Anyone here sculpt their own models?
- Thread starter Arkansan
- Start date
weismonsters
Member
Arkansan
Member
Well I got around to taking my first crack at sculpting. Rather than doing a full sculpt I did some conversions for a project I've been planning for a while. The bodies are from Italeri Late Roman Infantry and the weapons/arms are from Caesar's Early WW2 German Infantry.
I'm going for a sort of post-apocalyptic light sci-fi look. I'd love any comments, critiques, or advice.
This is the first time I've done anything like this, so it's all been a bit of a learning experience. I'm working in 1/72 scale here so one thing I've picked up is that apparently I need less greenstuff than I tend to think. One thing I'm struggling with is how to get any sort of fine detail, it just seems near impossible at that size. I also suspect I need more varied tools, all I have to work with is a the three piece sculpting set from Army Painter.
I'm going for a sort of post-apocalyptic light sci-fi look. I'd love any comments, critiques, or advice.
This is the first time I've done anything like this, so it's all been a bit of a learning experience. I'm working in 1/72 scale here so one thing I've picked up is that apparently I need less greenstuff than I tend to think. One thing I'm struggling with is how to get any sort of fine detail, it just seems near impossible at that size. I also suspect I need more varied tools, all I have to work with is a the three piece sculpting set from Army Painter.
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Tubehead
Member
That's pretty good for just starting out and in 1/72 scale. If you have access to any fine entomology pins, or have a sewing kit around there with a really fine needle, you can use pliers to bend a needle into a crescent shape and mount it in a pencil eraser. The curved, bent needle is the classic all-purpose green stuff tool, but a finer one may be useful to have for 1/72.
A promising start! Keep at it!
A promising start! Keep at it!
Tubehead
Member
Arkansan":2syjnypj said:
That happens, doesn't it? (´▽`)
Once you get a feel for the properties of the clay and know how it responds to things, if you think through your approach to a given model carefully before you get started, you'll see more of your project ideas succeeding and very few failing. Just keep putting ideas into action and soon you'll be scratchbuilding your own figs!
Bluey Zarzov
Member
I found that using old dentist tool bits work really well for chainmail textures.
symphonicpoet
Moderator
^weismonsters,
Great stuff! I too really like the tree. Very much the way I imagine a good ent.
^Arkansan,
I love the conversion work you're doing on those. They're going to look fantastic. Honestly, they already do.
^Tubehead,
That's a great suggestion about the masking . . . glue fluid business. I'm only just sort of starting to dabble in this myself. but setting something up for multiple arms/heads/weapons/accessories would be good. And being able to easily remove a part I didn't like.
Great stuff! I too really like the tree. Very much the way I imagine a good ent.
^Arkansan,
I love the conversion work you're doing on those. They're going to look fantastic. Honestly, they already do.
^Tubehead,
That's a great suggestion about the masking . . . glue fluid business. I'm only just sort of starting to dabble in this myself. but setting something up for multiple arms/heads/weapons/accessories would be good. And being able to easily remove a part I didn't like.
symphonicpoet
Moderator
I suppose I should come clean. I am myself testing the waters at this whole sculpting thing. Not very experienced yet, but starting to enjoy it.
To that end, here's a couple of my early efforts. Both are conversions, one to salvage a damaged miniature and one to make a newer style miniature look older.
First, here was an attempt at "Olleyizing" a newer ogryn model.
Next up, here's my attempt to replace missing pieces of an Olley/Ironclaw Roborg.
It's a little rough, but it paints up all right.
Finally, here's my first attempt at a complete top-to bottom sculpt: a female civilian ogryn.
Obviously, she ain't done yet, but you get the rough outline of where I'm trying to go.
To that end, here's a couple of my early efforts. Both are conversions, one to salvage a damaged miniature and one to make a newer style miniature look older.
First, here was an attempt at "Olleyizing" a newer ogryn model.
Next up, here's my attempt to replace missing pieces of an Olley/Ironclaw Roborg.
It's a little rough, but it paints up all right.
Finally, here's my first attempt at a complete top-to bottom sculpt: a female civilian ogryn.
Obviously, she ain't done yet, but you get the rough outline of where I'm trying to go.
symphonicpoet
Moderator
^Thank you Arkansan. Given the quality of your own conversions, that means a lot to me.
symphonicpoet
Moderator
^Thank you Tubehead! That is high praise indeed.
Tubehead
Member
Thought somebody here might benefit from seeing this:
I'm currently working on several commissioned creature swarms so I'm employing a cloning technique that serves not just for labor saving, but for making sure all the little individual creatures are nice and identical.
In the top photo, the trilobite on the wooden cylinder is the original. It's about 6mm in length.
The mold was made from a clay I found at the hundred yen store that comes in small bars of translucent material and softens when placed in boiling water. Its pretty much useless for making sculptures because while it's malleable its almost too hot to touch, and seconds later it becomes rigid again, however I accidentally discovered that it is the perfect material for making molds.
With a mold its a simple matter to take little pea-sized blobs of greenstuff, wet them down with saliva so the mold will release (←very important), and stamp out any number of the form you want.
As you can see, the last step is just to trim off any excess greenstuff and they're ready to mount on a base.
I'm currently working on several commissioned creature swarms so I'm employing a cloning technique that serves not just for labor saving, but for making sure all the little individual creatures are nice and identical.
In the top photo, the trilobite on the wooden cylinder is the original. It's about 6mm in length.
The mold was made from a clay I found at the hundred yen store that comes in small bars of translucent material and softens when placed in boiling water. Its pretty much useless for making sculptures because while it's malleable its almost too hot to touch, and seconds later it becomes rigid again, however I accidentally discovered that it is the perfect material for making molds.
With a mold its a simple matter to take little pea-sized blobs of greenstuff, wet them down with saliva so the mold will release (←very important), and stamp out any number of the form you want.
As you can see, the last step is just to trim off any excess greenstuff and they're ready to mount on a base.
Citizen Sade
Member
That worked well.
As you’re in Japan, I assume that you’re using Oyamaru? The repackaged Instamould stuff is likely more readily available elsewhere. Mine seems to work fine for certain jobs.
As you’re in Japan, I assume that you’re using Oyamaru? The repackaged Instamould stuff is likely more readily available elsewhere. Mine seems to work fine for certain jobs.
Bluey Zarzov
Member
All hail the trilobytes - first of the eye creatures
symphonicpoet
Moderator
I'd call that "press molding." I've done that for smaller details I want to repeat regularly on ship miniatures, like anti-aircraft artillery or anchors. Odd as this may seem, I actually use green stuff to make molds for green stuff. After it hardens it seems to work great as a mold. And yes, mold release is key. I expect it won't last forever, but I can always make a new mold pretty easily. Whatever you make like that has to be "flat" and one sided. No negative space. But for a lot of added detail that seems to be fine.
Also, your trilobytes are dang cute! They look good.
Also, your trilobytes are dang cute! They look good.
Citizen Sade
Member
Try two part moulds to copy both sides of things like icons & standards.
A benefit of Oyamaru/Instamould over greenstuff is that you can re-use it by simply putting it in hot water again.
A benefit of Oyamaru/Instamould over greenstuff is that you can re-use it by simply putting it in hot water again.