Evening all,
I had some spare Milliput after I had fixed up some seams and did some stuff on a few bases, so I decided to try my hand a sculpting a mini. I've never done anything more than a cape; it's rough and ready, but I'm pleased with it as a first attempt. Here are the photos with a skele crossbowman for scale.
This is from the front
(http://i.imgur.com/st1aKQG.jpg)
This is from the rear
(http://i.imgur.com/HQ6wi0R.jpg)
I found his right hand really hard to get it the right size and ended up stopping because I didn't think ahead enough to plant the spear properly so everything was too wobbly for me to be able to do much on the hand.
Very nice start.
Get yourself some Procreate or Greenstuff and you results will get even better; its so much easier to work than Miliput (it has its uses but I hate it like the devil when I have to use it).
I'll look into green stuff because this was fun and the result was better than I thought it'd be. Seeing as you know what you're doing, I have a couple of questions: What tools do you use? I used a tooth pick as I don't have any tools. Also, how much do you plan your sculpts out? Do you have a sketch? A large version made from something else (clay, play-doh)?
Quote from: clibinarium on 21 August 2016, 06:43:19 PM
Very nice start.
Get yourself some Procreate or Greenstuff and you results will get even better; its so much easier to work than Miliput (it has its uses but I hate it like the devil when I have to use it).
Seconded ! (All of the above !)
I can't speak for Clib, but I tend to mostly use a wax carver no. 5..... Also a home made mini version of the 'wax 5' (though that's actually two separate items) and a few other usefully shaped mini dental tools. (Again, home made.)
Very occasionally I'll sketch something out, but I often refer to photo's. (My drawing skills are just about non existent :-[)
I've never made a larger version of a model to 'scale down'.....There's not enough time to do that ! ;D ;D ;D
With some of the Warband figures, I
have quickly trashed a spare figure, and done a really quick 'rough' of the proposed new model, if I'm not sure if a particular idea will work.
To a great extent I think it's easier to try your hand at larger (20-30mm figures) figures and 'work down', until you get a real feel for the putty.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 21 August 2016, 08:30:02 PM
To a great extent I think it's easier to try your hand at larger (20-30mm figures) figures and 'work down', until you get a real feel for the putty.
Cheers - Phil
I think my anatomy and proportions would be all out-of-whack. I guess it's all practice though.
I painted him up and at arms length he isn't too bad. Although he really does have a deformed right hard.
(http://i.imgur.com/0DJ9CFs.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/LCAiPJP.jpg)
Great work. 8)
I'd agree with what Phil says, my main tools are similar to his (in fact he made a few of them for me as a gift!) I am not sure if Phil took to them or not but a flat headed and a pointed colour-shaper are items I regard as indispensable. They have less impact now, but when I began they were heaven-sent in terms of pushing and smoothing putty (which beginners find difficult).
As Phil says prototyping or concept art are pretty much non-starters for wargames figures; there simply isn't enough time. That's for professionals though, if you are just doing it for fun its less of a problem. Photos and drawings are what I work from; internet access is essential for this (you really feel if if the internet goes off). I do use spare figures sometimes to try something out, but usually I just start sculpting and the figure just develops.
I went the other way than Phil suggests; I started in 10mm and worked up. Doing different scales will have an impact on how to tackle each; my 10mm definitely got more detailed after lots of 28mm work. 10mm is a good school for small detail when doing intricate stuff on a 28mm.
Phil says his drawing skills are non existent, but I doubt that; perhaps not brilliant but I have no doubt he's competent and more, because drawing and sculpting are very similar skills. Sculpting is like taking a 2D image and turning it to see a different angle and drawing it again. I firmly believe that if you can't draw something you can't sculpt it. So if trying something challenging try drawing it first. Doesn't have to be good or detailed, just get the shape and proportion close as you can.
Drawing will test your sense of proportion and shape, and these are the hardest things to get right. Detail is easy, proportion is hard. think of how many detailed wargames sculpts you see out there that have huge heads or hands.
On that note all sculpts should not be in absolutely correct proportion; you have to allow for exaggerations to make effective sculpts; 10mm especially needs exaggerations to be robust enough to cast and use (ankles can't be in scale; they'd snap like twigs)
Best school for the sculptor; take a figure you admire and try to copy it (to learn obviously not to cast and sell!) always have figures on hand to use for comparison.
Ooops !
I forgot the colour shapers......Totally agree about those particular shapes, Clib ! :-[
Cheers - Phil
Looking fantastic