WIP Wax miniatures?

[OCELOTL]

Hello fellow PFers, anyone here sculpt their minis using wax? I know most people here use epoxy putties, but I'm really curious to see what process wax sculptors use for minis. I know that Hasbro's GI Joe team use wax to sculpt their figures, and those are about 1/18th scale, I'd just like to see some insider tips. What sort of tools are used and such.

I know there's no shortcut to learning, and I sculpt as much as I can when I do have the time to, but being pointed in the right direction would be helpful.

And lastly, if anyone uses a wax carver, how the heck do you use it? I've looked over the internets for videos, but there isnt much.

Thanks
Gabe

PS I have posted similar questions over at the Clubhouse, but havent really been satisfied with the answers, and most of the work over there is 1/6 scale and up.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

I have wondered the same thing from time to time. I will be interested to see if your question results in any new information.

Colin

 

[nik]

Wax Carving is a technique used when creating the jewelry.

I still used epoxy putty and lost wax.

This is My works.

Lost wax Processing.

Smaller than these, roughly 1 / 24

Lost Wax Materials
Tools: electric iron, grinding file.


Helpful? HEHE

 

[gordy]

Very nice Nik thank you for sharing with us!

 

[OCELOTL]

Thanks Nik, awesome work. Now do you have any videos or pics of you working?

Gabe

 

[Einion]

And lastly, if anyone uses a wax carver, how the heck do you use it? I've looked over the internets for videos, but there isnt much.

Depending on the wax type these types of tools are often heated with a small spirit burner to allow them to manipulate the material. Obviously there's a lot more to it than that but it sure beats trying to use them cold on the stiffer waxes! Wax is one of the few sculpting materials that's quite unlike everything else but there's nothing to match it if you can get used to it.

If you need tips on how to use wax carvers with epoxies BTW just shout. But what type(s) do you have? There's a huge range of different types and cheaper ones are often too crude to use straight from the pack.

Einion

 

[OCELOTL]

Thanks Einion. I'm using a wax called Fuse. It's very clay like when heated, so what I usually do is warm it up in a microwave and rough out the shape. Once it cools, I start carving at it with an exacto blade and some metal carving tools. I've got a cheap homemade wax carver made with a wood burning tool and a power regulator attached to it to somewhat control the heat on the tips. I'd like to get a foredom wax carver, but at close to $200, I'd like to see the process in action before shelling out the money and "learning" wrong.

My biggest hurdle is getting teeny-tiny detail. Ok, really, my biggest hurdle is just getting the time to sit there and play, but anyways.... Tiny details.


Gabe

 

[valiant]

Hi Gabe,

I have used wax in industry for creating sculpts and you dont really need to use expensive tools. I have a large collection of wooden, steel and brass modelling tools, many of which were made by me to do specific jobs. if the wax is relatively soft you can work it like clay, if it is harder, then use a metal tool and warm the tip over a candle - this will help you for fine detail work. if your sculpt is quite large you may need to apply it over an armature for support. the real advantage of wax is that it can be re used over again, once moulded. when cool, the wax can be worked with a scalpel or knife to carve it to shape, then use the warm tool to smooth or burnish the surface.
steve

 

[redhorse]

Randall Zadar always impressed me - http://www.zadarstudios.com/

He seems to have less on his site these days explaining things, but there is a picture of the tools he uses for wax here. It looks pretty basic to me, but what results in such tiny models!

 

[OCELOTL]

James, WOW:awesome:. luckily, some of his older pages have been archived...

http://web.archive.org/web/20000901054739/http://www.zadarstudios.com/page4.html

that is just awesome, thanks so much for the link. I had found someone similar who did/does disney miniatures ---> http://olszewskistudios.com/

Thanks for the link.

Gabe