Just Curious

[Steve Arthur]

Hi Folks,

When I browse through this board I find myself in complete awe at the level of talent that drips from memebers of this site and I've been dying to ask, how many of you do this for a living? To be honest, I find myself really worried about posting here at times out of fear of what I find really good for me, may have been the level you were at when you were say, 10-12 years old!

Do any of you do this for museums or the film industry? If so, how did you get into that field? Were you formally trained in sculpting or a related art discipline? The works that I've seen are just too cool.

Thanks so much all of you, I really get a kick out seeing your work, and it really is inspirational!

Best Wishes
Steve

 

[Anders Heintz]

Hey Steve!

I agree, there are tons of talent here! There are so many awesome painters and sculptors here but the best part is that everyone of them is very willing to offer advice and suggestions, which is what makes this site so great!

I just started sculpting comercially on a regular basis, it is my only job, but I am also a full time College student. I have had no formal training in anything modeling related, the most help I have ever gotten in person was a couple of weekends ago when Bill Chillstrom showed me some tricks in sculpting! This site and the people here have also been very helpful!


Don't be afraid to show your work, if your work is not where you want it to be at the moment, just look around here, ask questions, show your work and let people help you you out!

Where in Kansas are you?

 

[Lancer]

Hi Steve
I'm going to try to make a living from figures and have taken a year off to see if I can make it fly. I have a museums background but actually learned how to paint in a seminar given by Shep Paine and Peter Twist in Ottawa around 1986. For awhile I was attending all the major shows and actually developed quite a stable of collectors in the U.S. Sadly I developed a medical condition which cost me the use of my right arm for about 3 years. I finally had surgery a couple years ago and I am back in the game but starting from scratch.
I'm hoping to sculpt, cast and sell a line of sports celebrities figures. Trying to make a living with military subjects in Canada seems to be a lost cause and every figure I ever sold went to the U.S.
For now I'm just painting some assorted figures trying to work out the rust and get the touch back!
I wouldn't worry about posting here, I'm a newer member and the people here have never been anything but positive and supportive, and your right the talent is amazing! I'll post a picture of one of my pieces, it took me 15 years to get to this point and from the pics I see posted I know I need another 15 to catch up!
Cheers
Mark

 

[Steve Arthur]

Originally posted by Anders Heintz@Nov 1 2004, 11:17 AM


Where in Kansas are you?

Hi Anders,

I live in central Kansas outside of Hays I grew up in far western Kansas (the Kansas Outback near the Colorado line). I went back to school, earned an MA in military history and I run a small library in another small community outside of Hays. My Wife teaches at the univesity in Hays.


Mark!

I wish you the best of luck on your business! I've a friend who builds commissioned models as a side income, but wants to go into it full time when he retires. I know what you mean about reaching the level of some of the folks on this site! Indeed, they are amazing! I can only hope to reach that level. Like I said in another post, I would like to reach the level that I can do a respectable job on a female figure, they seem to be the most difficult to do.

Best wishes to both of you
Steve

 

[RobH]

Hi Steve

Myself, I am a geophysicist, working in petroleum exploration. Apart from studying art to 'A' Level in the UK (up to the age of 18, a lifetime ago) I have no training or tuition in the hobby like the majority of us - just practice and reading lots.

I'm very curious as to what most of us do for a living; know about a number of you - and asked once before as to anyone with formal 'art' education involved in the hobby (you can often tell who these guys are)

 

[slaj]

Steve , this is Steve !! :lol: Joking apart , if ever you can make a mistake it's not posting here for all to see. This is a fantastic site where everybody is ever so helpful. In any case ,there's no way of learning anything if you keep it to yourself.
As for myself , I don't do this for a living but I'm hoping I can do that in 5 years' time when I retire. I have been in the local police force for 20 years so I'm looking forward to that day. Me too have been sculpting a few masters for a couple of firms and also some pieces for a few collectors. The only drawback I have is that I do not have a market locally so I have to invest abroad. Please feel free to have a look at my website or my v-bench. Also , I will be very happy to answer any questions you might have as I'm sure anyone on this site will.

Stephen Mallia

 

[Joe Hudson]

Hey Steve,

I do this for a hobby. I have sold some and a I have just been asked to display a figure in a museum. I am very happy to have been asked and I know that there are so many more people on this forum that are of such a higher caliber of painting and sculpting. I have learned a so much from them and I am hopefully going to keep learning. I think if you look at some of the people here and see where they were last year it would surprise you. I would like to mention a few that have made such improvements that it is scary! Anders, Kenneth, Jim Cox ,who now thinks he should not post anything come on Jim I would like to see what you are working on and Jason Whitman. These guys here have gone from 0 to 60 in a blink. So don't be afraid to show and ask.

Joe

BTW, Mark that is a rally great job on the highlander!

 

[gforceman]

Hi Steve,

I do this as a job together with two other modelling related jobs: I write articles for magazines about painting figures and I have an internet shop on models. I'm kind of forced to do this as a living as I suffer from Chronical Fatigue Syndrom. This way I can decide when I work and when I rest. It was this or start living in the guther. You don't make a lotof money by it though. I never had an art degree or something. Do post your work and questions. It's about the best way to improve, and everybody here is nice. I never had a "bad" answer.

Greetz and welcome aboard,

Gino

 

[Guy]

I am a recently retired Therapist / Counselor and last worked with Native American Youth on the Reservations here in Oklahoma. I have been modeling for the last 50 years. I have been doing figures for the last 30 of those years. For a number of years I sold figures at the east coast figure shows to better support the hobby.. Now I do an occasional figure on commission but basically do the painting for my own enjoyment. I also have seen alot of people grow in their abilities, including myself, over the last 15 months this forum has been in existance. So by all means, post your work and let other eyes who also paint, see the things that your eyes don't.

I look forward to seeing your work.

 

[KeithP]

Although I am not planning to be a "professional" (what ever that can mean ), this hobby does help me maintain my sanity in my career. Engineer for a telecommunications company.

I also totally agree with Stephen's comment about the only mistake you can make is not posting. Love to see your work!

Keith

 

[Kisifer]

Hey Steve,
I only recently joined this fine community of Planet and i have to say that i'm loving it. I'm back to figures (painting only) after 6 years of retirement (studying abroad) and i have to admit that so far i feel like i have stopped just a week ago. I don't do this for a living (who know in the future), I'm a food scientist and painting just relaxes me after a hard day at work. Stick around this fine forum and soon you will see yourseld doing steps forward.

 

[megroot]

Hello Steve,

I do this for hobby. In the daylight i am a master in helping healing the broken bons of the man or woman. I do it with plaster of paris. I dont know how you call it in the states maybe orthopaedic technician.
That was beside the topic.
I am a member off the planet since the beginning of this year. I learned so much and i always get a straight answer.
So don't be afraid, i am a beginner too. But you learn fast, if you ask a lot.

Keep painting.

Marc

 

[Jim Patrick]

Steve, I agree with you on the fact that the talent exibited here in the plante is inspiring and, at times, intimidating. All of us feel a little overwelmed at times because we're not sure if all of the other "planeteers" will enjoy our work. Constructive criticism is sometimes a hard pill to swallow. One thing I can tell you without any reservations, WE ALL REMEMBER WHERE WE CAME FROM AND STARTED AT. So, why not show your work. The only thing you can do is get better. See someone else's work you like? Ask them how they did such-n-such. Everyone here is willing to help.

Jim Patrick

 

[Robin]

Hi

I am a systems administrator (computers) I have been painting figures for about 7 years and before that did armour.

I have been a member of the planet since september 2003

Robin

 

[Major_Goose]

wELL thats for sure an interesting subject to discuss. I ve studied Physics at the University and also a 2 years course in GIS. Mainly i am a computer guy , but now working as a director for a tourism - development enterprise for the last 10 years. I ve been dealing with modelling for the last 25 years (mostly 1/35 armor and dioramas) and about a year back i was affected by the serious PF (painting figures ) virus. Well i dont think that there is a better than this virus to suffer from !!!!! Of course there is a problem seeing all these art miracles that all these talented guys produce every day , and thinkin that many of them are half ur age (i am 36). But there is also a goal to achieve getting better and better everyday , trying to be better all the time . So many figures , so many painters......
The funny thing is that some guys seeing my latest works here in my living town asked me to do some painting for them , of ancient Greek figures and that sounds interesting. I mean people recognizing ur effort is good and pushes u to try more i think. I dont believe that i would be ever so skilled to live on painting figures (even if i d die to do so !!!!!) but i d like to have every now and then some commission works related to modelling so i can invest some more money in materials, books, and figures. I believe that for the time i am painting figures (1 year) i have touched the item of figures painting and will go even better !!!
Your help is great and the fact that so many people can get in contact and help each other gives a serious boost factor to our hobby .

More than this i would kindly ask to all people posting to do that freely and regularly , so that others can see , and to those people commenting to do this with all their heart and helping eye, and also dont say "its nice, or its ok" please say what u like, what u dont like, what u think could be better and suggest the way . Thats a lot of help to all of us

Costas

 

[CondeJulian]

Hello ,
I am a Sound Engineer and work with Live Recording for Cd's , Dvd's and television broadcast , more than 1000 shows and almost 10 years of stage .
I am also a Stage manager for big festivals , and Roadie to some great bands here in brasil .
My primary work right now is Home Theater / High end audio Projects , working with the top equipments out there .
I've been modelling since childhood , with my father , and when I started working , around 13yo , I dropped , and with 18 , I went back in business , now I am 23 , and still going .
I never had any kind of course or lesson , learned all from my friends At local IPMS , and practicing a lot .
I am Honored to be in the same virtual space as these guys here , all artists and I Hope to get close to them some day .
Regards
Julian Conde

 

[Le Lancier]

Hi Steve,

I for one do this as a hobby. I've served in the military for the last 25 years. I'm a few months away from retirement. I don't plan to make a career of it. But I dream of owning a toy soldier and figure shop one day...perhaps

I've modeled ever since I was a kid. Cars, planes, ships, military vehicules, you name it. Paradoxically, there was one constance in all my attempts at finding a subject in modeling that I could stick with. I simply HATED painting those pesky figures that came with the kits. I thought back then they were a waste of time and energy...

The first spark came when I first laid my eyes on the images of Shep Paine's work inside Monogram Armor Model Boxes. I mean, his figures looked so real with their effective 5 o'clock shadows and all. Then, later, I came Across The Verlinden Way, Volume two, and that, my friends, was the catalyst, the inspiration....From that day on, I never looked back.

Today, I don't consider myself a good painter. I do my best, I'm passionate and I enjoy the hobby. A year and a half ago, I created a web site on the topic to try to promote the hobby in french Canada, where it is little known. The attempt is not a total failure, but not a success either. But the site is maintained nonetheless for the love of the hobby.

So there you have it,
Cheers

 

[Lou Masses]

Hi Steve,

Great topic and welcome to the planet. Some of the nicest, geniune people you'll ever meet are here.

I started in the hobby about 27 years ago with a model airplane. Switched to figures a little during the Dungeons and Dragons phase, discovered women, didn't touch a brush for many years and then came back into the hobby after seeing a Stadden Napoleon in New York about 18 years ago. It has been a drug ever since.

My degrees are in history with a minor in art/art history-but I've always painted/drawn and loved art since I was tiny-thanks to my dad. For a living I don't do anything even remotely close to this or even my degrees. I'm responsible for Business Development for a Consumer Electronics Company (although I'll have to talk to Julian from Brasil having spent some 15 years in the high end audio and now video departments ). As much as I would like to do this for a living, being a businessman by day I have never been able to forecast out enough income to maintain my wife's Fendi/LV/Coach/Polo addictions(just kidding). I'm also afraid that turning it into work would make me lose interest since I only put out 2-3 figures per year. Hence why I rarely take commissions.

You can learn from everyone and everyone here will always be happy to help. So welcome and thanks for joining!

Regards,
Lou