Maryanne Oldenburg

The first tool I used to teach myself how to sculpt, is still my favorite. It's the simple "orange stick" used for manicures, from the drugstore. But it has since evolved from wood to metal and in several different sizes. Everyone of my students gets a hand made one, thanks to my DH.

Second to that has to be my "double pointed dividers", can't live without them.

And third, but certainly not least is my "wallpaper seam roller". It's the best for smoothing larger areas of clay. Oh, and then there's the short knitting needles in different sizes! And, and, and.......

Susan Dunham

A great tool for me is a modeling tool that fits my hand. Made from a proper material that does not stick to any clay or other modeling material. After visiting Germany and other countries, I found that the traditional modeling tool was made of African Ebony. Modelers who had these in their studios had their fathers and grandfathers initials carved in them. The older the tools were the shorter they were! Decades of usage had made them wear down or break off.

You cannot buy a modeling tool that is fit to the women's hand size. So I made my own in a likely shape that can model about anything. I have designed and made a tool of African Ebony that does fit a women's hand and is useful for about everything. It is sold for 20.00 plus 3.00 postage. Once you put it in your hand you do not want to put it down.

Hedy Katin

Here is my favorite tool tip for sculpting a doll head out of potter's clay or sculpey®. I like to use the tip of a crochet hook. Especially the ones that are rounded on the ends. Size depends on the size of the doll, but a good all round size is E - #4. I use this end of the tool to create the shape of the nostrils and eyelids. It works great, smoothes as well as leaves a great line impression.

Jean Lotz

A machinist's marking gauge is an essential tool for me. My eyes play tricks on me so I use a machinist's marking gauge to help me draw straight reference lines on my doll heads and check features as I sculpt. This tool has a heavy base and several adjustable pointers that stick out from an adjustable vertical rod. I check eyes, nose, mouth corners, and ears with this tool. For example: I can set one of the points to hit right in the corner of an eye and then rotate the head to see if the corresponding point on the other eye is level.

Myra Sherrod

I whittle and sand manicure sticks into the shape I need at the moment. I also insert various needles - needlepoint and sail are two of my favorites - eye-end, into short pieces of dowel rods, which creates a nifty metal tool with a wooden handle. I drill a hole into the end of the dowel rod with a Dremel bit, then glue the needle into it with five-minute epoxy. Helps to have a drill press for this, but it can be done without one. Just takes concentration, a clamp and a steady hand.

My "Perfect Touch" tools [are essential] for sculpting. Walter Vaughn is a "Tool God". I also couldn't function without my small protractor (compass) for sizing eyes, etc., and my six-inch 'pica pole,' which is a metal ruler that shows not only inches, but pica and agate measurements, as well. These latter two are smaller increments (sometimes even 1/8 of an inch is too much), and I've never figured out the metric system.

Return to Top of Page