Tomio Tsuji’s Blog

Here’s an overview of prototyping materials.

Modelling Clay.

Characteristics -

1. Very cheap
2. Very mouldable
3. Traces of clay transfers to your fingers
4. Holding an object can make an impression or distortion
5. Smells like plastercine close-up, but no smell at half-arm distance.

Good for -

1. Quick object shaping to acquire scale
2. Basic posing (for impression only)
3. Creating walls for moulds.

Patternmakers Putty

Characteristics -

1. Holds impressions very well.
2. A wax-like consistency.
3. Translucency makes it difficult to discern object definition.
4. Medium-soft at room temperature, very soft at higher tempartures.
5. Putty transfer to fingers is rare.
6. Lots of care must be taken when handling an object as details can be soften, objects can distort, etcetra.
7. No smell. (even when close-up)

Good for -

1. Quick object shaping to acquire scale
2. Posing - handle with care, use a few wire props
3. Playing around as moulding into a shape is quick and lack of material transfer and smell make it ideal for goofing around.

Chavant’s Y2-Klay
Chavant’s Product List can be downloaded HERE.

Characteristics -

1. Very hard at low room temperatures, hard at room temperature.
2. Mouldable temperature is at 58°C.
3.  Can mould detail at 30°C, but heating up is necessary for large changes.
4. Details can be carved into surface - good detail retention.
5. Slight graining at room temperatures. ie. small pieces come off.
6. Can be smoothed with fingers, curved clay tools or water.

Good for -

1. Prototyping - one of the best materials for pre-production prototyping as object handling is safe (although care must always be taken) and detailing can be very accurate.
2. large scale final models 1/7 or 1/6 to 1/1.
Detailing a smaller scale model can be difficult or impossible.

Wire is used for delicate parts that need a framework to maintain their form, eg. fingers, hair strands, archery bows, etcetra.

Always bend the wire over and attach a blob of clay onto the end of the wire so it doesn’t poke you in the eye while handling. This can happen easily so always take the precaution.

An example of a dollfies head at initial stage of prototyping using patternmakers clay.
The shape and form is difficult to see with this medium which is why Y2-Klay is the prototyping material of choice.