Pottery clay: Where to buy at store

[adzy]

i am looking to get a self-portrait done with my face covered in red mud. I am

hoping that I can get this effect with pottery clay. Anybody know of a large

chain that I can buy it at ?

 

Any other ideas as substitute for clay?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Azi

[adzy]

This was the effect I was hoping to achieve.

http://www.photo.net/photo/3456073

[Matt Laur]

Almost any arts/crafts store will sell this sort of stuff for students, and a place that specializes in ceramics certainly will.

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On the other hand, I live in Maryland, and this is what amounts to the local soil in a lot of places. If you pay for the shipping, I'll go out in my back yard with a shovel...

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But really: you don't indicate where you live. Are you near a metro area that has art supply stores? You're all set. Or, ask at a local school. All depends where you live, I think, as to the real answer to your question. Good luck! And... be sure to put a tarp down before you get started.

[albert_richardson1]

1) Send Oliver Donzyk an email to ask him how he made up the subject for this picture.

2) Try poster paint or tempera paint for this. Tempera holds its color well and is safe to use. It cleans up with water.

 

I think that the darker areas on the subject were still wet when the picture was taken. Paint and the clays used for potmaking look lighter dry than they do wet. The b&w treatment hides the true color of the material the photographer used to make up his subject. Allowing the subject to move a little as the paint dries would help cracks form that will turn into the large flakes. The subject cannot move too much, however. He cannot open his mouth to talk or yawn, for example. The material on the subject's shoulder appears to have been spattered or flung on because it shows large clumps.

[randmcnatt]

A salt-&-flour paste can work well -- cheap and easy to wash off. We've used it for Halloween makeup to good effect. Use a non-staining coloring agent, like the poster paints mentioned. A particularly creepy look can be had by painting the surface a different color just as it dries, but before it starts to crack.

[adzy]

FYI, I didnt get around to finally shooting these. But if I do, i will let you guys know. Thanks for all the answers.

 

Azi