The last generation of figure sculptors

[Wulf]

I've got a packet of these 'nude dollies' sitting on the desk, ready to be used for any period/uniform.

I've got completely the wrong image now... 

...I hope it's wrong... 

Wulf

[Techno]

 

There's no point in putting on anatomical detail on these particular little dudes.

Cheers - Phil

[Wulf]

You're not doing the Ancient Brits with Dangly Bits then...

[Last Hussar]

I don't know masses re the masters- I was under the impression you needed a new base figure each time; it sound like you use those dollies up as you do each new model.

[Leon]

The 3D sculpting is coming on in leaps and bounds, but it's currently still an issue of cost for us.  I've had a 28mm vehicle designed and printed in 3D at a reasonable cost compared to a traditionally modelled equivalent.  Having that same vehicle made in 10mm though would have only reduced the costs by about 10%, making it completely unviable for Pendraken to do.  The print quality was excellent, no striations at all, so the technology is there, just not at a price which we can work with.

[Last Hussar]

To be clear, I'm not saying 'now', but as you say - leaps and bounds.  10 years ago you couldn't have got that vehicle.

I am NOT suggesting Dave just pack up, and kick Techno out etc (Orcs, yes, not Techno! ) . Put it this way, if in 1996 you had said 'HMV etc are doomed, because music/books/stuff will be sent over the internet, and/or delivered by flying robots' people would have made the same sort of arguments.   Again, I am not saying mass market stuff, just the one off masters, though no doubt mass market is coming. Once the resolution is dealt with, then you print sprues- makes more sense than individual figures.  And then colour printing - the trousers tunic etc are already printed in colour, and the customer adds the details.

I think by 2030 (assuming there hasn't been a new Dark Age) you will be able to buy figure designs the same way you buy pdfs for buildings.  I would suggest that what you may well find is a business model where you don't download the design, but you connect your printer to the vendor's server, and his computer prints on your printer- this would allow licences to be sold- a purchase ID that gives you 'y' prints, thus helping avoid piracy.

As I understand it the process from idea to painting table is long and fraught with pit falls.  in 2030 this will be avoided - the seller will be paid for the right for you to make his designs- again like PDF buildings.

I'm sure Phill will be gracing us with tales of blade related accidents for some years.  I just don't think we will have a Techno replacement in 2030 (only 14 years away!)

Put it this way- You all sit on chairs.  When was the last time you heard of someone being employed as a 'bodger' - a skilled job before the word mutated into it's current usage.

[Ithoriel]

Put it this way- You all sit on chairs.  When was the last time you heard of someone being employed as a 'bodger' - a skilled job before the word mutated into it's current usage.

8 or 9 days ago, depending on whether this is "today" because I haven't been to bed yet or "tomorrow" because it's after midnight.

Friend does woodworking, metalworking and glasswork. The woodworking is largely chair making and he refers to himself as the Blackhall Bodger.

[Techno]

I was under the impression you needed a new base figure each time; it sound like you use those dollies up as you do each new model.

This is true, LH.

Having said that, quite a few of the green stuff/metal masters don't survive intact, once they've been pressed......So those dollies can happily be reused.
It doesn't really matter if I recycle an intact master either.

The master mould is really more important than the wee men themselves.

Cheers - Phil

[Last Hussar]

8 or 9 days ago, depending on whether this is "today" because I haven't been to bed yet or "tomorrow" because it's after midnight.

Friend does woodworking, metalworking and glasswork. The woodworking is largely chair making and he refers to himself as the Blackhall Bodger.

There's always one...

And they are usually here.

[Orcs]

Well the new generation of injection moulded plastic figure has been around for quite a few years and people are still making and  buying metal figures.

I agree some bulk out the army with plastics, but they are fiddly to put together as some are made up of 5 or more parts per figure.  I much prefer the weight and feel of metal figures. I also prefer painting metal figures to plastic ones.

I have bought them occasionally for the sake of cost but even this  cost is not quite so cut and dried. 12 plastic cavalry are around £22.  You can get 12 metal cavalry for around £24. There are still far more ranges and manufacturers making metal figures than plastic.

I for one will have to see a much bigger cost saving than we are getting now.





 

[KTravlos]

Actually great sculptors will still be in demand as luxury X luxury good. There will always be people willing to pay a lot for the thing made by human hands. I am not saying many will be able to make money from this, but some will and probably quite a lot. I am a techno-optimist and believe the day will come when we will get many of the things we need, and a lot that we do not, either free or at very cheap prices. But I can still see markets for rare things that are valued for reasons other than need. So we will be seeing future sculptors and probably some genius stuff.