As the title suggests I need help smoothing clay. I use sculpey in my scratchbuilds but the surface is covered in pits and little inconsistancies. I have looked on the net but not much in the way of technique. Can anyone help me please?

Hi Mark,

i use also sculpey ("Firm" and "Super") and i use several methods to smooth it.

When it's not dry i generally use 3 ways :

-(cigarette) Lighter petrol, like for the "zippo", (in french it calls "essence F", i don't know the enhlish word). But you have to take a lot of care, just a LITTLE LITTLE LITTLE amount on an old paint brush if you don't want your sculpey to melt and destroy your scratch !

- Demolding vaseline (or vaseline oil), on an old paint brush, less efficient than petrol but less aggressive too !

- But the most usefull (for me) are the "color shapers" (availables in different shapes in the art shops on the oil paint tools shelves; they are sometimes call "clay shapers") , it needs more work and patience, and of course you can mix color shaper + vaseline oil or petrol.

Do attempts before you begin the "real" work

When it's dry i use finishing abrasives, like the Tamiya's, especially for large surfaces, it's not easy with little folds for example...

Well, hoping to have helped you...

Cheers and good luck
nico

Thx Nico

Have you ever heard about using Johnston's Baby Oil? (Don't know if they have that in France or not)

As far as technique, is there any trick beyond just smoothing an area out with a tool or finger?

Also, could water work instead?