Resurrecting This Sculpture With Pal Tiya Premium
Pal Tiya Premium is the best medium for creating and resurrecting, strong, durable, weather-resistant sculptures. Our fortified cement clay combines the strength of stone with the workability of clay, costs a fraction of traditional sculpture materials, and outlasts them outdoors.
This article was written by a new customer of ours, Charity Becker, who asked us if she could use our medium over fully dried air-dry Das clay to recreate a sculpture.
Our answer was a resounding YES!
Pal Tiya Premium (PTP) can go directly over the Das if the Das is sealed. You can go directly to a detail coat on this surface.
If you create an initial scratch coat you can give yourself more time. The scratch coat mechanically connects all the subsequent batches no matter when they are made. The detail coat can be done at your leisure. Very small batches the size of a plum can be mixed up and applied to a region such as an eye or nose to a nice finish. Each batch will blend into the prior ones.
So, Charity got to work and a few months later sent us her finished piece, and in her words "The pictures don't so it justice-this thing is really impressive in person, and I have to give a lot of credit to your product for that. I will definitely be purchasing a lot more. I've had at least a dozen people ask if I can do something similar for them."
As you'll see, she ended up gong in a whole new direction and we're here for it. Read on to see how Charity ended up resurrecting this sculpture!
Pal Tiya Premium is the best medium for creating and resurrecting, strong, durable, weather-resistant sculptures. Our fortified cement clay combines the strength of stone with the workability of clay, costs a fraction of traditional sculpture materials, and outlasts them outdoors.
This article was written by a new customer of ours, Charity Becker, who asked us if she could use our medium over fully dried air-dry Das clay to recreate a sculpture.
Our answer was a resounding YES!
Pal Tiya Premium (PTP) can go directly over the Das if the Das is sealed. You can go directly to a detail coat on this surface.
If you create an initial scratch coat you can give yourself more time. The scratch coat mechanically connects all the subsequent batches no matter when they are made. The detail coat can be done at your leisure. Very small batches the size of a plum can be mixed up and applied to a region such as an eye or nose to a nice finish. Each batch will blend into the prior ones.
So, Charity got to work and a few months later sent us her finished piece, and in her words "The pictures don't so it justice-this thing is really impressive in person, and I have to give a lot of credit to your product for that. I will definitely be purchasing a lot more. I've had at least a dozen people ask if I can do something similar for them."
As you'll see, she ended up gong in a whole new direction and we're here for it. Read on to see how Charity ended up resurrecting this sculpture!
This was a gift for my sweetheart. His favorite Halloween decoration- a latex zombie bust -was old and falling apart, so I decided to make him a new one with the intention that it would last forever. I’m not really a sculptor - I’m a portrait artist - and the little sculpting I’ve done in the past has always been with DAS air dry clay. Air dry clay cannot withstand outdoor use, so I needed something better. I’d never used Pal Tiya Premium before, so this was a learning process. I made a lot of mistakes, but it was fun. I can say with confidence that this stuff is amazing! I will be buying a lot of this for future projects.
Below, I’ve detailed how I resurrected this zombie.
Prep:
Safety first! I had a box of gloves and cleanup supplies nearby at all times. I ran an air purifier in my studio, and I kept the windows open. Though I did all the mixing outside on my back porch, I also had a respirator with fresh filters for the initial mixing, and I used a cloth face mask while working with the wet mix indoors, just in case.
Below, I’ve detailed how I resurrected this zombie.
Prep:
Safety first! I had a box of gloves and cleanup supplies nearby at all times. I ran an air purifier in my studio, and I kept the windows open. Though I did all the mixing outside on my back porch, I also had a respirator with fresh filters for the initial mixing, and I used a cloth face mask while working with the wet mix indoors, just in case.
Armature:
The armature is wire, cardboard, wooden dowels, aluminum foil, and wax paper. The wax paper may sound odd for a sculpture like this, but I needed it to add “bounce” while I was working with the initial clay layers before I applied Pal Tiya Premium (PTP). Go ahead and have a giggle, but we all have odd quirks!
The armature is wire, cardboard, wooden dowels, aluminum foil, and wax paper. The wax paper may sound odd for a sculpture like this, but I needed it to add “bounce” while I was working with the initial clay layers before I applied Pal Tiya Premium (PTP). Go ahead and have a giggle, but we all have odd quirks!
I lost track of how many layers of foil I used to make this piece. It was a lot. I’m sure I could have used less, but I had no idea how the PTP would work yet, so I chose to overdo the armature, just to be safe. The completed armature was quite sturdy.
You can see the old, broken zombie decoration behind my armature. I kept it nearby for reference and measurements.
Originally, I planned to perfectly recreate the old zombie, but as I played with the PTP, I realized I could do so much more with this medium than the original foam and latex version.
You can see the old, broken zombie decoration behind my armature. I kept it nearby for reference and measurements.
Originally, I planned to perfectly recreate the old zombie, but as I played with the PTP, I realized I could do so much more with this medium than the original foam and latex version.
Base Layers:
I know a lot of artists use PTP right from the start. I was not yet confident with it, so I planned to use my old familiar DAS air dry clay as a base layer. This could pose some problems, however.
I knew that PTP was a wet material, and that it would not work well with absorbent underlayers. DAS is very absorbent, and it would likely suck all the moisture out of PTP. So, I knew I’d need to seal the dry clay before adding PTP. I just wasn’t sure how. I reached out to the company for advice, and they hadn’t heard of anyone doing it this particular way yet. So… I guess I get to be a trailblazer!
I made a small ball out of the same materials I was using for the zombie so I could test my theory. I dried the DAS clay thoroughly, then applied several layers of Krylon Triple Thick Clear Glaze Aerosol Spray. After that cured for 24 hours, I applied PTP. I let that cure as directed on the website.
After my test ball was fully cured, I took it outside and threw it on the ground. It was perfect. Not a dent, scratch, or blemish. No damage of any kind! I felt confident my plan was going to work.
At this point, I was still planning to recreate the original zombie, seen here whispering sweet nothings to the new guy.
I know a lot of artists use PTP right from the start. I was not yet confident with it, so I planned to use my old familiar DAS air dry clay as a base layer. This could pose some problems, however.
I knew that PTP was a wet material, and that it would not work well with absorbent underlayers. DAS is very absorbent, and it would likely suck all the moisture out of PTP. So, I knew I’d need to seal the dry clay before adding PTP. I just wasn’t sure how. I reached out to the company for advice, and they hadn’t heard of anyone doing it this particular way yet. So… I guess I get to be a trailblazer!
I made a small ball out of the same materials I was using for the zombie so I could test my theory. I dried the DAS clay thoroughly, then applied several layers of Krylon Triple Thick Clear Glaze Aerosol Spray. After that cured for 24 hours, I applied PTP. I let that cure as directed on the website.
After my test ball was fully cured, I took it outside and threw it on the ground. It was perfect. Not a dent, scratch, or blemish. No damage of any kind! I felt confident my plan was going to work.
At this point, I was still planning to recreate the original zombie, seen here whispering sweet nothings to the new guy.
While carefully measuring the OG zombie’s teeth and recreating them on the new guy, I worried I was going to run into some issues covering these delicate chompers with PTP. But I moved forward, hopeful.
I repeated my foil and clay layers many, many times. My intention was to create strength in the underlayers to support this fella, but I was also still concerned with getting enough detail in PTP.
Spoiler: I really didn’t need to worry! Pal Tiya Premium ended up working beautifully, as you’ll see in a bit.
It was about this stage, that I decided to do my own thing with the zombie instead of simply recreating the OG, I was resurerecting this sculpture!
I’d just mixed some PTP, and I was kneading it in my lap while I waited for this layer of clay to dry. Feeling it in my (gloved) hands, and staring at this dapper gentleman, I felt a bit more confident the product would do what I needed it to do.
So, I dove back in with new resurrected armature supports. I was happy I’d started with clay before using PTP, because I simply sprayed the already dry layers of clay with water, which allowed me just enough “give” to insert the new armature pieces. And I was able to change his position, tip his head, and expand his chest and shoulders at this time.
Spoiler: I really didn’t need to worry! Pal Tiya Premium ended up working beautifully, as you’ll see in a bit.
It was about this stage, that I decided to do my own thing with the zombie instead of simply recreating the OG, I was resurerecting this sculpture!
I’d just mixed some PTP, and I was kneading it in my lap while I waited for this layer of clay to dry. Feeling it in my (gloved) hands, and staring at this dapper gentleman, I felt a bit more confident the product would do what I needed it to do.
So, I dove back in with new resurrected armature supports. I was happy I’d started with clay before using PTP, because I simply sprayed the already dry layers of clay with water, which allowed me just enough “give” to insert the new armature pieces. And I was able to change his position, tip his head, and expand his chest and shoulders at this time.
After the new armature was in place, I rebuilt his neck, shoulders, and face. I also deepened his mouth and throat so I could make a proper tongue. To me, this already looked much better than the OG latex zombie, and it felt more robust than my original remake version. I was getting pretty excited now, because it was nearly time for the Pal Tiya Premium!
Adding Pal Tiya Premium:
I mixed up small batches, mostly because I was worried it would harden too fast. Since I was a PTP newbie, and this was a very important project, I didn’t want to mess this up.
Adding Pal Tiya Premium:
I mixed up small batches, mostly because I was worried it would harden too fast. Since I was a PTP newbie, and this was a very important project, I didn’t want to mess this up.
I feel like I walked in on some super-secret zombie meeting here. Sorry, guys. I’ll just step away and let you finish up...
I was really pleased with how easily the PTP went on, and how it stayed workable for so long. My initial fears that it would harden too fast turned out to be unfounded. At this point, I discovered something really cool.
All those crazy layers I’d built up with clay and foil allowed me to “rip” his skin, which sounds terrible. But it’s a zombie, and he’s coming out of the ground. Having some gross rips and tears and hanging bits that looked natural was very exciting! I liked that chin rip so much, I added more sloughing skin. The Pal Tiya Premium worked so well for this, I was delighted.
All those crazy layers I’d built up with clay and foil allowed me to “rip” his skin, which sounds terrible. But it’s a zombie, and he’s coming out of the ground. Having some gross rips and tears and hanging bits that looked natural was very exciting! I liked that chin rip so much, I added more sloughing skin. The Pal Tiya Premium worked so well for this, I was delighted.
Ohhh, dramatic lighting!
Initially, I was concerned that Pal Tiya Premium would be too heavy or thick to take the tiny details I wanted to include. As it turns out, it’s an excellent medium for that very thing. Here, I am using stainless steel dentist tools to carve details such as wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes.
Initially, I was concerned that Pal Tiya Premium would be too heavy or thick to take the tiny details I wanted to include. As it turns out, it’s an excellent medium for that very thing. Here, I am using stainless steel dentist tools to carve details such as wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes.
Painting:
Part of the initial decision to use PTP for this project was that it sounded like you could color it in so many different ways. As a painter, that was extremely appealing to me. I still made a lot of mistakes with this new medium, but none of them were catastrophic. In fact, the unique properties of PTP worked in my favor when I made mistakes.
Because the sculpture was so sturdy after curing, and it was naturally water resistant, I could “erase” my mistakes with a heavy shower. Some mistakes, I simply painted over or incorporated them. I had a lot of wiggle room, which was a nice bonus. Instead of being a detriment, the permanence of PTP (once cured) was a huge benefit.
Part of the initial decision to use PTP for this project was that it sounded like you could color it in so many different ways. As a painter, that was extremely appealing to me. I still made a lot of mistakes with this new medium, but none of them were catastrophic. In fact, the unique properties of PTP worked in my favor when I made mistakes.
Because the sculpture was so sturdy after curing, and it was naturally water resistant, I could “erase” my mistakes with a heavy shower. Some mistakes, I simply painted over or incorporated them. I had a lot of wiggle room, which was a nice bonus. Instead of being a detriment, the permanence of PTP (once cured) was a huge benefit.
I started with a thin base coat of acrylic. I chose to spray the cured PTP with plain water before I started painting. My hope was that the wet surface and the thin base coat would create interesting effects in the fine lines and wrinkles. It totally worked!
Side note: You may notice he’s got something going on up there on the top of his head in this photo. I ended up creating an open wound on top of his head after the first layer of PTP started curing.
Adding the new detail was not difficult at all. Following the instructions on the website, I was able to seamlessly apply new layers to the partially cured layers. You’d never guess they weren’t part of the original sculpt.
Side note: You may notice he’s got something going on up there on the top of his head in this photo. I ended up creating an open wound on top of his head after the first layer of PTP started curing.
Adding the new detail was not difficult at all. Following the instructions on the website, I was able to seamlessly apply new layers to the partially cured layers. You’d never guess they weren’t part of the original sculpt.
My studio is very cold in the winter, which is not conducive to getting paint to dry. I have a hair dryer for that very purpose. It’s designed for children, so it doesn’t get super-hot, but it’s still a sudden blast of hot air.
I wasn’t sure how the product would handle the hot and cold shifts, but it really held up well. There was no thermal shock, no shrinking, expanding, or cracking at all.
I treated the painting portion as I would any portrait. Layers upon layers. Days turning to weeks turning to months. Sponges, brushes, fingers, fabrics, feathers, knives, silicone tools… I used everything, and the PTP took it all.
I wasn’t sure how the product would handle the hot and cold shifts, but it really held up well. There was no thermal shock, no shrinking, expanding, or cracking at all.
I treated the painting portion as I would any portrait. Layers upon layers. Days turning to weeks turning to months. Sponges, brushes, fingers, fabrics, feathers, knives, silicone tools… I used everything, and the PTP took it all.
I spent an obnoxious amount of time on the mouth, tongue, and teeth since this was the focal point of the entire sculpture. I was really pleased to discover that, even after curing, I could chip/scrape/sand the PTP with stainless steel dental tools to create even more details. It wasn’t easy, and my hands were not happy, but it worked out well. I eventually used sand on the tongue between coats of paint to create “taste buds” to really give this guy more depth.
I also knocked out some of his teeth and drilled down into his gums (by hand) to create more drama. He’s clearly had a rough afterlife.
I went a bit off-script at this point, and I knew it could be risky, but I was all in this experiment. I made a new batch of PTP and made it quite loose. My intention was to get it down into the sockets to help weatherproof them. Since it’s not a weight-bearing sculpture, and this part is not directly exposed to the elements, I thought it would be okay to use a looser PTP mix. Yes, it was weaker, but in this spot, weakness wasn’t a concern. It really worked out well, in the end. I’m not suggesting people do this (please follow the manufacturer’s instructions), but for me and for this specific spot… the looser mix was perfect.
I went a bit off-script at this point, and I knew it could be risky, but I was all in this experiment. I made a new batch of PTP and made it quite loose. My intention was to get it down into the sockets to help weatherproof them. Since it’s not a weight-bearing sculpture, and this part is not directly exposed to the elements, I thought it would be okay to use a looser PTP mix. Yes, it was weaker, but in this spot, weakness wasn’t a concern. It really worked out well, in the end. I’m not suggesting people do this (please follow the manufacturer’s instructions), but for me and for this specific spot… the looser mix was perfect.
He went between a reddish color and a blue-green color, layer after layer, building them up as I would in a portrait. Allowing some layers to bleed through in strategic areas really helped bring out the details and add depth to his skin.
Considering Pal Tiya Premium is a concrete blend, I didn’t expect to achieve this level of depth. I’m very impressed with what it can do!
Considering Pal Tiya Premium is a concrete blend, I didn’t expect to achieve this level of depth. I’m very impressed with what it can do!
The recipient of this gift absolutely loved him. I’m eager to see what the zombie looks like in my sweetheart’s Halloween display this year!
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Thanks so much, Charity for choosing our medium as you were resurrecting this sculpture. We are absolutely thrilled that you enjoyed using the product and we look forward to seeing more of your amazing work soon :)