Sculpting tool pictures

Here are those pictures I promised.




This is my 'mantis' - next to a wax 5 for scale. The front blade is sharp enough to cut a wedge into putty for gaps in teeth- the rounded curve can carve long flowing lines in hair- the tip cuts darts - two opposite each other make an eye shape- also good for cutting in stitches.
The hook can be used to drag putty, for opening mouths or opening mouths.




This is my mini thumb- next to the thumb side of a wax 5 for scale. This is designed for making fingernails and gum sockets.
I don't use this much though- maybe a rethink is needed.




These are Victoria Lambs tools- basically a flat spatula, the same again at 90 degrees and a mounted needle.

I have two mounted needles- one superfine tiny one and a bulky one for rounded details- be careful when mounting needles- they can snap and ping around the room at high velocity. Stick some blue tac onto the tip when cutting to avoid this. Wear goggles.

Now my mini oven (well, mini warmer). I may have to make a bigger one later in the year- or stop making so many figures at once.
Again it's just a tin can with a halogen lamp, gaff tape and a protective cork layer cut from a place mat underneath- in case I forget to turn it off I have a ticker timer on the PowerPoint- but the cork protects the table. A fridge magnet strip snaps the door shut.
The cork inside stops the washers getting hot- and protects the figure if it falls over.

(tip: I superglue washers to the base of my corks so they stand up like weebles.)






Here a lead adventure last project mutant gets a tan. It looks really hot but that's just the iPhone camera- really you just want it to warm up the putty- not bake it. This is a regular ikea mini halogen- its the only one they had that runs hot- energy saving lamps are no good for this.

Be careful not to put plastic figures in your oven - I melted a black plastic citadel base down to a puddle with just a lamp.

Hope that helps you get your groove on - post some pics or links to your own face tools!