Is there a learning curve with Apoxie Sculpt?

[Katika]

I finally got around to ordering some Apoxie Sculpt (YAY!) and was anxiously thinking about the three customs that I've had laying around waiting for it so I could finish them but then I got to thinking...

Does Apoxie Sculpt handle the same way as Sculpey?  Like, if I screw up can it be removed from the pony if it hasn't cured yet with no harm, no foul?  Would it be safest to get a feel for how it works on something that I don't actually care about first?  And how precisely do you have to mix the two parts (that's always been a big fear of mine!)?

I know I've asked a LOT of Apoxie Sculpt questions in my time here on the Arena, but I'm hoping that I'll be done doing so soon   I'm just super, duper nervous about messing up customs that are almost finished simply because I didn't know what I was doing with a new medium :/

Thanks, everyone!

[brighteyes]

I'll be stalking this thread as I plan to attempt Apoxie soon as well.  I'm feeling super nervous about messing up too 

[Em_L._Pea_Customs]

I finally got around to ordering some Apoxie Sculpt (YAY!) and was anxiously thinking about the three customs that I've had laying around waiting for it so I could finish them but then I got to thinking...

Does Apoxie Sculpt handle the same way as Sculpey?  Like, if I screw up can it be removed from the pony if it hasn't cured yet with no harm, no foul?  I don't have experience with Sculpey, but I can give answers regarding Apoxie Sculpt/Clay.  Yes, Apoxie Sculpt and Apoxie Clay can both be removed if they haven't cured fully.  They begin to get harder to work with within an 1.5 to 3 hours of mixing and are fully cured within 24 hours.  I believe with Sculpey it remains workable until you bake it, but obviously that isn't the case with air dry/2 part mix clay.  Sometimes it can leave some residue, but a little acetone or alcohol will remove it.  My biggest advice is ALWAYS smooth well (with water, lotion, or solution) before it cures.  Sanding afterwards can be a real PITA!   

Would it be safest to get a feel for how it works on something that I don't actually care about first?  If you'd like to, that probably wouldn't hurt.  I started out sculpting with a true air dry (paper based) clay and it was horrible.  I never really had a learning curve with the actual sculpting of the Apoxie Clay/Sculpt...it is more learning new tips and tricks for smoothing, sculpting (using tools and whatnot), etc.  Those things might be the same for Sculpey, but like I said I have no experience with it. 

And how precisely do you have to mix the two parts (that's always been a big fear of mine!)? You have to be pretty darn precise with your mixing (50/50), otherwise the clay can be too sticky or too firm.  I bought a metal melon baller that I measure my Apoxie parts into.  I am sure you could use metal measuring spoons as well.  I like metal though, so that if I am lazy with cleanup, I can scrape it clean with a blade later. 

I know I've asked a LOT of Apoxie Sculpt questions in my time here on the Arena, but I'm hoping that I'll be done doing so soon   I'm just super, duper nervous about messing up customs that are almost finished simply because I didn't know what I was doing with a new medium :/

Good luck and don't be afraid to play around with it!  You'll do great! 

Thanks, everyone!

[Griffin]

I started out with Fimo which is an oven bake clay like Sculpey (although I don't know if Sculpey has a different feel to it) and yes, working with Apoxie felt kind of awkward at first. But don't worry, once you get the hang of it you'll soon start to see the advantages and possibilities! I think it depends a bit on what you're actually going to sculpt on those ponies, if you need to practice on something else first or not.

The most important thing to remember when using Apoxie is to sculpt in several stages - you need to learn to use layers and plan (at least some of) them beforehand! With Fimo I usually try to do as much as I can at one go since baking multiple times always has its risks, and since it stays workable until you bake it, you can take your time. However, Apoxie starts to cure so quickly that if you're planning to do anything bigger, you just don't have the time to work on it unless you work in stages. And the older the clay gets, the faster it starts to cure. (Note: I'm talking about Apoxie Sculpt even when referring to 'clay'... I havent tried Apoxie Clay.)

When mixing the clay, I usually just eyeball the parts and so far that's been precise enough for me, I've never had any problems with the clay not curing etc. And if you actually need your clay to be more flexible or firm than usually, you can add more of one part or the other, but even then the amounts should be close to 50/50. I just scoop some of the stuff from both jars, roll them into little balls to see if they're of equal size, and then mix.

Good luck with your first experiments! I'm sure you'll get the hang of it in no time.

[Katika]

Ooh!  That leads me to another question... You mentioned working in layers - would I have to let the first layer cure completely before adding a second layer?  I know that thickness matters with oven-bake clays, but does Apoxie Sculpt tend to cure fine regardless to how thick it is?

Thank you guys SO much for your help and patience with me 

[sweetlittlejenny]

I just make little balls of each part that are the same size and then mix. Never had a problem.
Apoxie sculpt can sand to be silky smooth but definitely smooth it as much as possible before it cures so pyou have less work later.

[An-Gel Sakura]

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Just mix until green. 30mins of workable molding time, and you can pull it off before it sets. Air dries in 24hrs.

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[Griffin]

Ooh!  That leads me to another question... You mentioned working in layers - would I have to let the first layer cure completely before adding a second layer?  I know that thickness matters with oven-bake clays, but does Apoxie Sculpt tend to cure fine regardless to how thick it is?

Don't worry, it will cure no matter how thick it is, and you don't have to wait until it's completely cured either. Depends a bit on what you're making, if your sculpting causes pressure then I'd wait until the previous layer is cured, but oftentimes it's okay to continue when the clay looks and feels hard enough on the surface. But it does take several hours so I typically just leave it sit overnight between layers. I'd say it's definitely safe to continue after 12 hours, you don't need to wait for the full 24 hours.

I do love the fact that you can carve and sand Apoxie so easily after it's cured! That's one of the biggest advantages compared to polymer clays, at least Fimo does not sand well at all and carving is difficult too, it breaks easily.   

[Tabbyclaw]

I know that thickness matters with oven-bake clays, but does Apoxie Sculpt tend to cure fine regardless to how thick it is?

Apoxie's curing is entirely an "internal" chemical reaction and it will cure under pretty much any condition (although I think temperature may affect the curing time to a small degree?). You can leave it underwater and it'll still cure just as hard.

-Tabby
the princess with claws

[LadySatine]

It definitely takes a lot of practice to get the hang of using apoxie sculpt, but don't let that scare you. Make lots of test ponies; fakies are really good for that use.

[TexasGal]

*stalking*  I need to know all this too

[Bibsy]

I didn't ask the question, but I've been meaning to    Thanks for all the info.  I'll be checking back in soon(ish) with my first custom.

[Sunshine]

I am on the low end of the learning curve for sure...

[Bibsy]

I should have asked this before, but would apoxie sculpt be suitable to use to create something like the ponywear hats that could be removable?  It seems like apoxie would dry a lot harder, but I don't really know what other options there are.  Thanks.

[Tabbyclaw]

Depends on what you're trying to do. You can make removable bits with Apoxie Sculpt -- a layer of plastic wrap and/or petroleum jelly will prevent it from sticking to the pony while you're sculpting -- but as there is no flexibility to it once it's cured you have to design something that can slip on and off the pony without bending. With a hat, that will mostly mean being mindful of the size and shape of the earholes and always making sure that the bottom of every opening is its widest part.

-Tabby
the princess with claws