have to handle the body too much later.  The

other tutorial on head hands and feet can help

 you get started if you are unfamiliar with this.

I've fitted the base post of my sculpt into a brass

tube that just fits over it and is epoxied into a

small base.  This cuts down on over handling

the clay and reduces dirt specks.  I keep adding

clay and refining the muscle groups all around

to keep the sculpt flowing into the pose I've

chosen.  I never add too much to one area at a time,

trying always to bring each part along to the same

 level of completion.  Sometimes it helps to leave

 a piece for a while and do something else.  When

 you come back a few hours later you will be surprised

at what you didn't see before.  For this reason, I

It's best to sculpt these separate and add them

 to the ends of the wire and smooth into the rest

 of the clay.  I am constantly smoothing and

turning the sculpt around to smooth or add clay

and smooth again.  If you find bits of dust or dirt

on the surface of your sculpt you can gently

scrape it away using the sharp edge of a craft

knife.  If it goes too deep into the clay it is best

 to cut it out and smooth new clay into the area.

If I am sculpting a faery, now is the time to make

the slots for adding wings later.  If you forget you

will need to cut them into the cured clay and it is

never as smooth and clean looking.  All this time

you can make small adjustments in the pose by

gently bending the wire.  Larger adjustments will

require that you cut into the clay so you can grasp

the wire with a needle nose pliers.  Pushing too

I continue to smooth and clean up all around

the sculpt, adding details as I go.  For the darker

 colored areas, like the nipples, I mix a tiny bit

of pink and brown into a bit of flesh color and

apply to the area and shape.  When I have made

sure it is as smooth as I can make it with my hands

 all around I take a small filbert paint brush and

dip it into a very small amount of Sculpy diluent.  I

use this to gently brush out any remaining tool

marks.  If you don't think this is necessary you

might take your sculpt out into the sunlight and

look it over carefully.  You will be amazed at what

natural sunlight will show up that was invisible

At last it's time for curing.  I gently lay the finished

 sculpt on a thick bed of  polyester fiberfill quilt batting.

Once it is supported all around with batting I gently

lay a fluffy piece of batting on top to protect the piece

from scorching.  I bake it the required temperature for

15 to 20 minutes longer than the clay requires.  This

makes sure the clay doesn't under cure because of the

batting insulation.  It needs to be left undisturbed until

it cools completely.  The warm clay is very fragile and

will develop cracks and breakage if handled.  Now that

she is all cured she is ready for feature painting, hair