Your sculpting piccus have been making my hands itchy to get back to working on my current project, heee!

Bring on the air-dry clay tests! I keep wanting to mess with air dry clay, but I seem to stretch Super Sculpey further, which tends to be a bit easier for my poor budget. I'm also the crazy one who first started her dolly projects with Original Sculpey....ehhheh... Overall, polymer does tend to be good if your the type who sculpts something, then lets it sit(days)...and sit(months)... and sit(years)... while you make up your mind whether you like that angle, decide if those muscles look right, or just wanna scrap a chunk and start over.

What I love about working with clay is the versatility in types and the surprises when you find one thing you never thought of works perfectly for something.

For joints, I tend to work the small pieces in stages. Like, a hand first, then shape or cut off the excess and reshape the wrist ball - then re-bake. I get over-cooked pieces, which I wouldn't have if I boiled, lol, but I dun mind. My pieces get baked so many times... =hides=

Your polymer kids are looking great so far. I really like Pete's headsculpt. *_*

I saw you used tin foil armatures for Pete's body? I bet that might've been a pain to get out. I did that once with the polymer with a tiny (1/6 scale) upper torso... tin foil and neck holes to not mix, lol! I've had fun experimenting with tiny armature options and have settled on a combination of toothpicks, cuticle/nail trimmers thingus (wooden sticks that are perfectly round, at least double the size of toothpicks, and double as tools because they have sculpting ends *_* found in the manicure section), and a dollar pack of wooden craft dowels of 2-3 different thicknesses. Plus tin foil for bulk, FTW.

Good luck with your book! =cheers you on for all the hard work!= It'll be a lot of work, but worth it in the end!

Also, I may have rambled quite a bit here... hopefully not too much. ^_^;

[Kim Reed]

Mkay, figured out the comment thing :P Foil is hard to get out of polymer bodies and takes some scraping. If i remember the neck hole was formed on a knitting needle but baked hollow. When I go back to polymer I'll be playing around with different ways to bulk out by baking. Toothpicks and wooden BBQ skewers are easier for me o get my hands on. I may do more experiments with forms made out of a paper clay. Those eventually soak out in water.

As for air dry clay most are very easy to form when wet and carve/sand off when dry. I would suggest you try La Doll brand , it has a good stretch and lovely smooth finish. If you are very unhappy with your results, as long as they aren't painted or finished, you can put it in an air tight bag or container with water and melt it down and use it again.