Techno's WIP pics of 'Jim'!

[Leon]

Here's the pics of Techno's current WIP, I'll let Phil fill in the details!

First pic - Just a mannequin and a current figure for scale.



Pic 2 - Rough shaping of the lower legs.



Pic 3 - Just a little more detail....That bird leg's not working at all !



Pic 4 - Get the torso a bit more into position....Still hate that leg !



Pic 5 - Bulk out the human leg a bit....Fill in roughly between legs, for a skirt of chain mail....(I'm getting obsessed by the bird leg now....Can it be rescued ?....Probably NOT !



Pic 6 - A bit further on...Some detail started....Maybe the bird leg might work.

[Techno]

Thanks for posting those for me Leon.

I'd better jump in quickly to make a few comments.

OK.....Firstly I thought it would be a bit easier for everyone to see if I made something like a Demon Lord, ....something, that because it's a bit bigger than a 10mm figure, would show 'things' up a little more clearly.

First big mistake was to not have any clear plan of what I was going to do.....The second....Was to be a lazy git, and use an old armature that's been sitting on the desk collecting dust.....This was supposed to save time...HAH !!!....But as I now really want the figure to have a much more dynamic pose.....It's almost certainly going to cast me a lot MORE time putting it 'right'.
The armature that I started with is really WAY too static......Probably would have worked for a shambling 'zombie/undead' figure much betterer (sic)!

Anyway....I'll keep going to the bitter end....without doing drastic changes, until it's finished.....Then there could be major surgery.
I've got a much better idea of where I'm going with this beastie now....Which will help enormously !

I have to give Clibby ENORMOUS praise for his tip about the colour shapers.....Absolutely wonderful tools for the smoothing and shaping of the 'basic' structure....It's such an absolute delight that the putty doesn't stick to them.....Wish I'd heard about those AGES ago....What do they say about teaching an old dog new tricks ?
How true !!

Cheers - Phil.

[Maenoferren]

Thanks for posting the pics and the commentary - however I should learn to read properly I spent ages looking for a third leg and only on the umpteenth reading I realised it said bird!

praise for his tip about the colour shapers

What are colour shapers???
Cheers
Stephen

[Techno]

Colour shapers ?

I should really let Clibby answer that, as, as far as I'm concerned he was the one that discovered them...
But .....Basically they're paint brushes.....But instead of bristles they have different shaped ends made out a 'silicon type' material.

A bit like a small eraser fitted into a paintbrush handle I suppose. (so not like paintbrushes at all  ....But I hope you get the gist)

I've only tried the smallest (size 0)...and the 'stiff' compound for the business end of the shaper.....As I said above, they're wonderful for getting the basic shape on the model, without wasting as much time cursing the fact that the putty has stuck to the modelling tool !.....You won't be able to use them for any detail work at this scale at all, so they're not a one stop 'fix it' for sculpting....But in the short time I've been playing with them.....I LOVE 'em.

Cheers - Phil.

[Maenoferren]

Cheers Phil, where do you get them from?

[capthugeca]

Cheers Phil, where do you get them from?

I got mine from eBay:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Colour-applicator-shaper-set-3-different-shapes-/160547570090?pt=UK_Crafts_DrawingSupplies_EH&hash=item25616181aa

[Techno]

Cheers Phil, where do you get them from?

I just went through Amazon.....But they seem to be fairly readily available, as you can see by capthugeca's post.
Lots of on-line art supply shops seem to stock them too.

Cheers - Phil.

[BlackEd]

I picked up one at the Rhode Island School of Design store!  I would imagine that they exist in any art supply store.  I have a chisel point soft -- and it is great for smoothing the surface of the putty.

[Vermis]

If it's okay to post this here, Heresy Miniatures sells 'em too.

http://www.heresyminiatures.com/tools.htm
http://www.heresyminiatures.com/clayshapers.htm
http://www.heresyminiatures.com/images/doubleendedtool.jpg
http://www.heresyminiatures.com/images/flatdoubleended_size0_large.jpg

I like the round cup for smoothing, myself; but I've also taken more to the conical taper, and with that finally got any idea of how some guys can sculpt with only toothpicks or other conical tools.  The size 0 double-ended taper has a finer point than the regular size 0 taper, but as Techno says: "you won't be able to use them for any detail work at this scale at all".  And not a lot at 28mm, either.

Nice bird leg, too. 

[Techno]

Tools at this scale?

I couldn't find any 'commercial' dental/modeling tools that really work for very small scale sculpting.....So I custom made my own out of doweling with different sized needles...(I didn't know how many different shaped sized needles existed until I started looking !)

It was useful having a friendly blacksmith who would heat, bend and flatten the needles into the rough shapes I was looking for....then it was out with the dear old Dremmel to finish them off.
I'll post a pic at some stage (or more likely get Leon to do it for me) of the shapes I find the most useful.

Cheers - Phil.....(I'm still not convinced about that leg !.....But I do like the look of that Basilisk !)

.

[nikharwood]

Really useful progression pics Phil - thanks for posting these...I've got a friendly blacksmith too - might have to tap him up for some pieces significantly smaller than he's used to working with! 

[Squirrel]

Looking really cool Phil! Great to see the WIP steps too. I'm keen to see how you finish him off.

Cheers,

Kev

[Techno]

Thanks guys.
I'll keep taking shots as I go along and ask Leon (when the poor chap has a moment to breathe, as he's got so many other things to do just at the mo'....getting ready for shows etc.) to put them up for me.
I'd try and do it myself, but (if I haven't said this before) I'd be more than likely to crash the forum.....OR...I'd end up posting up pics that are WAY too big.

Cheers - Phil.

[Leon]

Another pic of 'Jim':


And also the colour shapers:

[Techno]

Couple shapers ?....shome mishtake shurley....hic !

I told you the poor chap was busy. (sorry Leon) 

Anyway....Just a little bit more detail...And his 'breastplate' roughly formed.

VBWs - Phil.