the stuffs
Ok, there are 3 types of \"stuffs\" produced by PSI (Polymeric Systems Incorporated), under the name Kneadatite, which are commonly used in sculpting. The most common, as you all well know, is the \"green stuff,\" which is a two part mixture of blue and yellow. \"White stuff\" is the second most common, and is a mixture of white and blue. \"Brown stuff\" is a mixture of brown and aluminum colored putty. The green is the most common because (a) it is by far the cheapest, being ~$14 for 36\" and (b) because it is easiest to work with. White is a bit more expensive than green (~$7 for 10\") and is a bit harder when cured, and thus a bit easier to file and drill than green. Brown is the most expensive (~$5 for 4\"), and thus the least common of the stuffs. It also cures the hardest (as in very hard), and takes filing and drilling very well.
The 3 stuffs are used by many sculptors for different purposes. Usually the bulk of miniatures are done in GS, while portions of the miniature that are thin and stick out (i.e. swords and the like) are done in white or brown putty. This is done in large part so that they will not warp in the mold as GS will. The stuffs can also be mixed together, green and brown being most common, to get an inbetween hardness. The stuffs also respond differently to tools, differing in plyability, stickiness, and memory.
Every sculptor has different preferences for the stuff. Tim Prow, for instance, is doing the majority of his sculpting now in brown. I think the Perrys for a while were doing everything in white. And, well everyone has used green at one time or another.
If you haven\'t taken a look already, look at the Reaper Greens and see how different sculptors use different putties for different purposes. i.e. Sandra Garrity probably used brown for her Iron Golem instead of green (as she normally does) so that she could file it more precisely into a \"mechanical\" looking shape.
http://www.reapermini.com/fantasy/greens.php
Oh, forgot to add that you should store excess putty in the refrigerator or preferably the freezer to keep it fresh and to stop it from curing prematurely. Just cut off what you are going to use each week.
Hope this helps.
