Good morning guys,

I have a couple of questions to start the day. First has anyone ever heard and or used a product called Sculpey modeling compound? It's a type of clay. A local arts & craft store has it on sale this week, and I was wondering if it could be used to make sandbags. I was planning on using miliput but this stuff is only 99 cents for four big blocks.
My second question is how would I go about making the redish brown soil of northern Vietnam? Is there a paint that will match this color ?

Thanks "Wolsix"

Can't help you with the 'Nam question, but can tell you all about Sculpey. It is a singular block of "clay" that is rather stiff and hard. Your work it around until it is soft enough to mold and shape and then when you have the look you like, you bake it in the oven. I have had limited success with Sculpey.. it is fine for making some types of things, but is not good for making molds, filling gaps, or doing large pieces. It is fine for creating detail pieces, but will shrink and crack a bit if over-baked. What are you trying to make?

Wolf,
My wife fiddled with Sculpy for a while, making animals and such. I think it would work to make sand bags, although I have never tried it. For a few bucks, if it doesn't work, you aren't really out much. I think it would be ok to try making sandbagged emplacements for a diorama but I don't think it would work out well for sand bagged an AFV because you (obviously) have to take the bags off of the model to bake the Sculpy in the oven. I don't think they would conform to the model after they baked (sagged) in the oven.

Oh, and I have seen Sculpy used to make water for waterline ship models.
HTH,

Shaun

Harry,

I use a self-hardening clay.... "Marbelite" (I'm at work) or something like that. It works easy for me. Little shrinkage when drying, but there is some. This is available in arts and crafts stores and a ~$5 bag in a box will last you quite sometime if you keep the bag closed real good, otherwise it'll dry out on you. I just got done making about 300 sandbags. The clay comes either in gray or red/brown colors. Roll it out, cut to lengths and then shape with an old t-shirt or similar.

Vietnam dirt is difficult, but there are many ways of acheiving this. Ya just gotta experiment. My latest subject, I started out with Polly Scale 'Red Earth' acrylic paint and then pastel chalked over that. in various reds, (like an) orange and browns..

I have used sculpy a bunch for a lot of different things. Keith is right about the stuff so I won't repeat that.
Make sure that you really get the bags pushed together well.
Here is what I did recently with it - the bags sculpy, the tarp is tissue paper covered sculpy.
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/photos/showgallery.php?cat=12095&ppuser=242

Marblex perhaps???

Yup... that's the stuff Matt. Thanks... #:-)

This is sorta cool. I hope I am not thread jacking but we make castings for AMACO, American Art Clay Co., the folks that make Marblex. We make cast iron parts that go on the potter's wheels they manufacture. They make FIMO, Sculptamold, etc. Check out the modelling suppies on their website.

Link to AMACO

http://www.amaco.com/jsps/amacohome.jsp

I wonder if I could get a discount... Hee hee

Shaun

Nice link - whats the metal foil like? Could it be used for covering one of those wingie thingies??

For the red clay dirt of northern Vietnam I have used dark earth, with leather and rust mixed in(All model masters brand) If I want it to be a little redder you can add a little orange or red to it. Although the Red dirt is more brownish red than red in the Highlands. The best thing is the real thing. Some of the red clay of Georgia looks just like the Highland dirt. There has been a dio posted on our site that shows a good example of the red clay. I can't think off the top of my head who did it but he is a member here. Any one remember the dio I'm talking about?

Animal, I think you may be thinking of Slodder's entry for the Splash Campaign, "Charlie Foxtrot" if IIRC.

Shaun.

Here is CF - Is this the one you were thinking of?


I got busy with the first question - didn't see the second one.
I used a base of Tamiya Red Brown. Then over that I layered Folk Art Hobby paint Red mixed with burt umber, black and white in various batches. Then I did a couple of washes of black and brown.

Thanks guys, you came through again. I think I'm going to try the Marblex for the sandbags, I get a little nervous about putting modeling projects in the oven {That old heat and plastic thing you know}. Slodder, I going to try your method for the ground work

Thanks again guys.

Yea - you do have to plan out your diorama so that you can remove the sculpy items and get them in the oven. It would make for a dissaster if you didn't #:-)

If you have questions about CF and the ground - just ask.

Nice work General Slodder,
Sculpey and FIMO are shape and bake. Once you get the hang of the temperature and time, they are good to work with, and you can get them in colors if you want. There is a new entry,too, in the shape and bake clays.
I have found the self-hardening (air-hardening) clays to shrink too much unless they are a stand alone item, like a tombstone.
Going to an Alumilite demo this Saturday. Seen it before and its pretty cool for modelers. Find more at Alumite.com,

Sealhead (Kansas sunflower)