# Skull sculpt



## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

I am working on a new clay sculpt. It's a human skull 1:2 scale or maybe closer to 1:3 scale. I put the can to give it scale. I hope it turns out well. It should take a couple of more Sundays but I am happy with the progress so far.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

looking good, it's the fine detail that will make the difference. The holes and fissures, cracks, ect. Although I would have use a Miller's can, but that's just a personel choice.
I am guessing this will be the master for making copies later?


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Thanks Bone Dancer,

Yes, Miller is good but, it’s blue ribbon Sunday. The fine details will come later. This will be a double mold. After this clay sculpt is done I will mold it so I can make a hydrostone cast. Then, I will refine the details. It was my bad sculpting in plasteline. I wish I had some WED clay!


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Very nice job!
I really need to do something similar...
Paying 10 bucks a skull gets to be too much!
Keep up the good work!
.


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## playfx (Mar 10, 2007)

This rocks, nice job on it!


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

The sculpt of the beer can is the best that I have seen. LOL


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

DeathTouch said:


> The sculpt of the beer can is the best that I have seen. LOL


...and the level of detail is just astounding. Why, you'd think it was a real beer can...oh wait, were we talking about the skull?!?!

Really nice job, scourge. He's one handsome skull.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

What are you guys talking about? LOL Seriously, the sculpting tools look very realistic...Where did you get the real skull and can?


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Front Yard Fright said:


> Very nice job!
> I really need to do something similar...
> Paying 10 bucks a skull gets to be too much!
> Keep up the good work!
> .


10 bucks a skull is pretty good (depending on the skull). The initial cost of making your own skulls is very high. The clay is cheap but molding and casting costs add up quick. Plus, I am into the sculpt around 12 hours so, time is also a factor. It's much faster to buy a real skull and make a mold. But this is for me, a kind of, can I do it thing. Thanks for the compliment. Oh, and you other people, the ones breakin' my [email protected] I have been laughing all morning. "The sculpting tools look very realistic" made me spit juice through my nose. Oh, Sickie....so funny. Thanks.


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## playfx (Mar 10, 2007)

[quote I wish I had some WED clay![/quote]

Yeah, if you ever get the chance to use it you'll fall in love with the stuff, so much faster to use than the oil clays at a fration of the cost! I found mine at a local potery shop.


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Looks great, did you drink the beer before or after you started the skull?


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## DeadSpider (Feb 3, 2006)

Looks great so far! I actually just made a little skull too. Its on my website now. I made mine in plasticine too, but no beer tools.  
I made it while i sat with the kids watching cartoons.

Looking forward to seeing this finished!


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

DeadSpider said:


> Looks great so far! I actually just made a little skull too. Its on my website now. I made mine in plasticine too, but no beer tools.
> I made it while i sat with the kids watching cartoons.
> 
> Looking forward to seeing this finished!


I just saw the skull you made, WOW. Really nice.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Scouge can you post pics of the molding process? I really would love to try that, but not sure how to go about it?


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Joiseygal said:


> Scouge can you post pics of the molding process? I really would love to try that, but not sure how to go about it?


Sure I can do that. It won't be a very hard mold to make because it's such a small skull. I will post after the scuplt is done.


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## Cassie7 (Sep 16, 2007)

Great sculpting work. And I totally get 'doing it just for doing it' reasons. It's this time of year when I can just lay back and get creative without the time pressure of Oct 31 breathing down my neck.

I look forward to your progress pics


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

*Sculpt update*

Sorry it's been so long. My father had a heart transplant and sculpting was the last thing on my mind. But, he is doing well and I got back to my sculpt. The skull is shaping up nicely. The teeth are very difficult, not that I thought it would be a snap. But, I am guessing that I have no less than 20 hours to go before I am done. I can't wait to mold this guy!


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## Scary Godmother (Oct 13, 2007)

Wow, hope your Dad is doing well Scourge, that is quite a thing to have to go through.

Your sculpt looks awesome, as usual. Can't wait to see it finished!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

That's some major surgery to go through and some major post-surgical lifestyle changes for your father. He'll need lots of love and support from family and friends (which it sounds like he already has from you). How fortunate that he was able to find a suitable donor - the number of people on the waiting list is longer than the number of available organs.

On a less important note, the sculpt is gorgeous!


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## bohica (Nov 4, 2008)

Scourge,
Wishing your father a speedy recovery bro, great work on the skull.


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## monstercloset (Aug 24, 2007)

That's coming along nicely. Looking forward to seeing it finished.


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

monstercloset said:


> That's coming along nicely. Looking forward to seeing it finished.


Yeah, me too. I will be making the mold today. I sculpted it with Jolly King plasteline. Big mistake. I have never really sculpted before so I was not aware of what I was getting into. Next time I will try water based clay. After the mold cures I will cast a hydrostone copy and refine then recast the finished piece. I have admired "The skull" you made for several years. It is an amazing piece. And the corpse video is great. Thanks for the compliment.


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## ScareShack (May 26, 2006)

scourge999 said:


>


I really like the teeth!
Great job, cant wait to see it all done.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

the skull looks awesome! great work! wish i had the skill


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Nice Job so far! I wish your father a speedy recovery!!!! Don't forget to post the molding process, I am really looking forward to how you go about it.


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

*Waning, Image heavy*

Joisegal, I didn't forget about you. Like I said before, not such a hard mold to make. Compared to a real human skull this is a cakewalk. The next mold will be a two mold. I will cover that as well but here is the process from today.

1st, build a retaining box to hold in you mold material. Mine is made from foam board lined with duct tape. The RTV does not sick to it.








I use hot glue to ensure that there are no leaks. Then apply your release to the sculpt, wait for it to dry.








Here is what the 2020 looks like all mixed. It is a 1:1 mix so it is very easy to use.








Now I make a small pour and let it sit for about two hours. This is to check for leaks. If you skip this step and have a leak, then it will pour out at a rapid rate and life sucks for about 3 hours or until clean up is over.


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Here is the small pour.	








And here it is topped off.








Looks easy right? I will de-mold tomorrow and take pictures of that too. I should be able to get one hydrostone pour before band practice.


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## Undeadvoodoomonkey (Aug 4, 2007)

Quote* _Yeah, me too. I will be making the mold today. I sculpted it with Jolly King plasteline. Big mistake. I have never really sculpted before so I was not aware of what I was getting into. *_

You've never really sculpted before! If this is more or less your first sculpt with crappy clay you should do more of it. Your very good, some people take a long time to get to your level. Keep at it. Looking forward to your updates!


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

The skull looks great, but since I've never done any molding, I'm curious as to how you get the skull out once it sets. Looking forward to seeing how the next step works out.

Glad to hear your Dads doing well. Happy Holidays to him and all your family.


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## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

What a fun thread....love the skull sculpt and mold making is cool too... loking forward to more....


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

If I wanted to purchase the stuff to make the mold where can I get it? Oh and I love your step by step process so far. I'm looking forward to the next step.


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## ShellHawk (Dec 14, 2008)

Nice work! Is that oil baed clay you're using?


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Dude! Awesome step by step so far on the molding! Keep it up!!!


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Joiseygal:
I get my material from a local pottery store (Seattle Pottery). It’s made by Pathway Polymers. And the product I use is called 2020. Not sure where to get it in Jersey. A 2 gallon kit is about $150.00. 

ShellHawk:
I think it is a wax based clay. I read somewhere that oil based clays do not play nice with silicone and urethane materials. It’s Jolly King’s Plasteline, about $20.00 a brick. I would not advise sculpting with it. I have a lot around because that is what I use for making the mold walls for molding real human skulls. I did not know it would be so hard to sculpt with. But maybe it easy, I have never really sculpted before. Also, on the note of not playing nice. The 2020 will be destroyed by water. So I was kind of stuck using it. 

Sickie Ickie:
Thanks, I will. I have more time now. I had quite a rush before Halloween on skull orders. I really felt bad about not being able to contribute more. Maybe this can help make up for that. I have purchased more human skulls and I hope to do a how-to on molding them. No promises. January I begin promotion and tradeshows, lots of work. Thanks for the kind words.


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Undeadvoodoomonkey said:


> Quote* _Yeah, me too. I will be making the mold today. I sculpted it with Jolly King plasteline. Big mistake. I have never really sculpted before so I was not aware of what I was getting into. *_
> 
> You've never really sculpted before! If this is more or less your first sculpt with crappy clay you should do more of it. Your very good, some people take a long time to get to your level. Keep at it. Looking forward to your updates!


Thank you. It was a rough start but, I kept at it and I am not to disappointed. It was harder that I thought. Many times I just stared at it wondering why it didn't look right.


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

*image heavy*

Got back to the mold today. Here it is all cured.








And now with the walls taken off.








Now I cut the mold open from the back. I stated at the back, top head area and cut down to the base of the skull. This will make it easy to hide the seam.








Now it comes out with no problem at all. In fact, the clay skull didn't really suffer at all.


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Time to mix the hydrostone and pour it in the mold.
















Here is the skull after de-molding. Perfect copy!








And a group shot.


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## Undeadvoodoomonkey (Aug 4, 2007)

Nice work! Whats your plan for all the skulls your going to make now that you have a working mold?
p.s. It's mostly silicones that have a problem with sulpher based clays and really only platinum based ones at that. If your using urethanes you should be fine. 
Look into Chavant clays for sculpting you'll like them much better than Jolly King.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Wow, beautifully done and documented, scourge! Now you can go into production


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Looks great Scourge. That 2020 cuts nice and easy.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Very cool! So how many skulls do you think you will get out of the mold? Also by the way awesome demonstration!!!!!!


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

The mold is very durable. I have molds 7 years old still producing perfect casts. Not really sure how many I will make with this mold. This was just to get a hydrostone casting so I can refine the skull and make another mold of that. I would guess several hundered skulls could be made. I have not found the limit yet.


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## Scary Godmother (Oct 13, 2007)

Wow, thanks for the great post Scourge. I have never seen that process done before. The skull came out awesome!


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## Undeadvoodoomonkey (Aug 4, 2007)

Most ridged urethanes will produce aprox 250 castings, depending on things like undercuts.


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

How much of the 2020 did you use to make that mold?

is that duct tape on the inside / why?


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Lilly said:


> How much of the 2020 did you use to make that mold?
> 
> is that duct tape on the inside / why?


I probably used around a gallon for the mold. The box is lined with duct tape because the 2020 doesn't stick to it. It keeps the out side cleaner. I tried using release on the foam board once and it stuck. The mold was still usable but it looked ugly. I like clean molds.


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

thanks scourge


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## playfx (Mar 10, 2007)

Well done, I think this thread should be made a sticky at the top.


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Update on the skull. This is the test painting. I did just a quick paint test to see where I am. This skull was kind of a dud. The mold was wide so, his head is a bit fat. I would rather ruin a couple of crappy skulls than guess on a good one. Again, I am going for a Randotti type style.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Wow, looks really nice!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Personally, I think he looks great even if he is a fat head, the teeth in particular. Are you not happy with how this particular casting came out or is "dud" just a reference to the quick paint job?


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

I think artists are self critical of their own work- even if nobody else sees problems.

Personally, I think the skull looks great!


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

Here is a picture of another painting test. It had some compatibility issues with the paint but I think I know what went wrong. The glow paint looks like a dried up river bed. Not bad but, not what I was going for. I made 8 more castings to do some more testing. Almost have it!


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## HauntCast (Jul 25, 2008)

I have to start playing around with stuff like this. Great job!!!


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## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

RoxyBlue: The dud comment was for the casting. It looks strange with such a wide head. I built a jig to hold the mold so that is no longer an issue. 

djchrisb: Thanks, the sculpting is great because there is no "dead"-line. It wasn't as calming as I thought it would be.


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