Monday, March 21, 2011

Stayin' strong...

Like i posted earlier i'v been very busy sculpting the "Captain" lately. As this was my first time, trying to sculpt anything on 32mm scale, i eventually ran into many troubles along the way.

It is no surprise that the face was difficult thing to do, but there were many other areas too... i got pretty far i think, but then i realized, that it was time to stop and really see what i had managed to do... i send some WIP's to izeColt and he gave me some constructive critisism (thanks dude!) I asked him to be honest with me and he really was!!..he gave many good points about the face etc. and it helped alot.

"first attempt: face is awfull and i don't like the studs in the right leg. Also the mini got little bit too tall more like 35mm scale"


I considered the given critisism and finally decided that what i was doing, would not do. I don't aim for perfection, but whatever i do, i must believe in it. I have to be able to say to myself

"I did my very best with this and i am proud of it...at the moment;)"

With this sculpt i had done some mistakes that were not fixed properly (as i hate fixing;) and i had this feeling that i was lying to myself, that i had not did my best with this! So i was moving on a very thin ice!!

In the end. Only thing i could do, was to back to the sculptin' board and start it all over again. First i was shattered because all that intensive work had gone outta' window, but eventually i got lots of new energy.

This time im going to get it right!!!

edit: this post was greatly inspired by the http://spyglassasylum.blogspot.com/2011/03/getting-better.html



Oh! and here something that i like to share with you also. I am a big fan of Joy Division and next weekend i'm going to see Peter Hook (former bass player of the Joy Division) as he is playing the songs from the "Unknown Pleasures" album with his band here in Helsinki!!!

Maybe i can find some comfort for my creative agony from those dark tunes...


11 comments:

  1. It kind of looks like she has one of those carnival masks on. Anyway I still really love where this project is going. Keep it up man! We know you can do it. \o/

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  2. Yeah! it sure looks bad=/
    But i try to be honest to myself and also to you guys..sometimes it is painfull to show your work at its baddest...but eventually it is the right thing to do.

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  3. My feedback was quite harsh, I agree, so sorry mate. It is just that I know that you can do some phenomenal work when you work on your routines and polish your techniques. I want you to make the grade with this one and I know that you can!

    Of course this 32mm(-ish) scale is a challenge of its own. I'm sure that you'll be going through a very interesting development process when you're designing this project. Just put your mind in it and you'll catch the spirit, eventually. Just remember what happened with the previous project!

    Couple of thoughts with this one, now that I'm on it (again). As I'm painting the bigger version of this chick I've noticed that you're using quite many cloth layers in hip area. Loose one layer and make her look like if she's using full jumpsuit beneath the corset and the stockings. No need to have that swimming suit. That way you'll give some nice figures for the bottom too and it'll be much nicer to paint ;) Oh, and I still think she needs a HUGE hat :D

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  4. First up, all in she's a pretty strong sculpt. Clean and in good proportion. That's way more than half the battle.

    The biggest issue is certainly the face but faces are very tough to pull off. I'm not sure what process you used but I find that building the face in stages helps. When I sculpt a face I don't add a nose til later. Also, the eye sockets are black. The chin and lower lip are added separately. Basically the upper lip is 'pushed up' and shaped leaving a gap below. A small blob of putty then is used to add the point of the chin and the lower lip.

    Looks like you used a small bearing for the eyes. At this scale I find it easier to just sculpt in putty. One advantage of working the eye into an already cured eyesocket is you can try over and over until you get it right. Plus this fig has the advantage of only having to do one eye so symmetry isn't an issue.

    I like the design of studs on the legs but using the metal bearings probably isn't the best way. They're a bit big. Probably best to let the leg cure blank, maybe with pin pricks where you want the studs, and then add the studs with putty later. You wont get quite the mechnical perfection of the bearings but they don't need to be 'that' perfect. I do studs by adding a blob of putty as small as I can and then using the tip of a scalpel to remove small amounts of it until there's just enough left. Yes, it's an annoying process...

    But all in this is a strong sculpt so don't be too hard on yourself.

    You certainly strike me as someone 'with the knack' for sculpting.

    And thinking about it, maybe I should do a head sculpting tutorial on my blog sometime...

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  5. i thought steve would help - had that record and saw the band here in nottingham in the late 70's backing john cooper clarke - they were very young and nervous but twas a good night ......

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  6. and still in the end this might be one of the nicest female miniatures as a whole. Don't you dare give up on her! :D

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  7. Thanks Steve! Your advice is always welcome!
    You should do some tutorials..for the head and maybe for hands too...

    And thank you all for your support=)

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  8. no do absolutely not give up - great dynamic - style of dress goes beyond saying, really for me - i want one .....

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  9. Giving up is not an option here. I will nail it in the end!

    I'l try your tips Steve when i start sculpting again=)

    J.B.- i must admit that i am more than jealous about the fact that you have seen the original band live;)
    (Ian Curtis R.I.P)

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  10. Hey Steve! one more- I vent through your older blog entries and found a couple interesting articles.
    First was about "starting again"
    (notice the similarity;)
    The other one was about armatures.
    I'l be trying that your way of making armatures with this second go for the "Captain".

    I was thinking that how about if i would take pictures as i go, phase by phase.
    Then you would comment them and give tips & stuff..

    It would be something like Teacher and student style of conversation....how about it..it would be something different for a chance???
    Perhaps even fun to read too??

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  11. Absolutely. Go for it.

    Glad you're finding the info on the Asylum to be useful too :)

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