Hey /diy/, I was wondering if any of you have had experience

>>1186906
You should 3D print it, even if you only want one and it's faster and easier to sculpt by hand. 3D printing is the only way to make anything :DDD

>>1186911
no it can be done this way.
OP- once sculpted you could put a layer of mold release compound (or just some separating layer) on the sculpture and as far as resin almost any will work the difference will just be hardness and color and glossiness and such

File: 20170320_221014.jpg (382KB, 847x833px) Image search: [Google]

382KB, 847x833px

>>1186906
If u make a mold i have had PERFECT luck with 2 part castable plastic. Ez-flo 60 on amazon.

Shit gets hot and sets up fast.

DO NOT get that shit on u.

Mix quick and pour. Anywhere water could get out this will. Seal up that mold good.

>>1187225
These looked fucked up. They may have been plaster....

File: rs3_75[1].jpg (100KB, 800x600px) Image search: [Google]

100KB, 800x600px

>>1186906
The majority of the moldmaking products available work reliably ONLY if you do your sculpting with sulphur-free clay. Plastalina is the cheapest available at $11 for 2lb. The more expensive and somewhat more versatile options is to use Plasteline.

The first hurdle is casting your molds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRj6xzNx7P4

The silicone product you choose is going to depend on what properties are a priority for you. If you want extremely fine detail reproduction and want to avoid having to make 2-part or 3-part molds then your best best is Alumilite's High Strength series. They come is relatively low durometers so they're very flexible and their tear strength is really high.

https://www.alumilite.com/store/pg/47-Mold-Making-Alumilite-Mold-Making-Casting-Materials.aspx

Frankly for art objects any 2-part casting resin should be fine. You're not going to have to worry about shrinkage or dimensional tolerances. So you can let color-mixing compatibility and aesthetics dictate the resin you go with. Be aware of the pot life of different products, and make sure to compare the price points of different products on the basis of price per pound or per unit of volume. The prices are all over the place and kits lists at "1 Gallon" that have 1:1 mix ratios are actually going to provide you with 2 gallons of material volume for the kit price.

A 2:1 mix ratio kit on the other hand might be providing you with 3 gallons of material volume. And so on.

The biggest issues you are going to face or with equipment. Unless the moldmaking silicone you buy is a very low mixed viscosity it will require vacuum degassing.

And similarly if you want to be able to cast clear parts you will need a pressure pot to collapse bubbles.
>>1186911
>You should 3D print it
The surface finish of the print is going to be shit compared to a sculpt and the detail will be equally rough.

>>1186906
To get the finger prints out you can sand and wet sand the clay after it has started to dry.

When it comes to resin, many of Smooth-On's products are pretty good. Their Smooth-Cast 300 is pretty durable when it comes to thicker models with no thin pieces. https://www.amazon.com/Smooth-Smooth-Cast-Liquid-Plastic-Compound/dp/B004BN7G0E
I guess you could say it's more ceramic-like when it comes to other resins. Painting most smooth-on resins is pretty difficult though, and the pigments for dying it are pretty expensive.

For a more economical choice, Easycast clear resin is much more like PVC, and can pretty much be dyed with dollar store paints. https://www.amazon.com/Environmental-Technology-16-Ounce-Casting-Craft/dp/B000GBT8V0/ Many independent toy makers use it for figures,but it pretty much can't be painted unless you gloss over the finished (and later painted) piece with some of the same resin, using it as a sealer. There are other specialty resins out there which are commonly used in car models that come in liquid form, but I myself haven't handled them.

As for the fingerprint issue, Sculpey is infamous for picking up fingerprints and it is difficult to get rid of them when it comes to the firmer clay you're using. I myself have made the transition to sculpting with sculpting wax, which is easier to smooth, but if you don't want to make an additional purchase when it comes to clay, using thin rubber gloves when handling the clay can help, and can help in not getting resin on hands which is a bitch to remove from skin.