Post #663642 by danlovestikis on Thu, Jan 10, 2013 8:09 AM

MadDogMike thank you it just comes from practice and never giving up. As you know clay is very forgiving and allows you to change it over and over again.

hang10tiki (: he thanks you too.

TikiAno never be afraid to try. Just pick something and work with the clay. It really comes down to practice.

LoriLovesTiki dartharnie allows me to have a lot of fun making these special characters. Bob is the perfect shape for customizing. Welcome back.

Progress Report:

We continue to pour Severed Heads every time the molds dry enough. When I open the mold today there will be six.

dartharnie's Bela Lugosi is almost done. Every time I take photos and study them I see what needs to be changed. Today I found that the bow tie is too small, I'll increase its size. Otherwise he's close to being finished. I'll check with dartharnie tonight.

I added ears. Rule of thumb is that ears start at the eyebrows and end at the base of the nose. The angle of the camera skews these.

Thumbs next rule is that the end of the jawline runs as far back as the ear. Not straight down but at this angle.

I removed part of the jaw.

Dracula wears a lot of layers. First I did the shirt and tie and then I added the vest.

Next I added his arms, suit and cape with collar.

More photos.

Every bit of clay that is added runs the risk of cracking. These need to dry really slowly. Checking my recent project I found that Sitting Bob had a bottom crack.

I was able to dig this crack out and fill it with a mending product.

Then I looked inside the mug and saw another crack in a different position. This is strange because the cracks were not where clay was added. I think as it dried the thicker clay of the legs and butt pulled and made the thinner clay crack. I've worked to also repair the inside. Time will tell if it is repaired.

Thank you all for checking my work and for the comments that make my day special. Wendy