Model student
Written: Oct 06 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: soft, pliable, easy to work with
Cons: nearly impossible to store for any length of time
The Bottom Line: Crayola's Model Magic is a fine clay for any customizer, and just good fun.
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| yogore's Full Review: Model Magic |
To begin with, I'll admit that I'm probably a bit older than the average Model Magic user; heck, I don't even have kids yet. When I tear open that foil bag, I'm not planning on constructing a horsey or a little car. I've got something else in mind.
I customize action figures as a hobby. I take commercially available figures and, with paint, knives, and clay, turn them into something else. You can see examples of my work at http://the-pantheon.net/lp/figures/, if you like. I've used many different types of clay over the years, but Model Magic is one of my two current favorites. Model Magic is a product of Crayola, which should give you an idea of its quality right there.
The reason I originally picked up Model Magic was that it an air-drying clay. When you're adding things to a plastic action figure, the last thing you want to have to do is put your creation in an oven for twenty minutes. Allowed to sit overnight, Model Magic dries into a semi-flexible state. I use it for elements on a figure that are supposed to be cloth, or might break if crafted from a more brittle substance. For instance, the last thing I used Model Magic to create were lace cuffs on a figure's wrists; had I built these from another clay, their thin construction might have been problematic.
I also like the fact that Model Magic is a dry clay--no water is necessary, so it won't stain hands, carpet, tabletops, or whatever else it happens to touch as you work with it. There's no intense clean-up involved, since it leaves no residue; always a plus for parents. It's very porous, as well, which means that it holds paint well. In fact, I often paint it before it has entirely dried, so that more of the paint is absorbed and the colors look deeper.
Model Magic has a great texture--a soft, spongy feel as you work with it--and it maintains this to at least some degree once dry. However, you'll want to be sure you have everything just the way you want it before drying. You can't sculpt or sand Model Magic once it's set; that will just tear your hard work to shreds. Fortunately it doesn't show fingerprints as clearly as some harder clays do, so hopefully sanding won't even be an issue.
Model Magic's biggest flaw lies in its lifespan: once you open that baggie, there's no going back. The packaging states, amidst warnings of flamability, that it is not recommended to store Model Magic for later use. Unfortunately, they're really not kidding about this. Any long-term storage of Model Magic is nigh-impossible: I use the clay in small doses, typically to create some small accent on a figure, so I have a lot left over; if I don't have another project within a few weeks, even storing the clay in an air-tight container will not prevent it from becoming nothing more than a rock-hard lump in its bag.
This clean and fun clay would be great for kids who want to have some evidence of their hard work left when playtime is over, and it's a decent tool for an older sculptor such as myself.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 3.49
Type of Toy: Arts and Crafts
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yogore
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