Sculpting Tips for ScumDog47

[MortiS-the-Lost]

Scumdog47 wrote

I had a dream last night.
Bizarrely enough I was trying to model a With-hunter-style hat onto the topmost of these ogres. In the middle of the road. And the greenstuff kept turning grey...

As I woke up the idea stuck with me.

Take the Mjolnir-ogre and greenstuff one of those purtitan hats on him and, of course,  a long coat. Problem is I have some trouble working with larger amounts of greenstuff. It tends to get finger prints all over it an/or deform unless supported somehow.


Any tips or ideas?

Quote Taken from:  
http://n2.nabble.com/Buncha-Ogres-td2684519.html#a3681918
Click the above to see Scumdog47’s Ogres he’s talking about

An Ogre Witch-Hunter! Now that’s awesome!

Here’s a few quick tips for sculpting that might help

+ If your using Greenstuff keep your fingers and/or tools a little wet to prevent it sticking and getting finger prints in it.

+ When sculpting cloaks or capes lay the Greenstuff flat on some tin-foil while you get it to the right shape and sculpt any details such as pockets and stitches. Then once it’s cured a little (but not fully) carefully peel it from the tin-foil and fix it to the mini.

+ A good way of supporting a large area of Greenstuff like a cape to make ‘skeleton’ for it out of car-body mesh and then sculpting over it

+ If you don’t get on with Greenstuff too well it’s also worth checking out some of the other sculpting materials out there. I use Miliputt from time to time when sculpting things like stone, earth or tree-roots. I find Miliputt useful for filling gaps and bulking out figures too as it can be drilled, filed and sanded to shape once it’s set. Our resident sculptor Robert-the-Damned uses a putty called ‘Pro-Create’ which interestingly in context to your dream is grey (but not recommended for use in the middle of a road).

+ In fact Rob will probably have some better tips than mine when it comes to sculpting and with that in mind I’ve moved this to it’s own thread to give everyone a chance to give some sculpting advice

+ Another way to go with making cloaks, capes, banners or any other large area of cloth is avoid using green stuff and use thin sheets of lead or other soft metals cut to shape. I’ve seen banners and even the sails of ship cut from the sides off beer cans. Apparently the thick foil from Champaign bottles also works well for this sort of thing.  

[MortiS-the-Lost]

... ok I was hoping other people might jump in with suggestions ...

[Scumdog47]

Awesome tips, man.

Right now my economy is in the dumpster but hopefully it'll pick up after New Year and I'll order an ogre from Hasselfree and begin conversion..

[Umboman]

Aluminium foil tape can be used for the kind of things you mention:Flags,sails or capes.If you stick it back on itself then it becomes firm enough to put folds into it & then paint with metal/universal primer.Also paper & pva can be used for flags,sail & banners-sometimes you need to glue 2 pieces together or use a thick piece-dilute pva & mould paper when wet,support into desired shape & leave to dry.                                                                                                                            As for sculpting I have only worked clay or Milliput(scalpels of no use here)..............to avoid the fingerprints you mention I have worn vinyl gloves or I have waited until the item is dry then simply sanded/filed out any 'human' traces.Judging by your comments it appears green stuff is quite'fluid'?I have used plumbers putty:Unibond-repair express power putty & Flash bonder repair putty from Lidl/Aldi & 151 epoxy repair putty-all similar to Milliput & can be drilled after 7 minutes.Isopon P38  or plastic padding for car scratches/dents/body filler are slightly easier to work with.Humbrol do a model filler in a tube at about £2.50 for 31mls-so is the most expensive of the lot but perfect for small jobs.                                                                                                                                                                                                 I have used domestic decorators filler & then added pva to increase its strength(sand or sculpt with Dremmel or hand tools,then prime with pva)used on bases & on the back of full size K9 as it was cost effective.Plaster of paris(use bandages for making hills on dihoramas)is also easy to scuplt once dry.You can buy self drying clay,which is very easy to work with(prime with pva).                                                                                                                                                  As for the 'Puritan' hats & coat, I would be tempted to buy black felt from the sewing shop & try & sew a set together?May be a bit tricky?Wood sculpting tools,etc make easy work of the clay & decorators filler.When wet (the easiest time to work with)use plastic model knives & get it to as near as you you want before it sets................But when the 'hard' putties are set use a small rotary tool with grinding stones,soon gets results that a needle file will struggle with.Buy a set of metal modeling picks/shaped heads.                                                                                                               Buy some 'Plastic Weld' & add spare plastic bits to the solution-you can then paint on a thick solution that once dry can be shaped with files,etc.Buy loads of needle files,you can clean with a wire brush but do chuck them out when they are past their best.I always prefer to drill & fit a peg to support/hold any extra sculpting extensions as glue is not always enough.

[MortiS-the-Lost]

great! there's some good advice in there we can all use

PS could you maybe separate it out into bullet points or something? that's quite a "wall of text" you've posted there, it can put people off reading. (is this how your typing it or do you tick the 'Message is in HTML Format' when posting?)

[Umboman]

Thanks for the feedback......I was nervous of taking up too much space,so I typed it that way.Looking it a today I agree it was too dense,so have edited it a bit-feel free to tweak it if you can?I am afraid writing is no longer my strong point as typing with one finger takes a lot of concentration.I forgot to say that I got myself some excellent reference books on the subject & can recommend:
  "Master Modellers" by Robin Smith,"Miliatary Modelling Masterclass" by Bill Horan,"Terrain Modelling" by Richard Windrow,"Encyclopedia of Model Making Techniques" by Christopher Payne,"Miniature Scenic Modelling" by Jack Kine,"Modelling & Painting figures" by Osprey Modelling Manuals No8,"Encyclopedia of Military Modelling" by Peerage books,"Euro Modellisismo-Black & White" by Accion press,"Landscapes in Miniature" by John Constable & "How to build dioramas" by Sheperd Paine(His book on painting was out of print).I have more books but these are the best.
   Forums like this are great for seeing complete pieces & picking up techniques but it cannot compete with a reference library.

[MortiS-the-Lost]

Umboman wrote

I was nervous of taking up too much space,so I typed it that way.Looking it a today I agree it was too dense,so have edited it a bit-feel free to tweak it if you can?I am afraid writing is no longer my strong point as typing with one finger takes a lot of concentration.

Don't worry about it dude, unlike a magazine or newspaper page you can type as much as you like on the forum and not have to worry about how many lines, words or characters you taking up. just ramble away as much as you like and try to split it up into short paragraphs to keep it readable

Umboman wrote

Forums like this are great for seeing complete pieces & picking up techniques but it cannot compete with a reference library.

Although I agree a good shelf of reference books is very useful IMHO the forum is lot more useful as not only can anyone who has an idea on the subject contribute, but you can also communicate with and question the authors.
The forum acts as a magazine, reference book, notice board, letter page, questions and answers service and painting and modeling gallery all at once and whats more it's an interactive medium too

[Umboman]

Thanks for the explanation............this is my first step into the forum world.Thinking about your point.........there is no substitute for communicating with the artist/modeller & it does bring it alive in a way books cannot.I would never buy a magazine but the forum is user friendly & the 'interactivity' does something no book can compete with.                                                                                                                                                                                                             I suppose I not an 'electronic' guy.......never use my mobile phone,closed my facebook & ebay account & go on my computer as little & as infrequently as possible. The gallery with question & answer facility is brilliant.I like spending time on my own modelling;perhaps wargammers are more sociable creatures?
   With the forum you can communicate the outside world(without leaving your house)24/7 by just turning on your PC,which is a nice option.I suppose thats why I never joined the miliatary modelling club................too many obstacles to overcome-distance,etc.Thank God I am not too old to learn new things.I was slightly disappointed with the Triple Helix shop-I thought their stock could have been more diverse for a 'specialist' niche.I had hoped the Citadel paints would be in different pots to GW-I really do not like those pots but good for green stuff & brushes.