How to soften a thumb

[Wesley Pauwels]

Ola

I got a little question for you guy's.
At my latest project I've removed the hands of the original platoon figure and added some hornet hands. Now, I want to let the hand hold on to a grenade. The fingers are all good, but the thumb gives me a wrong feeling.
So, how can I soften the thumb so I can let it give it a grip on the grenade?

Cheers

Wesley

 

[Uruk-Hai]

If its made of resin you might try to soften it by imersing it in hot water.
Put in the hot, not boiling, water for a half minute. Reposition it and let it cool.

Be careful, there isnt much to work with.

Cheers

 

[Einion]

Hi Wesley, the best thing to do here is remove the thumb and sculpt a replacement; this is this way to get fingers to really grip an object. It's a little scary cutting fingers off a stock hand, especially from a beautifully-sculpted one like those from Hornet, but with a little practice you can get better results than with any other method.

Kneadatite might be the best material for the added fingers if you have some, although you can make replacements from any good epoxy putty.

Einion

 

[Wesley Pauwels]

does milliput also work for that?
I've never sculped anything... So this would be the first time ever for me...

 

[Einion]

Yes, Milliput would work fine. If you have other hands in the same scale keep them beside you while you work, it will help you to judge the size accurately.

Starting to use putties with minor conversions like this is a good way to learn, that's how most of us started sculpting

Einion

 

[garyjd]

I agree with resculpting the thumb, but be sure you have another hand of the same size so you can have them be both alike.~Gary

 

[Anders Heintz]

Hola Wesley!

The easiest wat to do this would bi like said, cut off the thumb. Then glue the granade in the hand, make use it is in the right position, check by holding a stick or dowel in about the same diameter as the nade. Once the glue is cured, mix some putty (Any putty except Sculpey will work) roll a small piece between your fingers and add to the figure. Now blend the part thats on the hand and let it set a bit, perhaps 10-15 minutes or so. Once the putty starts to cure yo can now use a scalpel and a brush to push the putty around to make it look like thumb. Once you are happy with it let it cure. Once cured you can also carve the thumb to make it look even better.

Hope this is of some help.