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I've pretty much gotten hooked on 1/35 scale for my "large scale" modeling and plan to customize and/or paint a variety of figures for the auto repair shop currently under construction and the future railroad ... so here's a thread that will include some links for figure sources / makers ... along with my projects ... and others are invited to join in with their 1/35 figure projects.
MK35 -- These are my current favorite. They produce a nice variety of civilian figures plus animals, carts and such. The sculpting and casting (resin) are top-notch. The figure above right is one of theirs with just some very minor modification to the trousers. The MK35 figures are sold in the US by R&J Enterprises (http://www.rjproducts.com/) or directly from MK35 in France (www.Mk35.com).
The grouchy-looking guy has been dubbed Mr. Mudgeon and he's the head mechanic at the auto repair shop ... and, apparently, he's been watching "Tool Time" re-runs or something and decided that he needs a shapely assistant. Oddly enough, her name is Lefty Lucie ... and she's a very capable mechanic.
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EDIT: This figure is "Russian Female Tank Crew Natalia" sculpted by Yoshitaka Hirano. After posting the figure here, I found out that I had unwittingly purchased mine from a source making unauthorized copies (ugh). Thanks to forum members here who caught that! Here's a legitimate source for this figure:
http://www.miniature-park.com/search_result_e.php?search_maker_id=378&search_sort=&visible=&page=2
The sculpting is beautiful and I thought about letting her go to the work in the army boots and baggy pants, but Mr. Mudgeon said he preferred a country girl in blue jeans, so we started hacking away ...
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Looks a bit scary at this point ... especially where the lower legs have been carved (sort-of) from army boots ... but this should be a decent starting point for some putty work.
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Thinned her ankles before I started whittling her army boots into some casual shoes, so both feet snapped off ... zoinks! Shoe on right is an army boot after mild whittling ... at left after a bit more. A bit crude perhaps, but if the figure painting goes well, I don't expect too many folks will get hung up on the shoes! ;D
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Thinned her hips enough that her hand was nearly free, so carefully filed away that gap ... stuck some poster-tack in place to support her arm and cut off her hand to be repositioned and slightly re-shaped. Turned to cut get a little drill bit ... turned back and the hand was gone :o ... lesson learned. After crawling around on the floor for quite a while to find the missing hand, decided that poster-tack would be good for holding this little bit. Reshaped the thumb a bit (just some carving) and drilled thru the hand so she can carry a toolbox.
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Now she's getting a primer coat so the body putty will stick ... meanwhile, Mr. Mudgeon and I are surfing for reference photos so we'll be able to fashion a nice pair of jeans. 8)
Recently posted some links to other female figures in 1/35 scale here:
http://www.finescalerr.com/smf/index.php?topic=1068.msg17347#msg17347
Will post additional links as time allows and/or new figure projects get going ... meanwhile, stay tuned for the further adventures of Lefty Lucie.
Cheers,
Dallas
It is too late to remove more of her clothing and leave her in a thong bikini? I doubt Mr. Mudgeon would object. -- ssuR
After all, why would Russ not come to the corner too, from time to time?
Your tutorials are always interesting, Dallas, and you've certainly chosen an attractive subject...
Quote from: finescalerr on August 30, 2010, 12:24:22 PM
It is too late to remove more of her clothing and leave her in a thong bikini? I doubt Mr. Mudgeon would object. -- ssuR
Well, no it's not too late ... but we don't want him to be completely distracted.
Legend Productions in Korea makes some "sassy" and "naughty" female figures. I have the "Bathing Girl" figure shown below and figure she'd be helpful for a promotional car wash ... think the "Monella" figure riding bicycle (also below) has a sort of Marilyn Monroe thing going on. They also have some topless girls in thongs. For those, go to the website and search "Hot Body" ... also page thru the 1/35 figures to find a couple others:
http://www.www-legend.co.kr/
The Legend Productions figures are available in the US from Squadron.com and various other sources.
Meanwhile, we'll be content to have Lucie looking cute in her skimpy t-shirt and snug blue jeans. ;D
Not exactly the answer I'd expected but you're not a party pooper, either.
By the way, Frederic, I OWN the corner and am its permanent resident!!
ssuR
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Using "Magic Sculp" two-part modeling compound (air-drying putty) to shape some blue jeans. This is Round 1, Part 1 -- did one leg and let that cure for a couple of hours before moving on, so I wouldn't smush one leg while working on the other.
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Round 1, Part 2 -- Will let this fully cure, then do some sanding, shaping and fill-in as needed ... then some final detailing.
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Figure is about actual size on a 19" monitor as shown here ...
Hi Guys
interesting article on figure conversions. However I could not help but to note that this figure came from "Chinese Resin figure reseller".
This warrants comment since this particular party is ripping off many well known figure producers with counterfeit copies of their figures, including the figure featured in the article.
I understand that we all want to keep our hobby costs down and therefore will buy from low price sources. However it may be worthwhile considering that the original artist who created the figure is being ripped off by the party in China copying their work at zero costs and flooding the market with these couterfeit products.
It is incumbent on us to support the artist who put his time & energy into providing these figures and to stop buying the counterfeit products. Ignoring the moral issues also keep in mind that if we don't take action against the counterfeit products sooner or later there won't be new figures released by the ligitimate manufacturers.
Bernard
Hi Bernard --
I hadn't seen this figure before and didn't realize it was a copy ... if you know the maker, I'll change the link!
Thanks,
Dallas
Master Sculpted by Yoshitaka Hirano
Philip
The conversion is looking very good so far!
Quote from: Malachi Constant on August 31, 2010, 04:49:15 PM
Hi Bernard --
I hadn't seen this figure before and didn't realize it was a copy ... if you know the maker, I'll change the link!
Here's one source, in Japan:
http://www.miniature-park.com/search_result_e.php?search_maker_id=378&search_sort=&visible=&page=2
The Natalia figure is a little less than halfway down the page.
THANK YOU! I'm in full agreement with Bernard's comments noted above and thanks to Philip and Ray for filling in the needed info. As a relative "newbie" to 1/35 scale, I'm still searching for sources of interesting figures, supplies, etc. and didn't realize what's going on in this market. Link in my previous post has been updated with the information you've provided.
Thanks!
Dallas
I submitted a complaint directly to ebay and will follow-up. I wonder if they will take action?
BTW Dallas, The lower sculpting mods look nice!
Philip
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Thanks Philip, on both counts! I've reached a point where I'm just taking a break from work for a few minutes here and there to add one more detail ... helps me avoid mushing wet putty while turning and handling the model. You can see how the primer coat is severely worn on the upper half from handling.
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Still very much in the learning stages of working with the Magic Sculp and building/sculpting tiny details, so I'll post some notes for two reasons: (1) to encourage others who haven't tried this sort of thing before and (2) because there are some much more competent and experienced sculptors on this forum and this might prompt them to make suggestions for doing it better! ;D
Been looking at the fading patterns on blue jeans, and it seems that adding seams will help reproduce those patterns by creating little edges for a dark ink wash along the edge of the seam.
Added a ribbon of Magic Sculp as shown in first photo ... then put some talc on my finger tip so I could mush it down without lifting it off. Then took a knife and trimmed the "hard edge" of the seam (left side in photo) ... checked thickness and mushed it down a bit more, then trimmed again. Then moistened the area and feathered the soft edge of the seam.
PS -- Don't worry, I won't post a progress shot for each and every seam! Will post a follow-up after I've finished the seams and pockets, etc. ... meanwhile, just thought these pix might prompt some further input on technique. ;)
Cheers,
Dallas
Found one of the distributors for Magic-Sculpt ..
www.sculpt.com (http://www.sculpt.com/catalog_98/CastingMaterials/magicsculp0001.htm)
Looks like a good product. I was going to order some Miliiput from Micro-Mart but 4oz is $8.20 (standard grain) while the Magic Scuplt is 1lb for $14.99 at that link .. so .. placed order.
Looking at what you are doing has me fired up to do something similar. Good work!
Ed --
Cool! Look forward to seeing what you do. I really like this stuff. For the little individual seams, I'm just mixing together a BB size ball of each part. You have an hour or so to work with it, and it SEEMS like there's some advantages there ... (and I still have to learn exactly how to use those!) ... but you can apply it when it's soft, and really work it around ... you can let it harden a bit and do additional shaping without the mushiness ... you can do additional work with a knife at any point ... and after it hardens fully, it can be carved and sanded. Handy to have some talc so your fingers don't stick, water for smoothing and maybe some aloe or something to lubricate tools.
Did some basic notes on mixing the stuff and using it as a putty here:
http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=29357&whichpage=2
Also used it to add the glazing to the windows on the auto shop and some past sculpting efforts (clothing on a figure, stone work, etc) ... just gotta get back in the swing with it and practice a lot more. Again, look forward to seeing what you might do with it.
Cheers,
Dallas
Hey Dallas,
The cars will go out in tomorrows mail. I checked out your other web sit posts, pretty cool stuff.
Later
Rick
Thanks Rick! Those cars will go to good use. I sent some $$ by mail ... yesterday, I think ... lemme know if it's not enough. -- Dallas
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Just a quick bit about using different ends of the working/drying time on the Magic Sculp. At left, mashed a blob of putty (much more than really needed) in place to make a pocket ... put some talc on finger tip to avoid lifting it, then mashed the blob to thin it, trimmed with knife ... checked, mashed and trimmed again ... then wet fingertip and rubbed gently to get rid of fingerprints (2nd photo) ... let that set for 45-60 minutes, then came back with a knife and made the seam lines on the pocket. (Sorry, I haven't added the Levi's tag yet!) ;)
You can carve, file and sand the Magic Sculp after it's fully set ... but if you try to scribe lines in it after it's cured, you get a grainy, rough line. If you do it when it's semi-hardened as shown above, you can get nice clean lines ... which will work well for the style of painting that I plan to do on this one. Nearly done now ... I've made front and rear pockets, just need a few more belt hoops, etc ... then a fresh coat of primer.
Cheers,
Dallas
Aurora Models: I mentioned the Aurora Models "street girl" in another thread and said that I'd order one ... figure was postmarked in Japan on Aug. 30 and arrived in US on Sept. 3 ... much faster than expected. Photos of their finished models look superb ... photos of the white metal castings looked a bit sketchy (sample photo below) ... but, as hoped, that's just a matter of it being really difficult to photograph the bare metal castings. The sculpting and casting are excellent.
Also happy to say that Aurora Models legitimately represent themselves on ebay -- at the moment, prices there for US customers work out better than ordering from the Japanese site with exchange rate and shipping considered.
Japanese site (click tab at bottom for 2nd page of figures):
http://aurora-model.jp/e-military1.html
Ebay store (if link fails, seller ID = aurora-model):
http://shop.ebay.com/aurora-model/m.html
I'll probably order a duplicate of this figure to try the different paint schemes (oops, outfits) they've shown ... and they have some other interesting figures and cats/dogs too. Don't plan on starting this one until Lucie's a bit further along though ...
Cheers,
Dallas
Dallas. Excellent on the use of Magic Sculp. Looking forward to using those techniques in 1:48.
The pocket is looking good. I recommend using a wire placed in the bottom of the foot/leg to assist in the constant handling and attached to a base of cork stopper (I'm sure you already know) ;)
The new street girl looks really nice. I have been using J.B. Weld to attach pewter limbs lately. Seems to bond stronger. Some may find sculpting boring but keep up the SBS! An excellant way to kill some hours! I have been looking at this blog today for additional motivation! Some 1/48 heads. This guy is really good. Some nice info in his blog off the home page concerning every aspect of sculpting.
http://thunderboltmountain.com/serendipity/uploads/Heads.JPG
Philip 8)
Sculpting is not a craft; it is an art. You are an artist. -- Russ
Well, that's encouraging! At this point, seems fair to say that I have a good idea of what I want to do ... but struggling a bit to develop or refine the skills, techniques and/or "craft" to actually do it. But that's not gonna stop me ... figure the guys who are really good at it had to start somewhere.
Quote from: Philip Smith on September 03, 2010, 05:48:29 PM
The pocket is looking good. I recommend using a wire placed in the bottom of the foot/leg to assist in the constant handling and attached to a base of cork stopper (I'm sure you already know) ;)
Well, yeah, but I'm really glad you mentioned it! In the carving phase, I successfully made some narrow ankles out of army boots ... then snapped both off while whittling the boots. Re-glued the ankles ... drilled thru the heels of the shoes and well into each leg ... and inserted a length of wire into each to make sure the joints would last. Then promptly cut the wires off flush with the bottom of the heels without even thinking about providing a holder. (Duh!)
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And, of course, ya really gotta have a handle for painting and such ... so thanks to your prompt, I worked out a fix. Drilled & press-fit some .030" styrene rod into the bottom of each foot, then drilled a couple more pieces of styrene ... pressed the bottom plate tight against her feet, used the capillary action of styrene cement to tighten the rods against the plate ... then pressed the bottom bit in place.
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The base is nice and sturdy ... but it should be a breeze to sheer off those styrene rods when the time comes. Did something similar with styrene rod when painting Mr. Mudgeon. The extra bits on the base allow the figure to stand upright when not held with the clamp.
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Here again we'll demonstrate that I really don't know what I'm doing in terms of technique ... but the material is flexible enough to allow for that. First photo, of course, is "prototype inspiration" ... this is actually a pretty good one ... shows a thin girl wearing snug jeans in a very similar pose. Notice that even though the jeans are snug, there are still places where the denim folds out a bit.
Next photo shows the start of one of those creases where the leg bone meets the hip bone. Again, adding a bit more material than needed, but at this point that's these easiest way for me to get the thickness desired without too much struggle. Last shot above, patted that putty down with a talc-covered finger and did some trimming with the knife. Let it sit like this for a while.
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First shot, did a little additional shaping with knife after it had set a bit. Then slightly more as shown in the center. After that, used a moistened finger tip to very GENTLY rub down and round the top of the ridge a bit. Let that set, then did some very slight additional trimming. In the last shot, it's pretty much the subtle effect I was aiming for. Now, there SHOULD come a time when this becomes a very quick-n-easy thing ... meanwhile, it's a learning experience. So, I'll share the struggle for those in a similar position who might be interested in giving it a try.
Also, if you compare the last two shots above, you can see a bit of difference in her right knee (viewer's left) ... there was too much material built up above and around the knee ... started carving and refining that shape a bit in anticipation of adding some small folds there too.
Another note -- if you look at a pair of jeans, the seam on the outside of the leg has an overlap. The seam on the inside of the leg is material that's folded together and sewn inside-out. Center photo above shows what happens if you scribe a line after the material is hardened -- inseam is a bit grainy there -- but that can be smoothed out with some water and light burnishing.
Front pockets were done using the techniques described for the outer leg seams (create a ridge, then wet-feather the soft edge). Her right hip pocket has a little watch pocket ... that was done first and allowed to fully set before the outer pocket was done.
Well, at this point I'm very hopeful that the end results will be encouraging to other would-be and wannabe sculptors ... meanwhile, some occasional updates. Thanks for the interest and encouragement! :)
PS -- Regarding the link that Philip posted ... holy mackerel! That guy's carving individual teeth in the slightly open mouth of a 1/48 figure. Really had a good laugh at myself while struggling to put little belt hoops on this 1/35 figure and get them to go where I wanted. All in time, I suppose. ;D
Heh. Yeah, Tom Meier can get a little carried away.
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Moving along ... it definitely gets easier once you get warmed up a bit. Added more details and folds, especially to the lower legs. These were built up with blobs and/or ridges of putty that were then shaped back into the underlying material. It's also a bit faster when you're not stopping to take photos ... actually, I really don't mind doing that, but the idiot who keeps banging the back of his camera on the front of my optivisor really gets on my nerves some times! ;D
Mix ratio: The mix ratio for Magic Sculp should be simple enough ... 1 part resin to 1 part hardener ... but the two parts have very different densities, and in mixing tiny quantities I think I was getting proportionately too much hardener. That makes it really difficult to apply and work the smallest details. For detail work, it really has to be 1:1 or very slightly in favor of the resin -- that way the resulting putty starts out softer and stickier, and it's much easier to apply and shape into place.
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Probably not too much left to do here ... a few extraneous folds on the back of the legs, then an overall review and some putty on the wrist joint ...
Dallas. Want to take the opportunity to thank you for this thread. I'm researching/mocking up for a Coke Oven bank for my On30 modules. I'm going to try and modify figures to work at the coke bank .. and this thread provides both inspiration and an excellent tutorial.
Ed -- You might want to have a look at Creager Studios:
http://www.creagers.com/index.html
and search "Creager Studios Sculpting" on you-tube for some sample videos. Michael Mott has done some beautiful large scale figure work on the Gn15 forum following their tutorials. (Think most of his work was actually larger ... 1/16 or 1/12 scale maybe?)
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Meanwhile, just finished up the backs of the legs and added a tiny little Levi's tag to the one pocket ... think it's down to some last-minute review and touch-up now. Again, it really gets much easier to do the detail work once you get warmed up and use the proper mix ratio! :)
Cheers,
Dallas
Very nice Dallas. The notes on working with the putty are especially handy, saves a lot of experimenting time. I need a few 1:13.7 figures. How about showing us how to build a figure from scratch? I know you have done it or can do it.
John
John --
I think clothing and such are sufficiently challenging for me at the moment! ;D Fortunately, there are a variety of separate heads and hands in 1/35 scale, so I can probably avoid worrying about those for a good long while. And, one of my local buddies has started customizing and casting 1/35 heads to practice ... think he's going to work his way toward sculpting, so I'll just trade for some of his castings. 8)
Meanwhile, Michael Mott has done some 1/12 figures on the Gn15 forum:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/my30mm/one%20eight-n-14/IMG_3523x800.jpg
http://forum.gn15.info/viewtopic.php?t=6828
He followed the Creager tutorials mentioned above ... the you-tube clips are free and well worth the time ... after that, you might want to invest in the DVD's. Also look around you-tube for more sculpting tutorials. If I had limitless time, I'd definitely try doing some of the head and body sculpting in a larger scale ... for 1/35 and smaller I'm happy to let others do that!
PS -- You might want to grab some of Carlo Spirito's 7/8" scale figures and/or separate heads while they're still available:
http://www.back2bay6.com/
Cheers,
Dallas
Speaking of sculpting videos, took a few minutes at lunch time here to browse some of the "miniature figure sculpting" videos on you-tube. This one is by "Solo" -- the artist who sculpted the Aurora-Models street girl figure shown before. Video shows figures emerging from clay with some groovy music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y6bfrJZDoo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11D0hiFLhyE&feature=related
Well, actually, I dig the music on the first one ... second one not as much (ymmv) ... but neat vids!
Cheers,
Dallas
Quote from: Malachi Constant on September 05, 2010, 07:02:17 AM
Ed -- You might want to have a look at Creager Studios:
http://www.creagers.com/index.html
and search "Creager Studios Sculpting" on you-tube for some sample videos. <snip>
HOLY CRAP!! I just sat and watched videos (clips) 1-9 on Sculpting the Head. I was transfixed. That is great stuff. Looks like I will be ordering a video! :)
Glad you liked. Think they used Sculpey ... which requires that you stop and bake it a various points. With the Magic Sculp, you just stop and let it harden for an hour or two before moving on. That way you can get a head shape, let it sit, then come back and add more details, etc. -- Dallas
Yeah. She used Super Sculpy. I was just fascinated at the skills .. someone takes clay .. and adds a bit of 'magic'
I just watched a couple of the videos by SOLO, and was surprised to see that it starts with a blob of clay and carves away at it to get the shape. Everyone else I've heard of, works by adding clay to an armature. Very interesting to see a different approach.
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Started working on the hair color and ran into some trouble getting the effects I wanted ... stripped off the first round of paint ... and did a fair amount of additional carving in the hair to bring out more individual locks/strands of hair for highlighting ...
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Left side shows the re-carved hair with the base coat, a sepia ink wash and three shades of highlighting ... right side shows the same after glazing with sepia ink and glaze medium to unify the colors a bit and bring back the honey blond color. Will let this dry fully and see if it needs another layer ... also did additional carving in those little pigtails at the end of the braids to get some more detail there.
Lemme know if anyone is interested in specific details on paint colors, etc ... have notes ... otherwise I'll just occasional progress shots as she "shapes" up. ;D
Cheers,
Dallas
Dallas .. she needs some big hoop earrings ! :)
Looking good. Got my Magic Sculp in so will be playing with it shortly.
Dallas, I'm curious about the process of stripping off the paint... what type of paint was it, and what did you use to strip it? I may need to do that some time.
Hi Ray --
I realized that I didn't like the original paint soon after it had been done, so I took some Testor's Universal Acrylic Thinner (from the hobby) shop ... scrubbed that on with a short-bristle nylon brush ... as that collected paint, I wiped it off on a paper towel and went back with more clean thinner until it was down to the primer. Pretty easy in this case, since the paint hadn't really dried completely ... would probably work in a similar fashion with "set" paint ... just a little more time to do it.
PS -- It's also handy to have that thinner around for other uses. For example, if you want to do a really thin, translucent layer of paint, you can use the thinner rather than water to thin the paint. If you thin acrylic with water too much, the pigments will start to float or separate and create a grainy look ... with the thinner, you can thin them a little bit more ... and the thinner will help that very thin translucent layer adhere to the layers underneath. (But, if you're going to layer in this fashion, allow the underlying paint to fully dry before adding another layer ... otherwise you'll "mud" the layers together.)
Cheers,
Dallas
Dallas, I really need to poke around this Forum a little more.
I found this thread thru a link from another Forum and have totally missed this until now.
This is some great modeling! LOVE the structure project "over there".....
Beautifully done.
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Making some progress again ... last week, it looked like Lucie might get assimilated by the Borg! Was trying to do the eyes (with mascara) using my cheap, crappy brushes ... which was hard enough ... when it became apparent that I'd have to do some re-shaping of her left eye to get the desired appearance. Ugh! Stripped the paint in that area ... managed to get in there with a knife and tiny riffler file ... then I was kinda stumped on how to sand/smooth the area after re-shaping. Cheap tiny burnishing tools: Managed to do that by whittling, shaping and filing a flat wooden toothpick to do the first round of smoothing ... then cut the swab off a Q-tip and used the hard paper stick as a burnishing tool. Ended up doing some additional re-shaping after the photo above right.
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Good investment: After struggling to do 1/35 scale mascara with cheap, crappy brushes, decided it was time to invest in some DaVinci Maestro Kolinsky Sables. Good move! Old brushes shown on the left, the sables are on the right ... they're shaped to hold paint in the body, but remain sharp at the point. Very nice!
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Oooh, scary! Alright, this is pretty dang scary, cuz it's about 6x actual size (on a 19" monitor) ... and there's no way I can make one of these little figures look good blown up that big ... BUT ... demonstrates how well those new brushes work. Was able to do almost everything with the #0 sable ... did the mascara & irises with the #3/0 and used the #10/0 to dot the pupils and do some touch-up of the mascara, whites of the eyes, etc. You could paint freckles on a gnat with that brush. The extreme close-up is scary, but shows how the brushes allowed good placement of the irises, mascara, etc. Will be working on better pre-paint prep and sanding of primer on future figures!
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A little better: Goal is to make the figure presentable at 2x actual size, so I can do some close-ups. Face and chest have received the first layer of glaze to smooth out the transitions in shading, etc. Think this is akin to the "filter" concept, but not sure of the terms there ... will get another round or two of the glaze ... once the arms and hands are done. Want to keep her skin tones light, but add a little warmth and depth ... first glaze is a definite step in the right direction, but wanted to keep that really light to make sure before doing too much. Making progress on coloring the jeans and figured it was best to get those and the shirt done before final painting/shading on the arms ... for obvious reasons! ;D
The extreme closeup really isn't too bad. Painting any face on a figure that small, to look that good in such closeup, is tough!
Well since this is the forum where its cool to offer constructive criticism-- IMHO she looked really good until the makeup went on. Why is a tomboy wearing makeup at a garage? I'll buy the premise of a female helper, its a good visual gag. And I'll accept the tight pants and low cut T shirt, even though it might cause a scandal for a female to be seen like that in the 1930s, outside her home. But the makeup ... too much.
Other nitpick-- the cobalt blue pants seem too bright at this stage. You can find vintage color photos of train men wearing denims in various stages of wear and grime, they start a deep dark blue and end up blue grey. Personally, I'd have put her in baggy overalls to match her environment better.
The fact that you have a female helper is a nice visual surpise, don't want to negate it by overdoing or making her out of place or otherwise not-believable.
Just some thoughts, I'm enjoying this build!
Dave
You must realizink, of course, that she is Russian spy with difficoolties blending in to general populiss. ;)
Okay ... no BIG arguments ... in fact, I'll concede you're right or essentially right on all points. She's a total anachronism in those snug jeans and real snug T-shirt ... the coloring of the jeans HAS been toned down a lot since those photos were shot ... (definitely favor your view there) ...
Make up is a bit strong in the close-ups ... but in normal views, I think it'll just make her look "cute" and "girlie" ... in that regard ... I present Miss Fay Wray ... circa 1920s ... and note that she was a bit of a "nipper" too!
Lefty Lucie will be included in a variety of scenes for fun ... if I somehow manage to make the whole garage come out somewhat realistic, I'll includes some shots with a more dirty, ugly, ordinary looking staff!
Again, no arguments ... appreciate ALL input ... the figures are planned to remain "mobile" ... so there's a chance that even Charlie Chaplin or Groucho could show up in the joint ... only the shadow knows. Will post some updated photos of Lucie soon for final review.
Cheers,
Dallas
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Here's another "misfit character" that I'm working on. This one is a joint project between Garry Cerrone & myself for our mutual friend Steve Fisher, who's now building a dual-gauge layout with 3/8n40 and 3/8n20 ... and there will be an odd mix of stuff, as Gary and I will bring some 1/35n2 models and 1/35 figures to mix, match, mis-match or whatever. 8)
This guy started out as a Tamiya figure with bicycle ... Garry sculpted the hat and big mustache and did some re-working of the military jacket on the original figure. I saw that big hat and mustache and decided that he needed a splashier jacket and a bolo necktie. Did some more carving on the jacket, then some putty ... still needed to do the bolo strings. Named him "Eduardo Carrochio the bicycling bullfighter" ... but since he's not destined for my layout, Steve will have to come up with the back-story on this odd character! ;D
Will start painting him after Lucie's done ... and also get back to work on the garage ... we've got some pegboard, fanbelts and other "junque" to ornament the place!
Cheers,
Dallas
PS -- Further to Dave's notes, a "Rosie the Riveter" type would be much more appropriate to the WW2 era that I've set for the shop ... but Mr. Mudgeon says she's WAY too butch and scary ... and he definitely likes Lucie better! ;)
Cheers,
Dallas
Quote from: DaKra on September 26, 2010, 10:50:07 AM
Well since this is the forum where its cool to offer constructive criticism-- IMHO she looked really good until the makeup went on. Why is a tomboy wearing makeup at a garage? I'll buy the premise of a female helper, its a good visual gag. And I'll accept the tight pants and low cut T shirt, even though it might cause a scandal for a female to be seen like that in the 1930s, outside her home. But the makeup ... too much.
(clip) ...
The fact that you have a female helper is a nice visual surprise, don't want to negate it by overdoing or making her out of place or otherwise not-believable.
Dammit, Dave! ;)
Yup, now I have to learn figure sculpting ... dammit, dammit, dammit!
Why? Well, after reading your danged inconsiderate remarks (ie, correct and to the point) ... I had to go do a little searching ... and
look what I found in the photos below!
Ginger Rogers as my Tomboy in the 1940 film "The Primrose Path" ... and a nice little tow truck too.
Dammit, Dave! (all nastiness is purely tongue-in-cheek!) :)
PS -- We'll have to entertain ourselves with Lucie in the shop till I figure out the sculpting bit!
Thanks!
Dallas
Adding that movie to my Netflix queue, those are great screen shots! A Hollywood Tomboy isn't meant to be realistic, but there's still a certain consistency to Ginger and her surroundings; with her 30's clothing and cap, she looks perfectly natural sitting next to Henry Travers in a tow truck. (Funny how Ginger's cap is a dead ringer for Mudgeon's.)
Russ mentioned his "rule of consistency" and I think he's right. A scene flows when everything belongs to it, when something doesn't, it sticks out like a sore thumb.
Glad you took my nitpicks in the proper spirit. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.
Dave
Quote from: DaKra on September 27, 2010, 03:18:28 AM
A Hollywood Tomboy isn't meant to be realistic, but there's still a certain consistency to Ginger and her surroundings; with her 30's clothing and cap, she looks perfectly natural sitting next to Henry Travers in a tow truck....
Russ mentioned his "rule of consistency" and I think he's right. A scene flows when everything belongs to it, when something doesn't, it sticks out like a sore thumb.
Glad you took my nitpicks in the proper spirit. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.
Dave
-- Last thing first: definitely in the proper spirit ... I'm really glad you inspired this search ...
-- Next: I don't have the technical or artistic skills to do "photo-realistic" modeling ... maybe one day I'll get there and I'll want to give that a try ... meanwhile, my current aim is what I call
"realistic caricature" ... bit of an oxymoron, perhaps ... but my goal is this: while the viewer immediately recognizes the scene as a miniature, it is sufficiently engaging to draw the viewer in and "watch the play unfold" ... a bit like a stage production, where the backdrops only have to set the scene enough to allow the suspension of disbelief.
-- In that regard, Ginger's "Hollywood tomboy" character is perfect ... cute, sweet and full of the charm that draws you into the scene.
-- The full movie (The Primrose Path) is on you-tube ... I've started making screen shots so I can see her at all the appropriate angles. Have a variety of dental tools on order which should arrive any time now ... so I'll probably try sculpting a head ... and if/when that fails, Hornet makes some 1/35 female heads without hair, so that's an easier starting point. I also have a couple surplus 1/35 females here who may just loose their heads in this venture. :o (Where's the maniacal surgeon smiley?)
Meanwhile, Lucie will get finished ... provide some amusement as construction continues ... then, I suppose, one day I'll have to sculpt Tim & Al from "Tool Time" so I can put her in an appropriate setting! One day, we'll just refer to her as the "warm up" act. ;D
Cheers,
Dallas
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Okay, so how hard can it be? :-\ Printed some reference photos ... both large enough to see and actual working size ...
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Stuck a lump of Magic Sculp on the end of some styrene rod and let that set up for a few hours to create this fancy armature ...
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Think I saw some heads like this at a pre-Columbian art exhibit somewhere ...
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Meanwhile at the sci-fi convention ...
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Girl needs a forehead ...
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Head shape is getting close ... will add jaw line after this hardens ...
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Tiny little speck of a head at lower left is about actual size on a 19" monitor ... will let all this harden up, then go back and file, sand, carve and do more putty. Looking vaguely human at this point, which was actually my minimum goal for first attempt at shaping a head ... but hopeful that it can be worked a bit closer to desired shapes, etc. We shall see ... worst case scenario, lump of clay hits the bin and we call it practice! 8)
Cheers,
Dallas
Isn't that Popeye the Sailor? ???
Looks like you're on the right track, although I think you could have just started with Lucie (or one of her clones) and changed the clothes, etc. Of course this way you get the experience of sculpting the figure from scratch, and the extra bragging rights that go with it. :)
Quote from: eTraxx on September 27, 2010, 02:21:30 PM
Isn't that Popeye the Sailor? ???
Hmm ... kind of a cross between Popeye and Squidworth Tentacles, eh? :-\
You know ... you watch those Creager sculpting vids, and she makes it look kinda easy ... shaping the eye sockets with her thumbs ... pinching the shape of the nose with her finger tips. Then you go to work on something this size, and it's like you're threading a needle with mittens on! :P
Ray -- Thanks for the encouragement ... holding the "clone" option as Plan B for the moment ...
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Meanwhile, a bit of carving and shaping produces ... "The Blob" ... phase II.
A little more shaping perhaps, some ears and eyes ... we'll see if it works! 8)
Cheers,
Dallas
That's actually starting to 'shape up' .. pun intended :)
He's looking like a mix of Fantomas
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and of the emperor Palpatine.
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Nice job.
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Well, I think we've finally left the realm of sci-fi characters and started moving toward a human visage ... will continue to make refinements and adjust contours (shape of mouth, cheeks, etc) ... until we get something approaching a likeness.
Cheers,
Dallas
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Slowly making progress ... or, if nothing else, continually changing the shapes! ;D
Cheers,
Dallas
nice progress Dallas! Really taking shape now.
Philip
Dang, that's looking good!
It's nicer and nicer, Dallas. Hope you didn't misread my previous post. Was intended to be a joke.
Thanks for the encouragement! Bit of a challenge learning both "anatomy for the artist" and "micro sculpting" at the same time.
Frederic -- No problems. It's a bit like a complex mathematics problem here ... a series of approximations. ;)
FWIW, a few brief notes at this point while the thoughts are fresh:
-- Dental tools are all grotesquely too large here, so it's pretty much down to the tip of the knife and a very delicate touch.
-- A fiberglass scratch brush is extremely useful for removing shavings, etc.
-- Very helpful to have reference photos and those "ideal figure" diagrams (BOTH large and actual-size copies) on the work surface while working.
-- If you've never done sculpting/drawing of the face & head before, you'll find yourself staring at everyone you talk to, or stand in line next to ... ignoring the dialog in movies and looking at the faces, etc.
-- Very helpful to shoot the close-up photos. Fully realize how hideous the early shots on this project have been, but even with the opti-visor on it's a bit tricky to really "see" the work piece ... camera is a bit like an objective observer you can consult at will ...
On-going mantra: "Don't know what the !@#$ I'm doing ... ain't gonna let that stop me" ... with the occasional "Oh, um, om ... this may take a while!" The series of approximations will continue ... have found it a heck of a challenge so far ... and, as Spock would say, fascinating.
Cheers,
Dallas
Dang! She is shaping up nicely. Ginger looks to have a receeding chin in that shot.
I am very impressed!
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Quote from: Chuck Doan on October 06, 2010, 03:02:11 PM
Ginger looks to have a receeding chin in that shot.
Yeah, it's all kinda tricky and fascinating once you start to study these details. In the shot that I'm using as my primary reference (below), it does look like her chin is receding a touch ... but here it's a little more obvious, and actually a fairly broad chin. Also has a little dimple in the chin that I should add ...
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Jaw starts to shift over to her right when she starts to smile ...
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Jaw shifts a bit more ... This is the one that I'm using as a basic reference for her expression. She has a crooked smile ... jaw is shifted over to her right a little ... left cheek pulls back further and produces a deeper dimple when she gets a big smile going. Actually going for just a slightly more subtle look than this. Figure it will work well for two versions of the figure ... one out riding in the tow truck ... and one standing in the shop. Standing figure will have a pose similar to Lefty Lucie's ... shorter girl, looking up at Mr. Mudgeon with a big smirky smile.
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Movie poster ... left cheek pulls back more when she smirks ...
Again, thanks for the encouragement ... will continue working on her and post some occasional photos. Very, very interesting modeling a non-mechanical subject ... lots to learn!
Cheers,
Dallas
Quote from: Malachi Constant on October 06, 2010, 03:00:12 PM
-- Very helpful to shoot the close-up photos. Fully realize how hideous the early shots on this project have been, but even with the opti-visor on it's a bit tricky to really "see" the work piece ... camera is a bit like an objective observer you can consult at will ...
Yeah, I found that out when I was shooting the figures for the magazine articles. I could see a lot more detail in the close up photos, especially when blown up large the monitor, then I ever could with a magnifying lamp. So at each stage, I'd shoot pics, check them on the computer, and use that to determine where the figure needed adjusting.
Ray has also done some amazing figure sculpting. If I really need a good laugh, I might give it a try too. I wonder if you could put someones head in a pantograph mill?
Ray has done some outstanding portrait figures:
http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Figures.html
Dunno if you could get someone to sit still for the pantograph, but you might talk someone into sticking their head in a 3-D scanner and having a miniature done at Print-a-Part, etc. ;D
Cheers,
Dallas
Quote from: Malachi Constant on October 08, 2010, 08:07:48 AM
Dunno if you could get someone to sit still for the pantograph, but you might talk someone into sticking their head in a 3-D scanner and having a miniature done at Print-a-Part, etc. ;D
SAY! Hmmmm. Probably no worse than a couple hours in a tanning bed. 8)
Dallas, that's some great work! I really have to be "in the mood" to do figures so the population slowly grows. On my 1:35 layout, I usually put nazis under the knife, changing them to railway crewmen, bar patrons, hotel patrons, and even "fixing" nazis wearing long coats which become somewhat ugly "ladies". Intrestingly, the Japanese soldiers seem to make great Mexican residents, their facial features look very similar. I have come across some nice civilian "WW2" ladies from Master Box which are now the "stars" at the Gila Hotel. When I get after business, I usually have maybe 5 or 6 working at once...more seems to bum me out. I have a rather large assortment of "body parts" which (as you know) can make one of a kind modes, lots more fun than amputating arms & legs. And those machine guns, carbines, handguns, and bandoleers of bullets come in very handy for detailing citizens of the "border regions" in the early 1940's. In fact, I have one ingot hauling boxcar which has a BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) and ammo boxes on the roof.....just in case.
Woodie
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I just got this set from MasterBox (called "Post War Celebration") and it sounds like the one Woodie is describing -- set only cost $10 -- so for that price, I got two nice civilian females in 1940s dresses and a couple guys who'll go into the "spare parts" bin. The hands are quite nice, so I'll probably use the hands from the guys to customize other figures.
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Meanwhile, I've decided to start over on the Ginger project. On the first head (above left), I kinda slapped together a rough head/face shape and tried to refine that with moderate success. On the new head (above center), I started with a basic skull shape and have been gradually building up and shaping the various features in a slower, more incremental process. Hope to work on the eyes this afternoon/evening ... then I'll work on blending the upper cheeks into the eye area, brow, ears, etc. Looks like this process will get me a lot closer to achieving an actual "likeness" ... and if it doesn't work out just right on this second attempt, well then I'll just start over again! Will post some pix when the basic features of the new head are all together for review and criticism before moving on...
Cheers,
Dallas
Dallas-yep, those are the ones. Nice models.
Woodie
You have set an extremely high goal with this figure. Of all the possible prototypes to model accurately in 1/35 scale, I think a likeness of a particular, attractive, young female, in 1/35 scale is one of the most difficult. You have left model building behind and entered sculpting, which demands a skill set that usually takes years to acquire. Plus, unlike the details on a vehicle, everyone can recognize a face, so the margin for error is very close to zero. In that microscopic scale, I think coming as close as you have is already an accomplishment.
Stuff like this is why I don't finish models, not because I lost interest in them. I'll be cruising along on a project, then something comes along that I think can be done better, a series of fascinating experiments follows, new skills are slowly acquired, the project branches off into something unanticipated, then that sprouts another branch and so on... Its all part of the fun of model building, but changing horses in midstream comes to mind! Its the curse of the creative mind, ideas come rapidly and often the temptation to run with them is irresistable.
But in this case, I wouldn't be brave enough to even try, would have put Lucy into a pair of mechanic's overalls and declared victory!
Dave
Dave --
Some really interesting thought and discussion points there -- many of which I've been considering as this moves along. I actually considered the first head a significant "success" in that it did look both human and female ... but wanted to see if I could elevate that by aiming for the "cute & sweet" look of Ginger's character in the movie. Still have to see how that will play out, but seem to be moving along in the right direction.
In terms of the overall project ... well, it's ALL been a series of side tracks that have magically cemented my interest to continuing the project. The foundation for the building was built up stone-by-stone. Soon after that was started, I had the idea that it was a "big mistake" to go that way ... by the time it was done, I was real glad that the insanity had gone in that direction. Likewise with building working windows following Ken Hamilton's tutorial, working with "scale nails" after seeing things that Chuck and Marc had done, etc.
In a way, this insane little venture into learning to sculpt human anatomy in miniature is a total side track, but again it seems to cement my interest into the overall project, which I see as a bit of a story board. The cute little tomboy assistant as a counterpoint to the grumpy, grumbling mechanic will tell an amusing story ...
In trying to work thru many of the side tracks, I've developed a much, much better approach to using acrylic paints (and better "equipment" with quality brushes, ceramic palettes, etc) ... and elements from one sub-project spill into the next. Example -- Next project to do in the actual structure is to hang some pegboard using the Vector Cut tools ... but I wasn't very happy with the metallic finishes I gave to some of those. In working with the figures, I got some Reaper Miniatures paints which proved really nice ... so I ordered a variety of their metallic colors, and I'm liking those much better than any of the others I've gotten from Polly S, Vallejo, etc. So now I can refinish those tools the way I want. Likewise, the idiocy of doing the scale nails has given me a wonderful selection of tiny wires that will allow nearly-scale peg fittings on the peg boards ...
Fortunately, there's no deadline on any of this ... no contest goals ... just the pure, really true pleasure of doing it as a hobby. Like yourself, I spend a fair bit of my time making hobby goods for others, so there can be periods of burnout. All the stuff on the project is radically different from the business stuff I do, so it's really refreshing.
Back to Ginger ... realizing that I've set a nutty goal on the head sculpting, I've ordered several sets of plastic figures and now have a nice assortment of arms and legs and bodies that I can mix and match. So I will NOT be learning how to sculpt hands on this round!
And, if you think you can dodge the whole "dammit, Dave" blame for this particular insane project by posting a few reasonable comments ... think again ... I don't know where ... I don't know when ... but I'm gonna get you for this one! >:( :P ;D
Cheers,
Dallas
Quote from: DaKra on October 25, 2010, 05:57:26 AM
You have set an extremely high goal with this figure. Of all the possible prototypes to model accurately in 1/35 scale, I think a likeness of a particular, attractive, young female, in 1/35 scale is one of the most difficult.
Females faces are tough to sculpt, IMHO, because they require a higher degree of perfection. The "skin" has to be smoother, the shapes more subtle. A little surface irregularity on a male's face just makes him look more "rugged".
Ray,
You telling me you've never seen a chick that looks like a guy, or just a wee bit "rugged" around the edges? ;D
Dallas,
Its been entertaining watching this whole figure thing roll around the modelling table, and its always good to be able to actually find the time to satisfy your own modelling curiosities (especially when as you say, you spend so much time producing model gear for others). Even watching your process for building up the head has given me a greater appreciation for those other guys that shape the masters for figure casting.
Cheers,
Dan
Just use a soft focus filter like all the featured women on the original Star Trek.
Chuck, you need some quality time in the corner. -- ssuR
I love that Masterbox set. I have three of them, not counting the ones I've already used. The faces are a little bland, but that's what Hornet is for.
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Bexley --
Wow! Sick, twisted and delightful ... well executed, too! ;D
(And, of course the dang pun was intended ...never trust anyone who says it wasn't!)
Cheers,
Dallas
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Here we go: Think I've reached a point where it would be good to put the new head out for criticism/review before moving on. Obviously, she'll benefit from the addition of some hair and a hat once the face is finalized! BTW, photo may seem small ... but on a 19" monitor, the sculpted head is about 5x actual size here. Goal is to have the completed figure look presentable at 2x-3x actual size.
Reality check: I'll gladly accept that trying to capture a specific person's likeness in this scale is a rather lofty goal ... and, really, that's not the main goal. Actually, looking for a cute girl to provide a counterpoint to the grumpy mechanic. So, the CHARACTER that Ginger played in the movie seems like an ideal inspiration. Revised goal: If this is successful, then once the figure is assembled and decked out in tomboy clothes, she'll look like a genuinely cute, sweet girl who just happens to be going thru a tomboy/rebel phase. So, it would be nice to capture Ginger's likeness, but on a more practical level just hoping to capture some of the cuteness.
Comments & criticism wanted: Please let me know what you think ... yeah, nay or otherwise. ALL comments, criticism and suggestions welcome. If it looks like some certain feature, etc, is off a bit, please let me know. If I have to attempt any radical changes, I can cast the head first to make sure I have a back-up and don't lose the progress to this point.
Thanks in advance!
Dallas
Dallas .. what I think is .. looks like you have another line to add to your products! Excellent.
Dallas -
What immediately struck me was that the mouth area is to recessed (deep) compared to the rest of the face. It almost looks like someone without teeth. Compare to the "prototype" to see where the lips fall relative to the nose.
Carlo
That's what I see, too, Carlo. If it were an old man it would be perfect so my suggestion would be to keep it for that purpose and try again to sculpt the girl. (On the other hand, consider the boob who made the suggestion before considering it!) -- Russ
Looks very believable to me Dallas. I see women who look like that everyday at work... ;) Of course they're not Ginger Rogers...
Paul
Carlo -- THANK YOU! Very helpful observation ... and should be a pretty easy thing to fix ... ignoring the microscopic size of the dang thing!
Russ -- In consideration of the boob who furthered that suggestion, I present some boobs being shaped ... don't worry, they'll get a little bigger when the sweater/sweatshirt is built up. ;)
Cheers,
Dallas
Nice rack!
Carlo
Color suggestions?
While I have your kind attention ... have a look at the photo below ... would like to have any/all suggestions y'all would like to make for colors:
-- sweater/sweatshirt
-- skirt
-- jacket
Believe the real Ginger had some shade of naturally red hair ... which varied from really dark as seen in this early movie to something (apparently colored) very blond. I'll probably go with a deep auburn color or warm brunette tone. So thinking that a light mossy green sweatshirt would compliment that nicely, maybe some sort of caramel tan for the skirt ... but VERY open to suggestions ... the black & white movie is charming, but not very colorful! :)
Thanks again!
Dallas
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Attack of the 50' sculptor! Hmm ... maybe I should have chosen Fay Wray?
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Are we there yet? Well, I'm very hopeful that the third time is a charm! Here's the third attempt ... not an exact likeness, of course, but this seems to be awfully close to what I'm after ... a cute girl with fat cheeks rolling her eyes and laughing at the silly old man. Actually, the likeness gets better when I hold the head against the photo at just the right angle, but I have a heckuva time getting the light and photo angle right when I shoot the photo. Still open to critical review and suggestions ... please lemme know what you think.
Thanks!
Dallas
The face is pretty good. The hat needs work. -- Russ
To me, the remarkable thing is the improvement you make with each version. Why stop now?
Dave
Like Dave said!
I think it's amazing the progress you have made, Dallas...considering how tiny the subject is, you are showing real aptitude for this.
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Quote from: DaKra on November 16, 2010, 10:12:15 AM
To me, the remarkable thing is the improvement you make with each version. Why stop now?
Dave
At this point, I have very mixed feelings about stitching together the photos shown above ... don't know whether to laugh, cringe or both. BUT ... this is a very accurate snapshot of the "learning curve" that I've experienced here, so I'll post the series in hopes it encourages other "wannabe sculptors" to press on thru the ugly awkward stages!
Why stop now? Well ... I got what I wanted! Seriously, this has been the absolute most challenging modeling task I've ever tried. Can only begin to tell you how difficult I've found it to shape teeny little eyelids, nostrils, the curves of a cheek and the folds into the smile line, etc ... and get them all to come out (reasonably) well proportioned, smooth and blended into each other. The "third shot" here seems to do what I want ... looks, even at a glance, like a cute female with the desired expression ... and the details compare very favorably with those on commercial 1/35 heads that I'll be using, so she should "blend in" with the other characters reasonably well ...
Quote from: DaKra on October 25, 2010, 05:57:26 AM
You have set an extremely high goal with this figure. Of all the possible prototypes to model accurately in 1/35 scale, I think a likeness of a particular, attractive, young female, in 1/35 scale is one of the most difficult. You have left model building behind and entered sculpting, which demands a skill set that usually takes years to acquire. Plus, unlike the details on a vehicle, everyone can recognize a face, so the margin for error is very close to zero. In that microscopic scale, I think coming as close as you have is already an accomplishment.
Your earlier comment here was VERY helpful ... reminded me that I was really trying to capture the "essence" of what I liked about Ginger's
character in that film ... and that matching the very specific features of that likeness wasn't that important. In that regard, I found some photos of another attractive young woman with similar facial features and expression but fatter cheeks ... there were more photos, which helped when looking at the sculpted head from various angles ... and I found myself giving my character fatter cheeks just cuz I like 'em! ;D
Quote from: DaKra on October 25, 2010, 05:57:26 AM
Stuff like this is why I don't finish models, not because I lost interest in them. I'll be cruising along on a project, then something comes along that I think can be done better, a series of fascinating experiments follows, new skills are slowly acquired, the project branches off into something unanticipated, then that sprouts another branch and so on... Its all part of the fun of model building, but changing horses in midstream comes to mind! Its the curse of the creative mind, ideas come rapidly and often the temptation to run with them is irresistable.
But in this case, I wouldn't be brave enough to even try, would have put Lucy into a pair of mechanic's overalls and declared victory!
Dave
And, most importantly, that "changing horses" bit ... this is all part of the larger project of building the auto garage. I really like adding "characters" to the scene ... feel that the cute, perhaps smarmy, girl adds a nice counterpoint/tension to the grumpy mechanic ... and I'm really itching to get all my lovely Vector Cut tools, gaskets, fans and belts finished properly and stuck up on the walls!
Definitely won't "stop" the sculpting effort all together ... still have to do Ginger's body (with commercial hands, hooray!) ... and I'd like to do an old man figure based on Mike Chamber's "Curmudgeon" avatar ... will get back to that after some substantial progress on the building and details has been made.
So "Dammit, Dave" and THANK YOU for the prod that got all this nonsense going. Have had a long-standing desired to TRY sculpting faces "eventually" ... and this intense little diversion has really satisfied that desire for now and fueled the desire to do it again some time. But, thank goodness there are so many suitable commercial figures for most of the needs ... my optivisor is overheated and my fingers are cramped from making microscopic movements ... whew! ;)
Dang, that was long-winded!
Dallas
PS -- I will certainly try to improve on that hat. :P
Dallas, I think you've done a bang-up job! The detail in the features and the surface smoothness is impressive. I have a hard time getting anywhere close to that quality, and I'm working in a larger scale.
You still haven't fixed the hat. -- ssuR
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Quote from: finescalerr on November 17, 2010, 01:15:36 AM
You still haven't fixed the hat. -- ssuR
In Russ' honor, I think it's time to try some paper modeling ...
Of course, this is just a mock-up ... will have to locate some scale-size newspaper and scotch tape before making the "real" thing! ;D
Ray -- Thanks for your comments. It's extremely important to get a smooth surface on a female face in the smaller scale ... I have some notes in that regard that I'll post when I get a chance. Just have to master the art of miniature paper hats first! ;)
Cheers,
Dallas
Nice hat Dallas... Are you going to add a yellow brick road to the garage scene?
Face is looking much better, hard to believe it's such a small figure... well done.
Paul
Still impressive!
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Well, I haven't forgotten all this ... just been tied up with the busy season at work and juggling all the different components of the diorama project. The woman with dog in this MasterBox set kindly donated her body for Ginger ... anyone remember the movies "Frankenhooker", "Dr. Gore", etc.? ;D
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Shortened the body a bit ... whittled down the torso considerably to get rid of the uniform and give her a thinner, more youthful shape ... omitted the plastic skirt from the kit ... used Magic Sculp to make a new skirt and socks.
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Cast the head sculpt in resin to preserve the original. At this point, she's a little extra thin and extra busty so she'll still have a nice shape when the bulky sweatshirt and jacket are added. Lady in the middle is a slightly-customized figure from the MasterBox "Europe 1945" set. Tiny babe is one that I'm modifying for a friend's HO project ... more on that later.
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Working on the clothing some more ... will re-work some of the folds in the sweatshirt and add some collar detail ... then add arms, jacket, hair/braids, hat and whatever else I'm forgetting at the moment! ;D
Cheers,
Dallas
Here are a couple of figures I have recently bought . Don't ask the price , they are not cheap .They are made by Model Victoria .
Nick
Well, Nick, you're right ... I just had to have a look (http://www.modelvictoria.it/figurines.htm) ... they are a bit pricey, but look like they're worth it. Look forward to seeing photos when you have them painted.
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Still have to do some shading on Millie's arms and a little touch-up ... but I thought this was fun. ;D
Cheers,
Dallas
That's great. For some weird reason, I am immediately reminded of the movie "Forever Young" .. before Mel Gibson went nutz-o
excellent progress!
Your bearded fellow is hitting on her.
and you tickled her blouse with great detail! Nice print very classic
I think Millie would be a lot more excited about a younger dude in white undershirt. ;D That grumpy old dude is never gonna take her out to the Drive-Inn.
Actually, the guy that Shropshire Lad posted would be perfect: "Check this out, young lady! Let me take off that coverall" ;D
QuoteThat grumpy old dude is never gonna take her out to the Drive-Inn.
for sure you haven't any idea how charming old dudes can be ;) ;D ;D
Nice and delicate work Dallas
Jacq
Dallas, Nice 1/35 figures from Model Victoria wish they made them in 1/48 and 1/2 inch.....little pricey but there very detailed :)
Thanks guys ... and I think Jacq is right ... the old guys have a better chance when it comes to turning on the charm!
Craig -- MK35 (www.mk35.com) makes some very nice resin figures in 1/43 scale. Their characters tend to have a medium build, so they should work fine alongside 1/48 figures. Phoenix and Omen make nicely-detailed 1/43 figures in cast metal, but those do tend to be on the large side for 1/48. Assuming you know about the SLM 1/24 figures (http://slmonline.com/) ... very nicely detailed, but limited selection. SE Ltd. has some additional figures in 1/24 that may be interesting, but I haven't seen them in person so can't speak to the quality of casting/sculpting there. Scroll down a bit and click the "Dudez and Babez" logo on their main page: http://www.seltd.net/
Also, you can get separate heads & arms in 1/48 scale:
http://propaganda-kompany.com/321-Accessories-Figures-1-48-Heads
So, if you're inclined to a little sculpting, you could whittle down Tamiya/other 1/48 military figures to provide basic armatures ... sculpt the clothing/body contours to suit ... and make use of ready-made parts to customize. The heads and hands ARE definitely tricky ... clothing just takes practice and that's kinda fun and fairly simple.
Still making occasional progress on Ginger ... did some basic sculpting on her jacket, need to do sleeves, etc ...
Cheers,
Dallas
Dallas, Thanks for the info ;) I have some of the SLM 1/24 figures and i really them.
Wow, great work, especially painting the details of that print fabric!
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Thanks guys -- the floral print turned out to be relatively easy. Just went at it like Monet's garden ... lotsa dots! :)
Tried a variety of brushes and a variety of paint color sequences and practiced on some colored paper (shown above) that was similar to the dress color. A very ragged out old #0 shader ended up making nice shapes ... touch to the paint, tap a few times on paper, then on to the dress. Did light yellowish-green first, followed by deeper green, pink and white. And, just like the Monet, if you look TOO close it's just a bunch of crazy little dots ... but looking at the whole, it gives the impression of a detailed floral print.
Cheers,
Dallas