Firefly - 1:6 scale Mal Reynolds sculpt

[Too Much Garlic]

Sorry for the lack of updates. Haven't been working much on the figure, though am steadily moving forward. Hope to have an update by the weekend, so please be patient.

My thought is - if I manage to figure out molding & casting - is to offer a headsculpt, a bust and a full figure. All will be made as 1 part casts, so there will be no gluing pieces together. Will go to the store on Monday to check out what are available of materials and hope to get started on this soon.

Really hope I can work this out, as I would just LOVE to see this one painted up real nice and pretty.

Cheers and have fun.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Will let the picture do the talking. Enjoy:

 

[Ramiel]

Looks nice, but those "Play-doh" colors are killing me. :lol

 

[Patattack]

<div class='quotetop'>(NoHumorMan @ Nov 5 2006, 12:44 PM) [snapback]1351245[/snapback]</div>

Will let the picture do the talking. Enjoy:


[/b]

Arr, avast.

Great progress.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Soon, my friends, soon.

Oh... and cool that colors has that effect... :lol

 

[Ramiel]

Well, let me explain... I can't wait to see it primered (or, better yet, painted. :love )

 

[Darth Brass]

Looking great.

 

[Kadajiroth]

Wow. This is amazing.

If you're casting and selling kits etc. I would love to buy one from you. It looks so gorram shiny. Keep up the great work.

 

[alimeyone]

Looking awesome, I also hope to here of casting or kits in the future.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Thanks for the kind words of confidence. Really makes my day. Will get back to you all about possible castings when and if I figure it out.

More progress has been made. Both boots are now attached and has most of the detailing sculpted, just need the three horizontal ridges on the outside of each boot and they are finished. Looking forward to doing the rest of the detail work needed on the figure, such as shirt folds and buttons, coat buckles, the last seam lines on top of the shoulder of the coat, pant stripes, right arm and the base.

If progress continues as it has these last few days... I would imagine it won't be all too long before I have it ready and primed. I'm really psyched... it really looks like a figure I would buy now, if someone else had made it and that means the world to me, 'cause I wouldn't be comfortable making casts of something I wouldn't want to buy myself. And no, this is not some lame sale's pitch. Oh heck... it certainly sounds like one so I'd better shut up now.

Will post pictures this weekend. Promise.

Oh, while I remember it... is there a seam-line on the back of the boots? I haven't been able to find good references showing that part clearly... so any help would be appreciated. :thumbsup

 

[dr_slurpee]

I just found this project...I never look in the scaled modelling section. Anyway great work so far. I wish I could sculpt.

I have a couple suggestions, if you don't mind them (and if they're not too late). The profile of Mal's face is a little off, you have his eyes and forehead too far back, making his nose look weird from the profile. See below animation to see what I mean.

His eyes may also be a little too close together, but it's hard to tell in the pic.

Also is it just the pic or is his forearm way too short on his belt holding arm? To me the cuff looks a little too marshmallow-like.

Hope some of that helps. Not criticism at all, just suggestions. You have some tallent, I can't imagine how hard it must be to sculpt in 1/6 scale.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

That is an impressive demonstration and I get exactly what you mean. Unfortunately with the way the face is constructed it is too late to fix any of it. However, I may try cutting up and reposition one of the casts I make to see if I can correct some of the inherent flaws. I will get back to you all when I have the first cast made. And yes, his right eye (left in the picture) is too close to the nose, but the left one seems to be where it should be... another thing - his left ear is positioned too high.

Well, his forearm is of the correct length - it just looks short because of the angle in the picture - also... the front part of the upper arm section of the sleeve, the folds, etc. needs to be redone as they make it look too bulky. Hopefully I can still rework it on the sculpt - even though that part has been baked - but otherwise I will make the changes in the first cast and use that as a master.

I'm not really sure what you mean about the cuff... could you give an example, as I'm not really familiar with marshmallows.

Thank you for the suggestions. :thumbsup

 

[dr_slurpee]

That'd be cool if you could modify a cast of his head to have a more correct profile. Here's a kind of crappy profile pic of Nathan. My animation is a little off compared to this.

For his cuff I just meant that the top of it seems a little too rounded/buldged. I found this pic which has a similar pose as the one you are doing, but a slightly different angle, could be helpful for getting the drape of the coat and such.

I traced the arm and overlayed it on yours just for comparison.

Hope some of that is helpful too. I am eager to see how this all turns out. You've done a bang up job so far. Do you do other 1/6 sculpts? Like for 1/6 scale dragon/joe figures?

By the way, I think it looks hilarious without the boot on there...Captain Ahab.

Also, I just noticed that your current profile of his head has a resemblance to Charlie Sheen.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

<div class='quotetop'>(dr_slurpee @ Nov 9 2006, 06:33 PM) [snapback]1354203[/snapback]</div>

That'd be cool if you could modify a cast of his head to have a more correct profile. Here's a kind of crappy profile pic of Nathan. My animation is a little off compared to this.

[/b]

Yes, working without a proper profile shot for reference is a pain. I can see where your animation is a little off, but not by much. I will do my best to try to do his face justice with this new insight. :thumbsup
It's not off by much, though bringing out the eyes, brow and angle of the nose would work wonders, imo.:


<div class='quotetop'>(dr_slurpee @ Nov 9 2006, 06:33 PM) [snapback]1354203[/snapback]</div>

For his cuff I just meant that the top of it seems a little too rounded/buldged. I found this pic which has a similar pose as the one you are doing, but a slightly different angle, could be helpful for getting the drape of the coat and such.

I traced the arm and overlayed it on yours just for comparison.

Hope some of that is helpful too. I am eager to see how this all turns out. You've done a bang up job so far. [/b]

Interesting... I am close... but just a tiny bit off. I don't think I'll be able to save the work I did on the hand, but at least I didn't bake it yet, so it is possible to redo it - though, I will see if I can re-position it and thereby not destroy it. It also seems I need to work a little more on the shirt and coat collar. Very cool. Most of it is doable and won't require too much extra work, as far as I can see.

<div class='quotetop'>(dr_slurpee @ Nov 9 2006, 06:33 PM) [snapback]1354203[/snapback]</div>

Do you do other 1/6 sculpts? Like for 1/6 scale dragon/joe figures?[/b]

Nope, this is my first.

<div class='quotetop'>(dr_slurpee @ Nov 9 2006, 06:33 PM) [snapback]1354203[/snapback]</div>

By the way, I think it looks hilarious without the boot on there...Captain Ahab.[/b]

Yeah... I saw that too... but since the boot has now been attached... he is more completed. :lol

<div class='quotetop'>(dr_slurpee @ Nov 9 2006, 06:33 PM) [snapback]1354203[/snapback]</div>

Also, I just noticed that your current profile of his head has a resemblance to Charlie Sheen.
[/b]

So... I could possibly offer it as a generic face... only with a few minor alterations. And then reshape the first cast into Nathan Fillion. Interesting. I sorta thought the same thing about the current face after having watched 2½ Men

Tbh: I knew something was off with his face... I just couldn't put my finger on it... thanks for showing it with that animation. :thumbsup

 

[dr_slurpee]

I am glad I could be of some service. This is a cool project.

This is your first 1/6 scale sculpt? Have you done other non 1/6 scale sculpts? I might be able to think up a few other sculpts for you to do.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

<div class='quotetop'>(dr_slurpee @ Nov 9 2006, 08:06 PM) [snapback]1354285[/snapback]</div>

I am glad I could be of some service. This is a cool project.[/b]

Thanks, and I really appreciate the help... it will definitely make this a whole lot more accurate. :thumbsup

<div class='quotetop'>(dr_slurpee @ Nov 9 2006, 08:06 PM) [snapback]1354285[/snapback]</div>

This is your first 1/6 scale sculpt? Have you done other non 1/6 scale sculpts? I might be able to think up a few other sculpts for you to do.
[/b]

First sculpt ever - well, I did make a sculpture back in '99 out of regular clay, but didn't do as much work on it as I could have... - it was called: Judgement Day - Death Revealed and this is a concept drawing of the figure - still got a good grade in arts class because of it, even though it wasn't perfect. I no longer have the figure, as it broke apart in the latest move... though... still plan on eventually doing the concept justice. :thumbsup

And I must tell you: faces are easy... likenesses are a pain in the butt. :lol

Will definitely do more sculpts in the future - and offer them to interested people, IF I figure out the molding and casting process - but I think my next project will not involve a human likeness. I was thinking of taking a stab at the Ninja Turtles - the first movie versions - though, I'm not sure yet... also in 1:6 scale.

Gotta find a better sculpting material than Super Sculpey, though... have heard of something called Cernit (unsure what it's called in English, but it sounds to have similar qualities to Casteline) - a harder, more shape-resistant material than the soft Super Sculpey.

Though... I'd be interested in hearing what sculpts you had in mind. :thumbsup

 

[Bar]

<div class='quotetop'>(NoHumorMan @ Nov 9 2006, 07:20 PM) [snapback]1354294[/snapback]</div>

Gotta find a better sculpting material than Super Sculpey, though... have heard of something called Cernit (unsure what it's called in English, but it sounds to have similar qualities to Casteline) - a harder, more shape-resistant material than the soft Super Sculpey.[/b]

You're kidding me.
Sculpey is the greatest.(In my opinion...)
I use it for all my sculpting needs, and have never found anything to come even close to it's properties.
If you'll forgive the intrusion, here are a couple of images of things i've made with the stuff:

And finally:

So not just for figures...
I am very interested to hear if this Cernit is better(And in what ways). If there is a product out there better than Sculpey, i'd love to hear all about it.
Keep up the good work.
I've been following this one from the start.
Bar.

 

[Sky1]

Hi,
Just thought I'd add that using a wood armature isn't a good idea for future reference. Moisture in the wood expands during baking, cracking the Super Sculpey. You'll want to bake this guy for a very long time at a very low temperature - and don't pull him out of the oven until it cools completely.

 

[Ramiel]

Cernit is good only for simple stuff (like Christmas ornaments and things like that), Sculpey (and derivates) are made just for this kind of things (and if I should find it here in Italy I will buy it istantly )

@ Barry: Why you did'n post these in the SFM forum? The aliens are great.

 

[Bar]

<div class='quotetop'>(Ramiel @ Nov 10 2006, 05:10 PM) [snapback]1354882[/snapback]</div>

Cernit is good only for simple stuff (like Christmas ornaments and things like that), Sculpey (and derivates) are made just for this kind of things (and if I should find it here in Italy I will buy it istantly )

@ Barry: Why you did'n post these in the SFM forum? The aliens are great.
[/b]

I didn't want to hijack, just to say that i think Sculpey is great.
Bar.