Paper Clay; Trying to find the one that works best for me

So I have been back in the studio to work with paper clay. Paper clay is an air dry clay used by many amazing artist. With so many clays out there I am trying to find the one that works best for me. When you switch clays you change not just your sculpting techniques, but painting techniques as well. What I have discovered so far is this.

I prefer Das clay over Creative paper clay.

 I think that it is smoother and less gritty.  It seems to have a bit more elastic property that reacts better with traditions sculpting techniques.

Das paper clay



Creative paper clay

I start with a Styrofoam ball that has been shaped.  Paper clay takes a while to dry, so thin layers was the answer. I had to put it in the oven on low temperatures. I didn't find any real cracks small hair line ones that are easily fixed.

 

 2.Paint- Most artist that work in paper clay don't do dark skin tones. So they use water color, makers, pencil or oil paint. Since I only work in ethnic skin tones I had to find a painting technique that would work for me.  I tried, for months to use (after taking a class with the master EJ Taylor) traditional oil paint. The process of layer upon layer was working, except that the slightest nick or wrong brush stroke would pull up the bottom layers back to the white clay. Not easy to fix.

This is traditional oil paint method.

 So I bought some Genesis heat set oil paint. This paint is usually used on "reborn silicone" dolls. I watched a lot of videos and thought to give it a try.

Like traditional oil paint, for art dolls, you work in thin layers.