Originally Posted by
Lily
UGH! I am so frustrated right now! I sculpted the side fins using Prima Plastilina (which is like sculpting with heaven, IMHO) while waiting for my Monster Clay to arrive, which I intended to use for the fluke and scales. It finally gets here and I am beginning to think I got a bad batch! I posted this in the tailmaking questions board but I'll post it here too:
I was so excited to get this clay since everyone here seems to use it, but frankly I am finding it impossible to work with. When I first opened the tubs, I noticed there was a layer of what looked like unmixed wax on the top (translucent, almost like parafin), which I thought was weird. I tried digging some out of the tub with one of my sculpting tools (since I started bleeding after trying to dig a bit out with my nails, not fun) and couldn't get the tool to make more than a dent. So I decided to try softening it in the oven according to the directions on the package. It said that after 45 minutes at 165F, the whole tub should be melted. Tried that. The edges were melted and the top layer was kinda soft but about 1inch down the clay was still completely solid and COLD. So I tried an hour at 200, the maximum temp they recommend. Same issue - melted edges, cold and solid in the middle. I can get it to soften up a little bit with a blow dryer, enough that I can sort of scrape it around with my tools, but actually SCULPTING with this stuff seems pretty much out of the question.
I've worked with some hard clays before but nothing like this. It also feels really weird, grainy and almost dry, which is not what the product description leads me to believe is normal.
It's definitely not melting at low temp, and it IS sticking to my tools and fingers. When warm, it's more like canned frosting than taffy, and has never gotten pourable no matter how much I heat it up.
Has anyone else encountered these problems? Did I get a bad batch or am I doing something wrong?
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