Fresh off the press and on newsstands right now is the historical 500th edition of MAD magazine! It's packed with hilarious stuff from so many legendary writers and artists. I am honored to be a part of it!My assignment was to sculpt Octo-Mom (aka Nadya Suleman) and I wondered if I'd make it through the job without being sick. I thought I'd finally have some use for these little plastic babies I've had lying around for years but they weren't needed in the end.
Instead, I sculpted little hands and feet 
out of Super Sculpey, then baked them and pressed them into the giant belly made from a ball of tinfoil covered with Sculpey. I layered thin sheets of Sculpey over the hands and feet to give the 'about to burst' look. I baked her and painted her with oils.
Thank you to the beautiful minds at MAD for another sick assignment!
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Could you tell us a bit about the paints you use and your painting technique?
I always paint faces with oil paints and usually paint bodies and clothing with acrylic.
Do you thin your paints much, and if so, with what?
Yes, I thin the oil paint with Gamsol mineral spirits and do use quite a lot of it. I like how forgiving oils are- if I make a mistake I can wipe it right off!
Do you find your paints dry quickly enough for you, or do they remain tacky for some time?
Even though most of the pieces are painted with oil, the speed with which they dry is never an issue because I am only photographing them. If it’s a private commission or a cake topper then I make sure I’ve allowed the necessary drying time before handing over the sculpture.
Do you cook your sculpey before you paint?
Yes! But I don’t follow the directions on the box. Ovens vary so much that it’s trial and error to find the right temperature and time to bake Sculpey. I set my oven to 250F and the time will depend on the thickness of the piece. I usually will bake it in stages... it’s easier to bake it some more if it’s not fully cured, but once you’ve burned it you can’t go back!
Do you keep your creations around after you've photographed and photoshopped them? If so, do you have a giant warehouse in the works?
I used to keep them around until they started to take over (they were everywhere!) When I moved from my old apartment I wanted to start fresh with no sculptures around so I put them in storage. After about a year or so of that I took them out and got rid of most of them. I don’t feel a need to hang onto them so if they are not purchased right after they are made then they sit around for a while. Maybe twice a year I’ll go through them and decide what to give away and what to smash with a hammer.
Thanks so much for your questions! I hope these answers will help you.