Sorry... just seeing this.
they were a teensy bit distorted, but it actually worked better....
I should have asked if you distorted them
deliberately since that's a technique that's often used on casts from molds while they're still raw (to get lots of variety). Maybe that's what you
were answering though...lol.
There are several issues here maybe.
When you said that the "Fimo faces" were a little flatter so they became more round and fit well, were you talking about clay faces that you knew were the
Fimo brand of polymer clay (FimoClassic or FimoSoft), or were you using the word Fimo generically to mean all polymer clay? The brands of polymer clay can be quite different.
I would expect FimoClassic (or Kato Polyclay) to make the best shapes because they are stiffer after conditioning (softening), although it's possible to make good ones with any brand (particularly if you cool the clay, and put it in the mold thoroughly ...re that, if you're not already, try rolling one end of your smooth ball of clay to taper it to a teardrop, then insert he tip of the teardrop into the deepest or tiniest indention in the mold first --for a face, that's usually the nose).
You were using a thin sheet of clay though which is harder to handle under any conditions. You might want to try either putting a temporary armature** behind the clay when you put it into the inside of a face like you did so you can keep it's shape more easily while removing and baking, or try making a clay mold of the front of the face then bake it and use that with a blob of clay which you can thin in the mold if you want or again use a removable armature.
**armatures like a ball or other shape of aluminum foil, wad of cotton or polyester batting, wad of tissues or cotton fabric, etc.. . . you could also use clay itself but use a "release" like ArmorAll or a heavy powdering of cornstarch on the pressed in clay before adding it; when you pull the clay out, the additional clay backing should fall off.
It's always good to
cool clay in a mold too (let sit awhile or put in frig or freezer) before trying to remove it if you're having trouble.
Secondly, different brands of polymer clay have different consistencies when raw, and diff. strengths when baked.
...
FimoClassic and
Kato Polyclay are the stiffest and most work to condition (though there are tricks that make it pretty easy), but the best to handle after that and produce excellent detail even in warm situations.
...
Premo is less stiff when raw, but more heat senstive so can be difficult for those with hot hands or conditions.
...
Sculpey III, SuperSculpey and original
Sculpey (especially) are soft when raw and need very little extra softening unless the color isn't even, and the new version of
FimoSoft is also really soft and goopy.
The advantages of the first 3 though are that they're strong after baking and better to work with once softened, but the disadvantage is conditioning. The Sculpeys and new version of FimoSoft are weak after baking in any thin or projecting areas, and less satisfying for working with and getting detail because they
are so soft.
For your "doll clay," you may have had
SuperSculpey or
ProSculpt or
Puppenfimo (generally in boxes) which are all flesh-colored (there are other flesh-colored clays that come in
small packages). Those each have their own characteristics too, with SuperSculpey being weak in those thin places.
I have physical problems with my hands and arms and definitely don't want to stress them, so I tend to use Premo most as a good middle of the road clay, but also FC and Kato if I can get relatively fresh stuff (which is softer and fairly easy to condition). At any rate, when you buy clay in packages, always squeeze the bars from side to side to test them because they can get too hard if they've been exposed to hot trucks or too much ultraviolet light... this is true even
within a brand. Mail ordered clay is usually fresher all the time.
Here are some pages to check out if you want more info on the
characteristics of the different clays, info about easiest ways to
condition them, and info about making and using polymer
molds:
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/Characteristics.htm ...and this one for clays when used especially for "sculpting"
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/sculpture.htm http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/Conditioning.htm (preparing clays)
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/molds.htmAnd here's the page that describes the "
distorting" method:
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/heads_masks.htmHTH,
Diane B.
GlassAttic....polym
er clay "encyclopedia"
http://glassattic.com/polymer/contents.htmlittle bit'o photosharing:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dianeatglassattic/my_photos
button to nominate it!
