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Scratch building/Molding your own figures?

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  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Scratch building/Molding your own figures?
Posted by smeagol the vile on Sunday, August 31, 2008 10:32 AM

I'm going to cross post this with the scratch forum.

 

I'm looking to make my own figures, in 1/35 scale, for a Dio I am planning.

What kind of materials would I need to do this?  What kind of putty to sculpt would I need, what tools?

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by ajlafleche on Sunday, August 31, 2008 11:48 AM
Here's the place to ask that question.

Remember, if the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 9:30 AM
Yea, I semi got ignored there.

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Sunny Florida
Posted by renarts on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 9:55 AM

It's a matter of practice and preference. Media available are

Duro, Fimo, AB putty, Apoxie Sculpt, Sculpey, Super Sculpey, Milliput (in various forms) and it really comes down to experimenting with what works best for you. Some figure sculptors will rough out the figure and then carve detail after its dry or will build up detail and work it soft beore the material dries/cures or is baked. With the availability of heads from companies like Mig and Hornet, the hard part of faces and heads is taken away and you can work on details with the body and pose.

My advice would be to pick up a good anatomy book for artists. This will help you with proportion and scale with your figures. There are  few sources for 1/35 scale and proportional cards that will give you a heads up on the height and proportions of your figure.

Get some workable wire for an armature and then buld up from there. Make a wire figure first to check your height, where the hips and shoulders are, the posing of the legs and arms and then build your sculpt around that.

If you dig around enough on the link that Al provided, you'll find plenty of material there to help you along. There are several sbs in the archives of that forum that you should get a good idea of what your in for.

With practice comes success so don't expect to come out with a masterpiece off the starting line. Build your techniques as you practice. A good starting point is figure conversion. This will help you build the skills to tackle a sculpt.Matching fabric drape or re positioning limbs and bodies is a great way to work out the kinks. After all if you can't make a seamless conversion, you won't have a great success sculpting.

Good luck

Mike "Imagination is the dye that colors our lives" Marcus Aurellius A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!"
  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 10:37 AM

Musat figured out that 1/24th scale easychair build and moved up to scupting figures, eh?  Big Smile [:D]

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 1:45 PM

Nah Its just my mind goes on tangents with my projects.  I felt like scratch building, the project for that chair is anything but, same with my kubelwagen wip and my tank kits.  This is entirley scratch building and moding.

I am using figures as a base for mine, its just I didnt know what kind of products to use to bulk them up, or how to modify things like arm and leg positions to make them how I want them appart from sculpting my own.

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 2:43 PM

I was just pullin' yer leg a bit.... I modify figure poses by cutting heads. arms and legs at the joints, either partially or all the way through, depending on the degree of "bend"...  If I cut all the way, I drill a hole in each part and insert a piece wire with the desired angle, then putty in the joint to fill it back out...  Heads always get a wire "neck" and I fill all the joints I do with plain ol' Testor's tube putty.. Scuplting folds and such, I just use various shapes of tools, paintbrush handles, drill bits, knife, etc, to make soft or sharp folds, creases, or to smooth skin... 

Partial cuts are usually wedge-shaped notches at the joint, then heat is applied with a candle to make the bend and to keep the arm or leg from "going spaghetti" on me...

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: The Bluegrass State
Posted by EasyMike on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 3:08 PM

I agree with Hans; you're better off modifying existing figures than trying to scratchbuild your own right from the git-go.

Smile [:)]

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 6:29 PM
Yea, that is what I was going for.  Im, not exactly happy with the end result on this guy's face, but im happy with the body and the head/hat and headphone and all of that.  Once I get alittle more done ill post pics (also working on weapons and accessories at the same time)  This project is going to requite ALOT of work.  I wont be done it this year.

 

  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: portland oregon area
Posted by starduster on Friday, September 12, 2008 3:56 PM
     Go to mylargescale.com then go to articles then to figure making a great tutorial on making figures, mostly for large scale garden railways but could be modified for smaller scales, hope this helps.   Karl
photograph what intrests you today.....because tomorrow it may not exist.
  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Friday, September 12, 2008 4:14 PM
Thanks bud, Ill check it out.

 

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