ENWorld Sculpting Project #1 The Wizard's Lab (complete)

[pogre]

Greetings!

This thread is for posting your works in progress (wip) pictures, comments, questions, tips or anything else you want to share about the ENWorld sculpting project.

I have arbitrarily chosen November 1st as our deadline. Please have your sculpt postmarked in the mail by that date.

Please include $4.00 for return postage including a pewter miniature of all entries submitted and your original. Those outside of the U.S. will require more - please e-mail me for details. I will only charge you for my actual postage costs.

Feel free to post any questions here as well - if you have one others probably do as well.

 

[Alf]

OK.
I have a sculpt that I started under the working name of "revenge of the familiars". This would be a great excuse to finish it. Basically it's an upside down wizard being carried away in the air by a group of flying imps. The only supporting point is the corner of a dropped book. I was experimenting with getting a "flying" feeling.
Would that fit the theme? If so I'll post the conceptsketch and the sculpt in its present stage tomorrow.

 

[Dog Soldier]

I know a little about the casting process, but not much. What do we need to keep in mind when we are making our sculpts. Such as what materials we can and can't use. For example if I used plastic card and/or brass rod would they work when it comes time to cast?

This project may also have the effect making me not be as much of a lurker around here.

 

[pogre]

OK.
I have a sculpt that I started under the working name of "revenge of the familiars". This would be a great excuse to finish it. Basically it's an upside down wizard being carried away in the air by a group of flying imps. The only supporting point is the corner of a dropped book. I was experimenting with getting a "flying" feeling.
Would that fit the theme? If so I'll post the conceptsketch and the sculpt in its present stage tomorrow.

Sounds perfect.

 

[pogre]

I know a little about the casting process, but not much. What do we need to keep in mind when we are making our sculpts. Such as what materials we can and can't use. For example if I used plastic card and/or brass rod would they work when it comes time to cast?

This project may also have the effect making me not be as much of a lurker around here.

Thanks for the question Dog Soldier - great name by the way. I had the pleasure of discussing the Lakota tribe and the Wounded Knee Massacre with the great Dee Brown many years ago, but I digress...

I will be doing gravity casts employing rtv molds. RTV molds are two-part, high-strength, rubber molds that are literally poured on the original. Unlike spincaster molds, neither pressure nor heat is applied to the original in the process. This gives us the advantage of being able to use nearly everything in our figures - plastic card, wood, certain clays, kneadatite, brass, copper - all of these materials are just fine.

Naturally, drop casting does have some disadvantages.

1. Very large models are harder to do. This is somewhat true with spincasters as well - but I know from trying to cast an entire dragon body you are much better of doing these things in pieces. Not something that's likely to come up this time around.

2. Enclosed loops are generally a no go. The mold will rarely fill an enclosed loop. If you think of a spoked wagon wheel - that's a good example of what I'm talking about. It's just tough to get the pewter to fill the whole loop.

3. If your model sticks far out on a different axis, especially with an undercut, it will require cutting it apart and making a multi-part model. Take a look of some of those old chainmail figures or the new privateer press multi-piece models to see example of what I mean.

Don't let this limit you at all. I believe I could drop cast almost anything Reaper has on the market right now for instance. Would it look as sharp and detailed?
Not to the expert eye, but it would be darn close.

I have been casting miniatures using these methods since 1994 or so. I have not done much of it in the last three years, so I'm looking forward to picking up the old insulated gloves once again.

 

[Alf]

By the way. Just participated in the FU!UK! sculpting contest were everything was to be very hush hush because of judging and soforth. All entries being anonymous and so forth. I suffered quite badly by it.
Hope this will be "out in the open" with input and suggestions along the way. I like that type of group effort MUCH better

 

[nyrfherdr]

Alf,
This is an OPEN project. We want to see your works in progress and if you would like tips, suggestions, etc, all you have to do is ask.

The purpose of this is to have fun and end up with everyone's creative work in your hands at the end of the project.
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On that topic:
I have several ideas and I need input.

1. Would anyone mind if I did 2 sculpts? I want to do a wizard or something and I want to do something less common.
2. If I were to do a Wizard, the idea I have is a dwarf or gnome wizard. What do you think?
3. If I were to do something less common, the idea I have is a clockwork kind of thing. Sort of a clockwork golem of some sort.

Let me know and I'll start working on some concept sketches.
Game ON!
Nyrfherdr

 

[Phanboy]

I was actually running the I dea of a clock work golem through my head as well... or some clockwork familiars...

 

[pogre]

I was actually running the I dea of a clock work golem through my head as well... or some clockwork familiars...

I really like both those ideas.

I totally agree with nyrf about keeping this open, positive, and fun for all!

 

[Dog Soldier]

I was thinking of making a golem/construct of some type myself. Great minds think alike right? Maybe later this week or next week I can get started on something.