lahatiel
New member
A buddy and I ran our inaugural Blood Bowl tournament (for those unfamiliar, Blood Bowl is GW's game of fantasy football, a mix of rugby and American football played using Warhammer Fantasy races) last year and we'd commissioned a sculpt of a Skaven head coach figure to be a tournament giveaway. With our second annual tournament in a few months, I'd taken it upon myself this year to do my own sculpt our next giveaway figure -- I've been telling myself for years I was going to try sculpting, and this seemed like as good a time as any.
We decided to stick to doing sideline figures rather than on-the-pitch players and chose to do a Witch Elf as a former player turned sideline commentator. I never did get around to working up a concept sketch but had a fairly clear idea of what I wanted. With a commentator, I wouldn't have to try anything too dynamic with the pose yet; she'd be fine just standing still and holding a microphone in front of her. As a Wtich Elf, it will be fitting to also have her dressed in a corset, short skirt with bondage straps, and stompy boots -- the typical style of dress at the industrial/goth dance clubs my wife and I frequent, so I have plenty of reference material in both pictures of our friends, and even my wife's closet.
So with that in mind, I made myself a wire armature and went to work. Forgive the poor pictures, as I don't set up my full photo booth for these WIP shots, but here is my ongoing attempt at my first-ever figure sculpt:
This was my initial work; I bulked out the armature over a few sessions, and took my first-ever stab at sculpting (the start of) a head.
I continued bulking and smoothing, and evened out the breasts somewhat. I wasn't concerned about the feet shape as they're going to be in large platform boots. I'm also only bulking out the one arm that will be gesturing straight out; the other will be sculpted separately, as it's going to reach in front of her body with the microphone.
The first head proved to be unworkable, so I took a second shot at it.
I decided to start my first non-bulking work with the skirt. I also refined the second head by grinding it down to a better, more angular shape with a Dremel and then smoothing it out.
I added some more detail to the skirt and began the torso by smoothing out the underbust corset and beginning the shirt collar (these make more sense further down).
I added the head to the armature and continued with the corset and thighs. I'm not concerned right now with the smallish, awkward shape of the head since there will be be a lot of hair layered on top.
Finally, the figure at present -- a few sessions having passed since the previous shots:
I've finished the corset save the laces in back, and added the shirt and tie to the breasts -- the underbust corset with collared shirt was the look I'd planned from the start, but in going through reference photos (read: old pictures of friends from the clubs), I found one of an old acquaintance who added the loosely worn tie to that look and I immediately thought the tie would be a fitting pseudo-professional touch for a sideline reporter. I also added the straps to the skirt along with stocking tops and garters. However, I'd also realized that my armature had left the shoulders entirely wrong so I cut them off and started again, as were the calves -- I'd thought they be find once I covered in boots, but they were simply too high up the leg -- so I've ground the legs down straight (again thankful for my Dremel!) and will start over there.
And as I said, that's where she currently stands. I took the first few pics, then was reconsidering if I wanted to post anything until I was done, but I kept taking shots in case I changed my mind again and I finally did... so here you go. I know there's obviously there's much work still to be done, not only finishing what's incomplete but also making improvements on what's already done, but I think I'd say right now that I'm not actually unhappy with her. Comments and criticisms are more than welcome, though!
We decided to stick to doing sideline figures rather than on-the-pitch players and chose to do a Witch Elf as a former player turned sideline commentator. I never did get around to working up a concept sketch but had a fairly clear idea of what I wanted. With a commentator, I wouldn't have to try anything too dynamic with the pose yet; she'd be fine just standing still and holding a microphone in front of her. As a Wtich Elf, it will be fitting to also have her dressed in a corset, short skirt with bondage straps, and stompy boots -- the typical style of dress at the industrial/goth dance clubs my wife and I frequent, so I have plenty of reference material in both pictures of our friends, and even my wife's closet.
So with that in mind, I made myself a wire armature and went to work. Forgive the poor pictures, as I don't set up my full photo booth for these WIP shots, but here is my ongoing attempt at my first-ever figure sculpt:
This was my initial work; I bulked out the armature over a few sessions, and took my first-ever stab at sculpting (the start of) a head.
I continued bulking and smoothing, and evened out the breasts somewhat. I wasn't concerned about the feet shape as they're going to be in large platform boots. I'm also only bulking out the one arm that will be gesturing straight out; the other will be sculpted separately, as it's going to reach in front of her body with the microphone.
The first head proved to be unworkable, so I took a second shot at it.
I decided to start my first non-bulking work with the skirt. I also refined the second head by grinding it down to a better, more angular shape with a Dremel and then smoothing it out.
I added some more detail to the skirt and began the torso by smoothing out the underbust corset and beginning the shirt collar (these make more sense further down).
I added the head to the armature and continued with the corset and thighs. I'm not concerned right now with the smallish, awkward shape of the head since there will be be a lot of hair layered on top.
Finally, the figure at present -- a few sessions having passed since the previous shots:
I've finished the corset save the laces in back, and added the shirt and tie to the breasts -- the underbust corset with collared shirt was the look I'd planned from the start, but in going through reference photos (read: old pictures of friends from the clubs), I found one of an old acquaintance who added the loosely worn tie to that look and I immediately thought the tie would be a fitting pseudo-professional touch for a sideline reporter. I also added the straps to the skirt along with stocking tops and garters. However, I'd also realized that my armature had left the shoulders entirely wrong so I cut them off and started again, as were the calves -- I'd thought they be find once I covered in boots, but they were simply too high up the leg -- so I've ground the legs down straight (again thankful for my Dremel!) and will start over there.
And as I said, that's where she currently stands. I took the first few pics, then was reconsidering if I wanted to post anything until I was done, but I kept taking shots in case I changed my mind again and I finally did... so here you go. I know there's obviously there's much work still to be done, not only finishing what's incomplete but also making improvements on what's already done, but I think I'd say right now that I'm not actually unhappy with her. Comments and criticisms are more than welcome, though!
- ello Richmond). 
