Should I just change this sculpt to a different character? (updated 11-24-12)

[Bloop]

UPDATES - See most recent post: http://www.therpf.com/f62/should-i-just-change-sculpt-different-character-112421/#post2602460


So this is the first time I've tried to do a realistic sculpt of a real person (other than a pretty lame Schwarzenegger bust I tried to do in high school!). It's also the first time in a long time I've tried to sculpt anything, and I don't have much experience, so I'm learning as I go. I've still got a long way to go on this, but I'm at a point where I thought I'd share my progress.

This is a mini bust of Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard from Blade Runner. It's about 6.5" tall, sculpted from Super Sculpey Firm; you can see the scale in the pic with the Pepsi can. The main inspiration is the promo pic I've posted.

I'm fairly pleased with the progress I've made. I started working on this a few weeks ago, though I haven't spent much time on it the past couple of weeks. I've got the head pretty close to where I want it. I have more detailing to do, but I'll probably move on to the clothes so I don't risk having to redo details that get might get messed up while handling it.

Not sure when it'll be finished, since I don't know how much time it'll take and how much time I'll be working on it, but I'll try to post any further progress as it happens. Thanks for looking!

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP

Here's some pics of the whole progress, in order, from the beginning up to now. Apologies for the quality of the first few, they were taken with a different camera than the rest.

I started with a couple smashed Pepsi cans for the under structure, then added aluminum foil, followed by Super Sculpey Firm. I used my fingers to sculpt a lot, along with some improvised tools: a paper clip, an exacto knife, a bic pen and a needle! Each pic is from different points along the way.

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP

So, I haven't done a lot of work on this since my last post. I just started working on it again, so here's some updated pics. The head looks bigger in proportion to the body due to the camera's perspective (taken using my phone's camera, so no optical zoom).

In addition to the start of the clothes, I worked more on the head. I reshaped it a bit, adjusted the nose and re-did his left eye since they weren't very symmetrical. Still needs a lot more work, obviously. I'm still trying to figure out the hair as well.

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated, thanks for looking!

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP

Ok, it's been awhile, but here's another update. Added some more detais, redid some parts, like his left eye was kind of wonky, it's been moved up and toward the nose so it's more symmetrical to the other eye. Further examination at various angles lead me to fill in and reshape some areas like the cheeks, jaw, forehead, chin and mouth (so, pretty much the whole face I guess). I keep working on the hair, though I'm still trying to figure the best way to do it.
I resized these pics since I realized they were pretty big and people might not like pics that are oversized for no reason. Still taken with my camera phone, so no optical zoom, but I tried to minimize the distorted perspective that can occur.
I realize the chin scar needs to be de-emphasized a bit from the pics. Again, this is still a work in progress so still lots to do.

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP (UPDATED 8/16/11)

Here's a brief update.

 

[Leigh]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP (UPDATED 8/16/11)

I'm pretty sure I couldnt do as good a job as that with as little experience, Looking good thumbsup

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP (UPDATED 8/16/11)

Thanks, Leigh! I should say I did a couple clay scupts in college, but attempting to replicate a real person realistically is definitely challenging. The small scale makes the detail work a bit tougher too.

 

[AGxM]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP (UPDATED 8/16/11)

Looking very nice - my small critique would be that the shoulders slope away a bit too steeply and he looks like he has no neck.

The face is pretty bang on but the positioning and the shoulders throw it a little off.

(Hey I can barely make a pot let alone sculp, so please don't take the above to heart or as words from an expert )

 

[Alan Cross]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP (UPDATED 8/16/11)

I can see you have talent as a sculptor, though I'll be honest I don't think it looks enough like Ford yet. The shape of the head and the hairline seem too big... the hairline hangs too low on his forehead... the face is too broad... just to give you a couple of specifics.

Keep at it! I think you do have talent...

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP (UPDATED 8/16/11)

Thanks for the comments! Now that you mention it, AGxM, the neck has gotten a bit lost. Although, part of the issue with the neck and the shoulders in the pictures really does have to do with the perspective being distorted since I'm using my phone's camera. In order to get a decent shot of the face, I have to get pretty close, which makes the head look much, much bigger than it actually is.
Arc60, I agree; the hairline has been pretty tough for me. I'm trying to emulate the way it looks in the publicity shot in my original post, and I can't get that spikey, front-swept look like I want. I may have to wait to adjust it after I harden the clay, just so I can get better detail. I was also trying to not have too much undercutting just in case I ever want to try casting this - I haven't done silicone casting before, but I've read that undercuts should be avoided. I've been tweaking the face shape too.
Thanks again for the suggestions!

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP (UPDATED 8/

New pics. I made some adjustments based on the feedback here, including adjustments to the shoulders and raising the hairline. Still not entirely sure about the hair.

I also photoshopped one pic, adding eyes and darkening the hair, eyebrows & lips to give a better idea of what it will look like when it's finished.

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP -UPDATE 9/12/11

Well, I'm not finished by any means, but I wanted to put up a newer pic since I realized how crap the last ones looked. Hopefully this looks better. I made a lot of changes.

 

[owenseago]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP - UPDATE 10/21/11

Any updates? Wanna see more of this quality sculpt!!

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP - UPDATE 10/21/11

Some new pics, reshaped the head, and added some face and hair details.

 

[Wes R]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP - UPDATE 10/21/11

Very nice. My super sculpty projects never look that good lol.

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP - UPDATE 2/27/12

Ok, it's been a long time since I worked on this, and longer still since I posted any updates. I've been stuck on the hair for a while, trying to get the look I want. I think it's close to how I want it, other than some clean up and extra detailing. It looks sloppier in the pictures here than in person, but it's got more of the spikey look, dimensionality and shaping that I want.

So I'm hoping to get back to the body area, and figure out a base to add to it. Any suggestions on adding a base would be appreciated. In addition to the detail work I'll be adding to the body, I might make some adjustments to the overall shape & size of the body.

 

[Cyberman]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP - UPDATE 2/27/12

Hey looks well on its way... I think the chin needs a bit of working on though in profile.... a lot of sculptors miss this feature of Harrisons face... the slightly receeded chin.

Below is my old Indy sculpt....

 

[owenseago]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP - UPDATE 2/27/12

Looks awesome, hope you are considering getting some casts on the JY! Also, the Indy, good work!

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP - UPDATE 2/27/12

Thanks guys! Owenseago, I'm not sure if I'm capable of casting, if and when I finally finish this! I'd thought about it, though. If it turns out to my liking I'll look into casting then.

Cyberman, thanks for the tips! I've done some more tweaking. The chin does recede in my sculpt, though maybe not quite enough. I keep hesitating on doing any major reworking at this point for fear of ruining what I've already done.

I'd like to add a base to this, but I'm still so preoccupied with getting the likeness down that I haven't progressed that far. I still haven't added any details to the clothes. I didn't think of it when I started, but I should have used an armature attached to a base so that I wouldn't have to handle the bottom of the sculpt when I work on it. Live and learn, I guess.

Anyway, here's a more recent pic. I've done some more minor tweaks since this was taken (reshaped the chin & jawline a bit), but it shows a little more progress, mostly with the hair and forehead areas.

 

[Bloop]

Re: Blade Runner Deckard Mini Bust WIP - UPDATE 4/28/12

So I decided to make a square base covered in the Ennis House tiles of Deckard's apartment. Here's the first run of tiles:

Each tile is 1.25" x 1.25". Kinda rough, but should work. I think the base will will be 1 tile high x 3 tiles wide, so I still need to make more tiles. You can see the full Ennis tile thread here:
http://www.therpf.com/f9/mini-ennis-house-tiles-blade-runner-rocketeer-146439/


And here's a couple more recent shots that show a little more refinement.