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Message: <blockquote data-quote="nyrfherdr" data-source="post: 2351181" data-attributes="member: 3394">Sculpting:  First stepsHere is where the rubber meets the road.  This is the part that I will mostly just show and hopefully you will take some useful tips with you.  I’m going to review some techniques that I have learned to going a bit easier.  Otherwise, you’ll mostly need to practice on your own.Starting with Faces:When doing faces, I have found that it is easiest to sculpt the head/face separate from the miniature.  While proportions can be challenging, having the face separate allows for multiple attempts and complete access to the features of the face.  In Figure 11, I have 2 balls of green stuff as a form.  These are in proportion to a human head at about 28-30mm scale.  The easiest method is to make a ball smaller then the head of a mini in your collection.<a href="http://www.qriuscatquilting.com/images/Mini_Technique_026.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.qriuscatquilting.com/sitebuilder/images/Mini_Technique_026-83x99.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>FIGURE 11Once you have your form cured, you then sculpt a face on.  Use your reference books for keeping proper proportions and shape the face accordingly.  Start with simple male and female archetypes until you have a good feel for the proportions otherwise your minis will look like caricatures instead of people.  Figure 12 is a completed face.  I’ve already added it to an armature and started adding form to the figure.  You can see how the arms are out of the way.  The facial expression is simple.  I usually add the hair later because there might be a collar, a hood or something else to interfere with it if I sculpted it now.  The tools I use to sculpt the face are the small frisket blade, the burnishing tool and the pin.  Success comes with practice.<a href="http://www.qriuscatquilting.com/images/Mini_Technique_024.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.qriuscatquilting.com/sitebuilder/images/Mini_Technique_024-100x78.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>FIGURE 12Figure 13 shows a face in progress where an attempt is made to show teeth and lips will be added later.  I’m not sure whether or not the eyes will be redone yet or not.  I’m still contemplating that.  A humanoid nose of some kind needs to be added as well.  <a href="http://www.qriuscatquilting.com/images/Mini_Technique_027.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.qriuscatquilting.com/sitebuilder/images/Mini_Technique_027-100x49.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>FIGURE 13TIP – Sculpting faces:  Using the technique of sculpting the face separately, if the face isn’t any good, cut off the part you don’t like and use the remaining bit as the form for your second attempt.  Don’t be afraid to try it again.TIP 2 - Scultping faces:  Many sculptors feel that you need to do the whole face all in one shot.  That is 'the only way' to make sure everything is even and in proportion.  I feel that most of the face should be done in one go, but sometimes not.  Like the gobber above.  Do what works for you.  Try it both ways.</blockquote>

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