Sculpting
Figure Sculpting Tools
(Show No.3)
Every sculptor will find there own favourite tools and generally once they have a tool they like they will use it for virtually all of their sculpting. I personally, am always looking for new sculpting tools, they and I know alot of sculptors are continously looking for the Holy Grail of tools, thast one tool that will give them the edge, make them a better sculptor and help them raise their sculpting to the next level.
Well, unfortunately, it doesn't work that way, as with all things it is the skill of the sculptor not the quality of the tool that really counts. That's not to say that good tools are not important, they are, and when you find a tool you are really happy with, look after it and make sure you have a spare one.
There are many sculpting tools available and they come in all shapes and sizes. I usually pick up any new ones I see to give them a try and see if I enjoy using them. Consequently I have piles of tools lying around that I do not use.
The main tool I use is actually home-made, and this is very often the case with professional sculptors. They will have an idea of exactly what they are looking for but as they can't find it they will make their own.
To make my sculpting tool I took a piece of 2mm thick stainless steel sheet and using an industrial guillotine I cut a strip around 5mm wide by 120mm long. Then using a file I shaped one end into curved, knife like blade, that came to a nice sharp point. I filed the curved edge to a sharp knife edge and then sanded and polished the whole tip on a silver-smiths polishing machine to a smooth shiny finish.
There are many commercial tools with a very similar shape to the one I made, but they are either too broad or the handles are too long and they are not well balanced when I hold them. Obviously equipment like the guillotine or polishing machines are not available to everyone. So it is perfectly reasonable to take a bought tool and alter it to your own preferences. With a good file and fine wet and dry paper it is fairly straight forward to alter the shape of your sculpting tool to your own taste.
I have very often used a craft knife blade, that has been re-shaped a little, and this works very well.
Clearly, until you have gained some experience with sculpting your own figures there is no point in trying to make your own tools. So what is available commercially?
Games Workshop have a very good sculpting tool, that I have used quite regularly and is pretty well designed, it has a knife type blade at one end that can be used for most sculpting jobs and a small curved shape at the other end that is great for getting into tight spots.
Many craft shops will sell what are known as "wax carving" tools, and these are generally ideal for figure sculpting.
Another option you can try, is to speak to your dentist when you next have to visit him. Many of the stainless steel tools dentists use are ideal for sculpting with, and very often dentists disgard tools that have lost a point, or are slightly blunt. If you manage to get some old dental tools, just try not to think about where those tools have been used before you got them.
Figure Scale and Size
(Show No.3)
Now, I am going to finish this episode with a brief discussion of figure scale. With the next show I will be moving on to composition and the actual techniques in figure sculpting, so I feel that scale needs to be addressed before I go any further.
Many wargames figure sizes are refered to in millimetres, whether it be 6, 15, 28 millimetres or any other. This is not the scale, scale is described by a ratio, for example 1:32nd or 1:300.
For example, taken at it's simplest, many action figures are produced at 1:6 scale. So a 6 foot tall man modelled at 1:6 would be 1 foot tall, dividing his actual height by the second number of the scale. Therefore a 6 foot tall figure at 1:300 scale comes out at around 6mm tall.
Many of the standard figure sizes are similar to popular scales, for example 25mm is a equivilent to 1:72 scale and 54mm is approximately 1:35 scale.
Several years ago I sculpted some Dayak tribesmen for Scheltrum Miniatures, and Scheltrum regularly get people asking why there 28mm scale dayaks are all only around 25mm high. Anyone who has visited Borneo and seen the actual dayaks will know that compared to western peoples heights the Dayak people are alot smaller, therefore my figures were accurately scaled. Many gamers expect all of there figures to be exactly the same size. I like a good bit of variation in my figures, which reflects reality more closely.
However over the years figure sizes have tended to increase, this is know as scale creep, although correctly it should really be called "size creep". 25mm figure have more or less been replaced by 28mm or even 30mm figures. This change in size means that the figures are now a different scale, 25mm figures being 1:72 where as 30mm figures being 1:60.
On top the problems with scale creep, there is also the fact that different people measure their figures in different way.The obvious way to measure a figures height is to go from the base of it's feet to the top of it's head. However, a common system is to meansure a figure from the base of its feet to it's eyes. There are compelling arguments for this system, the main one being that, as many wargames figures are wearing large hats or helmets, it is difficult to accurately measure to the top of a figures head, being that it is hidden by the headgear, where-as the eyes are virtually always visible on any figure.
The arguments about which is the best system have been raging for years, and they still crop up with amazing regularity on internet forums, such as The Miniatures Page and Frother Unite. Everyone will have their own opinion on which is best and I am not going to try to impose my views on anyone. I will however say that the best argument on this subject that I have seen in recent years, is from Tom Meier (one of the founders of Ral Partha and now with Thunderbolt Mountain Miniatures) , one of the grand masters of figure sculpting. He reasons very convincingly that the best way to measure is to the top of their heads, so if it is good enough for Tom that is what I will stick with.
Truly the best system would be to use a genuine scale rather than a millimetre size. I generally sculpt figure at 30mm size and so can happy call them 1:60th (assuming they are all 6 foot tall, of course).
Please assume that if I am talking about a figure in millimetres in future show, I am measuring to the top of the head and not the the eyeline.
Figure Sculpting Armatures
(Show No.2)
In the last show we looked a some of the sculpting putties available. Now I am going to move on to look at the first stage in sculpting a figure. None of the sculpting materials are strong enough to support their own weight, when still soft, so you will need to use some kind of skeleton inside your figure to hold it up, and especially if you are planning on casting the figure, you will need to support it during the casting process.
This skeleton, is generally called an armature.
There are various ways that you can create your armature, many sculptors use wire bent or twisted into the pose that they are aiming to use. Wargames figure sculptors sometimes use what are called dollies, these are cast in pewter and resemble a semi-completed figure, usually with thinned down joints at the waist, shoulders, elbows and knees so that the figure can be posed ready for sculpting over.
I also saw, last week, that Masquerade Miniatures in Germany have started to sell etched brass armatures. These look really interesting and I would like to get hold of a set to try out. So if anyone over there would like to send me a review set I will gladly try one out and give my honest opinion on them!
www.masq-mini.de
Firstly lets look at wire armatures.
There are many different ways to build a wire armature. Firstly you must decide on the type of wire to use. For my wargames figures I use 1mm diameter brass wire, but that's not very easy to get a hold of, so lets look at some of the alternatives.
Copper electrical wire is readily available, although you will need to strip off the plastic coating. The main problem with copper wire is that it can be too flexible. I find that it very often does not have the strength to support the sculpt I am working on, as when I apply any pressure it pushes the armature out of shape.
Steel wire comes in various types, and can be useful. It can be a little to stiff to bend though.
Florists wire, not surprisingly available from florists is very useful, it is fairly rigid, but will bend quite easily. Also some sculptors use paper clips that they twist into the desired pose.
I have used all of these materials, and I am sure that I will do so again, if they are all that is at hand.
Aluminium wire is also a good alternative for larger sculpts, although again it can twist and bend a little too easily unless supported with something more substantial.
Now lets move on to construction a simple wire armature for a wargames figure.
When you are sculpting a figure, you will need something that you can hold the figure by. Most sculptors use a cork.
You will need to cut three pieces of wire.
Cut 1 piece to about 14cm in length, another to 10cm and the third piece to about 8cm. Bend the 2 longer pieces over to form a U shape, the 14cm one around 20mm wide and the 10cm one about 10mm wide. Now push the 8cm straight piece into the middle of the end of your cork.
Taking the 10mm wide U shaped piece of wire push it into the cork so that either leg of the U is on either side of the straight piece of wire and so that the top of the inverted U touches the straight wire.
Do the same with the 20mm wide U of wire, pushing it into the cork so that the the top of the U sits about about 10 or 12mm above the first one.
You will now need to fix the 2 U shaped pieces to the straight piece. I use a small soldering torch and solder the joints of the brass wire, but if you are using steel, the best way to do it would be to mix up some epoxy putty and encase the joint with the putty.
Once the putty has completely set, pull the armature out of the cork and cut the straight wire just below the lower joint.
Then straighten out the top U shape.
There you have it a simple armature, ready for bending into the pose you want to sculpt.
For larger scale figures, from around 1/12th scale or larger I would certainly consider using an external support as well as the internal wire armature. Most sculptors of garage kits for example use sculpting stands on most of their projects.
I have put a photo of my sculpting stand on the website to give you some idea of how this is made.
Now on to a brief look at ready made dollies. There are several available from different figure companies. Both Amazon Miniatures and Ebob Miniatures in the UK sell dollies, and I seem to recall that Reaper in the US also do some.
www.amazonminiatures.com/catalogue/index.asp?rName=Sculpting
www.ebobminiatures.com/products/tools.htm
www.reapermini.com
You have to be fairly careful when you are bending the limbs and joints on these dollies as they can break quite easily and this can lead to very annoying breaks that are difficult to repair.
I tend to cut the arms off of dollies when I am using them, drill the torso and insert wire instead. I find it easier and much less likely to snap at an in-opportune moment.
The main advantage that dollies offer to a novice sculptor is that they already have the correct proportions, therefore getting over one of the main hurdles for your early sculpts. However, once most sculptors becomes a little more proficient and get to know a little more about human anatomy many tend to prefer to use the wire armatures.
I have only really skimmed the surface with this article on armatures, and I am sure that I will come back to it again in the future, but in the mean time if you have questions, please drop me a line at david@themodelmakerspodcast.com, the YahooGroup or in the TMMP forum.
Sculpting Putties
(Show No.1)
Each show I am going to look at a different aspect of figure sculpting, whether it is 28mm figures or 1/6th diorama pieces. For this weeks show I am going to give you a brief description of some of the different sculpting putties and clays that you can use.
Miniature sculptors, generally use two part epoxy putties, but larger scale figures can be sculpted in various polymer clays or putties.
First off, let’s look at epoxy putties. Epoxy Putty is supplied in two parts, a filler or body and a hardener. You mixed together the two parts and after a period of time the putty sets. There are many different varieties of epoxy putty that are suitable for sculpting with, but they broadly fall into two types, hard set putties and flexible set putties. As the names suggest when these putties have set, they are either hard, which is easily machine-able and sand-able or flexible which retains a plastic type flexibility.
Professional figure sculptors have preferred flexible putties for many years due to production requirements. Basically, the process involved in taking a finished sculpt and turning it into a production run figure involves placing the figure between two layers of rubber and applying heat (around 300 degrees centigrade) and pressure, to press the softened rubber into the figure. This is called vulcanising the rubber. This is then allowed to cool and the original sculpt is removed leaving a cavity into which the pewter can be poured.
If the figure is sculpted with a hard putty it is far less likely to survive the process, getting crushed under the pressure, possibly ruining the mould and leaving you with nothing to work with at the end.
There are other mould making techniques that can be used with different materials, but generally they add an extra process and this adds to the cost of production. We will look at mould making techniques in a later show.
The main putty that has been the industry standard in miniature figure sculpting for many years is Kneadatite Blue-Yellow, sometime referred to as Duro.
This is a flexible set putty and comes in two parts, one yellow and the other blue. When mixed together the two parts blend together and the putty goes an even green colour. Kneadatite Blue-Yellow is often referred to as Greenstuff within the hobby, due to it’s colour once blended.
This is also where the term for finished sculpts that have yet to be cast comes from, they are correctly called a Master but are more commonly called a “Green”.
The Kneadatite is generally mixed in a 1 to 1 mix, although, as with many of the different putties, different sculptor favour slightly different mixes, some preferring a 60:40 mix of blue to yellow, and others preferring it the other way around. These different mixes affect the setting time, the texture of the putty and also the properties it has once set. So clearly experimentation and experience are need to find the mix that you are happiest with.
The two main varieties of flexible putty are Kneadatite Blue-Yellow and Kneadatite Blue-White. The blue-white putty remains white once it is blended together, I find it has a different consistency to greenstuff and do not really enjoy working with it.
There is also a new variety that ha come on to the market this year called Pro-Create, I have heard very good reports about this putty, but I have not tried it myself yet so I cannot really comment on it.
Anyway, on to the hard putties.
These putties come into their own when you are sculpting crisp edges, such as weapons, machinery and vehicles. They are far easier to sand and file than the flexible putties. There are several different brands all with similar features, and again it is a matter of trying them to find your own preference. Brands to look for include:-
Milliput, which comes in several grades from Standard through to Super-fine and even Terracotta, which as the name suggests is great for repairing terracotta pots.
Also A+B and Magic Sculp are also good hard set putties.
Somewhere in between the hard and flexible putties there is Kneadatite Brown/Aluminium. This putty is certainly harder than Blue/Yellow, and it files or sands fairly well. I usually use this for weapons, as it has a similar sculpting feel to greenstuff, but sets that much harder and can be filed to get a good edge.
Alternatives to epoxy putties can also be used, although as I said before different mould making process will need to be used for these materials.
A lot of European figure sculptors and also larger scale sculptors use Polymer Clays to sculpt with. These clays are PVC based and need to heated before they will set. This has the advantage that you can work on the sculpt for as long as you like as opposed to epoxies which generally only give you around an hour to an hour and a half of working time. They are also a lot cheaper than the epoxies, which is a major consideration for larger scale sculpts.
Popular brands of Polymer Clay are Fimo, and in the US Sculpey.
Now is where it all gets complicated, many professional sculptors mix different varieties of putties together to achieve different properties. I have regularly mixed greenstuff with Milliput, to give me a sand-able finish that is more resilient than straight Milliput.
Also, recently I have been adding a little Fimo polymer clay into my greenstuff mix. At around 10%, it lengthens the setting time and makes the greenstuff slightly softer to work with without noticeably affecting the set strength of the greenstuff.
Again, it really comes down to experimenting with different mixes until you find what you are looking for.
For further information on sculpting putties and figure sculpting in general, I recommend anyone interested signs up to the 1listsculpting mailing list at Yahoo-groups. The URL will be in the show notes.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/1listSculpting/
Also for a look at a selection of sculpting putties, you can visit Sylmasta.com, this UK company supplies many of the different putties available. Again the link will be in the show notes.
http://www.sylmasta.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Epoxy_Putties_15.html#a331
