Good information on making joining plugs. Just curious, but what do you use to cut your begining sculpting?

James,

I use a jeweller's saw for everything.

HTH
Q.

Sorry for the long intermission.

Here's the next step: Dressing up.

The figure is dressed in the Seminole typical long shirt.

Due to the peculiar pose, the shirt will be added in two steps.
First the lower 'skirt', then the rest of the shirt.





The 'skirt' is made of a Aves/Duro mix, rolled in a thin sheet, cut up approximatively to a shirt pattern and wrapped around the body. If done well, this method will result in instant natural-looking folds and drapery. This is my second try and definitive one.

The skirt is then trimmed along the belt line.





More putty is then applied to the rest of the body using a tooth-pick in a rolling pin motion, adding rough drapery when the putty's still wet.

The folds are further refined by carving up the dry, hardened putty.





As always, questions, remarks and comments are welcome.

Quang

Very cool! You're giving away a lot of 'trade secrets', I suspect, Quang! Thanks for the tips and SBS!

All the best,
Dan

Dan,

There's no more trade secret than saying that omelets are made from eggs. :lol:

Somehow I'm glad you find it helpful.

Quang

Its coming up nicelly so far Quang,

keep us posted

Looking good Quang, I like the SBS method you are using. The pose is very convincing.
Scott

Quang -

Beautiful work!

Can you tell me what the exact product names and mixing formula is for the Duro-Aves mix you used on the shirt? It looks like it would be very useful for thin sheet work.

Carlo

Scott and Periklis, thanks for your comments.

Carlo,

What I call Aves is in fact APOXIE SCULPT manufactured by Aves Studio.

Duro is the older name of KNEADATITE

First mix the two parts of the Apoxie and Kneadatite separately and when it's done, mix the two products together. The proportions of the mix is generally 50/50, although I like to put more Apoxie than Kneadatite. Try it out and see what works best for you.

HTH
Quang

Back to the swamp thing. :lol:

The head is refined and turban added.





Accoutrements are dry-fitted and their exact location marked down. Powder horn and rough shot of the triple gorgets. Also note the foundation for the ostrich plume.



Corresponding straps are fabricated from Apoxie+Duro and layed over the figure.





Notice the rough shape of the bandolier bag which will be detailed later on.

Also note that the sculpt progresses in layers, from the inside out and in every direction at once.

HTH
Quang

Hi Quang,
The powder horn strap seems to have some kind of texture/pattern on it. Did you sculpt it free-hand?

Luis,

The detail on the strap is in fact an imprint and was done by pressing the fresh putty sheet on an appropriate texture (in this here case, an old cloth band-aid).

The putty was then removed from the support, cut to size with mini scissors and laid in position with a fine, soft brush.

I admit it's a nerve-wrecking operation but it can be done. Like catching flies with chopsticks in kung-fu movies. :lol:

HTH

Quang

Hi,

I can attest the efectiveness of the imprint technique - I have several other PiliPili figures where diverse patterns have been suggested the same way. Suggestion is the key word - sculpting patterns like beading or quilling is probably not feasible in miniature, even in larger scales, but a convincing effect can be rendered by suggesting it.

BTW, I think the mix of ethnic traits in the Seminole is progressing very well. :lol:

Dani

One question as to your putty mix, doyou use Aves as it is easier to shape with knifes after it cured? Magic Sculpt tends to be very hard when cured, so I was wondering if that is the reason.

On applying texutre such a bead work, I sculpt mainily in 1/9th scale and to capture bead work is a royal pain in the @#$%. have any suggestions?

Bye the Bye, excellent job on this fiure. I have several of your native American figures and this is a masterpice. James

James: It's true that MS dries a little harder than Apoxie. Other than that, both products are very similar (especially the GREY variety). There's no particular reason I'm using Apoxie in this project. It might as well be MS.

I'm using the same imprint technique for replicating beadwork and other textures on my larger busts. I'd suggest you build up a 'library' of textures that will come very handy whenever you need it.


Dani: You've said it: Suggestion is the key word.

As I see it, a figure is not a scale model. I don't feel the need to reproduce every texture, every strand of hair or every rivet (as in the case of a model aircraft). I'd rather try to give the impression of a texture, a movement of the hair or a direction in a drapery. The issue is not technical. It's emotional.

Also keep in mind that the sculpting is only half the way on the road to realism. The second half is done by painting .

Q.

:lol: i'm gonna make me a t-shirt with this quote!

Things are coming up really nice, Quang :thumb

Cheers,

Patrick

Quang, He gonna be a colorful guy when painted. I like the way his shirt falls. As for calling him "Swamp Thing", there are some great groundwork possibilities there.~Gary

Thanks, Gary and Patrick for your comments and my sincere apologies to you all.

The heatwave, the football world cup (and a new guitar ) took a toll on my waking hours.

Anyhow here's some further developments with more to come very soon.

Cheers,

Quang

Well, the heatwave is gone, the football is of no further interest so sculpting goes on.
That new guitar Quang: A Fender Stratocaster SRV remake??? Maybe a Robert Gray??

Your sculpting is awesome but with these guitar you can also play awesome if you play the music but not the notes.

Marc

Qaung, Thanks for the update. The figure is looking good.~Gary