first sculpt

scottjames

scottjames

New member
I\'ve amused myself with making some roses and comic book rats and bunnies and am now trying my first figure built around an armature. I\'m not ready for detail or features yet, so thought Eve by Rodin would be a good exercise in general shape, form, posture etc.

Anyway. My first ever armature, is no doubt very wrong. I\'d appreciate some help and suggestions from the sculptors among you.

How would you have built the armature differently to me?

I wrapped tin foil tightly around the wire and as a result one (or both) of her legs can\'t actually get any narrower despite needing too, the armature wire and foil are thick enough for her ankle and shin before I add any sculpey. So, that\'s an armature error.? She\'s around 100mm tall.

When you sculpt 28, or 54ml scale - what wire do you use? I\'ve used coat hanger wire for this, which is around 3mm, plus foil Do you always use foil - or something else to help the sculpey stick? Also, is fimo much like sculpey? Wiki seems to think so..

I actually cut the arms wire off altogether after trying to bend them around the chest and keep sculpey on them at the same time . . I guess with experience you get to know what the armature needs and what it doesn\'t. Would you have had wire for the arms?

I think I\'ll go on with her a little longer and get her as good as I can, she\'s only roughed out as it is - but I think she\'s going to be stuck with a fat right leg whatever happens! lol!

I am keen to follow up any links people can suggest, or tips from people who read this. Thanks!

eve_wip_01_all.jpg
 
QuietiManes

QuietiManes

New member
Fimo and Sculpey are all but identical. Around here, it\'s alot easier to get the bigger (therefore cheaper) boxes of Sculpey. I don\'t know if I\'ve ever seen the larger Fimo ones. If you want to be fanatical, have a look at their websites, they have all the chemical breakdowns and durability and flexibility test data. All the different products have different pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses. Nothing %99 of the users would ever notice though.

As for the armature, for the limited amount of sculpting I do, I use between 22 and 30 guage wire (get it at the flower section of any craft or hobby shop, very cheap stuff). For the smaller scale stuff, 28-54mm.

The only \"problem\" with your armature is you\'d want another wire around the single wires (arms, head and the one leg). The second wire around the first wire does wonders for your sanity. It really helps the clay/putty stick to the wire and stay in place.

So I\'d do it like this:
1> Get 3 pieces of 3\" wire (maybe 4\" to give you more flixibility), 24 guage, twist about 1/2\" in the middle (this\'ll be the chest/stomach/hips).
2> On one end, bend 2 wires away from the middle, leave the 3rd in the middle (arms and head), trim off the head at the 1/4 inch mark or wrap the excess around itself to bulk it up.
3> split the 3 wires on the other end the same way, cut off the middle one, or wrap it back up around the \"body\" to bulk it out.
4> now grab the 30 guage wire, wind that around one leg a few times then continue across to the other leg and wrap it a few times, do this same thing across the arms, lastly wrap around the body under the armpits a couple times then up around the head a couple times.
5> Shape and trim wires as needed (I tend to leave wires as long as possible for as long as possible, so I don\'t trim them down all the way until I need to cover them up, just in case).

Bulking out with tin foil is a common practice. No need to wrap all the wire in tin foil though. That will drive you bonkers I think, eventually. Generally what most people do is rip off a piece of foil and then crush it up into a ball, then, the trick is to pack it down as tight as you can, hit it with a hammer, squeeze it with pliers, etc, get it compact. Air and pockets for the chemicals to leak into are a bad thing. I\'ve only read about the plasticiser leaking out like this, but why take chances. You can crumple the tin foil up into the desired shape and place it on the armature with heat resistant glue (JB Weld or JB Quick are a good choice available here, not sure about the UK, have a look in the auto shop or auto section perhaps, that\'s where it is usually located here) or wrap another wire to hold it...or you can crumple up some long thin strings and wrap those around the armature...or or or...whatever floats your boat, really.

Hope it makes some sort of sense and proves useful.

Cheers
 
freakinacage

freakinacage

New member
hope you find these helpful:
FREEMAN\'S FACE:
http://spanish-team.com/foro/viewtopic.php?t=3143

FREEMAN\'S SCULPTING:
http://www.spanish-team.com/foro/viewtopic.php?t=1305&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=videos&start=150

ARMATURES:
http://www.morgankeithstudios.com/tips_armature.html

HERESY GOBLIN TUT:
http://www.heresyminiatures.com/armature_guide.htm
 
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