French Trader for French and Indian War - my first sculpt (1 Viewer)

[45thdiv]

Hi - well here is my first attempt at sculpting in a small scale - 65mm is small to me anyway.
I've sort of lurked around here enjoying the wonderful photos you guys take of your dioramas (K&C and Jenkins) are my areas of interest.

So here he is. There are things I would do different and lots I have learned. I used magic sculpt to make the torso and legs - just can't get my head around an armature yet. I finished the figure off with Pro Create, then primed med gray. It's been over 20 years since I did any sculpture and that was all life size, to 1/4 size.

All comments welcome - Just trying to find a way to relax after work and I am not enjoying painting as much as I did.

Also - I did not sculpt the musket - still working up to that. John Jenkins was kind enough to let me have a resin copy of one of his while I practiced. Maybe one day I'll get there.

Thanks.

Matthew

 

[PolarBear]

Very nice figure of a very interesting subject. Looking forward to seeing it painted.

Randy

 

[marco55]

Very nice for first try after 20+ years.I collect FIW so if you go even smaller to 54mm you might have an interested customer.All the best.
Mark

 

[45thdiv]

Thanks Mark and Randy.

It will be some time before I get around to painting him. While I am in the mood to sculpt again I want to keep trying out things. I'm just sculpting to unwind, not looking for work.

Mark I am planning on going 54mm / 60mm to fit in with my own Jenkins collection. There are figures and characters I want that I am not sure will be done so I thought I'd try them out myself.

If you have a figure idea in mind and don't have a fast turn around time, I might be interested in trying something for you. Send me a PM and we can work something out. Muskets I'm not good with yet, so please keep that in mind.

Thanks.

Matthew

 

[Captkronos]

Very nice, especially considering you didn't even use an armature. One thing I learned is that the finished piece is only as good as the armature, and if you did this without one, you will be surprised how much better you'll get with one. I've been meaning to get some of that Pro Create stuff myself. I like the smooth texture it appears to have.

 

[45thdiv]

Thanks Captkronos - I find the Pro Create very easy to use and blend. It sands and carves well.

I have stacks if wire armatures I have made and they just still feel too limiting for me.

I don't even draw well as I can't see the 3D image in my mind on the paper. I always use a wax based clay to do quick mock ups. I have always started with the torso when I begin a figure, then the legs and head. Magic Sculpt really frees one up to pose the figure as needed. I am working on a 54mm rider for the AWI range a friend of mine collects. There are no officers on horse so I am making him one as a get well gift for having made it through spine surgery. When it's done he should be able to make 4 different officers from it. We have another friend who will be casting him in metal for me. I'll post pictures of him after he is cast.

I'll keep trying to see if I can get an armature to work for me. Or at least find someone to cast up some basic body poses I do. It does get tiring sculpting the same basic bottom half of a figure over and over again. I will really have to find someone who can make weapons for me once I get that figured out.

Any Ideas on that? I was thinking of thin brass rod to use as the barrel and then sculpt the stock around it.

Thanks for the help.

Matthew

 

[Captkronos]

I am only now getting halfway decent at muskets (remember, I did say "halfway"). I don't know where you live, but if you have any sort of craft stores, go to the jewelry making section and you'll find all types of wires and rods. I use wire so I can just put a bend in it to have a stock and then add putty to build it up. My muskets aren't great, but they've come a long way if you ever look at my Photobucket site. Some of those early ones are just plain bad. If you have a friend that does casting, make sure you cast a good musket so you don't have to start from scratch every time, though I still do usually just to try to get better. Amazing that a stick (basically) is so much more difficult than the person (for me, anyway).

 

[45thdiv]

Thanks for that info - I live in Northern Virginia, so craft store abound. I have about 6 muskets that are in various stages of ugliness. That was when I was still trying to learn green stuff. I have not tried again with Pro Create, but will give it a go after I get some more brass rods. What really impresses me about John Jenkins's muskets is the flintlock detail. I have a 1757 Kentucky long rifle and must have looked at it and pictures for hours just trying to figure out how to get that detail. I do know I need to find smaller tools. I'm use to sculpting life size stuff so may tool set is for that work.

I picked up some of the small black clay shapers and they are very good, but wear down quickly.

My feeling on sculpting is never be afraid to cut away something that does not look right but also to finish a project, even if it has flaws. I find i'll pick at a sculpture for ever if I don't stop myself with a dead line so I can learn from it and move on to another project. I am sure it will take me years to get back to where I was 20 years ago, but then I have a very limited time to sculpt each week with work and family obligations.

But I have really enjoyed getting back into sculpting again. And I totally agree that a stick is harder to sculpt than a person. Maybe because a person is never stiff, but flowing in form and a musket will always be a stick.

 

[Captkronos]

Of all the sculpting tools I've tried, probably 99% of the time I use the almighty toothpick. The point makes a great tool, and you can roll the side of it over an area to blend and shape. A broken toothpick can also become a bayonet or scabbard. I went and bought some dental picks, but hardly ever use them and just grab a good toothpick. Don't tell anyone, that's top secret goldmine stuff.

 

[45thdiv]

Since a few asked, here is a picture of how I use Magic Sculpt to make my armatures. When this clay hardens it takes a grinder to take it down. So I have learned to make the torsos first, then make sections for the thigh and shin bones. When I am ready to pose the figure I use the same clay to make the hips, knees, and feet. I don't normally do the arms at this stage, but the figure on the ground is grabbing onto the coat of the one standing and pulling the standing figure off balance. So I thought I needed something or reference.

If you have ever worked with pottery clay, this stuff is just like it. 2 part mix or resin and hardener. mix in even volume, use water to smooth and shape. If you don't use water it's like working with play-doh and crumbles as you smooth it. I wish I had a better shot as the proportions look off at this angle, but the are not. And they are closer to 54mm which is good in my book, since I'm trying to work to this scale.

I take a small rasp file to shape them and to give the Pro Create something to grab onto when I start sculpting.

Matthew

 

[45thdiv]

bumped up for hands question.