Sculptors

[itsalive]

I hope my 1:1 Yoda doesn't illicit that kind of mentality when I finally show it off. I sculpted mine because I'm infatuated with the character, and have been that way ever since I saw the movie.

Trying to get it out and done by the 30th anniversary might seem like a cash in on the latest hot item of the month. That's just not the case. The 30th if anything is pushing people like Phil, Howard and Myself to see it done.

To show our love letter if you will, our appreciation of this character on the milestone for the film.

Please be aware. All of our sculpts have been planned way in advance. We didn't just pick up the clay this month and go "Time to sculpt Yoda".

As far as ego goes. I hate them. You'll never get anywhere with one.

Sculpting jobs in films and toy companies require "Team" mentality.

If you are too high on your own abilities and you are not open to other peoples ideas, involvment, suggestions, or wants. You wont make it.

 

[propologist]

where's the Lando's , Wampa's , Probot for empire..lol

 

[Chewie15]

I can't believe this subject would warrant a thread

First off... iconic characters are 'iconic' for a reason... they're popular! I'm on my third Indy, third Frankenstein, second Bride, second Wolfman, second Reeve, second Freddy, second Joker, and just wrapped up my third Yoda! I will most likely sculpt at least a few more of these same characters before I die too! Being an artist and super critical of myself, I will re-do something until I am 100% happy with the result... heck I even remember a few sculptors on here did Chris Reeve like 4-5 times! It's really a no brainer! I can see if a few sculptors on here sculpted the 'bartender' in the Cantina, that would seem odd! Obscure characters are a little different... A matter a fact, I happen to love Raiders and Empire Strikes Back, they are my favorite movies!! When I work on a subject from these films I am happy, I love sculpting things I enjoy! I work for toy companies that hire me to sculpt things I have zero interest in, I just did two Marvel characters and a few other boring subjects recently, I was going crazy! So when I get done with the boring 'work' sculptures I hop on the Indy or Yoda to have fun... but the joy gets robbed from me when it becomes a competition :unsure

Now, how about the fact that are so many Vaders, Iron Man costumes, light sabers, Trooper helmets that are built and shown off on this forum!! It's endless, but when someone attempts a portrait it's all of a sudden suspicious that they have other motives?? Sculpting is very challenging and time consuming, that would be very tedious to sculpt something to out do another... just plain stupid really...:lol!

Now as far as people having gripes, go get a frickin license and then you can claim someone's portrait all for yourself, this board is a hobby forum and nothing more! It really cracks me up when some people go off the deep end feeling they 'own' something around here!

Anyways... that's all I'm commenting on this subject, I think it's joke it's come up. Maybe we can start lists of who did the first Trooper, Iron Man, Light Saber, Yoda, etc, and so on... this way they can have the right to say they own it... :lol!!!

And one more thing... as far as making money from the RPF, I can assure you I make more from legit toy company work any day! A lot of folks around here don't have cash, this is still a huge hobby community and I personally love showing off characters that have the interest here for the feedback.

The ego subject is kind of funny too... I personally re-do so many sculptures because I feel they suck and can get better, I'm never happy with my work, period!

H

www.howardsstudios.com

 

[propologist]

H, After seeing your yoda , I can only imagine what you could do with Yak Face ( hint , hint)

 

[Cyberman]

When you get one character crossover between sculptors thats ok... two characters its coincidense but when its three I get mighty suspicious... When I see another sculptor following my projects copying exactly the subjects I'm doing I naturally feel, rightly or wrongly, theres an issue somewhere here:rolleyes Its got nothing to do with having the rights to do a certain character... its got nothing to do with egos... but its got everything to do with malicious targeting! That's downright crude, nasty and personal IMO. And I've seen plenty of that on this site to know I'm not being paraniod. No one owns the rights to the 1:1 bust genre here.

For some reason in some threads its being suggested I'm the one with the problem here...Thats simply not true! I'm not doing my Yoda to outdo anyne elses but my own...My previous Yoda! I started working on well over a year ago on this new one... My Indy was a private commission so not my choice and my Superman is again to outdo mine... not Bobs or Howards or anyone elses... Infact I'm actually helping Bob with his Superman project so I'm not selfish or egotistical. I just want the best and I warm to people who are motivated to acheive the best results for the right reasons like Bob and Jesper (JRX)..

Because I'm always so open about my stuff and show off all the progress etc and because I'm so willing to take critisim it now seems to be backfiring as its actually lending ideas.

Phil

 

[Rocker]

Here's my take on this. Most artists create for their own gratification. Sure, it's nice to get a little "props" from fellow artists as well as fans of the art but for the most part, we just need to express ourselves. Then you have the occassional artist that NEEDS the praise. If he or she picks a subject that happens to be the popular item of the day, well then they have increased their chances by at least 50% that their gonna get some recognition. I think that's not the norm. I know that most of us are fine with finishing a project and standing back all by ourselves and saying "oh yeah...I think I might of nailed it". It's like that saying about a tree, "if an artist creates a masterpiece in his garage and there's no one there to applaude him....is it still a masterpiece"? I say yeah!

 

[Chewie15]

I have a good one...

I remember about... oh I don't know 3 or 4 years ago a collector named Paul Wintner came to hire me to sculpt an Old Ben bust for him... well, we started researching it, I think I spend about 3 weeks going back and forth with him and I even started roughing out the piece for him! Then all of a sudden he tells me he found another Old Ben sculpt and was passing on our job

So, after a few months go by, he tells me he very disappointed in the other bust and re-hires me to make it for him after all, so I took the job (yes I have bills). When I finished that piece I received a nasty PM from a fellow sculptor telling me all I think about is one upping the other sculptors around here! That I am out to make everyone look bad and to this and that and the other... and so on!

First off, I missed on the job, no big deal... did I cry to the guy who did the Ben sculpture that cost me a commission... NO! Then I get re-hired to sculpt the bust again and then I get chewed out by another sculptor for stepping on toes around here??

I'm not sure if anyone gets where this is all going but I'm sure someone is always thinking I'm out to get them, even though since I've been working on my Yoda and Indy for over a year I've completed:

A Grinch Bust
A Thriller Jackson Bust
A Reaper Bust
A Gizmo Statue
2 Fully licensed Marvels Busts
2 Fully licensed Mask Sculptures
An E.T. Statue
Another private Bust
And I have a few personal pieces in the works right now...

Just to name a small few!! So, I'm not quite getting the whole 'woo is me, he's out to get me' BS! I work on many many sculptures all the time! I am a full time sculptor.. just because some only make one bust per year, I can't help that! And as for knowing anyone else was making a 'Super' Guy bust, I had no idea!!

I'm also not arrogant and insecure enough to have my 'paying' clients pull their painted pictures from their own thread just because it doesn't meet their own standards! If someone commissions a sculpture from me or even buys a casting they are free to paint it how they like, I've never been childish enough to insult their hard work!

I'm done ranting now... but after this foolio has been ripping my work a new one I've about had it... I like what some have said, 'let your work do the talking and stop bashing others labors of love'!! I'm sorry I'm not as good as that guy...but this is why I have to re-sculpt so many heads! :lol

Peace Out!

H

www.howardsstudios.com

 

[frosty]

I've had the same happen to me howard, people said when i'd done my MJ bust that i had copied you, and even recast your mj to do my own, now this was baloney, i think the only thing similar i did was the shape of the shoulders, but theres not to much you can do with that.
I tend to stick to stuff that hasn't really been done that much, but then i'm just a hobbyist, this is just how i let off steam.

 

[Chewie15]

I've had the same happen to me howard, people said when i'd done my MJ bust that i had copied you, and even recast your mj to do my own, now this was baloney, i think the only thing similar i did was the shape of the shoulders, but theres not to much you can do with that.
I tend to stick to stuff that hasn't really been done that much, but then i'm just a hobbyist, this is just how i let off steam.

Good point Frosty! When I was working on my Thriller bust there were at least two others working on one at the same time and it didn't even bother me And I didn't even take jabs at them or insult their sculptures or send them angry PMs...

When I sculpt a personal project, it is for myself, not to compete with others!

H

www.howardsstudios.com

 

[Chewie15]

I checked my older emails and I was going over the costume for my Silicone Reeve bust with Sebastian Molchasky at Incredible Costumes back in December of 2009, Chris King referred them! (You can check with Chris on that date)

And, I also started my Indy over a year ago! Almost 2 in fact!!

So if toes are being stepped on around here, I think they're mine! But I really don't care what people are working on... just making things clear!

H

www.howardsstudios.com

 

[steveo]

Yeah, not really sure where all the rivalry is coming from. I enjoy seeing everyone's projects because it excites and inspires me. I love seeing the talent that this board has to offer, but can't stand the 'battles' that go on. But I guess most humans are competitive in nature. Just sucks that it always leads to flame wars.

 

[propologist]

Howard i think your the best sculptor here in my opinion , but hey what do i know

 

[RPGnerd]

Another point is we all are seeing whats popular, some of us who are sculptors don't put up things that would be of limited interest beyond ourselves.

I sculpt ancient looking idols based off of H.P.Lovecraft fiction but most people don't have much of an interest in that. We should expect popular items like Iron Man to have many variations because it's a cool character...I'm not seeing the ego angle really yet.

 

[BornKilr]

Well, just a personal opinion, but I tend to pick more obscure or harder to make items mainly because there isn't much competition to compare with. Not that I don't like a good competition, I just realize that I don't have the resources/time/talent to compete with professionals and alot of the people on here, so at least by creating lesser or never seen items, then mine tend to hold up to scrutiny better. Since I'd never seen anyone attempt the Saw Venus Head trap or a Darkness from Legend costume, I figured mine would be the best by default. But on the downside, its a lot harder to find good reference photos. So I have use my imagination a lot more, trying to imagine what the unseen areas or detail might be. But just as with my drawings, the subjects have to be of interest to me, or there's not much to motivate you to work on them.

 

[Radion]

great thread nice to get insight into some of my fav sculptors heads =)

 

[mrbungle]

i just sculpt what i want or what a friend might want. then i hope to sell enough copies to break even after materials. if i turn a profit, even better.

i talk to alot of people who have or are sculpting the same thing i am. most of time we exchange ideas on our builds or sculpts for the better of both of our work.

but if someone gets mad at me for sculpting something... they need to grow up.