Building Up the Pre Primary Form

Begin to add aluminum foil to the armature. Work the whole piece. Try to avoid working one area then going to the next. Do the head, neck, shoulders and base so that the aluminum is unified. Use hands and the roller to twist, press and tap the aluminum onto the armature so that it is compact, tight, and smooth. Avoid loose aluminum foil.

Building up the surface in this way gives the sculpey something to stick to. It also gives the artists an idea on how to pose the portrait for the best effect.

Use the drawings to determine how much bulk is required. Keep in mind the sculpey should be anywhere from 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick over the top of the aluminum foil.

Mount the armature to an appropriately sized board. Place the three loops at the bottom of the armature on the board. Place a screw through the loop and drive the screw into the wood with a drill. Use three 1/2 inch wood screws. Wood screws have little points at the end of the shaft. Crimp the loops around the screws to make sure they are tight and stable.

If the sculpture seems a little unstable add washers under each screw to hold the loops in place more securely. Another option is to use a small amount of well kneaded plumbers puddy (the quick set brand - sets in 3 min.) over the top of the screw. this does two things: it smoothes the top of the screw and adds strength.