Alte Kampfer - Webbing Details

Today's progress on the webbing details. I'm also experimenting around with Fimo Decorating Gel (dyed with Payne's Grey oil paint) to make castings of the axillary straps as well as insignias. More of that to come soon....
Anyway, it has dawned upon me that Polymer Clays might herald a new age of sculpting military miniatures as was when acrylics were introduced to figure painters. Now, coming from my experience as an extensive user of epoxy putty, I admit that I'm gradually drifting toward this new medium. (Did I also mention that Raul LaTorre is also using Fimo for his recent sculpts as well? Not that I'm a copy cat that is ;P) The significant plus side of polymer clay is definately their working time. One could continually manipulate around with the forms to their satisfaction before sending it to the oven (heat gun in my case) to be baked hard. Another particular attribute to this medium is that it registers impressions much clearer instead of epoxy putty which have a tendency of producing beveled edges when impressed upon.
Feathering is also a problem with epoxy putty (or at least for the brand that I'm using) especially when it get a little firm; which is especially frustrating when one desires to re-work an area.
Based on my experience, once the epoxy putty is kneaded, it will undergo a gradual process of curing. Whilst freshly kneaded, it feathers well but too soft for modelling. About and hour old, it gets slightly firmer, which is great for modelling as it registers impressions better. Two hours old, it gets leathery hard (almost like firmness of an rubber eraser) and it's great for slicing to attain really sharp details. (you'll need afresh blade for this if you'll run a risk of tearing the clay)
From my review, Polymer clays do not however have such temperaments for modelling but perhaps will pose some difficulty to one who is more accustomed to carving instead of modeling. And perhaps the best part I love about this clay is that there's minimal waste and chances are you'll likely to use up every single bit of it from the box!
One more thing which I think will appeal to all the impatient modellers out there; the clay takes less than a minute to harden under a heat gun too!

cheers,

Calvin

Alte Kampfer - Close up

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Here's a close-up of the figure and it's only now that I discovered that the nose is a little dinged up @:$$£%@!!!!!

I've also removed the arms so as to facilitate the modelling of the tunic.

Calvin

Alte Kampfer

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Hi All,

here's another 1/35 study piece I am concurrently working on whilst waiting for some additional research material to arrive for the earlier project. I started it early last week whilst the latter got stalled and though that it might be a good opportunity to review another brand of polymer clay called Kato.

I used a stock Hornet head and hands for the basic epoxy putty armature as a quick kick-start to this project. PPSh41 is from Tank (it's the only one that has top and bottom ventilation holes on the barrel I could find). Bino's from Royal Models and the helmet is from my personal spares.

Anyway back to the review....I 'm getting to like this more than the Super Sculpey Firm as it's much more opaque and waxier. Like the SSF, it feathers very well with solvents such as turpentine and thinners. I opted to use cellulose thinner as it dries more rapidly; meaning that the clay will revert from soft to firm much quicker. It cures realtively fast with the aid of the heat gun to a rubbery hard state that could be lightly sanded and carved.

It's obvious from the photo that a lot more work still needs to be done especially on the arms and not to mention the back and hopefully procrestination doesn't takes over....

Calvin