Some thoughts. You need to keep trying to find what works for you and finding what gets desired results. The learning process helps define style and method. Still finding my stride too, but feel like I’m getting a little closer every time. A little more information and experimentation is in order. Each project is a learning curve. I have no affiliation with below listed channels, though subscribed, as they have been giving me food for thought while I stumble down my own path of sculptery mayhem. This is just a sample of what can be found on RU-vid. Also do not have any association with Polyform Products Company [Sculpey], nor Eberhard Faber GmbH [FIMO], yet use their products. Super Sculpey is my go to with one-off sculptures for display or creating original pieces for molding, it has a nice softish clay texture before baking that I like when sketching out shapes, but am weaning away from it. My sculptures generally remain the size of your spider, or smaller. Zan Von Zed makes display pieces from painted Super Sculpey. KotohaModeling ことは模型 uses a grey variety of polymer clay, I believe is similar to Super Sculpey, for larger scale display figures. Sometimes with armature, sometimes without, depending on desired effect. Not certain as to whether or not these models get molded for production, only recently stumbled onto this channel. There is a ceramic quality to baked Super Sculpey and some durability, but nothing compared with vinyl models, such as what Reaper Bones appear to be made of. (this seems to be the idyllic durable tabletop material). Have not done a material analysis, but this is the impression given by those I do own. Layers of paint do help keep the ceramic like baked polymer clay parts together with an acrylic plastic coating, but should have enough internal strength for most general purposes from the fusing process of heat. Your tests display what I would consider a more rough, to abusive, playstyle and those little parts did well enough. Pliers are a bit excessive in comparison with a cheeto dusted phalange (just an opinion). How many spines or legs broke off the spider after you tumbled it? Were any even disjointed? Are you planning on placing it in the clothes dryer for a stress test? A bit hyperbolic, but making a point here on what level of anticipated abuse could come a model’s way. Most players I have encountered are also modellers and understand that handmade items are to be treated with respect. Even when just moving my pieces, they get dropped from time to time too. Sometimes repairs are a part of the process. Not considered a waste of time, just another hurdle on the learning curve. If you already have a metric ton of Super Sculpey, may I suggest: mix in some FIMO for a more ‘rubbery’ finished product. Even regular white Sculpey benefits from a 6:1 (Sculpey:FIMO) ratio. Parts do go purple with overbaking and multiple oven visits, but still works ok with ‘sketch’ sculpts, small production runs, and simple parts (i.e. slimes). This mixture and Super Sculpey have more ‘stickiness’ that I employ for some sculpting techniques. Currently working primarily with Sculpey PREMO! in manufacturing miniatures and scenery components for channel use. Aluminum armatures are generally an ideal situation for anything thicker than ½” (12mm) polymer clay anyhow. Personal preference is ⅜” (10mm) polymer clay maximum over armature, whenever possible. Got a wealth of information through PolymerClayTutor and still going through her videos for nuggets of information. Caning tutorials are redundant for my purposes, but clay conditioning is universal. If you want to try more sample pieces: mix a drop or three of Aleene's Tacky Glue or PVA glue in for durability tests. Been sporadically using PVA and Aleene’s to hold parts onto sculpting plates and it bakes with no foreseeable problems, just a rubbery layer. However, the water in these glues causes interesting fractures and microbubbles when mixed into test samples, but yields a tackier clay. This form of crazing might not be acceptable for your application. Another thing to consider is that I keep my polymer clays in air tight jars and metal boxes for storage. Only bringing out what I believe to be needed for any given project. Clay Bum uses her own Cold Porcelain to make dolls and miniatures. Adding color opens new vistas of sculpting opportunities too. Nelco neco /ネルコ ネコ also uses ‘air dry clay’ and has some fascinating methods of process to create jewelry-like art objects. If you’re interested in using epoxy clay, I suggest taking a look at the channel Stephanie Kilgast (she’s a pro whose pieces are durable and very detailed) and Modern Synthesist (he uses Green Stuff primarily). Milliput and Green Stuff fall into the epoxy clay category. Paper mache is still a viable option. Ultimate Paper Mache and her paper mache recipes look to be very clay-like. Haven’t gone down this path yet, as polymer clay is my current obsession and no plans for larger than fist sized pieces are lined up at the moment..
@@FrankyDCrafter Heard a little of your frustration in the video. I shared the sentiment a while ago too. Some of my Super Sculpey projects were not holding up or had issues in progress. It is not necessarily the fault of materials used. It was more: not quite understanding what my expectations were, my lack of knowing where on the learning curve I am, and trying to figure out where my abilities vs material application are limited. Thus went on a RU-vid tangent seeking enlightenment. Sharing some of the gems found, more show up as the journey continues.
@@samuelbroad11 You are very welcome. Yes, there are numerous videos to watch. I consider these channels a good starting point. Practicing on what is learned will be the best teacher.
That makes sense for the spheres to be the strongest just based on it's geometry. Spheres are the most strong 3d shape. Across the pond they call it "All-oo-MIN-ee-um" 😂
Fun vid to see you being a little more laid back and silly. Vids like this-- experimenting with materials are important. Let's you do the work for us :-P. Great work as usual! Sorry Coop failed at being a dog.
I think if you want max strength in a sculpt, apoxie clay/magic sculpt. The stuff is solid when it dries. I mean solid. You could probably make a baton out of the stuff and go based stick man on your players hahahaha.
I've been playing around with Super Sculpy for decades. It's best for things like walls, floors, rocks/boulders and stuff that wont be handled too often. I do recommend wire and foil armatures. For the wire, be sure to twist 2 or 3 wires together. Also, the lighter the figure the less damage it'll take from a table height fall.
For super sculpy the grey version is alot stronger like alot, it's really fun fir large sculpture like my spinosaurus mini diorama or my godzilla models like my king ghidorah
Great, informative video. I liked the tests at different baking times - and I'll probably increase my own baking times. I felt like using pliers on the pieces was a bit beyond what happens on the tabletop, but the drop tests were great. Btw, what temp did you bake at?
@@FrankyDCrafter I'm not saying what you *should* have done, just that you tested way beyond what I'd let players do with my terrain. Anyway, great video, please keep it up.
It's fairly strong. I have some thin pieces I rolled out to make teeth and spikes that I can break with my fingers. But once it gets fairly thick I think it would be pretty durable.
Franky D. Crafter if you manage to make it please give me your recipe. I probably misunderstood DmScotty as I am not a native speaker either but his recipe never worked for me.
About the "worm form" clay, pretty much any clay going to be weak with that form. Maybe use a different material for spikes and thin snakes? The aluminum core ones seem the way to go.
I loved this video, testing out a material, but i have to say, i was nervous in the end with the spider, it is too nice to be tested like that hahahahaha
Mate this is a comment for more than just this video. You should have so many more people following your stuff! Really enjoy your content and your style is refreshingly colourful and unique. I really hope you keep growing 💪🏻
You're 100% on all of this, Sculpey is brittle and delicate but it can take a very good amount of detail. There's lots of gluing broken legs back onto that glorious spider in your future. What Sculpey is GREAT for is being sanded and finished after it is baked to make a master part for a mold. Ideally silicone. It barely shrinks at all when baked. Then you make your parts out of any kind of droppable, bendable, or unbreakable urethane you like. Also it stores for years in a box unsealed. Your craft is rad! Thank you.
