For all of you who does READ, I apologized for having my FAQ pop out every now and then.
First of all, if you don't bother to read this FAQ, why should I bother to answer any of your question? (Yeah, I'm really fed up! X( )
*If anyone tried to ask in a rude manner, I am sorry but I will block whoever that is. (Save my energy not to be angry anymore and so I can just do my work).
I’m sure my blog reader knows I’m in the foul mood lately and I’m tired of repeating myself over and over again. I am just tired.
I apologized again but I really do not know how famous or how busy you are, so you can only manage to send me e-mails without proper introduction of yourself (especially if you are not someone I know).
I have decided not to make anymore tutorial, since there are too many things that I cannot answer to myself. Most of the things I did are 80% experimental, and I am not even sure if I can make the exact same thing in the future.
So I would like to highlight: I am here only to showcase and sell my finished product.
I guess people seems to forget, that I am NOT a material seller nor a machine who can answer all your questions. For a matter of fact, I went and PAID for my basic lesson, and develop everything else by myself (with a help from my best friend).
Please go and search and read my blog for any other info. I already honestly answered and told everything basic that I know (of which I PAID for them).
For every other things that I have not mention, please find the answer by yourself; search it from websites or books. Or what my mom love to say, "GOOGLE IT!" I’m sure there are other people who likes to experiments and they wrote about it on their blog. But please DON'T BE RUDE to them, as you want them to be on your side
right?“What brand of clay do you use?”
I use Grace / Cosmos / Hearty; different brand works differently depending on how you handle them. They are air dry, depending on how big your items are. Read my blog for more of my info. I really can’t teach exactly how to use it, as I always use “feeling” rather than putting them on weighting scales.
“So expensive! What other brand that you can suggest to me?”
No, I only ever tried the 3 brands. I don’t know how to work with any other brand, please try it yourself. And note that sometimes it might work differently when you are living at the other side of the world from me. (For example: a gloss varnishing that I bought at different country does not work well in Singapore, it turns to be sticky and I had to throw all of them because I’m too fed up with it)
“Where do you usually buy your clay?”
In Singapore, I bought it from Chinatown / Liang Court. I’m sorry that I can’t give you the exact address. I am a foreigner here in Singapore, and I only managed to find the stores by accident (and getting lost). None of old friends can do miniature clay; so everything I did I always have to do it myself. I am not a material seller and I am certainly not paid to promote these stores, so it's certainly not my duty.
“What glue do you use? Can I use it to make clear soup?”
I always bought a big jar of white glue from my country. I don’t know if it works the same way if you live in different part of the world than me. I don’t know the answer, as I don’t pay attention of its content.
I always use resin (consist of 2 parts that should be mixed equally) to make soup or jelly. I think they have different brands that work differently. Please go and ask the store person for more info on this, not me (as I do not know the answer).
I don’t really like to work with resin unless I make drinks. It is even more expensive and you have to be careful when mixing it properly. Hence I always price them higher.
“What tools do you use?”
I use anything I could find. Brushes, pen knife, old toothbrush, needle tool, toothpick. You don't have to use "clay tools" to get your works done, do an experiment! Well, perhaps you can if you are obsessed in it. But for me, I rather save the money to buy the clay itself.
“From where do you get the inspiration?”
Books and websites.
I am a bookworm, I like to collect books. I have around 20 books (of miniature clay and real cooking books) which mostly bought from Kinokuniya. Sometimes I even bought the books just because they have pretty pictures, not because they can teach me to make something.
And I like to use google search and flickr to find inspirations. Real food preferably, because then you can name each ingredients rather than just the colour. Other miniaturists are a good source too, but I found the limit when it comes to copying other people’s work.
“How long does it takes for you to make one project?”
I like to make some stocks (like cut fruits and veggies) beforehand, so most of the time I only need to assembled them together. You can see the examples from my bentos. Or sometimes I make some extras of small things to be used when I get an order. I rarely start a new project from a scratch. That is why I cannot tell you the exact answer of how long, not that I keep it a secret from anyone else.
"Ah, I get it! You just don't want to share your info with another miniature clay artist!"
Er, wait a minute there. I think you mistook me with somebody else. Did I ever mention myself as miniature clay artist? I do this as a hobby only, my parents obviously never agree that this could be a real time job.
"Great works! Why won't you give any tutorial? You are so stingy!!!"
Okay, take the "ego" aside... *takes a long and deep breath*
Don't assume that everybody is your neighbor, especially in this online world. You might live in the opposite side of the world from mine, with the completely different climate from where I live. The main reason why I brought this up - as often discussed with my friend - is because weather do affect the way I work, just as simple as my AC when it's off and on.
So, the only advice I can and WILL give you are these: STOP thinking, just DO it, and practice PRACTICE practice.
"B#$^%^, I am just asking you for a simple thing, why do you have to bring all the nonsense cr#p?!"
Well, you are asking ME for help. This is ME, answering seriously as I can't do anything half-heartedly.
If you just want to b%E$# about me.... no matter what I do or don't do, and no matter what I say or I don't; you are just going to b$%&%# about me anyway.
