Sorry to bother with more Sculpting 101 questions...

I have read thru Mike Blanks Modelissimo book and Gary's 20th Georgia article but I am a bit confused on the armature thing.

For a complete beginner, is it recommended to:

Start out with a purchased, pre made armature rather than make one from scratch?
It seemed like Mike used many previously custom cast pieces to make his work go faster and neater.

is it better to start out at a larger scale to learn the craft? Say, 120 mm instead of 1/35th or 54mm?

I don't yet have any subject in mind yet but I am stuck with how to start.

Any comments are welcome. Thanks-

Keith

Keith, This all depends on what YOU want to do. If you start out with a pre made armature all that is left is to do is add a uniform and maybe sculpt a head unless you use one of many spares available. This is but one way to approach scratchbuilding. There are manufacturers that sell armatures that require you to just add clothing to your figure or add the fleshy parts over a photo etched (Andrea's?) armature. To sculpt a head and other details in a larger scale may be easier, It is less forgiving if your figure is out of proportion.

Personally, I think the head as being the more challanging part. You could also start out with a 120mm bust so you can concentrate on the head alomg with a bit of uniform attached to it. If you went this route you would not be facing the thought of an ENTIRE figure, just a part of it.

I would also suggest getting some Sculpey. I think it's a great medium to at least practice with when you're starting out. The last thing you want to worry about is your material curing on you as your working on something. Though I use putty on my figures the heads are done in Sculpey. Pick up a few small packages of Sculpey III, they come in all sorts of colors. Take 1 package of black and one of white and mix them together. It will give you a nice gray that will allow you to see tool marks.

If you have anymore questions just ask away.~Gary

That's what the site's for

That's up to you to some extent. You can certainly go and buy commercial armatures and use them, but there are some good reasons not to - measuring and/or eyeballing limb lengths, figure height & build and so on will train you better than working on a readymade framework.

If you want to start with one or two sculpts over a bought armature, why not? But I wouldn't rely on them for a long time if you want to progress. Also of course if you use a commercial piece the stature of the man is pretty much fixed, so variations in height - ones you might want! - are much harder, or impractical, to achieve.

Yes, similar to the cast pelvises and torsos that Bill Horan uses I think. I use up a lot of my leftover putty at the end of a sculpting session to make the equivalent; you soon build a large collection.

I think that'll be different for each person. I started sculpting extensively at larger sizes (1/16th busts) which was the right way to go for me, but other members began sculpting in 1/32 scale and pretty much stick to it.

<!--QuoteBegin-KeithP@Jan 19 2007, 09:07 PM
I don't yet have any subject in mind yet but I am stuck with how to start. [/quote]
That's a problem, sort of the equivalent of artists staring at a blank piece of paper. FWIW I would recommend you give yourself a concrete goal and work towards it*; that's usually a good way not to mess about with a bit of this and a bit of that, never really getting anything completed.

*A simple up-and-down figure in a fairly plain uniform maybe?

Einion

The mannequin Mike uses in his book is the same one that Michael Roberts sell. It is a great starting point, although the mannequin lends itself better to action poses then relaxed as it is extremely hard to pose it in a relaxed pose that looks natural.

The thing to do is decide on a project that you know a lot about, then just dive into it. The hardest thing is to get started. But once you start you will learn so much from the first sculpt, that the second will seam like nothing compared to it. The beauty about sculpting is that everything you learn sticks with you, and just keeps building up.

Hi Keith...it's great that you're thinking about having a go at sculpting, and you have some great advice here already.
Maybe try a couple of scales, you never know, you may surprise yourself...I know some people can work very fluently in smaller scales, yet get a little hung-up on the extra details they think are needed with larger pieces.
Try to concentrate on the anatomical proportions and the pose. Getting the figure to look right in the early stages is of course very important, and will also give your confidence a big boost.
Whatever you do, have fun and enjoy it, as it can be a real blast to see something take shape on your bench that is unique.
Good luck with this...and as Gary said..if you have any more questions, just ask...as we all learn from the answers.

All the best...Roy.

Thanks for the lenghty answers and thoughtful comments. They are appreciated.

I had not thought about a bust but that might be a good place for me to start. I do like the idea of something larger than 54mm just because it is easier for me to see.

Good observation on the mannequin not being relaxed. I had noted the naturalness of Mike's poses and did not think those straight up and down mannequins would lend themselves very well. :lol:

I don't think I know any subject really well. I do have several Don Troaiani books that have some very attractive non zouave related candidates...
I think I'll spend this week end picking out two or three ideas and get planning.

Thanks again guys-

Keith

Only one added suggestion. If you choose a figure vs. a bust, download one of the anatomy and proportions charts and scale it to the scale you pick. It'll prove invaluable. Good luck and take your time - a playful attitude will be your best tool!!!

All the best,
Dan

Dan-

Thanks for the comment on the anatomy scale charts. I copied over the ones from a couple of threads from Quang, Gary, Ray and you.

Keith