WIP Critique First Sculpt

[naf5058]

Hi everyone. I'm working on my first figure sculpt, a 200mm roman signifer. Here are a couple shots of the head I started a couple days ago. Its still pretty rough and needs alot of work especially the eyes and surroundings. Let me know what you think and what need to fix/did wrong. Dont be nice! I want to learn

Edit I added some new pics of the new head I made

 

[Renéduret]

Think you already have a good sense for sculpting Nick.
I only suggest to check your work sometines during the work in a mirror.
really helps. Let the head rotate in front of it, you will notice things.

Rene

 

[Einion]

I commented back in your original thread Nick.

Einion

 

[naf5058]

I kinda messed up the first head trying to redo the eyes and decided to start again. The head was a little to large anyway for the figure. I used straight super sculpey so its a little hard to see all the detail especially since my camera doesn't do closeups great. I used glass beads for the eyes so they stayed round, that's why the eyes are black.

 

[naf5058]

oh and a quick question can I change the default image that shows when people are looking at all the threads in the forum?

 

[naf5058]

I also started roughing out the figure. Here are a couple shots.

 

[wesr]

Looks good for your first sculpt. It's way better than the one I had when I had a sculpting class in art school. The glass beads really do seem to make the difference in the eyes and make it seem a bit more lifelike already. Just remember to keep an eye on the proportions as it's easy to end up being a bit off on them.

 

[naf5058]

Hello, Its been a long time. After a year and a half away due to moving to a smaller apartment with no room and a heavy course load I'm finally graduated and back to sculpting. Anyway I made some significant progress this week and would like to share some pictures. I have tried out many different media on this guy so that's why he is so colorful. The figure's back and shoulders will be covered by a bearskin cloak, so I gave my self a break from covering those areas with scales. I need to sculpt sword and scabbard, dagger, ornamentation for belt, helmet finish sandals, the standard, hands and some other details and equipment. After experimenting, I have found the weapons and equipment to be pretty difficult. I managed to pick up sculpting the organic parts of the figure like body and cloth with some success, but the hard edged objects are giving me a headache, as well as achieving symmetry on items such as helmet. Currently I am using magic sculpt for these items

 

[Chris Mortimer]

You should be real pleased with that mate. Wow! first sculpt? Dam you've got some skill there. You learn so much each time. Im very impressed

 

[Tecumsea]

This is looking great for a first sculpt in fact proportionally I can't fault it but I am no expert-it just looks right to me. It will be a very dramatic piece when you have finished, not easy in 200mm. I have a number of 200mm pieces all of which are quite static with the exception of the Warriors Confederate Officer. Really looking forward to seeing this finished and more of your work in future.

Keith

 

[naf5058]

Thank you for the complements! Keith I chose a larger scale for this first sculpt because I wasn't confident In my ability to sculpt small details, however I'm to the point in the project that I only have details left and there are a lot on a figure this size! I think I was a little too ambitious for my first project, but I have learned a lot and my technique is improving mostly due to the wealth of information on this site. I have run into a problem, I think because of the weight of the large figure, A crack has developed through his left knee. The legs are made of sculpey over a large gauge wire armature. What is the best way to permanently fix this? fill with magic sculpt?

 

[Tecumsea]

I would have thought that filling with Magic Sculpt or Milliput would be sufficient-but why has it cracked, shrinkage? a weight problem? ahouldn't a heavy gauge wire armature have held it?

Keith

 

[naf5058]

I will try filling with magic sculpt. I think it may have been weakened by handling off the wooden support block and since I made the holes in the support block after the first sculpey bake I think they may be a very small bit too wide causing stress to occur at the knee. My next figure I will be sure to attach the armature to a base before adding clay to prevent this

 

[Daniel.M]

Very interesting first job! Way to go ...

Dan & Kathy

 

[Richie]

Hi Nick,
This thread might gives you some food for thought on making the helmet, really good first sculpt by the way, stick at it.
cheers
Richie
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/making-a-tommy-helmet.46739/

 

[naf5058]

Thanks for the link Richie. Easier that sort of what i ended up doing. I put plastic wrap over his head then a very thin layer of magic sculpt. Once hard I worked out the basic shape of the dome part of the helmet and neck guard and let set then sanded to final shape then added details with plastic strip. still need to add some more detail, bolts cheat guards. I also made his sword by rolling out a thin layer of magic sculpt, letting set a bit then cutting rough outline. This rough sword was then sanded to proper thickness and shape and "sharpened". I made grip the same way, basic shape then sanding and filing the grooves. They both still need some work

 

[Richie]

Hi Nick,
They look great, you have done a cracking job on them both, well done. Look forward to seeing him finished, will you be doing the painting aswell?
cheers
Richie

 

[naf5058]

I have not painted a figure before besides 2 1/35 scale to go along with a tank about 8 years ago and I did not spend to much time with them pretty much put base down then added basic highlights and a wash for shadows. Would like to paint this sculpt someday but plan on purchasing a figure to improve on so that I could strip it if I was unhappy.

 

[naf5058]

Ive done a fair amour of work on his equipment as well as starting the bearskin. Details on equipment aren't that sharp and not to scale but I'm learning. I decided to make him an aquilifer instead of signifer. Id rather sculpt the eagle then a bunch of round plates.

 

[Richie]

Hi Nick,
I'm no expert on Roman's but what you have done looks very good to me, some nice detail. Keep at it. For your first sculpt I'm very impressed.
cheers
Richie