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Messages - atp

#1
Quote from: Trooper McFad on 29 February, 2024, 03:36:47 PMWhat scale is that?

Do you use an air brush for your sculpts?

Was that air dry or "baking" clay you used?

So many questions just trying to learn as much as possible from anyone willing to share.


Scale is about 3 quarter size, not far off full size.

For larger pieces I mostly use oil/wax base Monster Clay which comes in either, Hard, Medium or soft.

Hard and Medium are my go to clays. I favour the Hard for very detailed work as it holds the details well and is less likely to 'smudge' details as you work.

Then mould them in silicone or waste mould in plaster, then cast in resin.

Yep airbrush & traditional artist brushes.

For smaller pieces I use polymer clay (oven bake), Sculpey  is more consistent whereas cheaper polymer clay can feel oily/sticky, but it can be made more workable by leeching out some of the oil by sandwiching it between a couple of sheets of ordinary printer paper.

I also occasionally use water base WED clay for quick practice/ideas sculpts.

I never use air-dry clay as it drys/shrinks inconsistently causing cracks or misshaped pieces.

Hope that helps.
#2
Creative Common / Re: Does My Figure look big in this?
29 February, 2024, 02:51:37 PM
Quote from: Trooper McFad on 19 February, 2024, 05:23:40 PM
Quote from: atp on 18 February, 2024, 03:15:05 PMBeen a while since I last looked in on the forum, but as always this thread is my first port of call.

The Christmas dome came out fantastic, I particularly like the Dirty Frank Santa, (Frank is one of my favourite support characters).

Good find regards the Halcyon Mean Machine, and a really good arm conversion there. It must have been a bit of a tricky conversion given that the original model is fairly small, and the plastic is also pretty thin to work with.

What can I say that hasn't already been said, all of these conversions are superb.

Harlem Hero Giant, great airborne pose, paint job up to your usual high standard and using the base from the Mean machine kit is a stroke of genius as it easily passes as
a section or arena.

It's good to see the amount of thought and care that you put into each conversion.  Looking forward to your next offering.
Thanks atp I'm going at a slower pace this year but my production line will continue. Currently working on 6 different figures! (including the Xmas offering) but they are all at different stages and I like putting a part finished model down and stare at it over a few weeks and make any needed changes rather than rushing something and then don't like the finished article. 3 of them I started last September/October so shows my progress is slow I'd started Giant way back in July. Yes well spotted on the Mean base being used for the arena floor that was a eureka moment pondering on what to use.

Any plans on creating anything yourself?

I'd love others to add to this thread.

I can't wait to see your next creation. And with six on the go I'm going to have to keep a close eye here. I sometimes also like to put a piece to one side and the return to it later with a fresh perspective.
I haven't got any sculptures planned at the moment, got a bit of osteoarthritis in my hands.
But I still do a fair bit of sculpting, but with softer clay at the moment. Nothing in particular though, I'll make something then reuse the clay for something else.
So anyway here is another past effort.  I reckon as this beast has gone head to head with Dredd it's OK to include him here.




#3
Creative Common / Re: Does My Figure look big in this?
18 February, 2024, 03:15:05 PM
Been a while since I last looked in on the forum, but as always this thread is my first port of call.

The Christmas dome came out fantastic, I particularly like the Dirty Frank Santa, (Frank is one of my favourite support characters).

Good find regards the Halcyon Mean Machine, and a really good arm conversion there. It must have been a bit of a tricky conversion given that the original model is fairly small, and the plastic is also pretty thin to work with.

What can I say that hasn't already been said, all of these conversions are superb.

Harlem Hero Giant, great airborne pose, paint job up to your usual high standard and using the base from the Mean machine kit is a stroke of genius as it easily passes as
a section or arena.

It's good to see the amount of thought and care that you put into each conversion.  Looking forward to your next offering.
#4
Creative Common / Re: Does My Figure look big in this?
09 October, 2023, 03:30:46 PM
Congratulations on the 30th wedding anniversary, It's nice to hear long term relationships are still around.
In the last few years it seems that partnerships seem to be becoming more disposable of late.
Condolences re the family bereavement, happy and sad times must leave you with mixed emotions.
#5
Creative Common / Re: Does My Figure look big in this?
08 October, 2023, 03:10:44 PM
That's the one, link worked OK. Great paint job, and I agree painting checks is a chore, as are pinstripes, which you are likely already aware from your Max Normal. I'm looking forward to your next creation, any idea when it will be ready to feast our eyes on.
#6
Creative Common / Re: Does My Figure look big in this?
25 September, 2023, 10:02:18 AM
Quote from: Trooper McFad on 24 September, 2023, 06:47:27 PMWe don't just leave it there show me a pic

My Bad, I put an incomplete link URL.


#7
Creative Common / Re: Does My Figure look big in this?
24 September, 2023, 04:24:15 PM
When looking at your past creations I noticed a Bisley berserker in the background.
When that amazing statue was released, I couldn't get my hands on one, so I sculpted my own
version a few years ago.

#8
Creative Common / Re: Does My Figure look big in this?
25 August, 2023, 04:12:21 PM
Shoulders are fine just as the whole pose is spot on for the mighty one, (prostrate myself at the mention of his name). The Yondu figure is a perfect fit for Tharg. Am I right to think your base figure was a Titan hero action figure?
If it was the one I think then that would have taken a fair bit of graft to prepare for conversion.

I have to say again, the pose is superb, and the paint job reminds me of the photos of Tharg in the earlier issues of the galaxies greatest comic.

I would just like to also mention that apart from all the effort you put into each piece, your choice of base figure has been carefully selected to be really well suited to each creation.

On that note do you decide on a character first and then look for a figure to match what you have in mind, or do you get a figure and then decide which character it would best suit. Either way you have a great eye for picking the perfect base for each wonderful creation.

Now if you will allow me to have my usual request, roll on next year for more scratch builds.

In the meantime keep up these great creations, I'm enjoying every one.

Ps I have nothing on the go at the moment.
#9
I'm glad to see that you are venturing into scratch built creations, no doubt a result of your growing confidence through the experience gained from each piece you make.
Toby is in my opinion your best piece to date. The pose is superb and the actual sculpting shows a huge improvement in your sculptural abilities, a far smoother finish and some lovely crisp details.

 I admit I am biased towards your items built or should I say more accurately created from nothing to finished figure.

Now I hope what follows is taken not as a criticism but more an observation and respect to all that you have previously produced and the amount of skill and effort afforded to each piece.

Looking back at your work built over the top of pre-made figures. Sometimes the arms can look a little too bulky and disproportionate, I know this is an unavoidable downside to building on top a pre-made base figure.
However looking at the added detailing of hair, clothing and the fall of cloth all of this looks natural and well implemented, and it is these changes that add life to each piece.

Now looking at the home grown pieces. Calvin & Hobbes, Toby, Rojaws, Gronk & Chimsky. These look well proportioned, posed, balanced, and beautifully executed.

Chimpsky is a great piece, which brings me to the real reason for my tuppenth worth.

I feel that from all you have done to date shows that you are ready to tackle a human figure face and all, despite your previous mentioned uncertainty in an earlier post.

What you are doing is fantastic and I feel that with so many 3d printed figures and models along with digital sculpting software like Zbrush, traditional hands on skills and creations are sadly becoming a thing of the past.
More people like yourself are needed to show just how much can be achieved with just a few tools in hand and a creative mind.

Keep sculpting it's an absolute pleasure looking in every now and then to see your progress and creations.
#10
Creative Common / Re: Does My Figure look big in this?
08 December, 2022, 01:52:29 PM
Just had an idea for your Christmas fatties.
https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/ideas/how-to-make-a-snow-globe.html
#11
Creative Common / Re: Does My Figure look big in this?
07 December, 2022, 03:05:59 PM
Quote from: Trooper McFad on 04 December, 2022, 06:52:30 PM

I still prefer Milliput and also use air drying clay and thanks to atp was put on to Sculpey which is great to sculpt and shape but does need cured in the oven. So not used when I'm adding to a plastic figure.

Hi Trooper McFad
Have you thought about using one of those wooden artists mannequins. Although they are not able to achieve a good pose out of the box, if you dismantle one and re-thread with armature wire held in with milliput you can get a fairly  decent pose.

For Sculpey aluminum foil armatures do a great job of posing and also reduce the amount of Sculpey needed.

Also have you heard of or tried Apoxie Sculpt, pretty much the same as milliput, but larger amount and a bit cheaper https://www.jhtsupplies.co.uk/apoxie-sculpt-white-4lb/p00000911.

Really like the fatties and am looking forward to your next figure.
#12
Your thread is my first port of call when visiting this forum.

The Gronk and Walter, superb, as is the Jaroo. Glad to see you took a punt on using Skulpey, it's such a  versatile material.
Best of all you can rework your sculpture as much as you like until you're happy it. What's more unlike Milliput there is no time restraint, just cover it in Clingfilm and you can work on your piece over a few days.
Great idea adding flexible arms to Walter, and you have captured the personality
of the Gronk perfectly.

How about some start to finish pics of your creations, would be great to see
your methods and progress as your project works to completion.

Anyway as you asked so nicely to see other creations, here's another one of my past pieces.

https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=39186.msg783363#msg783363

Which was sculpted from scratch using Sculpey.
#13
Your work on these figures is really great and nicely detailed
Taking a kit of one character and turnng it into a different character  is no easy task, and you have obviously nailed that task.

The poses for the Dredd & Batman figures are great, so unique, very different from the norm. It looks like they have gone head to head until they are both exhausted.
I especially like the Ro-Jaws and Haogy. The position of Hoagy's eyes really bring the  sculpt to life. I would offer one bit of advice, grab a pack of sculpey and scratch build a full figure, you have definitely got the skill to produce some outstanding pieces.
#14
Quote from: Trooper McFad on 31 May, 2021, 05:09:43 PM
I'm still hoping some more Squaxx will post their creations and share with the newest board members (including myself) the characters they have created in the past.
Really enjoying your work, good to see some good old kitbashing again.
Anyway here's my creative blast from the past.
https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=40935.0
#15
Creative Common / Re: How do I make my own Batman mask.
23 January, 2015, 03:10:33 PM
Quote from: thelawgiver on 16 January, 2015, 12:22:57 PM
I just wondered how people make their own replica or custom superhero masks - e.g. Batman? Some kind of sculpting process? Also how do people make their own Dredd helmet replicas?

pepakura for both.

http://www.therpf.com/f71/dredd-3d-pep-helmet-files-now-available-167675/