Hello all you sculptors.
I had a small voyage into the land of sculpting in the form of filling an elbow joint in a uniform of a 1/9th bust.
I also attempted a quick release buckle and some straps.

Although I found it quite challenging and frustrating, I enjoyed it immensely and it made me realise again what talent you sculptors have. I would like to improve my sculpting skills but obviously would need some pointers.

The thing that hampered me was what wondering what tools to use, what medium, waiting times and such...in a word specifics. How do you guys make a 1/9th quick release buckle without ruining half a pound of miliput?

You guys are posting some incredible stuff here and was wondering if you'd share in a bit more detail how you achieve results by showing us what tools and techniques you use.
e.g How do you do hair, armour scales, boot laces, straps, clothing folds and that kind of thing.
Kinda like us painters sharing our techniques with each other.

I look forward to seeing what you got.

Thanks Carl,
You da man.

Getting started?
Well, you do not have to look for special tools. Order! I use an old wife's manicure. There is a lot of appropriate tools. And the old brush to paste different bent pins on the top and you have equipped. It's not professional but I hope with this work successfully. Other techniques are individual and specific description is always what you need to be addressed.
Hi Palo

Hi Grant,

Its hard where to start,

1/ work out which putty suits you and what it's best for. I like Aves epoxy for the main but also use a+b, milliput, procreate and ofcourse magic sculpt. Some stick better and are stronger for me this is a+b but I dont use it for clothing etc, procreate is bendy sticks ok and is great for details, you can also mix it with another putty to combine both properties. You really have got to try and keep trying just like painting.

2/ Tools, scalpels dental probes bent nails flat spatulas tooth picks( cover in superglue and sanded smooth) fine brushes for blending and smoothing out. I use the brushes a lot .

You basically have to look at what you want to sculpt, work out its size on your piece and go for it, you may have to do this a lot of times but thats practice.

Some call it pushing putty around, I guess you are finding it harder than you thought. I dont paint because I decided to concentrate on sculpting, its hard to master both.

Hope this helps, practice and dont give up.

Stu

I would never refer to it as the above mate and I have always praised the sculptors. But boy, you're right....it's much harder than I thought.
Many thanks for the tips Stu, I'll need to try some of the different putties out.
Best regards,
Grant

Grant,

Get some magic sculpt, procreate or green stuff they pretty similar, mix each and then mix together. Smaller amount of procreate etc. This generally quite a good allround mix.

You can smooth with water. A+B is great for strength and sticks very well, just dont put water near it but great for flags and rolled out with talc etc. Mix some green stuff in and it becomes even better having an elasticity to it.

Have a go you'll be hooked for life or just the opposite:lol:

All the best mate

Stu

For tools at the simplest you just need a few, e.g. a couple of shaped cocktails sticks, a needle or two and one or two craft knives and you'd be good to go.

If you stick with it eventually you'll want a few more tools and lots of things are worth trying to see what suits your individual preferences. More on tools in these threads:
Tools of the trade
Homemade Tools of the Trade
PTFE tools, the holy grail?

As far as method goes, couple of main ways you might do it but usually you'd apply a blob of putty first and then shape/trim/shape/trim, or use an impression tool of some kind to make the overall shape and then detail it (or a press-mould to form it nearly in a single shot).

In terms of medium, eventually I'd suggest you try something other than Milliput since there are so many options these days with a variety of better working characteristics - MagicSculp, Apoxie Clay, ProCreate, Kneadatite.

Previous threads are a good starting point for each of those (worth searching on CMON too), and then ask questions if you don't find what you're looking for or you need clarification.

These days general web searches will find a large number of SBSs and other guides, including videos of people sculpting on YouTube.

While guides are useful to help get a grounding in basic techniques just like with painting a lot of learning to sculpt is putting the work in - your hands have to get used to doing it, using your tools with the putty you have there.

As was more common pre-Internet, I think there's a lot to be said for not looking up too much (you could actually learn to sculpt purely by trial and error if you wanted to take it to an extreme) so that you can develop your own ways of doing things, any one of which might be better than something you can find online - I'm sure almost all sculptors have a few tricks or simple techniques that they don't write about, just like with most experts who keep a few secrets back to help protect the mystique

Einion

Hi Grant

There is some useful stuff in the action press publication (Sculpting and body language) by Mike Blank ,available from Historex Agents around £13

Maybe a bit dated and should be priced about £6 but there is one or two things that will help a beginner in this field.

Thanks all I'm going to look about a bit.
I might look for that book on Amazon Ron....you know us Scots are canny with our cash, Besides I'd rather staple my foreskin to a runaway horse rather than give money to Historex.

Im sure Carl Barton would agree with that one. :lol:

If you like I will send you my copy up and you can copy the interesting bits.

Ron

Some my best tools are the ones I made myself. I use old scroll saw blades, old reciprocal saw blades, scrapes of rock maple, various sizes of brass and when I can get it stainless steel tubing.
If you are doing a 1:9 scale quick release buckle. Start with the real thing and get measurements. cut the parts for it out of wood or styrene and glue or weld it together. I find that building the actual part is better than trying to sculpt it. Faces and hands and bodies (in short any anatomy human or other wise) It is helpfull to make scaled drawings and have a good understanding of anatomy or a patient model who will let you study theres in the pose you need. Take measurements of everything, man made or man, women, child or animal for the best results.

Thanks Richard,
Very useful...I never even thought of doing the quick release buckle in styrene or wood.
Thanks again,
Grant