Modeling with Chavant Autostyle Industrial Design Clay

The following photos were taken during a training session using Chavant Autostyle medium industrial design clay. Mark Ferri, Senior Design Team Leader at GM, built several general clay structures to demonstrate key principles of clay modeling.

An armature is constructed on a 6 ft. table. A triangular piece of foam (*) is glued to the wooden armature (not shown in photo).

Clay is applied over triangular piece of foam and wood.

The clay is shaped into a compound curve.

The clay model was covered with check foil to evaluate the integrity of the surface.

Clay was added to the top half of the model to create a new surface. Notice that tape is used to delineate where the new clay is to be applied.

The clay is “steeled” to smooth the new surface.

Steel tape is put in place to define an area where clay is to be removed.

A strait rake being used to smooth the instrument panel.

Checking the surface of the “shroud”.

The finished instrument panel.

Tape is placed on either side of the seam between the middle console and the underlying surface. Clay is placed between the tape lines.

A seamless transition between the two primary surfaces is created.

Smaller, thinner steels are used to progressively smooth the surface.

Pinning a flexible template to cut out the glove compartment.

The finished glove compartment.

The finished model.