Everything about Sculpey totally explained
Sculpey (often misspelled as
Sculpy) is the brand name for a type of
polymer clay that can be molded and put into a conventional oven to harden, as opposed to typical
modelling clays, which require a much hotter oven, such as a
kiln. Until it's baked, Sculpey has a consistency somewhat like
Plasticine. It is sold in many colors, though it can also be painted once fired. It has become popular with modelling artists. The professional version Super Sculpey was used in the production of the
The Lord of the Rings movies to sculpt test armor and the character
Gollum. It is also sometimes used for
claymation.
Sculpey closely resembles the better-known
Fimo, another brand of polymer clay. Sculpey is a less rigid composition which better suits modelling, while Fimo is better suited for twisting into cane and bead making because the colors don't blend together as readily. The plasticity is controlled by the amount of oil suspending the polymers in the "clay". Sculpey is also usually less expensive than Fimo.
Techniques
There exist many techniques for working with
polymer clay.
Sculpture
Sculpture is one of many techniques used for working with polymer clay. It involves creating detailed representations of objects.
Caning
This technique was borrowed from glass artisans, who would know it as
millefiori, meaning "a thousand flowers". It involves making a picture from thick pieces of polymer clay, which is then extruded so the picture becomes smaller and it becomes thicker, until it's longer than it's high. The cane has the original picture running right through it, although smaller. It can then be sliced, with the slices used to cover other objects or blobs of scrap polymer clay.
Marbling
Marbling is one of the simplest techniques used with polymer clay. It involves mixing different colours of polymer clay together to form a pattern. As the clay is mixed, the pattern becomes smaller and smaller, until the two colours are completely blended.
Mokume Gane
Mokume Gane is a technique borrowed from metalworking. It involves placing several sheets of clay on top of each other and then pushing an object through it.
Types of sculpey
Classic
This is the basic clay. It comes in a wide variety of pre-mixed colours
Translucent
As the name implies, this clay becomes partially transparent when baked. Colours can be added to it, creating effects such as that in this picture.
Pearl
This clay has shiny particles suspended in it. It comes in some premixed colours.
Stone Effect
This clay has coloured particles in it. It isn't suitable for making canes as the particles cause the image to become blurred.
Eraser
This clay functions as an eraser after it's baked. The array of colours available from this range is limited when compared to that of the classic range. This clay is generally sold in packs of five differently coloured half-blocks.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Sculpey'.
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