Cheap Sculpture Tools

Sculpting with bare hands it’s not the best idea, trust me I've done it for a month so far, and since tools sometimes can be really expensive or shops don’t sell want you are looking for, I decided to join Build a Tool contest and make some cheap sculpting tools.

Memory Wire https://www.amazon.com/Beadalon-Memory-Bracelet-Si...

Metal tubes https://www.amazon.com/PRECISION-METALS-8127-RND-...

Large Eye Stitching Niddle https://www.amazon.com/Crafts-Big-Hand-Sewing-Nee...

Wood (a dense kind of wood is the best; I used bamboo)

Tools:

Drill, Pliers

Following the pictures, shape the memory wire to create loops, triangles and more; you will need a Plier and a drill.

Use the drill to twist the wire: tight 2 filaments in the chuck of the drill and stop the other edge with the pliers, then start drilling; the wire will start twisting. Stop when it is really tight. You will need this kind of wire for a couple of tools.

When you shape the forms be sure to leave some extra wire.

Cut 3 tubes of the length of 20/25 cm. They will be the handle of the tools.

Insert the shaped wire in the tubes and then press with the plier on the edge of the tube (1 inch).

Do the same on the other side of the tube with another shape.

Insert the needle in the tube and repeat the process but be sure the needle is not moving, you don’t want to punch a hole in a sculpture and lose the needle in there :)

Using elastics or tape make a grip around the edges of the tool.

Using a knife sketch the shape of the wooden tools that you want and then start the sanding process; I made different forms like pointed, rounded( i used it the most ), triangular ( good for texture) and flat.

You now have a full set of clay sculpture tools, they work with many kinds of clay as Super Sculpey Clay( used mainly for characters) or the classic one even when is leather/ bone dry.