Lucoa from Miss kobayashis dragon maid (First time properly attempting to sculpt a mask )

my observations on it and taking what I have heard on my own sculpt from other. Over all it is getting there. I feel like mine some of the symmetry is not quite there, but biggest thing I see is the lack of the S curve one should see running from the nose to top of the head. your forehead is a bit too flat and could use a bit more definition that will bring that S feel to the area. my only other thing is I would soften the cheek/chin a bit more. I see a hard edge on the bottom there and just softening up that edge will make it feel more natural.

When you say Primer I am curious. why primer on clay? If you are using a sulfur free clay you will not need a barrier between it and the molding material if Silicon.

Raven:

The primer is not really a barrier to prevent any sulfur in the clay from reacting to the silicone. If there was sulpher in the clay that will leak through anyways.

No matter how good your finishing techniques on the clay sculpture are, no matter how much you wet wipe it to eliminate any dust from sanding, there will still be little pinholes and dust on the clay. Using a sealer ( Primer) such as a clear acrylic spray, will take care of these problems and also fill in any wee hollows in the sculpture. As long as you are careful not to leave any runs in the sealer, which would transfer to the silicone, you will end up with a glassy smooth sculpture to paint / pour your silicone molding material onto.

The end result transfers to the silicone mould, meaning that when you cast your mask shell, the outer surface will be glassy smooth as well.

Kiki

Using a coat of actual colored primer over the Shell is not a bad idea either for the reasons Slygard mentions. In the past, I have laid down two coats of Primer in different colors. Sanding away the outer layer will show spots where the mask has dips and craters, as they will stay the same color as the outer primer .

There's only so much you can do on a clay sculpture, as the clay itself is still soft and flexible. You can feel for dips and humps to be fixed, but getting the whole thing perfectly smooth and symmetrical is a real task. Better to work on the shell which is more stable. If you really wanted, you could cast another silicone mold of the finished shell, before making the shell the mask will be made from.

Slygard, try taking pictures of the sculpture, then overlay a grid of lines on the picture. This will help you see where one side or the other is off. Take side views as well then flop one of the pictures and overlay both with the same grid. Superimpose them if you can. Don't forget to take pictures looking straight down from the crown and mark those with a grid as well.

When it comes to the final shell, I have to sand some of the glossiness off to make sure the primer adheres properly. And finally a point for down the road, Primer the inside of your shell. This will show any points where the fiberglass material is sticking up, and it will also seal the mask against fume out gassing, and waterproof the inside against sweat and condensation.

Kiki