Clay Techniques-04 Sept. 4, 2002: Animal Print Cane and Face Molds-1
auntyalias: Ok, who does not know how to make a face mold, or a mold in general?
ac4lb: Meeee
jakmiami: I've done molds but they have been fairly flat ones...
auntyalias: Ok well first you got to have a cured face to start with
auntyalias: but we won't make you have one right now
auntyalias: I have Premo White there
auntyalias: and I will condition it to press on that face
auntyalias: when making a mold
auntyalias: make a handle on the back of it
auntyalias: makes your life easier that way
ac4lb: got ya
auntyalias: dust the cured face
auntyalias: just like a donut with powdered sugar
auntyalias: press raw clay on the cured face
frogger70301: does it matter how deep?
ac4lb: can't be any undercuts
ac4lb: I do know that much
auntyalias: fill in the nostrils
jakmiami: what about an open mouth?
auntyalias: you can remove that clay
auntyalias: do the faces without expression
auntyalias: add smiles after
auntyalias: I'll put this in the oven right now
ac4lb: ok
auntyalias: in one half hour we'll make an impression from this
ac4lb: that's the part I want to see
auntyalias: and a half hour goes quickly here for I will do the lining of the mold with animal print while we wait
auntyalias: ok?
auntyalias: off to the kitchen
buci131: Okay.
frogger70301: brb-laundry calls
jakmiami: well, I got some pics...the quality isn't great, but it's better than nothing
buci131: How do we save this? Just cut and save?
buci131: I mean copy and save?
auntyalias: highlight, copy and paste in something
auntyalias: word doc
auntyalias: or email
buci131: I'll have to email cause I don't have Word on my computer right now.
auntyalias: ok, so I sliced some leopard cane and mashed it flat
auntyalias: and warmed it up so it'll be flexible
auntyalias: I dust the inside of the mold, but before laying the cane slice in there
auntyalias: I'll stretch out where the nose will be
auntyalias: and when I lay the cane slice in there
auntyalias: I make sure that stretched out nose bit gets in the nose impression
auntyalias: or it tends to goof up
auntyalias: are we ready?
frogger70301: yup
buci131: Yes
ac4lb: yes Maam
buci131: She's dusting the mold we're using?
buci131: Did she make little indents where the eyes go, too?
auntyalias: ok, so I stretched the clay
auntyalias: a bit for the nose indentation
auntyalias: that's the only real problem area
auntyalias: that gets messed up
auntyalias: when putting in cane in face molds
auntyalias: this mold has a cleft chin
auntyalias: so I'm going to smooth the clay into that nose and chin area
auntyalias: and get the secure
buci131: Yep, I had that problem on my cat mold.
auntyalias: before using filler clay
buci131: You used a pretty thick slice of cane
ac4lb: it's looks like the widest setting on the pasta machine
auntyalias: any questions up to this point?
buci131: That's one way I was doing it wrong--I was using thin slices
auntyalias: too thin they tear
ac4lb: did you poke the eyes through
buci131: No questions. Can we get a pic of this?
auntyalias: too thick you might not be able to fill in the mold indentations
auntyalias: eyes always come last Kathy
auntyalias: always
jakmiami: pics done
auntyalias: I'll show you eyes on this in a tick
auntyalias: ok, so we thinned out the cane slice but not too much
ac4lb: ok I was just wondering because it looked like holes in the clay
buci131: Oh, that makes sense. The other thing I was doing wrong was not always warming up the cane first--had breaks when I tried to fill in the mold.
buci131: Thanks for the pics
auntyalias: it might look like holes, but it might just be the black part of the clay
auntyalias: I used baby powder
ac4lb: maybe
auntyalias: I find that corn starch can work
auntyalias: but I don't like how it clumps up
auntyalias: and that it is difficult to spread out evenly
auntyalias: it's ok in a pinch
auntyalias: but I just use generic baby powder
auntyalias: now I will fill in the mold with clay of similar color, I use screwed up Natasha beads I don't like
auntyalias: so I can get a pointy end
auntyalias: to go in the nose and chin area first
buci131: Heehee, I've got plenty of baby powder around here
auntyalias: filler for the chin
auntyalias: now to fill up that nose
buci131: Okay, can we get another pic soon--this is another part I was doing wrong on filling my molds
jakmiami: yeah, i'm doing 'em as she goes
auntyalias: this is how you fill in the nose area to make sure it's all filled in before the rest of the mold
buci131: I tried to do it with one big piece of clay--can't fill in the smaller parts that way.
ac4lb: she's filled in the whole thing
ac4lb: and tamped it in good
auntyalias: now to get this out of the mold, make a handle with clay on the back, easier and you don't goof up the face
auntyalias: LOL
auntyalias: the clay is too warm
auntyalias: and too new
auntyalias: it's not cooperating
auntyalias: I'll not be delicate then
ac4lb: that's probably my problem most the time
auntyalias: ok a little jiggling and it got out
buci131: Ooh that looks great!
auntyalias: Now I cut off that handle
auntyalias: now are we ready for eyes?
buci131: What did you put on the back?
auntyalias: I'll have to change the camera angle to do eyes
buci131: Or is it just leaning on something?
ac4lb: can we take a quick potty break
auntyalias: I just stuck it on some stray zebra
auntyalias: good time for a potty break
buci131: Okay, thanks
ac4lb: it looks cool
auntyalias: good time to save and get pix too
auntyalias: Smoke em if you got em
auntyalias: brb
buci131: I did a save--I'm going to see if it worked.
jakmiami: I've got pix. The tricky part is what to do with them afterwards...
buci131: Suz (I think) did this last time so she or NJ would be the ones to ask.
ac4lb: how do we save the pics
jakmiami: the file is already 2.7 MB so I don't know how to get it to you.
buci131: I'm not sure myself, even about the text, really. I'm just going to put it in an email for NJ or Denise unless she needs more done with it.
buci131: Let's ask NJ when she gets back.
auntyalias: back
auntyalias: what's up?
auntyalias: Save it as text
buci131: We're not sure what to do with the pics.
jakmiami: I think I may have to put them in separate files because I can't email an attachment greater than 2MB as far as I know.
auntyalias: to save it with colored fonts and gift eats space I found last night when I was making pages
auntyalias: for the pictures what I do
auntyalias: is change my password to my epson account
auntyalias: you can load them up there like Syl did
auntyalias: and then tell me when you're done
buci131: Do I just email the text directly to you?
auntyalias: and then I change the password back
auntyalias: ya, just email the text to me
auntyalias: but I noticed last night
auntyalias: that text alone takes less space
buci131: Cool. Do you need me to do anything with it first.
jakmiami: I'll have to find out how Syl did that. I'm just grabbing screenshots and saving them to a file.
auntyalias: and the logs with the colored fonts and gifs eats up space
auntyalias: Ask Syl, I think she did screen shots and cropped them
jakmiami: Will do.
buci131: Besides removing color fonts etc.
auntyalias: for their edges were slightly different one pix to the next
auntyalias: If you save the log as a text file it'll strip everything but text
auntyalias: that's best also the rainbow text users
auntyalias: it make reading difficult on the web page
buci131: I noticed that with the rainbow text.
auntyalias: that's why I took the marble background off
buci131: Okay, I'll see what I can figure out with it.
auntyalias: so it can be read, but still it is difficult to see
auntyalias: Ok, you're saving it in an email
auntyalias: which keeps all the html
auntyalias: send it through the list
auntyalias: when it gets to me it'll be text
buci131: Okay
auntyalias: because I turned the html thing off of my incoming mail
auntyalias: that'll work
auntyalias: also that will allow the list to read the logs before I get the pages made
buci131: Cool
auntyalias: which always has a little delay time
auntyalias: let me check the timer on that mold in the oven
auntyalias: brb
auntyalias: 5 minutes
auntyalias: I get itchy at 5 minutes and counting
auntyalias: my timer always goes off when I'm there
auntyalias: and I still get startled
auntyalias: LOL
auntyalias: brrrrrinnnng EEEP
auntyalias: So let me change the camera angle for these eyeballs
buci131: Take your time, please--I'm figuring out saving this text real quick.
buci131: Got it--saved it in txt on my Notepad. I can still email it through the list for peoples.
buci131: It looks like the face still has a little excess clay around the sides.
auntyalias: ya, it's not trimmed yet
auntyalias: but I'm thinking that a face that isn't so dark
auntyalias: would be a better candidate
auntyalias: for eyeballs
ac4lb: easier to see
auntyalias: let me get the mold out of the oven and I'll make a lighter face real quick for the eyes, ok?
buci131: Okay
ac4lb: ok
auntyalias: that will be easier to see
ac4lb: yes
auntyalias: ok, what do you see?
auntyalias: a mold or an impression?
buci131: of what?
auntyalias: does that go inward
auntyalias: or does it come outward
auntyalias: what you see right now?
ac4lb: looks outward
buci131: Comes out, right?
auntyalias: Mitch?
auntyalias: it's Jinny, right?
auntyalias: I still don't have people's Yahoo ID's memorized
buci131: Mitch mentioned something about laundry about 20 min ago
auntyalias: I want them to say what they see before I say anything
auntyalias: ok
buci131: She hasn't posted anyting since then
auntyalias: well... it's the mold impression we made and cured, and it is REALLY going inward
auntyalias: trick of the eye
jakmiami: Judith here. I see a face -- looks outward
auntyalias: but a lesson and a big fat assed trick
ac4lb: wow
auntyalias: Judith, thank you sorry for not knowing your name
auntyalias: now why this is a fat assed trick
auntyalias: is this is what you will see when you do molds and check them in a MIRROR
auntyalias: to see if your mold impression is what you intended
frogger70301: sorry, was fussing with the kids about the toys they have out.
auntyalias: take a picture
ac4lb: very impressive
auntyalias: Mitch
auntyalias: do you see a face going out from the clay
auntyalias: or going in?
jakmiami: got the pix
frogger70301: looks like it's going out.
auntyalias: it's the mold we made
auntyalias: now watch this
buci131: In other words, this is the mold you just made but seen in a mirror?
buci131: Never mind
buci131: That is too weird.
auntyalias: this is what you'll see
auntyalias: if you turn your molds to a mirror
frogger70301: Wow.
auntyalias: it's how I check to see if my molds are alright
auntyalias: back of mold
buci131: Boy, that's a seriously good tip to know about
auntyalias: I told you it was a fat assed tip
auntyalias: ok, let's make an impression of this mold, ok?
ac4lb: it's amazing
ac4lb: ok
lindaslists joined the room
auntyalias: ask Linda what she sees
buci131: Linda what do you see?
ac4lb: linda does the face in the pic look in or out to you
buci131: NJ can you move the mold more to the left of screen and down a bit?
lindaslists: looks like the face from the mars landscape in the movies not to long ago. Can'r remember the name
auntyalias: Linda, this is a trick of the eye
auntyalias: this is a mold impression, the face is going inward
auntyalias: not coming outward
auntyalias: it's how we test our molds
lindaslists: wow
auntyalias: by holding them up to a mirror
auntyalias: or in this case
auntyalias: see it on camera
auntyalias: now I'll make an impression from this mold
lindaslists: holy cow
buci131: That's is too wild
ac4lb: hard to tell the differance between the two
auntyalias: ok, I'll take questions now
auntyalias: before we do eyes
auntyalias: the impression is rough and messy, but it's just for show
frogger70301: Is that your Kai face mold?
auntyalias: Xev
lindaslists: I need to make a face mold sometime
buci131: I need to make a face sometime
auntyalias: that's the Kai face mold
lindaslists: beautiful
frogger70301: would you fill in the nose holes when you take a mold from that one?
ac4lb: yes she did
auntyalias: I don't do as I ask others to do
frogger70301: ok, thanks.
merrie60us joined the room
auntyalias: for I know how to jiggle out the clay
auntyalias: and fix the nose
auntyalias: oh Let's Ask Merrie what she sees
auntyalias: it's such a trippy effect
auntyalias: Marrie, do you see yet?
auntyalias: Merrie I mean
auntyalias: LOL
merrie60us: Hi I see a face sideways it is actually very awesome I like the finish
auntyalias: Merrie, what do you see? Do you see a face coming out or going into clay?
auntyalias: do you see it coming out at you or going into clay?
merrie60us: Nose is alittle too up in air towards eyes
auntyalias: it's a mold
merrie60us: coming out at me
auntyalias: the clay is going INWARD
auntyalias: watch
merrie60us: interesteing
merrie60us: so what I am looking at is not clay?
buci131: It is
buci131: It's a mold
buci131: Made from clay
ac4lb: I'm going to flip if NJ gets to the eyes and this stupid phone line goes out because of the storm
merrie60us: what is the whitish part and what is the copper part
auntyalias: The trick here Merrie
auntyalias: is when you want to check your mold
auntyalias: to see if your impression is what you expected
auntyalias: turn your mold to a mirror
auntyalias: and it looks like it's coming out and not going into the clay
auntyalias: the whitish stuff is baby powder from using it earlier
merrie60us: You are a genius what a great idea
auntyalias: it was shown to me honey I'm just sharing what I learned elsewhere
auntyalias: now we'll do eyes
merrie60us: I have a questions when you put the clay in the mold to you fill the mold all the way and then level it?
ac4lb: take lot's of pics for me here, it's really storming here and earlier I got kicked off several times
auntyalias: are we ready?
merrie60us: yes
ac4lb: yes
buci131: yes
merrie60us: are we supposed to be writing what we see as per the post earlier on MSCAT
ac4lb: yes
merrie60us: wow look at the eyes NJ used a tool to outline them
merrie60us: put white oval shape in socket
merrie60us: now other socket
merrie60us: now using tool to shape and press in on edges
buci131: She's making indents for the pupils
ac4lb: poked hole in center
frogger70301: You guys, I gotta go. These kids are about to kill each other.
frogger70301 left the room
buci131: Is that black that she just put in the indents?
merrie60us: now placing round ball of clay in pupil area
merrie60us: then using tool to press in and shape
merrie60us: yes
buci131: One pupil looks bigger than the other.
ac4lb: may be the angle
buci131: Maybe it's just the angle
merrie60us: both pupils are sort of in slightly different places like the face is looking at something
buci131: Looking to it's right, maybe?
buci131: Oh, she just used a small oval of snake for theupper lid
ac4lb: ok now the upper eye lid
buci131: correction--small oval snake for the upper lid
merrie60us: upper lid covers the white part slightly
merrie60us: now next eye and attaching with tool
merrie60us: slightly raised
merrie60us: Now she is doing same to lower lids
merrie60us: and outline with tool?
auntyalias: so that's the quick and messy way, you'll take more care for you'll have more time
buci131: That's great!
merrie60us: wow
ac4lb: thanks, I have a much better idea now how tod ot it
merrie60us: shaping chin with fingers and tools
ac4lb: sorry to do it
auntyalias: that's one way to do eyes
auntyalias: there's other ways but this is the quickest
buci131: What did you use for the pupils? An eye cane?
auntyalias: just black for this one for it's so small
merrie60us: Did you make the original mold for this face
teri56 joined the room
buci131: Do you ever use eye canes for a face this small?
buci131: Hey Teri!
jakmiami: So when we do the mold, we need to fill out the eyes as well as the nostrils and mouth?
ac4lb: Hi Teri
teri56: hi guys
auntyalias: Hi Teri
merrie60us: is the back of the mold flat
auntyalias: Eva, with faces this small to use the eyeball cane you end up reducing it to the point where all the cane work is not seen anymore
auntyalias: for larger faces I'll use the eyeball cane
auntyalias: then folks can see the iris
buci131: Oh, cool.
ac4lb: That's what happened to my eye canes
buci131: So you can just use whatever color you want the eyes to be or is black the best that you've found?
auntyalias: it depends, sometimes the eyes are golden
auntyalias: with red lines instead of pupils
buci131: Red lines?
buci131: You mean, like cat's eyes?
buci131: Instead of pearl, you used gold for the eyeball and green for the pupil?
buci131: On the mermaid?
auntyalias: it depends on the face, what's the sculpture
auntyalias: there's no limitation
auntyalias: really
auntyalias: what I want to show next
buci131: Okay.
auntyalias: is to take this expressionless face
auntyalias: and make it have emotions
buci131: She looks like she is using a dental spatula to make the mouth open a little and give it a smile.
buci131: And now a shaper to smooth, I guess
teri56: op098ig
teri56: whups, sorry
teri56: cat walked on the keyboard
lindaslists: O thought it was the product number for the dental tool - LOL
merrie60us: using some type of tool to shape lower lip
merrie60us: shaping under noes
merrie60us: oops nose
buci131: Laugh lines on the outer corners of the eyes now
merrie60us: looks like flat wooden spoon in mouth
merrie60us: shaping eyes a little more
auntyalias: he has a bit of red by his mouth, messy tools
auntyalias: but you get the idea
auntyalias: when you have one face sculpted
buci131: That's amazing
auntyalias: have it be expressionless
auntyalias: then you can make it have the emotions you need with a couple of strokes
merrie60us: did you sculpt the cheekbones?
merrie60us: couldn't see we;;
merrie60us: oops well
buci131: I can see the need to examine your face in the mirror to see how the muscles move for diff expressions.
buci131: Is this a diff face?
buci131: Oh, never mind--no eyes
buci131: She's turning everything down--eyes, mouth, etc. with her fingers to make him look sad
merrie60us: showing muscles or rather sculpting highlighting muscle in face
auntyalias: same mold impression
buci131: Is that from the same mold?
auntyalias: the expressionless face
auntyalias: turn the mouth up
buci131: That is too wild
auntyalias: push the cheekbones up
auntyalias: and it'll look happy
auntyalias: turn the mouth down
auntyalias: pull the eyebrown down
auntyalias: pout the lower lip
auntyalias: you have a sad face
auntyalias: an expressionless face with half lidded eyes
auntyalias: is someone who thinks they are too cool
auntyalias: to smile
auntyalias: or look amazed
jakmiami: I'm going to need to go soon...can someone take over the pix gathering?
auntyalias: pull all the muscles
auntyalias: and squint the eyes
auntyalias: and you have a stressed face
auntyalias: but it all starts out with that one expressionless face
auntyalias: that you make a mold of
auntyalias: and from that mold
auntyalias: you make a number of faces that have no emotion
auntyalias: and then you add emotion with a few moves
auntyalias: makes sculpting easier
auntyalias: ok
auntyalias: I'm done
auntyalias: LOL
jakmiami: hmmm, sounds like my next project!
teri56: amazing!
merrie60us: thank you I have to go fix dinner are you doing anything later on this pm
auntyalias: I'll be doing this again tonight
merrie60us: what time
jakmiami: one thing, on the mold, do you need to mask the eyes as well as the mouth and nostrils?
auntyalias: after supper...
buci131: So, when you're doing a head, do you make several heads?
buci131: To get your expressions right?
auntyalias: as you see from this mold
merrie60us: I am on east coast you are on west coast? so about 10 pm my time?
auntyalias: I don't fill in the nostrils
auntyalias: about that Merrie
merrie60us: thanks bye
auntyalias: but I will ask the new clayers
merrie60us left the room
auntyalias: to fill in the nostrils
auntyalias: until you get removing the face from the mold down pat
auntyalias: it's a jiggling trick
auntyalias: that comes from practice
auntyalias: Teri, did you see this
auntyalias: it's a mold and not an impression of a mold
auntyalias: trick of the eye
jakmiami: so if i've got it right, we should be taking the molds before we finish the original sculpture...?
teri56: that is soo neat, the way that works!
buci131: Yes, she mentioned that before.
auntyalias: when you finish your first face
auntyalias: take a mold
auntyalias: but dig
auntyalias: I take molds as I sculpt
auntyalias: let me get you the url
auntyalias: that way when I get the shape right I make a mold, do an impression
auntyalias: then work on the chin
auntyalias: cure, make a mold and make an impression
auntyalias: go on all the way up the face
auntyalias: before the first face is done I'll have done 4-6 molds along the way
auntyalias: incremental mold use for face sculpting
auntyalias: I'll get the link now
jakmiami: ah ha!
buci131: So for doing the whole heads, do you make the whole head or just faces to put on the blank head?
auntyalias: Kai-Iterations
auntyalias: Again, Eva, it depends
auntyalias: if I'm making another Kai Doll
auntyalias: I'll use my Cowboy Kai face mold
auntyalias: and slap that face on a blank head ball on a stick
auntyalias: and then smooth it and get it right and then add it to the body
auntyalias: by using the skewer as a spine
buci131: Cool. I thought that might work, especially if you're trying to get a good expression on the face. So you don't have to make a bunch of heads.
auntyalias: Just have a bunch of molds
auntyalias: of one face you sculpted
auntyalias: that's why I wanted folks to sculpt one face but have it have no expression of emotion
auntyalias: we'll add that emotion on our raw clay impressions of the mold that one face makes
auntyalias: see?
auntyalias: I got to go peeeeee, brb
buci131: Yes, that's a great way of doing it
jakmiami: clever! Got to go now.
jakmiami left the room
buci131: Okay, I promised my hubby I would at least eat supper with him, so I've gotta go.
buci131: Thanks NJ for the demos! Great stuff. You know those logs are going to be getting quite a few hits with all the info in them.
ac4lb: how do you get all the air bubbles out of the blinkety blink blank pen
buci131: I'll email what I've saved to this point. Someone else will need to take over for me though, if anything else goes on.
auntyalias: back
buci131: And Judith was saving the screen shots, so someone will need to do those.
auntyalias: my teeth were floating
auntyalias: LOL
ac4lb: mine were a little while ago
buci131: Heehee. Judith left and I've got to go have supper with my hubby. I'll email the log to this point to you.
buci131: Later all.
auntyalias: Stanley H. Tweedle face mold
auntyalias: he has powder stuck in the indentations there
buci131 left the room
lindaslists left the room
auntyalias: Looks like it's supper time for folks
auntyalias: I got to get supper going too
auntyalias: I'll be back in a couple of hours
ac4lb: ok
auntyalias: Kathy
ac4lb: yes
auntyalias: did you get all you needed, I know you go to sleep early
auntyalias: and you have thunderstorms
auntyalias: and all
auntyalias: you're ok with any of this
ac4lb: yes I have a much better idea now
auntyalias: sure now?
ac4lb: I'll be up later tonight, gary is working late
auntyalias: Ok, I'll be back in a couple of hours
auntyalias: got to check the list, do some webwork and get supper
going
ac4lb: yes now i'm trying to cover a pen and having a dickens of a
time with air bubbles
ac4lb: see in a few
auntyalias: okie dokie
auntyalias: See you later Teri?