What is the sculpt made of? I know it'll be silicon later but what are you shaping?

I ask because I've had bad results with clay, moderate success with sculpey and am thinking of trying plaster next.

That's just plain plastilina oil-based clay. It takes some getting used to, but I find it easy to work with, once you get the hang of it. There are a couple of tricks which help.

First, get the right tools; the little wood and metal shaping tools are invaluable when it comes to detail work. I couldn't imagine doing it just with hands.

Second, is one which I have seen debate over; some people swear by it, others claim it's a terrible idea. If you get some light oil (I use butcher block oil, since I know that will be non-toxic), you can use that to help smooth the surface.

This clay should never harden, which helps, as well.

Ah, I have a water-based clay. It's great to work with but once it dries it's brittle as hell.

I have the metal shaping tools, and you're right, I couldn't work without them.

I'll keep an eye out for the oil.

Thanks for the tips!