Wyoming GoldSculpting, Casting, Moldmaking & More!

Good starting stone for carving?

I’m taking a sculpture elective at uni this semester and I’d like to try my hand at working with stone.
Does anyone know a forgiving, soft stone that I could aquire relatively easily? I’ve heard that soapstone is good, but that wasn’t the most reliable source ever.
Also, what kind of tools would I need? I know that rasps and chisels etc are used on harder stones. Could I get away with a cheap set of these items if I stick to very soft materials?
thanks for the tip, You Asked. I think sandstone is probably a bit _too_ soft for my needs (or at least the stuff here is), but I will give it a go.
Do you know whether spray fixative would help a sandstone sculpture stick together a little better once the work is finished?

the easiest will be to make a block out of plaster and carve this. Soapstone is good because it’s soft and you don’t need special tools.
If you want to do “real” stone carving lime stone is good to start with. But already hard enough that you want proper stone carving tools. Proper stone carving tools are expensive. If you carve plaster you can just get cheap chisels and plaster rasps.

“fingers through hair” Pink Alabaster Stone Sculture

Steelex D2862 Medium Riffler Rasp Set, 8-Piece $7.49 These double-ended 8-piece sets in fine, medium and coarse cut teeth have curved tips in a variety of shapes and profiles. H2566 and H2567 feature the same unique profile on each end, while H2568 has different profiles on each end for a total of 16 shaping options to choose from. Perfect for wood carvers and restoration specialists….