It's Magic

A reader of this blog emailed a question about the substance I use to create the new faces on the old Charlies. I was also asked if an entire head can be made from the material. Here's my reply:

"I use Magic-Sculp. It's a two part compound, an epoxy and hardener, both with a clay-like texture. The two parts are kneaded together for 2 minutes. (ed: Wear latex or vinyl gloves. While non-toxic, it can be irritating to skin). It hardens at air temperature overnight. It can be sanded, drilled and sawed. It's non-toxic and easy to work with. It can be purchased online at art supply or taxidermy supply stores.

An entire head can be made with it if it's reinforced between two thin layers with sheets of gauze or fiberglass tape (which is used in drywall taping). The reinforcement should be pressed in while the first layer is still slightly soft. Without the reinforcement, a Magic-Sculp head could shatter. The reinforcement acts like rebar in concrete. Some vent builders use a mannequin head wrapped in aluminum foil as an armature. Magic-Sculp doesn't stick to the foil, though a layer of Vaseline or Mold Release would ensure a clean release. (It will stick to the mannequin).

The Magic-Sculp can be smoothed with water while sculpting. You only have about 20 minutes of working time before the Magic-Sculpt begins to be less manageable, so it's important to know what your goal is.

Some builders sculpt an entire character head from Kleen-Klay on an armature, then press 1-inch pancakes of Magic Sculp over the clay sculpture. A mold release or talcum powder should be applied to the clay sculpture so the Magic-Sculp will release.

The best source for these techniques is Mike Brose's book "Figure Making Can be Fun". It's available on his website www.puppetsandprops.com. Well worth the investment. Plus it covers animation mechanics, body building (ed: The figure's, not mine), painting, mold making, and more.

I should also state that I've never made an entire head from Magic-Sculp. As you may know from my blog, I apply Magic-Sculp to toy Charlie McCarthy heads to make my characters (called Conversion Figures). Two builders that do make entire heads from Magic-Sculp are Steve Barry of Gepetto's Workshop and Robert McRay who is famous for his "Big Head" creations. Both might be sources for further advice on the subject. You'll find links to their websites on my blog."

For the record, there is another similar product on the market named Apoxy-Sculpt. Some folks prefer it over Magic-Sculp. But like a preference for Coke or Pepsi, I'm a Magic-Sculp guy.

(I also prefer Coke.)