Anyone can start off working toward making detailed sculptures right off the bat. It does help to have some experience with this sneaky medium and its quirks if you've never used it before.

The different brands have different issues. I'll focus on Sculpey here because it's the one I've used the most. Plain white Sculpey is very easy to work with but seems to be the most fragile. It also scorches the most easily. I place an aluminum foil tent over all of my pieces to protect them from the heat element in the toaster oven. I love the feeling of their Terra Cotta - not the one that comes in the two-ounce package but the one that comes in the one or two pound box. For some reason, there's a difference between the two. It feels like a more natural potter's clay and the pieces I've made are very resilient. The small block behaves like most of the other varieties and doesn't have that texture.

Sculpey colors are fun and can be a real help to the lazy, like me. I have poor eyesight and arthritis in my hands, so painting delicate areas is a challenge for me. Some of Sculpey's colors are absolutely gorgeous and each seems to have its individual issues. The pearl clays are beautiful but tend to react the most to the heat of your hands and "go gumby," my term for the clay getting so soft and pliable that you can't do a blessed thing with it. If this happens, no matter what type you are using, set it down and let it "rest." The pearl colors often need to rest overnight, and some went gumby again the minute I picked them back up. I've found these best for pieces that don't require a lot of handling. There's also a process called "leeching," where you place the clay between two pieces of white paper for a while. You can leave it for a day or two but be careful not to let it dry out.

Sculpey Premo is supposed to be more durable. I've seen little difference between Sculpey, Sculpey III and Premo except the price. I will buy Premo if it's on sale.

Super Sculpey is supposed to be the most durable and is more expensive. I've heard good feedback from other clayers, but I received a piece as a gift that chipped easily.

Prosculpt, developed by artist Jack Johnston, has a wonderful reputation among artists. I have not had the opportunity to try it yet but I plan to when my supply of Sculpey is depleted. Other artists have told me that it is extremely easy to work with and doesn't gumby out like Sculpey.

Fimo and Cernit are both considered superior in durability. I've used Fimo classic and it was like kneading bricks. I've tried the Fimo soft and it seems to be as durable as Sculpey. I have not used Cernit, which is not readily available in my area. Someone once commented to me that Fimo and Cernit are supposed to be "better because they come from Europe."

Whichever one you use, kneading is very important. I kneaded with my hands for a long time and had problems with air bubbles, which can cause your piece to crack in the oven. I have not had this happen since I started using a pasta machine. They're a great investment and very versatile, especially if you plan to use clay for costuming. For clothing, it's best to use the medium thickness. The very thin setting is too thin and the piece will likely chip very quickly. And of course, pasta machines are the answer for very hard clay and if you have problems with your hands or if they tire easily.

For baking, follow the manufacturer's instructions but remember that most ovens are not 100% accurate. You can check it with a thermometer or just learn by experience, as I did. My toaster oven set at 250 for most projects works very well, and I use 200 for my faux glass eyes and only fire them for ten minutes.

You can use your regular cooking oven, but it must be kept very clean. Most artists prefer a toaster or convection oven. Any kind will do, but you might want to look for the largest one you can find so that most of your pieces will fit in it. Again, an aluminum foil tent or other protection can do a lot to save your work. In a toaster oven, the piece can be very close to the heating element. Toaster ovens tend to get hotter and cook faster. I started using the tent and the leeching process after reading Maureen Carlson's newest book, Fairies, Gnomes and Trolls, two things I wish I had learned a lot sooner!

The majority of artists I've spoken with admit that learning to sculpt faces was the most difficult part of the journey. I've heard more than once (and have experienced) that many early attempts look like aliens, trolls or little old men!

Many artists and collectors feel that if a mold was used to create or cast from a piece, it is disqualified from being truly OOAK (one of a kind). Molds in flexible, easy-release materials can be purchased as well as easily made with scrap clay from an existing piece. "Pure Sculpt" means that the artist created the piece without the aid of any mold whatsoever.

For artists who want to create dolls and can not invest months of practice into their faces, using molds can be a great help. Molds are an especially good method for practicing faces because they can save time and can help teach you the proper placement of facial features. As Katherine Dewey says in her book,Creating Lifelike Figures In Polymer Clay, "the ears are part of the cranium and not the face!" The molded face can easily be manipulated and changed into something that is more your own. "Pure Sculpt" artists will likely agree that manipulating the piece doesn't make it a pure sculpt and I agree with that opinion to an extent. I feel that if one starts with a mold as a base and completely changes it, it's still an original, but that would depend upon the degree of change.

Once you have created a good face, you can make a mold to save time in improving upon it. I found this to be a great help when I finally sculpted a face that I was happy with. Some artists create an original face and then cast a mold for future work. I've seen some that claim that molds are not used, yet all of the faces in their galleries are identical. In my opinion, if they created the original face and that mold is not sold to anyone else, I would still consider it an original but some don't agree. Artist Patricia Rose states on her site (you'll find her site in the links section) that if you change a mold by at least 30 percent you can legally call it yours and sell it on E-bay.

If you prefer to use a mold to create a beautiful artist doll, I'd say to go for it as long as you present your piece honestly. You're still going to add your own touches in the pose, costume and embellishment, which still makes your doll unique.

I ran across SmartFlix.com How-To DVDs while searching for some do it yourself instructions on repairing my clothes dryer. Just for the thrill of it, I entered "polymer clay" into the site search. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I found that they not only carry basic tutorials but that they also have DVD's from some of the most famous and admired artists in the medium.

Donna Kato, Patricia Rose, Wendy Froud, Jack Johnston, Sue Heaser and White Gothic Studios are just a few among the artists and experts in the category.

These DVD's can be expensive to purchase. I know that it would take me quite a while to be able to buy all of the ones on my wish list. With SmartFlix, you can have an entire library at your fingertips! You can study up on personal finance and real estate as well as train your dog or learn to fly a plane!

The site also runs holiday specials. For Father's Day, they offered 10% off rentals. Join today and open up a whole new world!

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