1/35 scale civilians -- figures

[Malachi Constant]

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

[Chuck Doan]

Dang! She is shaping up nicely. Ginger looks to have a receeding chin in that shot.

I am very impressed!  

[Malachi Constant]

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 ...



Jaw starts to shift over to her right when she starts to smile ...



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.



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

[Ray Dunakin]

-- 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.

[Chuck Doan]

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?

[Malachi Constant]

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.   

Cheers,
Dallas

[Chuck Doan]

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.  

SAY! Hmmmm. Probably no worse than a couple hours in a tanning bed.

[W C Greene]

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

[Malachi Constant]

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.



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

[W C Greene]

Dallas-yep, those are the ones. Nice models.
                    Woodie

[DaKra]

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


       

[Malachi Constant]

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! 

Cheers,
Dallas

[Ray Dunakin]

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".

[danpickard]

Ray,
You telling me you've never seen a chick that looks like a guy, or just a wee bit "rugged" around the edges?

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

[Chuck Doan]

Just use a soft focus filter like all the featured women on the original Star Trek.