Linking the Sapient Dream

Hi I'm Psy and I draw psychedelic creatures and stuff. https://linktr.ee/psychonautic

[psycho-nautic]

My first bjd design is done! I made this to be used as a base for commissions. 2nd pic is the original design(I separated the hands/feet for easier stringing)

Shes 5in tall printed in dyed resin. I ended up painting a base anyway because the dye I got was more cyan than blue. I also planned to make a shirt but it went poorly so I scrapped it. Currently making an 8in and 12in design

[psycho-nautic]

Finally finished the big thing I wanted to use my printer for, a ball jointed doll! I really like the gradients and there's a nice purple/pink glow under the scales but my camera couldn't really catch. He's larger than the actual animal but that's ok, bigger dolls are easier to assemble

STL files here(I didn't make the design)

Make sure to use a flexible material, I used water washable resin which is extremely hard and had to sand the neck and head to attach them

[psycho-nautic]

It's a doom cacodemon cookie, a cacocookie! 

 Made and printed this out of resin which is not food safe, probably even after sealed but whatever it was a test

I made 3 variants(including one that makes it harder for the dough to get stuck), that you can download here

[psycho-nautic]

I got a 3D printer and printed a bunch of stuff like these qt phone holders! I forgot to scale them up to account for my phones case so they don't really fit :( Also ended up chipping a dragon toe trying to remove from the build plate because I don't listen when advised "don't print directly on the build plate(on a resin printer)"

Links to stl files(not my design!): Bat Dragon(and other animals) COMMISSION INFO REDBUBBLE STORENVY

[psycho-nautic]

Praying dragons

Available in color and solid white on redbubble

[psycho-nautic]

SPACE BOIS

Decided to paint my remaining dreggon and lynx in a space theme to match the salamander. Lynx | Dreggon | Salamanderboi

[psycho-nautic]

 Hi its been a while, as usual I’m too lazy to post on more than 2 sites at a time

Anyway I have an actual camera now and retook pics of most of the items in my shop

[psycho-nautic]

The latest Tweets from psychonautic (@psycho_nauticB). Art acc of @psycho_nautic, pls direct all dms there I like to draw and sculpt colorful creatures I also run a discord for crafty lads https://t.co/btgfZob2w8

Hi I reluctantly made an art twitter 

[psycho-nautic]

Painted these two up in a sunshine theme. I will most certainly not be using brush on varnish anymore, the amount of lint I had to scrape off took longer than it did to paint! Lil lynx Baby salamander boi

I post more wips in my craftyfrens discord server :) COMMISSION INFO

[psycho-nautic]

Aqua lil lynx! 2.8in tall. I assure you the green looks better irl it just doesn't photograph well :( Available here! I post more wips in my craftyfrens discord server :) COMMISSION INFO

[psycho-nautic]

He is finally finished! Cast in strong resin(seriously I dropped it and surprisingly the horns didn't break) Available here! I post more wips in my craftyfrens discord server :) COMMISSION INFO

[psycho-nautic]

A whole bunch of baby salamanders have been added to my shop! The last 3 are sold at a discount because they have some blisters on their backs u_u

I also listed one of 3 jet black dragons I have as a miscast because I don’t have a belt sander to fix the bad overpour, plus many bubbles.

[psycho-nautic]

New patterns/stickers in my shop!

[psycho-nautic]

another doodle camo pattern for my redbubble!

[psycho-nautic]

Recent doodle based patterns I’ve uploaded to my redbubble!

[psycho-nautic]

Polymer, Monster, and Epoxy A clay guide

Made a lil guide mostly for my discord group, but others may find it helpful as well! I’m basing this on personal experience as someone who prefers firmer clay

On the left is monster clay, right is polymer. The greenish parts on the bottom are epoxy

Polymer clay

Brands I've tried: Sculpey(original, super, firm, medium), Fimo

The most common clay, soft until baked. Personally I recommend sculpey over fimo if you plan on doing anything other than just nudging the clay together, as fimo tends to crack when smoothed. Perhaps I just had an old batch. Compared to monster clay it has a more soft/smooth look. Average cost is $8-$15 for 1ib.

An example of the cracking I got with fimo while smoothing(pictured is old sculpey)

Pros: 

Easy to use. Easier to smooth than monster clay imo

Cons:

Must be baked. Somewhat brittle in my experience. Must be bulked out with foil and wire, something I personally detest. It is a bit greasy and will stain paper and some other surfaces

Tips:

Smooth with isopropyl alcohol or sculpey clay softener

When baking, place a blanket of foil over the piece to prevent scorching

Detached horns/wings/etc can be baked on a bed of fiberfill to prevent them from flattening on the bottom

Try to buy clay from reputable art stores, since they're most likely to have newer stock

If your clay is crumbly and hard, mix in a small amount of cooking oil to soften it(too much will make it very soft). Tip learned here

Monster clay

This is a wax based clay, often used for prototyping and moldmaking, comes in 3 grades of firmness. Compared to polymer clay it has a more rough/carved look. Average cost is $30 for a 5ib tub.

Pros:

Can be melted down and reused. Great for carving. A better investment If you plan on doing a lot of moldmaking

Cons:

It can be difficult to make 2 part molds with. I personally find it harder to smooth. If it's too hot in the room your pieces will sag

Tips:

Smooth with mineral spirits or the monster makers clay solvent

You can achieve a "swollen" effect using a flame or heat gun

Coffee warmers make a great setup to keep melted clay on standby

If you need it extra firm, put it in the freezer for a bit

Epoxy clay

Brands I've tried: Apoxie sculpt

This is a 2 part compound that cures in a few hours depending on the brand. Not recommended for beginners. It has a similar look to polymer clay. Average cost is $20 for a 1ib kit.

Pros:

Much stronger than polymer clay. Sticks to most surfaces, making it better for customizing vinyl figures.

Cons:

It’s VERY sticky, you will have to keep your hands and tools wet

Tips:

Smooth with water or safety solvent

Wait 15 min after mixing before starting, it will be slightly easier to handle

Work in layers

I found it gets less sticky as it get older

You can mix in polymer clay as a 1:1:1 mix ratio. It will extend working time and make it easier to handle, but be slightly less strong. No baking needed. Tip learned from emilysculpts

you can use epoxy for the more fragile parts in your polymer sculpts(some brands like free form sculpt can’t be baked)

Other clays types I don't go into detail about because I don't like them:

Air dry: I really don't like it, too soft and cracks easily. I think amaco was the brand I used

Plasticine: Too sticky, I've used jolly king, claytoon, and sculptex(soft), which are all very soft

[psycho-nautic]

Available here! Painted a cast made from a botched mold. Not really feelin the paint job tbh so discount! Also taking preorders for blanks, along with the regular salamander boi I post more wips in my craftyfrens discord server :) COMMISSION INFO