Sculpting smooth shapes / characters

[Arma]

If I wanted to sculpt something like this:

(Katamari Damacy\'s main character),

What would be the best putty to use? I\'ve never really scuplted anything but I want to try and make some 28mm scale version of Katamari chars for my GF! They\'re all relatively simple shapes (cones, cylinders, and thin arms with ball-like hands).

What kind of tools would I need?

I noticed someone released a sculpting package for newbies, does anyone have this product and if so what\'s it like?

 

[Gilvan Blight]

Sorry can\'t help you, just had to write to damn you for getting that song stuck in my head.

If you are talking about the Sculptors Do It With Small Tools-Full Kit, I would love to know if it\'s worth it. Seems like a great kit.

 

[Arma]

Na NAaaaa na na naaa naan aaa KATAMARI DAMASHIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

 

[matty1001]

Milliput dries rock hard and is sandable and fileable, so you could get some super smooth results on that.

Or Magicsculpt? Im pretty sure thats a papier mache mix. Not sure about sandableness (is that a word lol )

 

[Arma]

I do have some milliput but hardly used it. is it workable for a long time?

 

[DaN]

Milliput has the advantage of being semi-soluble in water, much like clay.

Not sure about how long it takes to cure - I normally leave things overnight.

Haven\'t tried anything else except green stuff, which is ok, but maybe not the best thing for this.

How bit are you planning to make it?
If it\'s gonna be quite big, you might be better off with standard clay

 

[Arma]

Small, like key chain small. Like about the size of an average Gobbo I guess?

 

[Dragonsreach]

A few years ago I saw a tv program on Ship modelling where the modeller used a tablet wrapper as a mould for plastic domes. (you know the type where you press from the front and the tablet/capsule pops out the foil behind).
You could use one of those with fairly wet Milliput to get a smooth surface.

Klute showed me \"Pro-Create\" which is a far softer and more maleable material which may help you to achieve smoother surfaces. In fact, when thinking on what I\'ve suggested it may be more suitable to that process than Milliput. It does take longer to set but, let\'s face it we are used to watching paint dry so that shouldn\'t be a problem.

 

[minimaker]

The way I would do this would be:

- Roll a cone and a cylinder. You can do this like I show here:

Make a mix of brown stuff and green stuff (you need some stiffness andless stickiness). Roll it into a sausage shape. Put it on a smooth sheet off plastic. Put another one on top and use it to roll the sausage into a smooth cone or cylinder. Don\'t use too much lubrication or the cylinder will not roll. Let them cure till they are like hard rubber and use a knife to cut them to size.
- Make the rounded ends of the cylinder and the bottom of the cone with ProCreate. This is well suited since it\'s well suitable for organic shapes and can be filed and sanded afterwards.
- Stick and pin the cone and cylinder together using green stuff (add more yellow) or ProCreate (add more white).
- Add metal wires for arms and legs.
- Create all other details with ProCreate or Green stuff.

Milliput can also be used for the main parts but I\'d mix in Green stuff for strenth. To make a cylinder and cone I\'d turn it using a lathe or a drill used as lathe. It\'s a fair bit messier though.

Actually, I need to make a cylinder in a moment. I\'ll take some more pics.

 

[darkartminiatures]

Fimo. You would not need to paint it as it comes in a range of colours. :bouncy:

edited* You would still need to use an armature though.

 

[freakinacage]

Originally posted by darkartminiatures
Fimo. You would not need to paint it as it comes in a range of colours. :bouncy:

edited* You would still need to use an armature though.

i\'d use fimo for the body and head. you should be able to roll out the main shapes and then cook it. as for the details, i would use either green stuff or procreate over an armature

 

[Prophet]

Do not use fimo unless you plan to stick these figures on a shelf and leave them there. All poly clays are just too fragile for anything that will be handled.

Considering the figure is primarily geometric shapes, I think your best bet would be to incorporate as many pre-existing parts as possible. That head for example, could be built primarily out of a length of plastic tubing. The body could be done in a similar manner.

I\'d recommend using a hard setting putty like milliput, apoxie sculpt or magicsculp for any extra sculpting on the body that needs to be done (like capping off the ends of the tube for the head). The main reason is that once dry, they can be sanded or carved smooth as needed.

If you\'re going to sculpt small details like the facial features, green stuff is the way to go. It\'s stickier and bonds better than other putties, so the small parts won\'t generally fall off. Of course, you might just want to paint them on.

As far as tools go, you can probably do most of what you need with an exacto blade. A colour shaper wouldn\'t hurt for smoothing though.

 

[minimaker]

I just updated my previous message with a series on making a epoxy rod. I used ProCreate with a little more grey in it. It has the right stiffness, is rubbery enough to be cut with a knife before full cure and can be sanded afterward.

Hehe, with all the reactions you should have enough suggestions by now. Good luck on the project.

 

[Arma]

this is some great advice, especially the technique for making the cyclinder.

Many thanks! Just gotta find Procreate / etc in Japan! I though I know where I can get it I think.

Probs a little more expensive mind.

 

[minimaker]

Japan? Should have seen that in your details. In that case you can also consider Tamiya epoxy putty (item 87051*400), it also cures hard and is ok for sculpting organic shapes. And probably a bit cheaper where you are than over here in the Netherlands.

bye, Ming-Hua

 

[Prophet]

Originally posted by Gilvan Blight
If you are talking about the Sculptors Do It With Small Tools-Full Kit, I would love to know if it\'s worth it. Seems like a great kit.

There has only been one review to my knowledge, and that\'s here:
http://www.tabletop-terrain.com/archives/2007/03/13/752/

Wargames Illustrated, Wargames Journal, Battlegames , Fictional Reality, and the All About Miniatures podcast should have full reviews available in April and May.

 

[lahatiel]

A couple relevant kudos for a couple groups who\'ve earned them, with whom I have no ties other than being a satisfied customer.

1) If you end up needing to order ProCreate to have it shipped, even to Japan, I\'d recommend talking to the guys at www.impactminiatures.com (although you\'d have to wait a few days first right now, as the Impact! guys are on vacation until April 8th). They\'ve got good prices, flat-rate shipping costs, and I can say from experience that they\'ve been extremely helpful with special requests and shipping instructions. I don\'t think ordering from them from Japan would be too difficult, nor horribly expensive.

2) I was lucky enough to have Prophet as an instructor for a sculpting class at the last GenCon SoCal this past November. All of his students got what I believe he referred to as a sort of \"pre-production\" version of the Sculptors Do It With Small Tools kit as part of class; based on that experience, for both the materials included and his great knowledge of and talent for the subject, I\'d give him and his kit my recommendation.

 

[minimaker]

Update on Procreate in Japan. Bob Finkenauer just phoned me the full metal planet store has bought two boxes: http://fullmetalplanet.biz/
I suppose they will be available some time soon.

Bye, Ming-Hua