“Lose the Fear of Greenstuff”
Intent:
My primary intent is to assist any gamer to take a miniature (whether it is historical in nature, fantasy based, sci-fi in look, or accompanying a role playing game) and customize it according to whim, or the needs of his or her game. The secondary intent is to allow gamers to create stunning works of sculptured art that can be proudly displayed in any home curio cabinet (or museum) for the adoration of family, friends, neighbors, and yes, even your significant others or spouses. The final product will be so stunning, that spouses will willingly remove floral arrangements and collectible teapots so that your miniature can be proudly displayed as the dining room table centerpiece. (Ok, like they really care).
Important things to note:
A -Green is sticky, so deal
Do not mix water into the green, or on your hands before handling it. Blending water into the green will change its consistency and make it too soft. Also it will alter the dry time, and timing is crucial. Green sticks best to a surface when it’s soft. Detail is best added once it starts curing because it holds its form better at this point. Face it, greenstuff is sticky.
B – It’s like taffy, just don’t eat it.
C – Where do I put it?
Keep the green in your palm or on a plastic bag after mixing prior to working. Anywhere else it will stick.
D – Keep your tool wet
Sponge Blister SquarePants
Green will stick to other things.
Anytime your sculpting tool touches greenstuff. It must have moisture. otherwise it will stick to your tools, as well as pulling the green you’ve worked hard to sculpting.
Get a blister top, cut a sponge and place on the blister top. Add water. The amount of moisture that leeches up into the sponge is the amount u need .
E – Even Steven.
Blue is the hardner, yellow is the extender….50/50 is still the best mix. Otherwise it will cure pliable w too much of one or the other.
F – It’s alive!
It’s not like clay. Green shifts and moves. Push in on one side, the opposite side will push out. What happens is a tendency to overwork due to compensating from the shifting of the green. Work in layers!
Rather than sculpting w green, you’re pushing it.
G -Less is more.
Unlike traditional sculpting techniques you cannot easily remove it off once you’ve added it on, so use small amounts.
H – Stack it.
Build your green up in layers for more complex objects and let cure to create structure and prevent new green from shifting too much. Create an armature underneath, even for the simplest things if needed.
I -I can see into the future.
You need to be able to see your finished product and break it down to its simplest form. Remember it’s all about the layers. So you start from the base, and build the details up.
J -Attack of the clones.
Working w green takes time. Wait time can get frustrating. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, so make more than one of the same thing at a time. This doesn’t mean you will finish sculpting a dozen of the same model by the end. Rather it will help you make that one good sculpt.
K – No fingerprints.
You have the tools at your disposal to remove them during, and what you miss you can scrape off once cured. Rubber gloves?…It feels better without.
L – Dough boy
Once the green is cured get an xacto blade and scrape over the surface, to get a nice hard edge. Even w organic sculpts I scrape to get rid of that doughy look. Once u scrape cured green it will look bone dry. You can re-moisturize the green using the grease on the corner of your nose or ear. This is just for aesthetic reasons if you’re shooting a pic of your finished model. If you use an oil to moisturize, you will need to wash it afterwards before u add more green or for painting. Please note when you’re scraping the blade across the surface of the cured green, it cannot be angled at all….that’s cutting.
M – Patience Daniel Son.
Breaking down what you want to sculpt into its simplest form in your head, building up in layers, curing time, making more than one of the same thing to get that one good one, preventing n removing prints..All of that plus cure time. You have no choice but to be patient.
Now I know how Charlie felt like walking into that edible room in Willie Wonka! Thanks for all these awesome tips!