Update to Posing a figure

[Ray]

Just in case anyone has been wondering what happened with the figure I posed in my earlier SBS's, here are some pictures of the figure, as yet incomplete. I expect to have this guy, finally, finished late this weekend. I'll post some pictures of the finished figure when complete. As always, comments and criticisms welcome.

Ray

 

[Dan Morton]

Nice one, Ray! Your folds and drapery are excellent! Are you working from a reference? Could we see it?

All the best,
Dan

 

[Ray]

Sorry Dan, the pose is something I modified from an old period sketch found in some book though I don't even remember which one, so it is more imagination than reference for this. The accoutrements are from various sources found on the web, and done to my taste, for better or worse. Next time I hope to have something more substantial to base the figure on, but with borrowed books and printed stuff from the web it's hard to document this stuff. I actually did several searches like; Rogers Rangers, 18th century clothing, that sort of thing, and came up with a remarkable quantity of material in a very short time.

If you or someone else should seriously consider making a figure similar to this I'd be happy to try to compile some links and a short bibliography of books for the project. At the same time I understand that Gary D. is really the authority on this kind of thing so he might be a better source of information than I. This is only my second figure from the period so I've not yet collected much in the way of published reference material, though I have had opportunity to borrow, substantially, from a local enthusiast. (thanks L.J.)


Thanks for the note, your comments and just for looking.

Ray

 

[Roc]

Ray, beautiful work, my compliments, looking forward to seeing it painted,

Keep up the good work.

Cheers
Roc

 

[Ray]

Roc,
Thank you for the kind remark. Only problem is I'm going to have to find someone to paint it for me, I think it a bit beyond my skill level. Still as I've made him for reproduction if I can interest some manufacturer in purchasing him finding a painter should be less of a problem.

Thanks again,

Ray

 

[MAB]

Hi Ray

compliments for the sculpture
hour wants one to us good painting..... good job

MAB

 

[Ray]

Maurizio,
Thanks for the note. I'm not fortunate enough to have a talented painting partner as you do, and my painting skills are just not good enough for satisfaction.


Ray

 

[tete2noeud]

Very Nice job

 

[Ray]

Denoeud,
Thanks for remarking on my figure, all comments are welcome, especially anything critical that I might learn from.

Ray

 

[BnoA]

Well , my comment : the pose is not very natural. Sorry I haven't enough word to explain , but try to take the same position and take 4 photos of you. Compare to your
figure and may be you'll see the problems

 

[Ray]

Benoit,
Thanks for the input, though I'm not sure I can agree. I did in fact, well the wife did anyway, take the four photo's you suggest before beginning the figure and referred to them often while posing the figure, though this is not guarantee that I got the thing right. My suspicion is that as the figure is tilted unnaturally on the clay base in these photo's that the thing looks more awkward and unnatural than it in fact is. However, if anyone else should agree with your view and be able and kind enough to point out where I might have gone wrong I'm certainly willing to consider the opinion further.


Ray

 

[Dan Morton]

He's definitely leaning backwards and I agree it is the clay. Otherwise the stance and pose look OK. The leggings also make it look a little misleading. The "flare" thingie at the back of the leggings particularly. His weight would be on that straight leg, wouldn't it? How about re-posing him on something solid and show us the difference?

All the best,
Dan

 

[Automata]

Ray,

I have to agree that there is something awkward with the stance. I think the angle the clay is putting the figure in enhances it, but I think there is also something off about the angle the neck leaves the torso. The drapery and detail look fantastic.

Barry

 

[Ray]

Dan, Barry,
I'll try to get those new pictures up soon and wait to hear what you think after. There is a possibility of a problem, if only because I'm used to looking at the thing and don't see it any way other than that which I expect. There is one item that I am skeptical about, but I hesitate to point it out in case it is just me and not an actual problem with the figure. That said Barry is pretty close to the issue and I'm tempted to make alterations without further input, but fear I'll simply make the problem worse without further guidance from you guys. I had kind of hoped that it didn’t exist or that someone would discover it for me and point it and a solution out before I went any further which is one reason the figure is still not complete after such a long time. If you discover the problem and can offer a solution to correct it please let me know, it'll be much appreciated.

Ray

 

[Ray]

Guys,
Here are the new photo's, didn't take nearly as long as I had anticipated. Don't mind the hat, unless you like it, then let me know because I'm thinking of changing it.

Thanks for the help,

Ray

 

[quang]

Hello Ray,

There's indeed a problem with the pose.

The guy feels awkward and uncomfortable like if he's banding all his mucles to stay in position and would be falling over when nobody's looking.

The main problem is the pose. You chose to portrait a man leaning on his rifle. That means that would shift his body so that instead of standing on his two feet, his weight would now rest on a TRIPOD (the two feet and the rifle butt).

In the final position, if we draw a vertical line starting from the head (green line), it would hit the ground in the dead centre of a triangle composed by the two feet and the rifle butt. Think camera tripod. The head is the camera and the tripod legs (yellow lines) are the man's legs and the rifle butt.

Now that we've pin-pointed the problem, how to correct it?

1– The rifle should be aligned on the yellow line (butt moving further away from the body and muzzle resting under the chin.

2– As a result, the arms will move closer to the body.

3– The legs should not be bent at the knees. Quite the reverse as the hips should be thrusting forward to counteract the crouching torso.

This is just the start. You will find as you make the corrections that other parts of the body will move as well.

The complexity (and beauty) of the human machine is that when one thing is moving, everything else moves along. :lol:

HTH
Quang

 

[garyjd]

Ray, Sorry I'm getting in on this thread so late. Everyone has offered up some great suggestions and opinions. After seeing Quang's posting there's very little for me comment on.

you're taking on what appears to be a simple pose, but in order to achieve it's anything but simple to do. A lot of the time the most basic pose can be the hardest to pull off..~Gary

 

[BnoA]

A draw is better than a long speech,

]draw[/URL]

 

[Ray]

Guys,
Let's try it again without the rifle, and arms, and see that it gives a differant perspective. Recall that the figures weight is supposed to be all on the right leg, shifting the right hip out, and that only the weight of the right arm is actually on the rifle. If the weight of the body was shifted forward onto the rifle there would deffinately be a problem as the only way to accomplish this would be major surgery which in the end would probably ruin the figure (it's almost impossible to correct a figures anatomy once the major sculpting is done) and not give the portrail I was after anyway. There is still a problem though I don't think it is what you guys have come up with. The problem I keep seeing is that the figures head seems to have moved too far forward giving the allussion of his weight having done so as well. The rest I attribute to the bulk and looseness of the clothing which serves well (unfortunately for my ego) in hiding the figures original anatomy/pose, but as this happens in life I'm not at all concerned about the effect. If I am mistaken let me know, though at this point there really doesn't seem to be much that can be done about it, short of starting over and trashing this guy.

Also note that the rifle is not in finished position, as evedenced by the position of the muzzle under the right hand. The butt of the rifle does indeed move forward when properly assembled, not as shown in the previous picutres.

 

[Ray]

Guys,
Try these pics, they're probably more useful as the figure is now actually standing on something flat. Note that the rifle is still not positioned perfectly as I don't want to cement it into place. Notice the figures center of gravity in relation to the right foot and try to ignore what might be possible with the rifle, the only weight that is supposed to be here is that of the right arm, and perhaps some of the left arm as well. For the rest I leave it to you to decide how screwed up this figure might possibly be. :lol:

Ray