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Chaska, MinnesotaHas anybody worked with paper clay (bought in a package)? It could be paper mache clay (are they one in the same?)My aunt had a cute little Santa made out of it and I wanted to see if I could make one. The questions are:
1) After you sculpt it, do you need to prime it before you paint it?
2) What kind of paint would you use to paint the sculpture?
3) How do you seal it? What product would you use?
4) Are there any good books I could buy to help me get started in learning about paper clay sculpting?
Thank you for your help.
Hi Michelle! Long time, no see. :)
I've used Paperclay a few times. Not paper mache, but Creative Paperclay, which is a very strong airdrying clay. To answer your questions, here's what I know/did:
1. You probably don't NEED to prime it, but I did and would. I used gesso.
2. I used acrylics although you could also use oils. I don't think watercolor would adhere or last as well.
3. I used a spray sealer with a satin finish. No brush strokes! I haven't made many Paperclay sculpts, though, and don't have a ton of experience with sealers. Some can be sanded and then re-sprayed for a very smooth finish.
4. I bought an out-of-print book by the amazing, late Robert McKinley years ago that was really helpful, but it's very pricey and hard to find nowadays. I don't have other Paperclay-specific books to recommend.
A few pointers:
- Don't let the clay get too wet or soft. However, a tiny bit of water can help smooth things out.
- You can dry sculpts quicker in a 180 degree oven
- Keep the clay thin if you want it to dry fast
- Don't worry if it cracks as it dries. You can fill cracks with moist Paperclay and then re-dry
- It's easy to add Paperclay to an existing sculpt. Best is to roughen the area or wetten it slightly first, then add the new piece(s)
- You can sand the thing to death and use tools to create fine detail after it's dried
- It takes paint beautifully and is extremely light and strong
Have fun!
Chaska, MinnesotaShelli: My goodness it has been a long time since I've seen you on TT. So glad you popped back in. Thank you so much for your advice. I'm going to see if I can find that book you recommended.
I have another question for you. Can I use a face mold with paper clay? If so, do I need to put anything in the mold to keep it from sticking? I thought if I can do a mold for the face and hands I can free form the beard and hair and the rest of the body. Do you think that would work?
I more often hear of people using polymer clay with face molds than I hear about Paperclay, but there are definitely doll folk out there who use paperclay with molds, or who use paperclay over fabric (usually fabric that's been stiffened first). Barbara Willis, Deanna Hogan, and Coppermouse Dolls stand out in my mind as several such folk.
I'm not sure whether you would let Paperclay dry in the mold or whether it makes more sense to remove the Paperclay mask and let it dry, probably draped over something round to help the face keep its form. It would flatter under its own weight, I think, if not supported while drying.
For sure, most molds require a "mold release" of some kind. Some people use a spritz of water or advocate a sprinkling of corn starch or baby powder, but in my EXTREMELY LIMITED experience (I do have a little) a very, very light coat of Vaseline seems to work better. Don't quote me on that, though. It might depend on the mold material you used, and how it combines/reacts with the type of clay you press into it. We're getting a little far afield of my area of expertise here, though. I've only dabbled. But I've dabbled with interest. Dolls are a back-burner thought of mine and have been for a long time. Maybe I'll make one soon...
;)
Here's a link to Barbara Willis, to the page where you can see some of the paperclay molded faces she sells on her site, which become cloth-covered faces. The doll kits you can make from those faces are also found here:
http://www.barbarawillisdesigns.com/cat … s-Kits.htm
Here's a link to Coppermouse, who has, for years, hosted one of the most WIP-photo-rich dollmaker blogs on the web. I *love* her for that; she's a teacher and an artist, both. Be sure to check out her "older posts" to catch a glimpse at the raw look of Paperclay as she's applied it over cloth. She uses masking tape to protect the fabric which won't be coated with clay.
http://thecoppermouse.blogspot.com/
Here's a link to Deanna Hogan's site. Deanna is most notably a cloth doll artist but also dabbles in hardened, Paperclay-like dolls. She uses something called "Messy Mix" to coat/harden her dolls after doing some initial needle-sculpting. I think she uses Paperclay accents to refine but don't want to take the time in this moment to reread her entire blog, to verify:
http://blueherondolls.blogspot.com/
Eek! And I just found that book for you on Amazon, used. I feel the need to say that while yes, it was a pricey book when I bought it, I did not pay $400 for it, or anything close to $400 for it. Criminies.
Chaska, MinnesotaShelli: Thank you so much for all this information. I will be spending a lot of time looking at the websites you posted. As for the book, I almost fell off my chair!!! Now why is this book so expensive? I assume it is out of print but still why is it so high? Do you know?
I think it's so costly because Robert McKinley was a genius with Paperclay, because it's out of print, and because it's one of the only books out there just on Paperclay (that I know of, anyway). It's got some good tidbits and pointers. I'd offer to copy it for you -- it's quite thin -- but, ya know, that's illegal and all.
;)
I'm glad to have been of even a little help. Enjoy the learning curve. 
Chaska, MinnesotaNo, no Shelli, we can have you going to jail!!! I guess Robert Mckinley is one heck of an artist. One would think that reprinting his book would be profitable!
