Using Alcohol With Polymer Clay
Rubbing Alcohol is a great tool that is used to help smooth and blend polymer clay when sculpting. Like the Vaseline tutorial, I have several other tutorials where I give examples on how I use alcohol while sculpting (I’ve included a few examples at the bottom of this page). When I first started sculpting I used water based clay (I had never even heard of polymer clay at that time). With the water based clay I was able to achieve a smoothing and blending effect by using a wet sponge or Q-tip. However, when I started using polymer clays, water did not have the same effect. At first I tried to use water and Q-tip on my polymer clay but the results were pretty poor. After doing a lot of research on the internet I discovered that rubbing alcohol dissolves polymer clays. Thanks to other polymer clay artist I was able to learn that alcohol on a Q-tip, sponge or paint brush has the same effect as water on water based clay. I have experimented with different potencies of rubbing alcohol and found that not all are created equal.
From my own experimentation I have discovered the following:
70% alcohol – takes quite a bit more strokes to blend and smooth the clay. You can get the effect that you are looking for but it is going to take a lot more patience and time.
91% alcohol – seems to be the magic formula since it is not too aggressive and doesn’t require too much effort to use. However overuse can produce a tacky surface on the clay (until the clay dries out).
99% alcohol – recently found 99% alcohol at my local grocery store and thought I would give it a try. The 99% alcohol is pretty aggressive so you have to use it with caution. Another issue is that when you over use it the clay starts to get a white film on it. I do like the 99% alcohol but it is one that I have to use more caution with to avoid erasing some of the finer details in some of my sculptures. Here are a few examples of past tutorials where I have used alcohol during the sculpting process.
http://www.polymerclayfan.com/sculpting-veins.htm
http://www.polymerclayfan.com/sculpting-hair.htm
http://www.polymerclayfan.com/torso-details.htm
Rubbing alcohol may not be used from the beginning to the end in the sculpting process but it is one of the key tools used in sculpting. In fact I would have to say that rubbing alcohol is in my top five sculpting tools that I can not live without. It is the key ingredient that will help you turn a rough work of art into a masterpiece.
Go out and experiment with it and happy sculpting,
Gerald
thnak again, I was having lots of trouble softening clay”areas with detail and rough parts”you have isnpired me.
Thank you so much for your tips and sharing. I am beginner in clay sculpting, and I think I will spend lots of time reading your blog to improve. Thanks again.