Question about sculpting/converting

[Alex3]

I just bought a small amount of 'green stuff' and I've never really sculpted before, but I just need to make a birthday hat for a mini. Yea, weird, but that's what the guy wanted... Anyway, question is about attaching it. Do I sculpt the hat, let it dry for 24 hours, super-glue it on and then prime/paint or do I paint it then glue it, or do I just sculpt it and stick it on there- letting the putty itself act as the adhesive? I haven't started it yet so before ruining the mini I thought I'd get at least that much info, then I'm going to 'wing it' so to speak.

 

Also as far as tools go I was planning on using tooth picks and other such items since it's just a little thing, do you think that will work or should I suck it up and stop off at FLGS for a real tool?

 

 

Thanks!

[Bodhi]

Tools are a personal thing. Some people use a myriad of different tools. Some use very little. Tom Meier is very sparing in his tool set I've understood. So whatever works for you. If tooth picks do the job for you by all means use toothpicks. If you feel that they don't perhaps try something else.

 

You COULD put some superglue on the figure, attach the greenstuff and then sculpt away but if you're not happy with the result it will be hard to remove. So I'd say use just the greenstuff without any superglue and then sculpt away. It will stick well enough. If you're unhappy it's easy to pull of and if you're happy but want a strong bond you can pull it of and then add some superglue and push it back on. You'll have a perfect contactsurface for it by then anyway.

 

As for painting it I'm no expert but it seems like it would be a bit hard to hold on to a tiny hat if it wasn't attached to the figure so perhaps it's easiest to paint it ON the figure?

[Rastl]

If this is for a gaming mini expect it to succumb to gravity a few times. By 'birthday hat' I'm guessing you mean the traditional cone shape?

 

You could try making it out of cardstock stiffened with superglue. Cones are easy to make. And then glue it to the guy's head.

 

If I were making one out of greenstuff I would put a nice pin in his head to give me some structure under the greenstuff and support to the hat.

 

Honestly, the things people come up with. You'd think Froggy was out there giving suggestions.

 

Toothpicks and other found objects will be just fine. Heck, you might even be able to find a craft bead in almost the correct shape and then just modify it a bit.

 

OK. I'll stop rambling now.

[Froggy the Great]

I'm primarily a converter, not a sculptor. I figured I'd let those more qualified give the answers.

[Alex3]

Thanks for the tips. I'll go to michaels and see if there's anything hat shaped- that's a pretty good idea, I bet there are beads like ya said. And yea I meant the cone style, the character is pretty weird.

 

She's supposed to look like this...

 

I figure teeth I can paint on, I need to find a tail too lol.

[Gubser]

Generally with little bits like this, you should be able to sculpt it directly on the figure. As far as tools go, you can probably get by with just an exacto blade.

[joshuaslater]

I say put a pin into the head of the model. Having some support under the greenstuff will really help you. You should be able to pull this off pretty readily from there.