Completed Critique 2 new busts

[barbados_wild]

Hey Everyone,

Here's some new busts

Mecklenburg Dragoon Regiment 17

Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany - 2nd Kurassier

all C&C's are welcome,

 

[megroot]

Both are awesome.
Would like to paint them.
Looking forward to the date when they come out.

Marc

 

[polyphemus]

Hi Aaron both of these come very close to being your best work for Michael Miniatures yet. I'm looking forward very much to their release and their arrival in the UK.

Geoff

 

[gordy]

Fantastic pieces Aaron!
Thanks for sharing the raw sculpt photos, very instructional for us sculptors

 

[barbados_wild]

thanks everyone, I think the Meck is one of my best in a few areas, its a fav of mine.

Technique wise, I make my bodies and faces in polymer clay (sculpey and premo) and then after they are baked I add my details in epoxy putty (often in 2-3 layers).

I make up my body armature so the head it separate ( which makes it easier for sculpting and also allows you to adjust the head angle once its on the body). I normally make the head first and then fix it to the body after the body has been baked. If the figure didn't have a large collar i would probably fix the head to the body while i'm sculpting the body to make a clean join.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Wonderful models and very useful pix. Thanks

Colin

 

[Nap]

Aaron,
Thanks for posting , I already have mine on pre order fro SK miniatures , love both of them , great work on the helmets , for me its the medals and finer details that are so finely done in all your sculpts .

The only comment I would say is that I am unsure about the way the arms end on the Crown Prince ..only my view as I know you have done this sort of thing on others from MM .

Great work and always a pleasure to see your talent come to a finished piece.

Nap

 

[winston]

Wonderfull pieces!!!

 

[pipetrepid]

aaron, terrific work! i envy your skills. bill

 

[barbados_wild]

thanks everyone,

Hey Nap,

Yes I realise its a personal thing,

The biggest reason I do it this way is I mostly need to show the belt/sash on the figure and I think higher cut arms/shoulders just look weird with a full torso. I do like the arms cut off higher when the torso is cut mid chest. Full arms look good on a long torso if the pose is compact but I don't always have this option.

Some of my secondary reasons is I personally feel that when the arms are cut up higher you lose the basic shape of the torso visually (does this make sense?). Also when you have a decorative torso and epaulettes, longer arms can help balance out the all gold (by providing some plain colour) otherwise all the trim can easily overpower the piece when its painted.

So I'm trying to achieve 2 things - represent the uniform (its details as well as the overall look) the best i can and also make a visually pleasing bust. Sometimes I think I do this and other times not so well.

This can be tricky with these types of uniforms , when you make something like a viking for instance you have a lot more flexibility.

Anyway I realise its a personal thing, busts are strange and unnatural visually, I know my choices aren't everyones preference so I try and make the arms easy to shorten.

cheers

 

[Dan Morton]

Outstanding! I echo Gordy's comments raw photos are very interesting to me always!

Question - Do you have any photos of the step by step building of the Dragoon's pickelhaube and horsehair 'what-ever-it-is'? That looks like it would be a real pain to construct. If no photos, could you give us a word picture of how you built it?

All the best,
Dan

 

[Marcel]

Beautiful sculptures Aaron!

Cheers,
Marcel.

 

[MCPWilk]

Both sculptures are quite superb. I much prefer completed upper limbs (and legs as well if possible!).

Best wishes,

Mike