GS Tips

Hi everyone iv just got my GS in the post and since this will be my first time useing it i thought it would be a good idea to seek advice first, so short story shorter i need tips and more inportantly how to use it. Thx in advance.

Doc

Well I'll some small tips. Get good sculpting tools with different heads, the best ones are usually the ones you do yourself. When you mix the substances, you want to have slightly more of the yellow stuff over the blue, since it's the actual stuff and the blue is just what hardens it. Water is good to have in a pot or glass when you sculpt. Don't get any in your eyes so avoid rubbing them if you are handling greenstuff. I usually do the mistake of mixing up too much greenstuff than I actually require, so less is better if you don't want to waste it. It's good to have some minor ideas what else to sculpt in case you do mix some excess of it (maybe boost your bases, make tiny skulls or that kind of stuff).

Other tips would be:

- Make sure it is thoroughly mixed, no streaks at all
- Don't do too much at once or you end up putting fingers in bits you've already done and ruining it
- Only mix up small amounts at a time. You can always mix up more if you need it, but mixing loads and then wasting it makes your bank account cry
- Don't panic if your first attempts aren't great, you will only improve by practicing
- Always have lots of reference material nearby. Pictures, books, whatever else. Makes it easier to see how things should look.

Woa... this threat is becoming a gold mine fast! I'm NOT sculptor... just started myself. The little I can offer...

Wet Your Fingers
When I mixed GS, I always ended with some GS stuck to my fingers and constantly left GS fingerprints everywhere (caused my wife to banned me to the garage years ago). I could never understand how 'those guys' could sculpt using GS... then someone told me the secret. BEFORE mixing GS parts... wet your fingers with some water. I mean just dip your index and thumb (each hand) in your water cup! . That is PLENTY to avoid having the GS all over the place. WHAT!?! Ohhh.... Perverts...

Get Some Tools
Listen to the Kaptain... get some tools (I just got me some from GaleForce 9). Think of them like your brushes... at first, you don't know/care for anything specific but after painting 3 or 4 models, you start 'wanting' some specific things (like thicker handle or longer bristles) that few days ago you would have thought of as a silly complaint. Practice a little with your 'generic' tools... the more you use them, the more you would want something specific. THEN, customize your tools... even if you have to grind them! MUAHAHAH! For the longest time I tried to experiment with just a toothpick as my tool. I'm also known for my outstanding level of stupidity. During ALL that time, I though that GS sculpting was beyond me... stupid toothpicks!

Get the Right Project
Seriously man... when we started painting we dreamed of painting at a 'eavy Metal level... those of you that understood that it took practice (because I failed in realizing this fact) had a great newbie experience. Sure... we still dream about that Golden Demon, but we now understand it takes some practice. With sculpting is the same. If you dream of using some paper clips as an armature and sculpt the next Emperor vs Horus models, you will be for a rough awakening. Instead, try little things first. Baby steps. I first starting "filling gaps" for my models (and some of my friend's)... then adding 'fur' to animals... then graduated to changing a cloth cape to a fur cape... then adding hair, then giving hair to the bald (heheheheh Hair-Club for Miniatures?) Finally I'm into adding clothing... and maybe some day muscle.

Like painting there are many techniques... get the basic ones first and you will enjoy your GS adventure! Good luck... and keep us posted!

I took these pictures of some notice bords at gamesday which have good sculpting tips:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

The one for heads looks very dificult so I wouldnt start with those especialy as you get plenty of spares in plastic kits anyway.

I put the pictures as spoilers as they are quite big

Wow! Are those some preview pages of an upcoming GW modelling book?

Thanks everyone for the help, since i haven't got any models yet ive reliberated some of my brothes spare bits and experimented/practiced with the GS at the moment ive only got to filling a gap because things kept getting in the way (as they do). Please keep posting as i think this would be a nice sticky for the less experience gamers.

Doc

I'm not sure if they're for a book. the three column layout would be a little odd and its not very GW to tell you how to make your own rather than buy their shiney new plastic kit.
but then maybe this is one of the good things that comes through like white dwarf articles for free download on their website?

awesome tutorial stuff ! could you perhaps email me those pictures?

Paluke, open the spoiler, right-click the image and choose "save picture as".