I'm inspired to start again!

[Guy]

Hello Bob,
Your dio is looking fantastic. I can't wait to actually see it in person. Were you able to find the material to do the street cobbles and what did you decide on there.

Keep up the great work

Guy

 

[btavis]

Guy, for the street I have two options that will work. One is to carve out of putty which is very tedious and a pain in the... wrist. The second method is to use scale bricks and build the street, brick by brick by brick. Both methods have positives and negatives. The brick by brick method will cost about twenty - thirty bucks (about three bags) using commercial bricks and the putty method is just plain hard work.

Leigh Coote tipped me to Plus Models and they are sending a couple of bags of bricks. I'll know which method I will settle on when I can see the bricks and do some tests.

 

[Guy]

Flower Vase idea

Bob, Acouple of years ago I did a commision piece for a man in Phila and the piece had a 6 and 1/4 inch waterfall. I made the waterfall from Devcon 5 minute epoxy on wax paper. It comprised of 5 pieces all together and when I epoxied the pieces together........no seam line......because I used epoxy for the seams. If you took a shaped paint brush.....wrapped wax paper around it. Taped the joint good with scotch.......slide the paint brush out carefully......mix up some epoxy and with a tooth pick.....run it down the inside.......and after 10 minutes....carefully remove the wax paper..(it doesn't stick to wax paper.......and you should have your clear flower vases.......just cut one end and make a fresh epoxy bottom and leave the other end for flowers. If you try this...you'll either cuss me....or thank me. I got to thinking out your post and flower vases while having a smoke outside.

I know I'm crazy.......but I love figures.

Guy

 

[btavis]

Why it's just crazy enough to work!

 

[Guy]

Bob,
Tell you what........I'll try it tomorrow and see how it goes....if it works....I'll send them to you.....in any event.....I'll take pictures and post them for you.

Guy

 

[btavis]

Cool. It certainly has unique possibilities.

 

[Guy]

If nothing else......we'll all have a good laugh...... :lol:

Guy

 

[garyjd]

Simon, Your figure is off to a good start, continue. The eyes are not that hard and if I find the time in the next day or so do a SBS demo showing one way to do eyes. It's all a matter of finding what works best for you.

Guy, Don't give up, press on with Chief Daffy or Donald or whatever you call him. It may take a few times to get it where you feel comfortable, and don't feel pressured to show it. I did my first head, maybe 1/6 scale when I was about 13 years old. It was a Continental soldier with a tricorn made of felt, and the hair, was well, my own! My Mother about killed me. It's funny I still remember what it (the head I sculpted) looked like, and mine (after cutting a chunk from it) after all these years. I never attempted to sculpt again until 15-16, and have been doing so ever since. They say a journey starts with one step, start walking, and enjoy it.

Bob, Your taxi dio is fantastic. I'm easily impressed when I see someone take on a project of such magnitude. Your interest in getting the subject right shows. Have you thought to use sheet styrene with a cobblestone or brick pattern? for the street. Great job on the figures they are coming along really well.

I'm very excited about this site and the inspiration that can be gotten from people posting a few pictures, it makes me even more passionate about sculpting, and most of all sharing. Enjoy guys.~Gary

 

[LCoote]

Bob, the diorama is looking fantastic, keep the pics coming.

Guys, I,ve been sculpting for all of about 1 year and working on my 3rd figure, my biggest problem is I'm too damn SLOW and I find myself redoing some things 2 or 3 times , though I guess I'd rather work to a standard I can live with and the speed will come with experience.
While I've got a long way to go to reach the level of Gordy or Gary I would say that if I can do it then anybody can. I have no artistic ability just a love of miniatures.

I also love this site and the inspiration I get from it is what I sometimes need to get going again when I feel like I'm getting bogged down.

Well done to Gordy and the other members as well

Leigh

 

[gordy]

I find myself redoing some things 2 or 3 times

i still do that!
I'm glad to see the side by sides are helpful, i've always found older articles a little lacking and leaving me more confused and wanting more.. and not so much "this is how it's done" and never showing or telling "why it's done"..

 

[Guy]

Guy, Don't give up, press on with Chief Daffy or Donald or whatever you call him. It may take a few times to get it where you feel comfortable, and don't feel pressured to show it.

I have nor given up but merely put him aside (before he went sailing accross the room) and will go back to him when I figure out what to do next.

Guy

 

[btavis]

Originally posted by garyjd@Oct 29 2003, 11:33 PM
Have you thought to use sheet styrene with a cobblestone or brick pattern? for the street.

I looked at a number of sheet styrene brick/cobblestone patterns and there was a grey cobblestone by Plastruck that was pretty good. It had a very rough hewn surface. The problem is the regularity of it. What I will do is create small sections using each method and set them side by side and take pictures and see which one looks best. Since the street essentially comprises half of the base, whatever I do it has to look pretty realistic and if it is too regular looking it will look artificial I suspect.

 

[Guy]

:lol: Time for that laugh :lol:

Ok Bob, The vase idea did not pan out and I ended up with what looks like a miniature urine sample. :lol: This epoxy, NHP brand, dried in a yellow color and the other problem was air bubbles. Well I guess my next scene with a waterfall will have to be titled "The yellow river still runs" :lol: I will look for my regular brand of Devcn 5 minute epoxy and try again. Well, It's time to fix my crow sandwich...

Guy

 

[btavis]

Originally posted by GuyHerrick@Oct 31 2003, 10:31 PM
:lol: Time for that laugh :lol:

Ok Bob, The vase idea did not pan out and I ended up with what looks like a miniature urine sample. Guy

Ha ha ha! Might come in handy for a drug bust diorama. You never know with these things until you try them. I have some clear epoxie so I might give it a stab.

 

[Richard E]

Just a thought .... On the back of the latest figure international is an ad for Andrea artificial water, a clear, bubble free ?? resin. You could try making a mould to pour this stuff into.

 

[Guy]

Good Idea Richard......I saw that article too and priced it at Squadron Shop. If memory is working today, it was over 35.00. I had intended to order some anyway for a waterfall scene I am working on and may try it for the vases too.

Thanks
Guy

 

[Richard E]

Hi Guy

Interesting that Squadron have it at $35.00, I've got it priced at £18.50 from Historex agents, that's about $10.00. The only reason I say that is, I've ordered stuff from Squadron because it's cheaper even with the postage from the states.

I'm wondereing if you could dye it somehow, to make bottles and such.

btw just saw your mountain man, it's looking very good, will be nice to see the finished article.

Richard

 

[Guy]

I just double checked with Squadron and according to their sale circular it is on sale for $40.47 "Artificial Water"..............down from $44
I wonder why the big difference?

Guy

 

[John Long]

I think you've figured the exchange backwards. 18.50 is probably $34-$35 US.

 

[Richard E]

Well that's what happens when the rest of the world insists on using their own currency instead of sterling..... (by the way, you're quite right John)

Richard ....... running away fast.