This can be any tip that you know of that will help with technique. It can be as simple as a fantastic way to remove paint with a certain type of cloth or remover, the amount of time it takes to boil sculpey, your favorite paint that you recommend, etc. Really any tips that you've learned through trial & error.

For example a submission can be as simple as:

* Use water on your finger or on a tool of choice to smooth epoxy as it cures to save on sanding time.

see how simple? i didn't even need a camera (though a photo is always VERY WELCOME)!! 

however, please refrain from writing tips like this:

*epoxy putty is good for customizing!!

*AHEM* i think most of us here know that ( ) if they've even glanced at the forum customization section. also, please refrain from submitting a tip that is just like one already submitted.

Thanks, and can't wait to see these treasure troves of knowledge! 

Make a plan before doing anything or you might get confuse in the end.

" Use petroleum jelly when sculpting with epoxy putty. It's easier to handle the putty because it won't stick in your hands as you knead it to the figure. It also gives the same effect as water. If you don't mind having 'oily' hands while sculpting, use petroleum jelly"

some of the most useful tools for modding can be found around your house. Use nail files for sanding, even worn out ones are good for finishing 

Oh, that nail file tip is very helpful~.

Pay very close attention when baking Pinky's with sculpey - make sure to pay very close attention to the baking times for how thick your clay is. Do the minimal amount at first. You can always take the Pinky out and let it cool before resuming to bake.

If the clay is really thick, you might want to try boiling, just to be safe!

Edit:

I figure this would go here, I forgot earlier~

Others have said this, and I can confirm it - using tin foil shaped to your pinky pieces as a 'bed' or support system in the oven will help stop things from bending (since they get soft from the heat).

Toothpicks and bamboo skewers are excellent tools too  Both can be used for stirring and spreading (glue for example), texturing putty, and to hold parts that need to dry (paints and sprays). Toothpicks are also good joint reinforcement for any broken off limbs and the very tips could be used to make replacement holding connectors (like on bags, swords, etc.)

Toothpicks and skewers stuck in styrofoam are great supports for pinky pieces while they dry.  I arrange the toothpicks to support bodies and heads while they're being painted / sculpted.

Like so:


(Psst...I'm totally just building on what Inga said, so I don't need a point.  It's just fun to share photos of pinky pieces on sticks ^^)

for akito's and rei's eyepatches, you can buy thin beading elastic and re-thread it so the eyepatch looks more like a real one, with the elastic across the top and the bottom instead of the left and right, and goes around the head underneath the hair. the elastic will slip a little, but the hair piece will hold it in the right position. that means you don't have to struggle at putting the string around the ears.

nail rhinestones are good for pinky earrings.

Drawing out a sketch of your custom (even if you think you're a lousy drawer...) can help you visualize your project and figure out what sorts of parts you can play with, as well as figuring out how to overcome trouble spots. This step can also possibly save you from starting out on a project that might have ended up leading to disappointment, since it forces you to really think about how certain parts are going to look like, the pose, and also how you will implement certain aspects of the character.

I've found that using an old sock (and make sure it's clean...  ) with nail polish remover is better at taking paint off.

From personal experience, I've just found out that certain spray sealers can cause Pinky Markers / Gundam Markers to become liquid again. ><; I let it dry overnight even, but it was still a disaster! Oops... took me a while to figure that out.

Also, don't spray on a material like plastic wrap, as the pieces and varnish will stick to it. Use something heavier, like newspaper, fliers or wax paper.

....I wasn't fully awake this morning when I was trying to finish a custom. T_T

Micron pens for faces don't work well... They wipe right off. Don't know how they'd work with a sealer though.

To knit a scarf for your Pinky, you can use toothpicks as knitting needles and colourful string (the kind used for friendship bracelets) as yarn. Plastic toothpicks work best, but wooden ones work too.

This is kinda obvious, and I feel dumb for even testing it  , but...I tried using "Crayola model magic" for a Pinky custom just to see if it would work......
 and it was a COMPLETE disaster. 
It sticks to itself waaay too easily, it doesn't sand without ripping, when it "dries" it's way too soft, and  fragile. 

the good points are that it doesn't stick to your hands at all, and is fairly "easy" to work with (providing you don't accidentally smash it) and it doesn't smell .. I'm not sure how well it paints...but , the tip is don't even bother with that stuff...for Pinky Customs at least.   

::EDIT::
Oh! I also wouldn't recommend  "Polyester Putty". It has  Horrible smell (gawd..It lasted for DAYS) and is nearly impossible to mold. I really don't think it was meant for customization..In fact I'm not sure what it IS meant for...

My turn 

1 : Instead of using palettes or buying those aluminium foil plates for pouring paint into,  you can make a disposable one! Just get a bottle cap (I recommend Snapple's!) and get wrap a piece of foil around the indented part. When you're done with the paint, just unwrap and throw the foil away! No washing needed!

2 : Change the blades of you knives frequently! A blunt one makes it hard to carve or cut parts and may even cause you to injure yourself!

3 : If you want to protect a certain part of the pinky while customizing (maybe when you're painting?), try using a yellow colored tape made by TAMIYA. It comes in many different widths. The tape is easy to stick onto pinkies and also easy to peel off when you are done!