ABSTRACT
This chapter presumes that our lifecast positive has been cleaned up a bit already–minor imperfections repaired and edges smoothed and rid of any roughness. Often it is necessary to brush a very light layer of petroleum jelly over the surface of our stone positive, then rub it into the surface; this will help the oil clay adhere to it. Robert Burns' Cutting Edge Sculpture (CES) also offers an excellent selection of beautiful sculpting tools. The most common tools authors will use for their sculpture are rakes, wires (loops), steels (scrapers), and hoggers. Rakes are serrated tools used for removing clay efficiently. Wires or loops are useful for intricate detail work and they don't need much pressure to remove clay from the sculpture. Since the makeup will eventually cover the entire head, one wants to make certain that there is a minimum thickness around the head to prevent overstretching of the appliance or buckling during application, which will create serious headaches.
