Starting A Torso Sculpt

[troggs]

Having enjoyed sculpting my custom mask, I thought I would have a go at sculpting a torso, I'm under 5'8'' tall so I thought it would be nice to have one for someone my size. I took the necessary measurements, then increased them by 15% to allow for any latex shrinkage. I also had to add a couple of inches to the bottom of the mannequin's torso to allow for the shrinkage.

The mannequin's arms also had to be repositioned, I used angle brackets bent to shape and screwed onto the mannequin.

I've spent the last few hours bulking it out with Klean Klay to the approximate size.

I won't know until I've shaped the torso a bit more whether I'll have enough clay to sculpt the armour as well, so I'll either end up with a bare skin or I'll have to see if there's a compatible clay, seeing as Klean Klay isn't made any more.

Time to start shaping and blocking out the muscles now.

 

[MEANGENE83]

You have already increased your size by 15% to allow for shrinkage. Word to the wise... allow for even more shrinkage. I find the large the latex item the more shrinkage. You can always take away but its impossible to add on.
Besides you are going to want to foam reinforce the muscles and armor to make it more lifelike and to prevent wrinkles.

I F'd up my own sculpt and made it to small for myself and now have to add on to the back with a second torso casting. I blame the sculpt but my belly probably grew!

Great start.

 

[troggs]

Thanks for the great advice, I was a bit worried that 15% was over compensating for shrinkage but obviously not. Looks like you've saved me a lot of trouble in the future - back to bulking it out even more then.

 

[Giles]

Have you thought about bulking out with something else and then putting a top coat of clay on rather than a full thickness clay? It might save you enough of your clay to do the armour.

 

[troggs]

Thanks Giles, that's the conclusion I've come to as well, so I'm now in the process of ripping some of the clay off to bulk it out close to the new measurements before adding the clay again - it doesn't help the mannequin only having a waist of 33'' to start with.

 

[seahunterr]

Great advice, better to go big than too small.

 

[ThePriest]

i would also make some sort of armeture to use when casting it is gonna get super heavy and i don't reccomend trying the ultra cal way straight vertical . because if you lay it on it's back or front . you will total your sculpt. !!!

 

[troggs]

i would also make some sort of armeture to use when casting it is gonna get super heavy and i don't reccomend trying the ultra cal way straight vertical . because if you lay it on it's back or front . you will total your sculpt. !!!

Thanks for the advice, I'm not sure how I'm going to go about it yet,  I think I  may have to pay the local metalworkers shop a visit.

 

[ptgreek]

Priest ..what exactly do you mean by that? Ive molded things way larger in stone and have no issues walling up the sculpture while laying it down ( front or back) there are plenty of areas such as the neck and arm to brace with wood. crystal clear the sculpture and then lay it gently on foam then start walling up with white clay,  using 2x4s to brace your sculpture. You can try casting it in epoxy and glass as well. you will still be able to pull latex from it ..or even silicone

 

[troggs]

Priest ..what exactly do you mean by that? Ive molded things way larger in stone and have no issues walling up the sculpture while laying it down ( front or back) there are plenty of areas such as the neck and arm to brace with wood. crystal clear the sculpture and then lay it gently on foam then start walling up with white clay,  using 2x4s to brace your sculpture. You can try casting it in epoxy and glass as well. you will still be able to pull latex from it ..or even silicone

Thanks for the advice, so plenty of foam packing and wood will stop the sculpts own wight from destroying it? As to making the mould in fibreglass, I was under the impression you needed something like stone that was porous to allow the latex to start curing?

 

[ptgreek]

generally yes ..but you can pull latex from glass ..speed up the cure with some heat

 

[troggs]

generally yes ..but you can pull latex from glass ..speed up the cure with some heat

That's great, a lightweight glass mould sounds a lot nicer to handle than stone, especially for something this big and awkward.

 

[ThePriest]

I did mine in glass and i was glad i did. It was super light. And alot less crap to deal with

 

[Eaglewood]

Listen to PTGreek-- he knows his stuff-- wont steer you wrong ever.

 

[troggs]

Thanks for the advice guys, hoping to pick up on this again soon, I think I'll be going the fibreglass route.