Clay or resin for end use?

[Fire Marshal Bill]

Do most customizers make resin casts of their sculpted heads to use for their customs or is it common to use the baked clay heads as the final product? Seems that resin would be much more durable. What products are most of you using for making molds and casts? Is Smooth-On pretty much the way to go? Approximately how many different molds can you make with the Starter Kit? Total number of resin heads? Thanks.

[thunderbolt]

I've got two heads I sculpted with Fimo(like sculpy, but seems a bit better and easier to work with) that are final on the custom heads. They seem to be alright so far, I just never bothered to get into casting.

[megowgsh]

Always make a mold of your final product, cast it and then paint it.

First you really never know if the head is smooth enough, etc. until a duplicate is made and you can truly see any, and all, flaws.

Secondly, I have had heads made with Sculpey and Sculpey-type products crack over time or even crack off over time. How many times have you moved your figures around for display and they accidentally fall down? They can easily break when that happens.

[Boris71]

I like to make a mould of them as I find it gives me a more finished look and with alumalite white and some flesh colour tint it saves on painting

[Fire Marshal Bill]

Always make a mold of your final product, cast it and then paint it.

First you really never know if the head is smooth enough, etc. until a duplicate is made and you can truly see any, and all, flaws.

Secondly, I have had heads made with Sculpey and Sculpey-type products crack over time or even crack off over time. How many times have you moved your figures around for display and they accidentally fall down? They can easily break when that happens.

Understood..... and i figured as much. So what products are the best to use for mold making and casting? Is Smooth-On the way to go? Thanks to everyone for the replies so far.

[TrueDave]

I get my silicone from monster makers.
Also a good thing is making a mold is just like Printmaking. You can go in use different material to cast in ( Buy the Monster meltable clay! ) .
Plus it's step one in Hydrospaning ( Enlarge/reduce) . You can make a piece as big or small as you want. Thats Industrial Polymers.

I talked to my local Smooth -On representative on the phone. eh . . . .

The Industrial Polymers guy sent me samples of some of the products I was interessted in. If I need something they dont have they recommend someone they know.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

I cast my stuff in polyurethane. Durable, easy to paint. If I'm making mods for a final head I use epoxy putty. I've used SUper Sculpey for a few heads, but I find it too rigid for final products so I always make a cast off it.

Don C.