"Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle - Update 5.2.15

[Westies14]

Thanks again! There's actually a thread to gauge interest on busts or masks over in the junkyard, but I don't think there's much as it's not a film replica. I think I'll likely do a run regardless, but perhaps limited (numbered?) and likely finished to discourage recasting.

 

[rexel13]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

Beautiful work. I think that you did a great job balancing the more realistic look, without making it too grotesque. I don't know if I'm the only one to see it, but the mask seems to have a sympathetic look in its eyes. It reminds me of the UrRu from Dark Crystal, how they were physically monstrous, but had a benevolent look about them that made them seem good.

This is excellent work. I love that you took an idea and made it your own. I have great respect to all those who work on doing exact replicas, and there is a lot of amazing work on this site, but there i something to be said for going off the beaten path and innovating in this manner. I would love to see a completed concept.

 

[Darkproductions]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

OK this is just friggin hot! One of the techs that worked on the original TMNT movies taught costuming at the college I went to and she wanted to see something akin to this. Excellent work!

 

[gregoriarts]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle - Updated 08-09-2011

I use to have that comic ...it was huge about 11inch wide by 13-14 length black and white...memories

Yeah, that was a playmates thing. Eastman/Laird (turtle creators) were approached by a licensing guy who thought they were fantastically sellable with their look and with that name. He hooked them up with the Playmates contract for the toy line, and eventually the cartoon series. Playmates didn't think the different weapons (which were present in the original greyscale comics) did enough to differentiate the characters for kids. They assigned the four colored headbands and the letters on their belts.

These were the guys I grew up with:

 

[GenoDesigns]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

Just read the whole thread...I thoroughly enjoyed it... Thanks! .Your detailing is out of this world!!! The sculpt looks Awesome! Congrats! Can't wait to see it painted!

 

[BATS]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

I don't know about anyone else but this has its own look and style, but all with a hint of
Henson to it.....

very weird, almost if Jim Henson or the Creature shop had a say in things when it came to the turtles.

Regardless, truly stellar original re-envision of a long loved character.

A great multi washed finished over this and some glass eyes will absolutely bring it to life! Can't wait to see.

 

[iamsyke]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

Wow. That was one heck of a thread to go through. Awesome progress!!

 

[Westies14]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

I was just in the basement yesterday nitpicking tiny details on this guy, and I ordered mold making materials today! Hoping they come by Saturday - I have Sunday slated to get him molded!

 

[fleefromme]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

WOOT!!!!!! cant wait to see the final product opcorn

 

[TB1181]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

This is truly stellar work! I've wanted to make a turtle costume for several years but lack that much ambition (and overall sculpting talent and experience with foam latex) to attempt. I'm also not sure about all the inevitable sweating!

Either way, fantastic work all around!

 

[Westies14]

"Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

I don't know about anyone else but this has its own look and style, but all with a hint of
Henson to it.....

very weird, almost if Jim Henson or the Creature shop had a say in things when it came to the turtles.

Did you know that the first movie turtles were Jim Henson's last project before he passed away?

 

[Bilious]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

Firstly- OH MY GOODNESS I completely lost track of this thread until it popped up today. Rescanned it from the beginning to soak in your progress. The thing looks gorgeous! Definitely took a lot of mental notes on your approach for wrinkles and the like. On the edge of my seat to see a casting and paint job on this beauty!

Also I did not know that about Jim Henson and the turtles! Both sad and heartwarming to know and now I'm dying to rewatch that first movie again I blame you entirely. ((Checks netflix))

 

[Westies14]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

Thanks!

So I'd planned to mold him today, but there was a delay in my order shipping out from Smooth-On and those supplies aren't arriving until tomorrow. As it turned out, I had plenty to do on a last pass with him before molding anyhow.

Kurt/chewbaccadoll came by today to hang out and do some sculpting - he's doing a small-scale zombie head for kicks - and he brought some of his tools with him. One of them, which he says came in a cheap sculpting tool set, is basically a stick with a small cluster of wire similar to my cat brush tool at one end - sort of a wire paintbrush. I fell in love with that tool instantly! It adds the same kind of texture as the cat brush, but where the cat brush was great for broader areas it wasn't letting me get into some smaller spaces. This let me get under the brow, in the eyelids, into the rounded edges into creases/folds in his skin, and add the same fine texture that's all over the rest of him. I think it brought him to a whole new level!

I snapped a few pics while I was doing this. You'll see a few pills rolling up in the pics, but after this session I brushed the bits from him and softened everything with a brush of isopropyl alcohol.

I also added a watermark to the sculpt - the ampersand (&) from my creative services company and my initials. They're at the base of the sculpt in the rear.

Finally, I sprayed him with a coat of crystal clear to seal him up for molding! He's ready for the mold. Pics of that process will come soon!

Thanks everyone for the enthusiasm!

- Doug

 

[akrembug]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

Wow, you were right it did take it to a whole new level. Know im going to get hell for this, but I was never a big fan of the Turtles but this might just make me change my mind. Love the work.

 

[Westies14]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

Thank you! I've never been so excited for UPS to come. I need to run to home depot to get a few supplies for the molding process - a base board, some nuts & bolts to secure the two halves of the mother mold, some butcher's wax, some brown paper to roll out on my floor...

I haven't molded a bust since art school. That was a plaster mold of a water clay sculpt. This process seems to be much easier, but it's much more expensive and I've put a lot more time and care into this sculpt. I'll be quite nervous until it's completed and (hopefully) correct.

 

[Westies14]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

Just had to dig back through the thread to find my original concept sketch and do a comparison. I think he came out very close to how he was intended, but I dare say I prefer the finished product! That's the way a project should go.

Dear molding gods, please let this mold turn out well! :angel

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

Cool to see the comparison between the original sketch and the finished piece. The most major difference is the eye shape. Much more full of life, empathy, strength and intelligence in the sculpt than the art, where it just looks angry. Also the fact that there isn't that dip on top of his head, as there is in the art, but is more straight makes a huge difference.

The detail work is beyond cool. Looks like real skin.

 

[Canobi]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

Wow! I second the comment above, you really made good use of the borrowed tool, the detailing is just incredible. I'm floored how real it looks :eek

I'm constantly having debates with the wife over needing certain tools for a specific job, and I'm sorry, but the phrase "a bad craftsmen always blames his tools" just doesn't cut it sometimes.

Getting "that" tool honestly puts an injection of fun and...well, creative flow/energy back into making something (gotta enjoy the little things in life ) :thumbsup

 

[Westies14]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

It's very true! I was celebrating as I used that thing, no exaggeration. I'd planned to bring in some more of that texture (most of what you see in those images was already in place from the cat hair brush - it wasn't quite as detailed in the recessed areas until yesterday) but I expected it to be a long, tedious process to try and get that bendy pad in there with its bristles all wanting to bend in different directions. This was so precise and allowed me to work quickly. It was fun! I think those fluid motions make for a better end result, too - more organic.

In other news: the silicone has arrived! :cheers

 

[ComicFanMan]

Re: "Real" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle! SCULPT FINISHED!

This thread, and your work, is absolutely jaw dropping along with awe inspiring to see someone with such compassion for these great characters to make something this amazing is great. I've been along with this thread for a long time and i just had to comment on just how awesome your finished product is, this really does rival movie production fx. If you are planning on making a run well you can definitely count me in because this certainly would be the standout piece in my collection.