Sais

[Calvin]

In fact, with a right mannequin, sculpting a figure seems more easy. The pose is not exactly alike the painting, but resembles it (I hope...).

The first coat of putty has been applied without much care

and next has been refined with a cutter

This is the one posted in Gerome books thread

And this after placing the hands

 

[Calvin]

Seeing it, I noticed that the closed waistcoat looks very ugly, so I decided to change it. Not sure about the falling shirt on the back, I think a bit exaggerated.

 

[Calvin]

just a little advance

only a little change on some folds, the trousers are almost finished.

 

[megroot]

Luca,
I am not a sculptor. But as far as i can see, it seems really good.
Keep posting.

Marc

 

[Guayo]

Looking good Luca, What about the donkey are you going to make one for Sais, because I would like to see your work on the saddle.

Saludos
Eduardo

 

[Calvin]

Marc, thanks for the nice words.

Eduardo, I've a donkey (from Andrea), but not sure I'll include it. Too much work converting it, the only reason could be his colour, never seen a light blue and white donkey..., just like "l' asino che vola" (take a look here...).
Absolutely no idea about the saddle, if you have any reference, let me know.

 

[Dan Morton]

Pretty darn good sculpting! No kidding, you're doing great!

The clothing is super except for maybe the back of the vest. I gather the vest is supposed to be too small for the man in the painting and on your figure. Is that right? Anyway it certainly looks sized too small on the figure. If it were a size too small, then it would be tight and pull apart like that at the vent at the bottom back part of the vest. I would reduce the vent at the bottom part of the vest a bit. The vent at the bottom should be open like that, but just not that much. I don't know how thick the fabric of the vest is supposed to be. It looks pretty thick on the figure. Would there be folds around the back bottom part of the armpits? To test this, I have a thin vest. I put it on, standing with my back to a mirror and put my arms in more or less the right position. Again, this was thin fabric, but there were several folds around the bottom parts of the armpits.

The pants look great and, in my opinion, have the right folds everywhere.

Question - Why did you put the mounting pin at the back of the figure and not thru the bottom of the foot? If you use the bottom of the foot, it doesn't interfere with sculpting normally. I normally drill both feet, put in pins first thing. To hold figures I use roughly the same process I've seen in Bill Horan's and other books. I use a flat thick piece of cheap plywood 12" x 12" x 3". I sanded the plywood smooth on all sides and got rid of splinters and debris. Then I drilled about 16 mounting holes to take different sizes of pins at convenient places on one side of the board. Finally I painted thick coats of clear polyurethane to seal all sides of it. This provides a really stable work surface, somewhat mobile if need be. Once I have transferred the figure to a base, I have another holder a vise type thingie. Just suggestions...whatever works for you.

What expression does the face in the painting actually have. I can't really tell. The figure's face looks pompous and haughty. Is the "blue" on the donkey meant to be shadow?

Feel free to ignore anything you don't agree with! Just trying to be helpful and bring up the things I would want you to bring up if you were looking at my figures.

all the best,
Dan

 

[Calvin]

Dan, please men, I'll ignore nothing, even the most merciless critique.

You are right about the figure. The likeness tends to zero, and seeing now the pictures it seems more a caribbean pirate than the one from Gerome. The band on the stomach is absolutely different, the vest is just another type, and the trouser too are different, on the bottom.

But I (still) don't have the ability to reproduce a subject as it looks, nor the wish. I prefer to get charmed by a vision of it, instead of reproducing exactly the original one. Don't know if this is the right way, but is what just love of this hobby.

Yes, the head is very different from the original, I'm thinking about adding a moustache, giving it a more serious look rather than the young boy of the painting.

About the pin, you must know I'm a very lazy guy. When doing the mannequin I was just thinking to get a basic structure for the foots, without caring about the rest, but now I must put a pin on the back to handle the figure...

Don't know about the nature of the blue on the donkey, but it gives a bit of surrealism which balance the pompous pose of the figure. It's not common in the paintings of Gerome, but there are more examples, just take a look at the white/orange horse or the marabou.

 

[Calvin]

After the first try with the sleeves, I noticed that the pose of the mannequin is absolutely wrong and it's not possible to achieve the same result of the painting.

This is the result after cutting and remodelling them

I think the final result is a totally different figure from the one of Gerome :angry:, but I'm now accustomed to such differences...

 

[Dan Morton]

Hey, Luca, I sense some frustration and I think you're being too hard on yourself. Give yourself a chance to learn. I'm filled with abject wonder if any of my figures turns out looking remotely like the illustration or photo I started with! I'm just starting on my sixth 120mm figure. Every one of them has been fun, but challenging. Sculpting parts of each has made me positively apoplectic! So far no half-cured putty figures grace my shop walls, but there may come a time.

Keep up the good work! Don't let your frustrations guide you, rather your expectations and curiousity!

Incidentally, I've just finished painting Lt. Gen. Skoboleff's head and the first coat of off-white on the coat. Will continue painting after work this week and probably post some photos this weekend.

All the best,

 

[Calvin]

My teacher of Latin (at Liceo), always said "Non si nasce imparati", a serious grammar fault, but commonly used in colloquial language to mean something like "One does not born learned".
You are right, but having the right vision and not having the required skill to mould it is like running out of fuel on an highway...
I'll take a bus...

 

[Calvin]

Finally, I decided to do not include the donkey, too much work. So, the base is just enough for the figure.

I have used 2 mm plasticard for the structure and magicsculpt for the wall.

The figure is now finished

and primed

 

[Markus]

Hello Luca,

this looks really lovley. I think yout did a very good sculpting job.

I´m looking forward to see this szene finished.

Kind regards,
Markus

 

[Roc]

Luca, I echo what everybody else said, bravissimo......

Ciao
Roc.

 

[Calvin]

Many thanks Marcus and Roc, but I'm just learning and for me there are still too many errors. Maybe the next will be better.
Anyway, I must say I'm really enjoying this hobby, so every new figure is like a new experience.
Luca

 

[Dan Morton]

Hey, Luca! I think the figure looks great! Good effective, simple scene-setting. What's next?

All the best,
Dan

 

[Calvin]

Thank Dan, the next is already on my workbench, is something about italian topicals, I hope to do not hurt anyone...

Not even sure about it, but it seems to me that sculpting is much more interesting rather than painting (at least for me... ).

 

[arthur]

Luca,
Holy sculpey!
The figure looks awsome. Can't wait to see it painted.
Are you adding anything else on the floor or behind him ?
Cheers,
A.

 

[Calvin]

Hi Arthur,
too kind

Yes it would be nice to add something, just to break the shape of the wall, I was thinking about some stuff like the following.

 

[arthur]

Luca,
Oh yes! These couple of details will greatly enhance the whole scene.
Going to look real good when completed
Cheers,
A.