# Homemade modeling Clay recipe



## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

Here is a Zombie head I sculpted a while back with this recipe:


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## Si-cotik (Aug 12, 2009)

not a great scuplt! Bull-oney!!! awesome!


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## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

Thanks. It needs paint...someday lol.


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## TK421 (Mar 27, 2009)

How much does it shrink when it dries? I'm working with paperclay (DAS) right now, which is pretty good over a structure like a styrofoam head. Some other air-dry clays (like crayola) can really shrink and crack as they dry.

Also, I'd love to see the hand you made with this stuff!


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## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

It doesn't seem to shrink that much. When I made the zombie head, I dug in too deep and the lines widened a bit, but there were no cracks where the sculpture was smooth. The hand didn't come out as good as I had hoped, but here is a pic of it:










I used an armature of rolled newspaper and coat hanger wire.


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## toddsdarlin (May 30, 2011)

These are great and how inexpensive!! When you made the skull, what was your base for underneath the clay mixture?


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## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

I used a paper mache skull i made using the usual method: by covering a skull with aluminum foil and laying strips on it. I had it laying around from last year so I just sculpted the modeling goop over it. I am going to try to sculpt over a ball of wadded up newspaper for the next head I make.


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## Instant Monsters (Jun 15, 2011)

What kind of texture does it have, smooth or chunky?


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## Candee (Oct 24, 2010)

Thanks for posting. Will have to try this out.


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## lksmart (Jul 22, 2009)

Great cheap and easy tutorial! Definitely worth a try. I'm pretty sure I have the ingredients laying around the house. Might give it a go this weekend.


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## Crunch (Oct 23, 2008)

So would this work for sculpting skulls and other bones? Or do you have to work with it over something else? I wonder if you could cast with it...


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## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

It depends on how smooth you make it. I have noticed that while sculpting with it if you moisten your finger with water you can make it very smooth. I ran my fingers over the wounds on the paper mache mask and there still smooth. I hope to get the mask painted later today and I'll upload a pic. I'm still experimenting with this stuff myself. I hope to get another head sculpted with it in the next few days. I want to keep this head smooth so I know more when that sculpt has dried.

@Crunch I would sculpt it over something if you are making large projects, but all you need is a rolled up piece of newspaper. I haven't tried sculpting anything without an armature except teeth and other small items. I made a nose for practice without an armature and an ear, but for heads and hands I used an armature. It's worth a try without an armature but I don't know from experience how it would go


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