Working With Greenstuff

[Oscilioth]

Hey guys,

Just looking to get some tips on working with greenstuff, I've been fiddling around with it for a couple of years now and I'm fairly comfortable making amorphous blobs and the like, but doing anything much harder than that seems like it would be very difficult.

I have trouble getting the greenstuff to a workable state, I cut a bit off and mix it to green and then dunk my tools or fingers in water and place it where I want it to go, but it's really hard to get it to stick to anything. It prefers to stick to my fingers or the tool, unless I get them really wet, in which case it won't stick to anything. Am I doing it wrong?

If I do get it to stick down then doing any kind of work is difficult on it because it just pulls it up and it falls off again.

I am mainly using it now to get my models to stand on their base and to fill in the tab at the same time, but even that is hard to do.

Is there an obvious problem somewhere? Is it the water? Do I need to leave it to dry after I mix it and before I work it? Is it just too old? I've had the same coil since I started using it 2 or 3 years ago, it's been kept in the freezer.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks guys

[Mako]

If its been in the freezer, it should be ok. The thing I'd guess at is that the water from your fingers and tools is getting onto the putty where it touches the model. Which will stop it sticking. I actually press green stuff into place with my fingers, then use a damp (licking it is enough) tool to get the rough shape. After that, you can let it stiffen for quarter of an hour if you like, then use wet tools to shape it neatly.

If you have too much water around, it gets in the way and ecause of the pressure from your fingers/tools, the green stuff will always stick there first...

The other thing is, are the models cleaned, grease free, and not perfectly smooth? Bare model that's been roughened with a file, then washed dried fully is the best surface to get it to stick to.

[Oscilioth]

Should I be washing my models?

[Haytu2]

My advice (and people will argue with me about it) is to buy some milliput. Better product for a much better price, and not as much water wierdness.

[Ratty]

But milliput can be a bit brittle and not as fine. I do find a mix of greenstuff and porcelein Milliput gives you a great material that is almost indestructable.

Get a couple of Clay Shapers, they are rubber tipped tools. I would recommend the grey medium stiffness ones, I generally use a bullet nosed one most often, though I also use the wedge. The rubber does not stick to the greenstuff so it's really good for applying and working with the stuff.

[Mako]

Should I be washing my models?

It's not always necessary, but if you roughen them they generally benefit from a bit of a clean, to get the powder off before you stick putty down.

Also, as mentioned, milliput can be worth a try. It and green stuff mixed makes a really sticky putty, but it doesn't have the stretch and flex of green stuff. Depends on what properties you want from your putty?

[ICleadpeople]

I use aloe vera gel to lubricate my tools. Saw it some painting video years ago and it works pretty good.

[Omenbringer]

Have you looked at this thread on Privateer Press's site (or it was originally posted on the Go4Games forum as well).

I have met the poster and can say he is absolutely amazing and definately knows his stuff. If you have any questions for him he regularly views and posts on both sites.

[the imp]

Yes you should be washing your models. As for GS, it goes through different stages of workability as it cures and the mix ratio dramatically effects its properties. Try adding more or less of the yellow element and see what happens. And, if you don't like the consistency wait five minutes and try it again. Learning to use it effectively is largely a process of trial and error in my experience. Try not to get too frustrated in the process.