Cassar's Slaanesh Terminator... in miniature

[moonmin82]

That'd be great Cassar! Would be interesting to see you work to a smaller scale but also to potentially see a different way of working. I'm fascinated by other peoples WIP scrapbooks. I must confess that my effort isn't quite 28mm scale... My guy is probably at LEAST a head taller than a standard GW termi'. When I visit my family this weekend I will endeavor to bring some reference minis back with me, both for use as inspiration and for a size comparison in my next photograph!

Be sure to post a link within this thread if/when you do start on your own 28mm version!

* Honey I shrunk the Dremmel! *

 

[moonmin82]

I see Barney ^^

Before I leave for my brief holiday, I will leave you will this lovely parting gift:

 

[QuietiManes]

Most folks tend to sculpt things over smaller, less detailed versions of the finished product. Especially heads. I.E. take a smaller head shaped blob of putty, put it on a toothpick or a wire/paperclip or whatever you prefer, let it harden, then sculpt the details on top of this sort of seed or rice grain shaped ball. Make it more or less detailed, smaller or larger compared to the end result, whatever suits you best. So if you want a 6x3x4 mm head, you might make a 5x2x3 or 4x1.5x2 mm egg to sculpt the final on top of. It helps keep the overall size in check and also makes much of the sculpting easier, as it is done on a solid base there's no deforming the left side when you push on the right side, type of thing. Details are easier, you can do more in a single session

It's a good use for left over putty, covering and filling out armatures for bodies, heads, weapons, whatever. You'll have more extra "forms" ready to go than you can count after a couple sculpting sessions.

Everyone needs more practice with heads, being that they're such a prominent component of anything that has one. So having to do another is all for the best, in the end.

Lots of Youtube videos and tutorials on the 'net about it, here's an interesting one showing lots of different stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfT12_1a83Q

 

[QuietiManes]

Yup, I tawt I taw a purpy dino.

 

[Meph]

Hehehe, nice stuff man! Enjoy the holidays.

 

[moonmin82]

That's how I tend to work (over a smaller, cured 'egg', see page 2 post #33) however I have so far struggled with sculpting teeth at such a small size (see page 3 post #42). I hoped making seperate teeth would help but I found I could only roll them so small.

I think next I will allow my putty to cure that bit more before rolling teeth, curing and attempting to stick these to a relief sculpted head (hopefully I'll roll them smaller and I can always removed any excess length with a knife). Also, I'll buy me some cone tipped colour shapers and try again at sculpting teeth. Practice makes perfect!

Excellent link QuietiManes - I've committed the website to my favourites

 

[moonmin82]

Tip-off to anybody in the North of England: Meadowhall in Sheffield has a shop called (I think...) The Tool Box which sells all manner of useful sculpting aids. Wax carvers / dentists tools are available from a big pick 'n' mix box in addition to all sorts of other stuff (I picked up a pair of tweezers with a magnifying glass on one end!).

 

[TrystanGST]

Good to see you still at it. It's been far too long since I mixed up GS haha.

 

[moonmin82]

Good to see you still at it. It's been far too long since I mixed up GS haha.

Cheers! It's been too long. I'm enjoying getting back into the hobby after such a lengthy break!

Last night I attempted the skulls horns:

...while I'm not entirely disappointed with them I'm not particularly proud either. Although the design is neat and cleanly executed I'd have preferred a little more detail. Something to practice I guess...

I also started a new head:

...and here are the new tools I bought over my time off:

I did do a little more work on the claw but nothing worth photographing.

Tomorrow I will be working on: head, torso, sword, claw and the sunburst icon for the head.

 

[cassar]

nice gizmo's

 

[moonmin82]

I must say, I don't use any of the pointed dentist tools I have but the angle on the one pictured seems quite ideal. Hopefully I'll find a use for it in the not too distant future... The tweezer/magnifier on the other hand has already come in very useful.

 

[moonmin82]

Unfortunately, a satisfying nights sculpting has ended with disappointment...

Last night I had a go at sculpting the halo icon for the figure (note breakage!):

This was sculpted onto plastic card and removed with a knife once dry. The idea was to glue to the torso then thicken up the depth of the piece (for structural support), adding a little detail and edging. Sadly, I damaged the design during its photographing... Must start again!

Also, the head which I worked *so* hard to keep to the correct size (see post #69, above):

...once dry, ended up being *still* too big. Although I couldn't quite coax the putty into the proportions I wanted I was still fairly pleased with the outcome (nicely grotesque and serpent-like).

All in all, back to the drawing board!

 

[QuietiManes]

Might come off a little easier if you wrap a piece of wax paper around the plasticard, then sculpt things on that. Might introduce fewer cracks and flaws from the pressures involved in popping thin things off with a knife.

I really liked the way the head turned out. Too bad it's too large. The eyes give it a bug-like appearance.

Good luck on the next one. :star:

 

[moonmin82]

Cheers! I must say, although the head turned out nothing like I intended, I was pretty happy with the outcome. I'm a little bemused how it became too big as I marked out the available space on the cork before starting work...

In a positive light, these two components I've been putting off as 'difficult'. This should give me more confidence to just get on with it!

 

[khavor]

Absolutely! Once you get the head you want the rest is all downhill! But I can sympathize. Getting there is kind of a pain. I think I've had to do 2-3 for each of my sculpting projects as well to get the right size / shape /expression down. On the bright side though, each version is usually better than the last. Tool I've found best for faces is just a simple needle stuck in a pin vise. Most sculpting tools seem too big for eyes / nose / mouth... You can start by poking dots at the corners of the eyes, nostrils, corners of the mouth, and get the proportions where you want them. Then start your lines with a series of dots, and just clean up at the end with an x-acto or sharp sculpting tool.

I do quite like that last one you've got going there though. Wouldn't think Cassar would be TOO offended if it doesn't look exactly like his version. Should be an interesting challenge to coax the 2Dish relief onto an egg now and work it into a head. You'll probably have to trim the edges down as narrow as possible, stick it onto your "egg", and then work the sides back in.

 

[moonmin82]

Any sculpting tips from any lurkers out there? I need advice regarding techniques for teeth and monstrous mouths.

I've resurrected the old ork sculpt seen on page 2 to get more practice on heads:

http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?48154-Orky-Stuff&p=638384#post638384

If it comes to it I will make creative changes to the head but for the sake of my own development I want to stay true to the original, especially if it means a more difficult venture.

 

[QuietiManes]

I've seen lots of sculptors tend to make the teeth and let them cure/harden before they sculpt the rest of the mouth/face. So just make a bunch of spikes, let them cure, then cut them to length and push into the mouth to secure. If you make a few extras, various sizes, you'll be sure to have what you need when you are doing the face.

Edit: also good way to use left over putty, have a pile of them ready to go in no time.

The other thing you can do is use tooth picks (the round pointy ones, sand paper can modify the shape) or metal wire (heat it up with a torch while pulling, until it snaps, you'll get 2 cones you can cut off to use as teeth).

Both techniques are often used for all manner of spikes, fins, horns, claws, etc.

 

[moonmin82]

just make a bunch of spikes, let them cure, then cut them to length and push into the mouth to secure.

Problem with this technique is I can't get them small and sharp enough. The heads sculpted above utilised this technique but ended up oversized. I've attempted to sculpt teeth from 'wet' putty but the result was shite.

Any tutorials hiding away (even if for something like ork faces)? I've had limited success finding anything relevant...

 

[Bloodhowl]

The other thing you can do is use tooth picks (the round pointy ones, sand paper can modify the shape) or metal wire (heat it up with a torch while pulling, until it snaps, you'll get 2 cones you can cut off to use as teeth).

Both techniques are often used for all manner of spikes, fins, horns, claws, etc.

From my scale model days, we used to use the one thing every modeler has in abundance, extra sprue. Warm it over a candle and stretch it out just like QM describes with the wire. Makes whip antennas, pipes, gun barrels. Would be really easy to stretch it out and make teeth, spikes, horns, etc...

 

[moonmin82]

For example how would the GW chaps have sculpted some of these toothy grins...
particularly the little guy on the bottom row: