Batty bat (foam clay, felt): IN PROGRESS

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Some progress pics of another felt and foam clay project. I wanted it to be lightweight and have pose-able wings, so I went with foam clay and felt again. I really enjoy the aesthetic that felt lends to this sort of sculpture. For the wings/legs/ armature I used some “soft plant wire” or “gardening wire.” It’s meant to be used to tie growing vines to a structure without harming the plant, but that also makes it ideal as an armature for a soft sculpture. Don’t have to worry about blunting the sharp edge of the wire, and it keeps it shape well enough without being heavy and stiff. I used aluminum foil as a base for the foam clay because foam clay doesn’t like to stay in the shape that I want as it dries. Although I admit, it was nice to be able to smooth out the fingerprints and small imperfections with a little water after it had cured.

Non-pro tip for aluminum foil armatures: lots of stuff hates sticking to aluminum foil, but everything loves sticking to floral tape. Including other floral tape. I happened to have an abundance of floral tape from a florist who was going out of business (estate sales are goldmines for raw materials) but I’m pretty sure you can buy it at any dollar store. It will wrap around any weird or delicate contours without affecting the original shape. For stuff like say, papier mâché, it is AMAZING.

Also: This has been in my head for 3 months O_O

Carnivorous Plant (felt, foam clay, paper clay)

I had a lot of fun and a lot of headaches with this project. Although foam clay is light weight and easily sticks to itself it also doesn’t take detail very well, shrinks as it cures, and melts if water gets on it accidentally, (even after fully cured.) So I needed to seal it but I didn’t want it to be glossy or shiny, (except for the mouth and tongue). Finding a good matte sealant actually turned out to be the hardest part of the whole project.

I experimented with various methods of sealing it, (I had a control and everything) by suspending some cured foam clay in water over night that had been sealed using various methods. Matte Mod Podge, Liquitex Matte Varnish (which did not have a matte finish btw, it was actually quite glossy) and even just plain white glue because why not? It dries clear and mostly matte. Surprisingly Windsor Newton Matt Medium was the best option, and the only one that completely protected the foam clay from melting. And it looks pretty good I think, although the “No Loss of Colour Depth” on the label isn’t exactly accurate. It did mute the color of the paint quite a bit. I guess I can live with it if it protects the structure underneath.

I also sealed the pot it’s “planted” in because it is just cardboard covered in paper clay (paper shredded til its almost a powder + water) and it needed to have some protection from moisture as well.

I should probably take more process photos next time I do something like this. Also I should probably clean up my workspace more before I take photos. People will think I’m disorganized and messy, and I am, but why should people get to think that?