Completed Critique working my way closer to newer sculpts.

[Mike S.]

Here is a slightly more recent completely original sculpt (done about 2 years ago). In retrospect, the head is a bit too large for the body. Poste Militaire/Ray Lamb and Pat Bird/Series 77 both made a career out of doing this, so I'll let it slide with this one.

Still not a bad figure I think. It is approximately 1/16th scale:

 

[Stonewall123]

Thats an excellant piece of work that would grace any commercial product list. I personally don't see a problem with his head. Very cool.
Stonewall123

 

[Mike S.]

Thank you Paul! In my defense, or as a rationale really, I DID know a Hungarian chap (Hi Tibor, wherever you are now) who was naturally bow legged and had these sort of horse jockey proportions, large head and all. Oddly enough, he had never ridden a horse in his life.

Quite evidently evolution had imparted selectively these equestrian derived physical traits on his genetic makeup through centuries of horsemanship in his family tree.

 

[gordy]

Nice work Mike

What mediums (putty) did you use ?

 

[Mike S.]

Cheers Gordy. The figure was sculpted in A&B putty over a wire armature, with items like the shako, sabre, sabretache, etc. in plastic card.

Cords were either twised wire, fine solder or thin strips of sheet lead. The straps and slings were paper card. Wire or card buckles etc. Buttons are pin heads.

The plume is a thick piece of sprue, shaped and then sliced in the same fashion traditionally done to Historex plumes to create the effect of individual feathers.

I'm done with Super Sculpey, save for making masters to be cast. Most figures that I have sculpted in this medium have suffered fractures or hair line cracks all the way to crumbling over time. I've tried every curing process, temperature, and length of cure time to no wholly satisfactory result.

Epoxy putty, on the other hand, is a winner every time.

I haven't been a prolific sculptor of completely one off figures, as my time is spread thin over my work and various interests. Probably about 8 wholly original sculpts overall in 30+ years. This of course does not include the hundreds of conversions and stock paint ups.

More time spent dedicated to the endeavor would of course yield more improved results.

 

[gordy]

I too have had mixed results with sculpey, finding it more useful as a tool than a medium (supporting odd shapes for rolled putty or press moulds)

Thanks Mike for the info