AMACO AMO41821 SCULPTAMLD Modeling CMPOUND 3LB, Pack of 1, Multicolor

For a costume project, I bought two bags of this stuff; I wanted to make some pieces out of something durable and light-weight. But it would also be something I could sculpt, sand, paint, and do other things with. I planned to use it to make a hoop that would hang from the back of the costume, as well as horns and a mask. br>br>First and foremost, let me state unequivocally: This stuff didn't work as well as I had hoped. In fact, all of the pieces I created with it were unsatisfactory, and they're now sitting in a pile of rejects, which I've since redone using different materials. br>br>However, before I go into detail about why this didn't work for me, let me point out the benefits! • It has a smoother texture than other paper-based products. br> Modeling compounds made of pulp that come in powder form and must be mixed with water; It’s not 100% lump free, but it is moist than CelluClay, for instance.
• It dries very quickly! The more of the compound a project has, the longer it takes to be 100% dry due to thickness, but it does go It actually gets warm due to a chemical reaction, which is probably why it dries faster than modeling goo that’s just powdered glue and paper, a medium that can take many • If you're short on time or feel like you've made something very thick that needs a little extra help to go completely solid down the middle, you can put it in the oven at 200 degrees F for a few hours to speed up the drying process. • It's very hard and durable once it's completely dry. In fact, I had to smash it against the edge of my stone steps several times to break it apart when I needed to remove it from an armature I wanted to reuse. As long as a piece isn't too small or thin, it should be able to withstand being dropped and bunch-up. • It sands down beautifully (though if you don't smooth it out and fill in any dents/holes before it dries, it can be a process of smoothing, adding a little more compound to the concave areas, and then sanding again, so I recommend a small handheld power sander! )br>• It holds paint very well (I didn't try to color this stuff with paint beforehand; I painted on top of it when it was completely dry, so I can't say if the white modeling compound can be colored beforehand or if doing so will harm it, such as stopping the chemical reaction that causes it to dry so quickly). • It smears nicely on armatures and can be smoothed out with water (which I'll go over in more detail later). • It has a fruity scent to it; It isn't nearly as bad as it appears! It's preferable to using a chemical or using glue. such as odor • Compared to some other brands that are more expensive for far less, there is a lot of product in the bag for $6 (the price I paid and the price it is listed for at the time of this review). • It's a bright white color, which is helpful if you want to paint it. Because the background is lighter, you can use thinner paint and fewer coats to get a good color payoff. br>• Because it dries so quickly, it's probably less likely to grow mold or mildew than other powder modeling compounds like instant paper mache because it doesn't stay wet for very long. However, I'd still keep it in a dry, clean area to avoid spores taking root, and treat it as if it weren't going to get wet later. br>br>My biggest issue with this modeling stuff is that it's extremely difficult to sculpt with, and it's a huge mess that sticks to everything and is generally difficult to work with. When you mix this stuff together, it turns into a sticky, gooey paste or dough rather than a true clay, which is why it's called a "modeling compound" rather than a sculpting medium or clay. I work with a variety of clays, from polymer to paper clay to natural earth clay to paper clay, and this stuff feels like lumpy cookie dough rather than a clay that can be manipulated to hold fine details and shapes. It's far too soft and sticky to do anything other than hold a ball's shape. And it was a complete disaster. It stuck to my hands, gloves, the table, the container I mixed it in, and anything else I happened to touch with my hands or bump the wet compound against, and it was difficult to smooth without using a lot of water, which made it extra runny and soft and even harder to sculpt. Adding water just kept it from sticking to everything and leaving little stuck-up sections that would dry into prickly little spikes (which is fine if you want that texture, but a smoother finish is usually preferred, right?). It was a constant struggle to avoid becoming too wet or too dry. I experimented with a variety of water-to-powder ratios, as well as different mixing methods- Slowly adding powder to water, slowly adding water to powder, slowly adding all of the water and all of the powder, but nothing seemed to help get it to the right consistency for sculpting. Only the lumpiness was altered by the method. br>br>This stuff isn't so much something you mix up to sculpt like a hunk of dense, wet clay or modeling magic or baking clay as it is something you mix up to apply to a skeleton of a piece, something made of wire, tin foil, or cardboard, like adding plaster that has a little more structure than straight-up plaster. Since paper pulp is added to the mix, it will thicken the plaster. It worked much better when I applied it over something rather than trying to make an object entirely out of it, but even then, the project was often lumpy and uneven, requiring so much sanding that no matter what I tried, I wasn't happy with the result. For costume pieces intended to be attached to harnesses, it also became extremely heavy very quickly. So, while projects CAN be light, they can quickly become heavy. Although not as heavy as an earth or oil-based clay, paper clays that arrive moist and ready to use in sealed packages are still heavier. Overall, I had much better luck trying to make pieces that required any kind of detail or actual sculpting out of smooth paper clay, such as hearty, mermaid puffy, and so on, which, while more expensive for less product, is far less messy and far better at truly manipulating how you want it to look and perform. So here are the drawbacks: br>br> • Untidy; br> Wear disposable gloves and project your work area because it sticks to everything! Have a covered area to set it in while it dries, and if possible, work outside near a hose for easy cleanup. It's easiest to get rid of this stuff before it hardens. br>• Because it doesn't have a proper "clay" texture, sculpting a glob of it is difficult-- Consider the texture of gooey chocolate chip cookie dough that must be plopped onto a baking sheet rather than sugar cookie dough that can be molded, sculpted, and embellished. • Almost all armatures must be made into something other than a lump; Prepare to build a skeleton out of tin foil, wire, plaster cloth, cardboard, and whatever else you can think of to give it structure and shape. br>• Has a hard time holding onto fine detail work; There is a brief period between wet and dry that would allow you to press like a metal tool or stamp into it, but finding that sweet spot is difficult, and I haven't tested this extensively, so I can't guarantee that it can be decorated in this way. br>• Finding the right balance of water and clay is difficult. br>• Mixing must be done quickly to get the maximum amount of sculpting time before the clay dries out, cracks, and crumbles. br>• Can clog drains if washed off in the sink, even if you mist it and try to smooth it; unless a rough look is desired, sanding is usually required. br>• Can clog drains if washed off in the sink; be very careful about washing this stuff off! Because of the paper pulp, it is chunky and does not drain well. In an attempt to deal with it, I clogged my bathroom and kitchen sinks twice. I recommend installing a mesh guard over the drain so that all the hunks of paper pulp are caught and thrown away. br>• Will likely ruin any container it's mixed in unless it's washed IMMEDIATELY after mixing (I ruined a bowl and had to buy a cheap plastic bucket specifically for this stuff), so once you've got your lump of clay, rinse it out thoroughly. It'll probably stay stuck if it dries on there. When dried, it popped off cleanly on some surfaces, but most of the time, it wants to stick around and can only be removed with a lot of soaking and chipping. • Can crack during the drying processbr>• Will most likely need to be sealed to keep moisture out; Whether it's with paint, an acrylic sealer, or something else entirely. br>• Because the powder is prone to forming clouds when poured, I'd be cautious about inhaling a large puff of it. Although I don't believe this material is toxic, swallowing a bunch of paper pulp and glue particles is neither healthy nor enjoyable. Overall, I think this works well as a product if you're just slathering it on something, but using it as a clay in the same way you'd use polymer/baking clay or pottery clay is a bad idea and won't produce the same results. For the task of "applying a lightweight layer that will dry hard onto an existing thing," I prefer this to CelluClay, and I believe it performs admirably. But if you think this is like putting together a batch of Crayola modeling magic, you're wrong. br>br>As a result, it receives a three-star rating. It's fine for what it is, but it's not what I wanted/needed, and it has a number of drawbacks that make me want to avoid using it for any future projects if at all possible. The mess is simply out of control, and I don't think the effort required to transform it into anything other than a glob is worth it. Personally, I'd rather spend more money on something like smooth, hearty paper clay. Others may be able to use this stuff more effectively for other projects!br>br>I'd end up wasting far less anyway because it sticks to everything or dries out so quickly. br>br>Others may be able to use this stuff more effectively for other projects! I attempted to make costume pieces, which did not turn out well, but perhaps sculptures, dioramas, or smaller items are better suited for this material.

Thatcher Schwartz

| May 16, 2021

This was purchased for use as scenery on my model train layout. It's incredible for creating mountains and hills. You can use as little or as much water as you want to achieve the desired consistency, and as it dries, you can carve it to give it a rocky appearance or smooth it out with your finger to achieve a more even appearance. It takes paint well and dries quickly, so I let my larger hills dry for several days before painting. This book comes highly recommended.

Colter Chan

| Oct 18, 2021

This is fantastic! I'm a new sculptor who is only working on one side at a time. I've included a photo of how it looked before I sanded it, and I'll also include a photo of the finished smooth product. It's what I use to make the molds for my sculptures. Yes, I'm not referring to terrain; I'm referring to actual sculptures that require a smooth surface. I let it air dry for a few days, at least four days. Then I sand it, fill any holes with more sculptamold, let it dry, sand it again, apply gesso, let that dry, and re sand/top with gesso. Yes, it takes a little longer than casting in with other materials, but it's well worth it! I didn't want anything too heavy, so this sculptamold is ideal; it's inexpensive, easy to work with, and comes in a natural white color that I can easily paint. br>I dropped my sculpture several times to see if it would crack (it didn't!). ) But I think I'll do a better test with a sculpture that I don't mind if it breaks or not, so I can see how well it holds up.

Harleigh Fry

| Feb 08, 2021

When it was dry, it was lumpy right out of the bag. (Does this happen all the time? ) It wasn't easy to apply and didn't stick well to the styrafoam. However, the final product was satisfactory, but only after much struggle. After drying, it clung to the styrofoam; and the end result was fantastic after sanding It was as hard as a rock when it was finished drying. Because of the positive outcome, I'm going to buy it again, but I couldn't give it a higher rating because of the struggle. Update: It became easier to work with after some time spent with it.

Remy Shields

| Jul 19, 2021

This was mentioned in a book on model railroad construction, but I couldn't find it. Then it appeared in three places all of a sudden. So I wasn't looking hard enough at first, but it turned out to be worthwhile. This stuff sticks to styrofoam, which is a miracle in and of itself, and it works in the same way that plaster and clay do - a combination of the two It's simple to apply using a tongue depressor or spatula, and it's also simple to work with. I went out and bought three more bags right away, intending to use them for various projects. It's also a lot less messy than making a batch of hydrocal or plaster, though I still prefer to use those in other circumstances. It's ideal for covering small to medium areas, and it stuck hydrocal rocks to styrofoam, which is fantastic. br>br>I am a big fan of this product and plan to stock up on it. in order to start a war It is easy to use, can be mixed in small batches, and is the least messy of a number of options, not to detract from the messier stuff. It can be used to create gaming scenery, mountains, hills, rivers, rough terrain, and so on. It is the most straightforward way to create exactly what you desire. when the use of plaster cloth or hydrocal is excessive. It also pairs well with those two if you need to patch an area, attach a rock, or construct an outcropping as part of a larger project you started with one or both of the others. A small revelation. br>br>.

Abdullah Shah

| Jun 26, 2021