Sculpey's Biatches: the Mike Mignola sculpting club

[Jakob Westman]

Whatta beauty!!
Is this planned to be a one-off or do you have any experience from casting? You might have commented on this before somewhere, but I don't remember.

Also, someone need to get a hold of that Avelino guy that posted this and then disappeared.

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=12078

/ Jakob

[JohnThompson]

At long last, I have some images of the finished painted cast of the Mohlomi's bell sculpt I showed earlier in this thread. My plan is to cast and paint as many of these as I have resin for, and offer them free* to members of this esteemed board. As of this writing, some of these are already on their way to members I already have addresses for.

http://indeestudios.com/hellboyweb/bell2.jpg http://indeestudios.com/hellboyweb/bell.jpg http://indeestudios.com/hellboyweb/bell_an.gif




*"free" resin cast, but shipping is extra! Sorry, I is too po' to affo'd high-fahlootin' shippin'!

[KWAK!]

damn, that's beautiful work John.

[DannyBoy7783]

John, would you like those who are interested to contact you now and let you know? That bell is beautiful!

[Xequals10]

Holy crap! Where do I sign up? I insist in at least paying for shipping (if there are any left).

[Griffin]

I just recovered from ear inflammation (is it a correct term in English?), so I haven't sculpted anything in weeks. But I have a question -

it looks like there is a frontal Hellboy sketch on the box of Bowen's Hellboy sculpture (the one with tentacles). It looks like a very good picture to get proportions and it could be useful for any of us here trying to sculpt Hellboy. Does somebody has a scan of the picture? Thanks!

Here ya go!

http://home.comcast.net/~abrahamsapien/hb1.jpg

[Petersen]

Ming: A wonderful representation of that 1st hellboy sketch. Will you finish it? or will it get shelved for a while??

JT: That bell turned out great!!! count me in and let me know the shipping & handling

[Ming]

eventually-its one of those things that ya start but then get distracted by somehting else-may be becasue i worked on it for so long i got bored by it-but its been nagging me to finish it.the other night he had a near death experience my cat jumped on top of my bookcase and almost knocked im over-safe to say hes fine now and on a different bookcase.

hey JT great to see you re up and around and posting again- :D

[alz]

Insane! Grab *any* 3D object that you see on your monitor, "record" it, now you have the 3D data for your own use.

http://ogle.eyebeamresearch.org/results

Use it in other 3D games or scenes. OR, take it a step further and get a 3D printer to spit out a sculpt/statue of the model.

http://www.3darttopart.com/

[Ivar_L]

Griffin - thanks for scanning and posting this picture! I'm sure it will help not only me but others too.

And - it's not Hellboy, but I'm finally finishing my Sin City's Marv bust. Got the first casting yesterday, made another one today. It was only when playing with two castings that I realized - as I have separate mold for the base, if I make another Sin City sculpt for it, I will get bookends!
:)

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/55/marvcast044fk.jpg

And finally, I just finished my first try to paint it -

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4984/marvcolor012eu.jpghttp://img93.imageshack.us/img93/9408/marvcolor024um.jpg

[jnapper]

Insane! Grab *any* 3D object that you see on your monitor, "record" it, now you have the 3D data for your own use.

http://ogle.eyebeamresearch.org/results

Use it in other 3D games or scenes. OR, take it a step further and get a 3D printer to spit out a sculpt/statue of the model.

http://www.3darttopart.com/

That is wicked cool!

[Ose]

The bell looks awesome JT! Everybody else's stuff does too, of course. Sorry I haven't been commenting folks - I'm about chin-deep in animating a short film right now.

[Maija]

Whoa! :eek: I'm way behind on this thread!

Ming, that Hellboy Version 1.0 sculpt is fandamntastic. I love the textures you've put into it, particularly on his wings. He really does look like a hulking brute from hell who will hit you with his spiked pickle if you don't give him a beer. Can't wait to see it finished.

And JT that bell is so well done. I would not have guessed that the bronze finish was a bronze finish! I might have some connections to people at bronze foundries I can chase down to see about the costs of casting. There's quite a bit of that around here what with all the bronze cowboy sculptors round these parts (it's a veritable plague).

[Jakob Westman]

Ivar,
those casts turned out excellent!

/ Jakob

[Jon D.]

All of you guys are AWESOME!

my eyes teared up from all those hellboy Sculpters, haha!

are these all done with Sculptey? I read ALL of the posts in this thread but forgot.

What should I look for tools? want to buy all my stuff online.

[Johann]

Usually any tool is good, even old dentist' tools. Whatever you can get you can get your hands on..

[Jon D.]

oh okay, i'll look into that.

[yukon]

I swear,I take some time off, but you folks never cease to impress me. gorg work everyone!

[akaurdaddy]

hey guys i have a question about painting the sculpey, after painting the acrylic on the clay, do i need to put acrylic glaze over it? If not will the acrylic came off when i touch it with wet hands??

[Ming]

usally spray it with clear coat or a combo of that and the clear flat spray

[JohnThompson]

hey guys i have a question about painting the sculpey, after painting the acrylic on the clay, do i need to put acrylic glaze over it? If not will the acrylic came off when i touch it with wet hands??
Well.... do you absolutely have to touch it with wet hands? I think that could cause problems with almost any paint job.

If you spray the baked Sculpey with a laquer primer (like Krylon Sandable Primer) first, it will help the acrylic hold better. You can also seal the final paint with a clear laquer like Testors Dullcote to make the acrylic stand up to more handling. As an added benefit it will take away the shine that acrylic paints often leave.

I mention laquer sprays because they dry by evaporation, and will not affect the paint or clay underneath. NEVER use enamels on Sculpey! Enamels dry through a chemical bonding to the surface underneath: when using Sculpey, the enamel will partially dissolve the surface layer of clay trying to achieve this bond. It will remain gummy and never dry properly.

Good luck, and show us some sculpture!

[akaurdaddy]

Hey JT, thanks for the tips but i do not know what most of the items are, but right now i have this sculpey glaze, i wonder if it will work like the lacquer??
i already painted the baked super sculpey without any layer underneath with acrylic. i hope i get this reply fast, cos i need to finish soon, a gift. =)
Yes i will show the finished piece soon!


Edit: i just check what is enamel, and it seems to me sculpey glaze is a kind of enamel paint. is that right? but the sculpey glaze is said to be like acrylic, does this means its not enamel paint?
ahhh...Should have bought the satin finish instead, i hate gloss..

[Ming]

i never used the glaze i figure that for the arts and crafts people-spray it with grey primer then paint -glaze always gives the piece a weird gloss that works for other things like pots mugs and plates.....now git going and show some pics :)

[akaurdaddy]

hey ming, i hope the gloss would not make whatever im doin into a mug!
but i tihnk i really screw up with the glaze thing, the glaze actually pick up the white color and now some part beccome "dirty". =(
ok nxt post will have the pics!
thanks ming and JT! =)

[JohnThompson]

Edit: i just check what is enamel, and it seems to me sculpey glaze is a kind of enamel paint. is that right? but the sculpey glaze is said to be like acrylic, does this means its not enamel paint?
ahhh...Should have bought the satin finish instead, i hate gloss..
Sculpey Glaze is probably nothing more than clear acrylic poymer and water-- I've never used it personally, so don't quote me. I feel safe in saying that it's water based...... I think...... probably.

If you want a lot of acrylic polymer for cheap, buy a bottle of Future floor finish. It will last you for years, and is perfect for brushing over eyes and mouths on your sculpts to give them a wet look. Or, if you're sculpting Abe Sapien, give him a bath in the stuff. Dries to a perfectly clear, high gloss finish.

Enamel is a different thing entirely, and requires turpentine or mineral spirits to thin/clean up the paint.

In most cases, if you're giving a painted sculpture for a gift and are sure it won't get handled much, you're probably safe using no finish at all.

[petriacce]

Hey JT,

Any word on shipping out the completed Hellboy busts? I still haven't received mine.

[Mike Cross]

Me as well JT..i'm psyched for it and the bell, which looks awesome by the way..great job on it. i can hear the ringing in my head..

[Ivar_L]

Found from the net -

www.3rdeyedesign.us/ (http://www.3rdeyedesign.us/) made Hell Girl -

http://home.cshore.com/bucwheat/2k6/hgirl3rd.jpg

[gary bolt]

Found from the net -

www.3rdeyedesign.us/ (http://www.3rdeyedesign.us/) made Hell Girl -

http://home.cshore.com/bucwheat/2k6/hgirl3rd.jpg

Lara Croftboy?!

[Ivar_L]

Lara Croftboy?!Or Tank Hellgirl...

But here's another one, a new, small and different Hellboy bust by tombow from Statue Forum:
http://www.statueforum.com/showthread.php?t=25006

[Jon D.]

*scratchs head*

You guys know any good online stores to order sculpey from? links?

[E. Spears]

Hey JT,

Any word on shipping out the completed Hellboy busts? I still haven't received mine.
yes, I'm waiting on mine, as well.

what's the word JT? :)

-ers

[Ming]

*scratchs head*

You guys know any good online stores to order sculpey from? links?

do a search fer midwestclay-never tried it my self but they have different grades from soft to super hard-it comes in a nice grey.they have other sculpey there glow in the dark to flexy sculpey -which i heard when baked you can bend the sculpey with out damaging ithe piece-as i said never tried any of their stuff cause i mix my own but if you call the place the guy there is pretty knowledgable....

[Ivar_L]

I like to start sculpts, so, here's another one. It's based on Mignola's Werewolf sketches (made for Atlantis?). I'm not trying to make it look like drawings, I'm just trying to use it to learn some anatomy - it's my first decent try to sculpt some muscles.

For some reason I'm fashinated by Werewolfs as characters. On the same time, I haven's seen any movies with them I could call as one of my favourites... Haven't seen Dog Soldiers though, it sounds like fun.

Ok, here's a couple of images. I used some old and useless colored Cernit clays for armature, so it doesn't look very photogenic on the first photo. Second one already shows somem progress. Head is quick and temporary, just to get the feel. It's actually pretty good, I'm surprised... :)

There will be a base and one hand will lean on it.

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/5210/werewolf011ih.jpghttp://img104.imageshack.us/img104/6215/werewolf027qv.jpg

[Jon D.]

That wolf looks awesome man! :)


do a search fer midwestclay-never tried it my self but they have different grades from soft to super hard-it comes in a nice grey.they have other sculpey there glow in the dark to flexy sculpey -which i heard when baked you can bend the sculpey with out damaging ithe piece-as i said never tried any of their stuff cause i mix my own but if you call the place the guy there is pretty knowledgable....

I'll look into that man, thanks.

[Johann]

Fantastic work Ivar as always, really looking forward to the progress/finished sculpt.

The super long arms are a creepy-cool touch. And the werewolfs in Dog Soldiers are kick-ass be the way, maybe the best werewolfs i've seen on film.

[liquid]

http://www.liquidology2.com/fpics/Hellboy_Sculpt.jpg

^^ Sculpt I did a while back. Keep in mind that this is my personal take on what I would have done in a 'movie' version of him. I had no intention to mimic mike's style...

PS: Just got the Batman scultpure and it's amazing.

[jnapper]

http://www.liquidology2.com/fpics/hb3.jpg

^^ Sculpt I did a while back. Keep in mind that this is my personal take on what I would have done in a 'movie' version of him. I had no intention to mimic mike's style...

Whao... that is awesome, liquid!

[liquid]

Thanks! :)

[Johann]

i gotta say...pretty damn cool, the back muscles may be too much, but i like it.

[plut]

i don't post alot on this thread because i really don't feel i could contribute. i'm a 2D type of guy (i like to look, tho). but liquid, that was one of the better interpretetions of hellboy i've seen, any D or medium. it appeals to me somehow. it's true to his comic book features in a way that isn't necessairly the case when people try to do him realisticly. guess i'm trying to say the sculpt correlates with my inner picture of hellboy.

(alot of words i'm not sure i'm confortable with here...) "great stuff!"

[daveau82]

Hey JT, I'm Dave and new to the board, and would gladly pay for the bell if you're no longer offering it for free. Also, If you happen to like my artwork (view some here: www.artofau.blogspot.com), I could trade you a commissioned piece for one.

[DannyBoy7783]

I was also wondering what was up with the bell. I wanted to get one too. Is it too late? I must have missed a message on it or something. Sorry!

[Mike Cross]

No, you haven't missed anything..we're all just waiting for John T to come back here to answer our questions...John? You still around at all?

[tomasej]

is that bust going to be kitted? Love to have one.

[liquid]

JOHANN - I may have overdone the back a bit. Blame it on first time enthusiasm, I think I tried to pack in way more than it needed... :)

PLUT -- Thanks!

Incidentally I am 2D kind of guy as well, this was actually my first/last sculpt because I just wanted to do something that was more tactile than just drawing. However, that's about the best compliment I can think of getting. I am a huge fan of Mike's art, and have been for a very long time. So I have an incredible amount of respect for what he does. While I think the movie came out great, and it shows that Del Toro is a big fan, I was always dissappointed with how the make up on Hellboy came out in the movie. It always just seemed too 'soft', the entire face looks like melted wax, which to me takes much of the edginess I associate with the character away from him. Again, clearly this is just my idiotic take on it, as Mike and Guillermo worked closely together on the movie, so this is just a fans point of view.

So doing the sculpt was a way for me to create what I imagined he'd look like in a movie version... But its really nice to hear that someone else seems to share my glimpse of how I see him.

TOMASEJ - This was my first sculpt ever, so I barely figured out how to use the sculpting tools, process, and materials used (I didn't even know at first that you're supposed to build up the inside with wire/alum, until I found a bunch of tutorials online). So while a friend of mine just recently showed me how to make prints off of it, and a lot of my friends asked me the same question, I doubt I could make 'kits' without Mignola A. Kicking my arse, and B. Suing the living daylights out of me.

I would love to be able to share them, but unless Mike was to give his blessing and I could license it in some way - I doubt it is possible.

[Kelly Tindall]

You guys inspired me, weeks ago, to get cracking on some lovely Hellboy stuff to complement the marvelous toys.

I'm not much of a sculptor, but I followed the advice you guys had to offer. The first things I did were a couple of skulls... a regular one and a dessicated one from "Conqueror Worm".

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/KellyGreen/skulls.jpg

And then, flush with moderate success, I made a toy-sized Amazing Screw-On Head. Behold!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/KellyGreen/screwonhead.jpg

I built a stand for him, from his first appearance.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/KellyGreen/screwonhead2.jpg

Different view... his screw is hollow, and I build a little notch that he can be placed on.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/KellyGreen/screwonhead3.jpg

I'm not sold on the paint jobs and the sculpts are a bit rough but I had a lot of fun doing them.

K.

[Sparky]

Kelly, your skulls are sweet, as is the Screw-On Head! The amazing Sculpey work on this board has inspired me as well, and though I’m certainly no sculptor, here's something I did recently:

http://www.phobe.com/cthulhu/cthu_drop.jpg
My husband thought it would be funny to put the jar on the deck railing to take this photo. Our deck is 60 feet up in the air over those trees...aaagh, I almost killed him.

Close-up (http://www.phobe.com/cthulhu/cthu_close2.jpg)
In The Jar (http://www.phobe.com/cthulhu/cthu_jar.jpg)

Found this funky jar at the craft store and thought it would make a great home for a little Cthulhu. In order to make him a decent size, but still fit into the 3” diameter jar opening, I made his body out of regular Sculpey and his tentacles out of Sculpey “Super Flex Bake and Bend” (the baking times were similar, so he was baked all of one piece). It worked great – I was able to squeeze him in without breaking any tentacles.

Yes, those are real mouse bones he'd hoarding...I have a whole bucket full of them. Long story -- but don’t worry, I wasn’t responsible for their mously demises (or is that meesely demouses?).

[DannyBoy7783]

creepy! I love it!

[Kelly Tindall]

That's great, Sparky! I love the jar, but the sculpt is excellent. He's got such character, he almost looks alive.

Very nice work.

K.

[zefo]

I'm going to try my first sculpt soon. Before have been using colored sculpy, but I just got some supersculpy and paint :D

I have no idea what I'm going to do though. I need to think

[Kelly Tindall]

Ualac, in the works
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/KellyGreen/ualac.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/KellyGreen/ualac3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/KellyGreen/ualac2.jpg

-K.

[Sparky]

Don't be afraid of that Ualac...he's 'armless! :)

Looking good! What kind of an armature did you put under him (if any)? He looks so well-balanced. Anything I make that stands up like that ends up falling over...of course, I do live right on top of the San Andreas Fault.

[Kelly Tindall]

I made Ualac in pieces, using bits of paper clips and aluminum foil for bases. To get his legs right, I build his head and torso and added sockets for his legs. I built the legs separately. I put the legs and the torso in the oven individually, then connected them with Sculpey and put 'em in the oven again.

Mind you, this was my second attempt. I don't want to talk about the first one.

I want to thank all of you guys who posted hints and tips in here... I couldn't have made my minor contributions without your advice.

-K.

[gary bolt]

Ualac looks great, Kelly. When do we get to see him put together?

[Kelly Tindall]

Thanks, Gary.

He needs a TON of work before I'm happy with him, but I will hopefully have his arms on within the month. Too busy these days.

-K.

[ADamUnRama]

That Ualac is a beautiful thing.

[chrono1984]

Not a Mignola based sculpt, but I made this guy yesterday.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/chrono1984/More_Sculpey_Fun_The_Rocketeer_by_c.jpg
this is only the 2nd time ive used sculpey so im not 100% sure on what Im doing yet, but oh man is this stuff fun! :D

[Jon D.]

Not a Mignola based sculpt, but I made this guy yesterday.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/chrono1984/More_Sculpey_Fun_The_Rocketeer_by_c.jpg
this is only the 2nd time ive used sculpey so im not 100% sure on what Im doing yet, but oh man is this stuff fun! :D


Holy jebus, how big is it? it looks awesome!

[chrono1984]

Holy jebus, how big is it? it looks awesome!
It's about 6 1/2 inches tall right now. It's allmost done now I just need to add some details to the rocket :)

[Ivar_L]

You all will like this:

http://www.statueforum.com/showthread.php?t=28905

[elhuevosupremo]

Hey guys....



I'm working on this bust of Fishy Pete. Its still rough in some places but I thought you guys might like to see it in this state. I hope to have it cast soon hopefully out of resin. Its loosely based on the art from the early Avatar series....I thought two hooks looked cooler than a hand. Any comments you guys have would be greatly appreciated.

[Kelly Tindall]

I don't know what it is, but it looks really keen.

[elhuevosupremo]

oh heres an image of Fishy Pete from The Goon pages....

[Jake Capps]

Very, very cool! I like the 2 hooks.

[6are54]

shiiit! I can't believe the amount of talented ppl on this board!

[Maija]

Yay! Fishy Pete!

Will he just be from the waist up? I'd kinda like to see both of his peg legs too. You could use real wooden pegs! :)

[Johann]

ahahahah! FISHY PETE!

[tomasej]

Fishy Pete looks great. I've been hoping he'll be in a series 2 Goon action figure set (if there is one).

[elhuevosupremo]

i dont think there will be one so i was sculpting this with the intention of casting it in resin and possibly working out some kind of agreement with Eric Powell and seeing if I could offer it to those interested.

[Kelly Tindall]

Sweet Pete, man!

I finally got the arms on my Ualac last night... and now I'm doing sketches for a full-sized Hecate. I want her to curve around my Hellboy figure. I'll post some more pictures of Ualac after I get him painted up.

After that, who knows? I've been toying with the fairy with the pipe, or maybe Giurescu's father.

-K.

[Ivar_L]

As this thread is not too active...
In March I posted pics of my Werewolf sculpt, inspired by Mike Mignola's sketches for Atlantis. It's still not finished, but I made some progress.

Here a couple of pictures from the very start:

http://alex.utv.ee/~ivar/artwork/pics/werewolf01.jpg

http://alex.utv.ee/~ivar/artwork/pics/werewolf02.jpg

And this is how it looked a couple of days ago:

http://alex.utv.ee/~ivar/artwork/pics/werewolf09.jpg

***

I'm buying most of my comics from Internet, there just isn't any comic shops here. Last packet with comics is in customs somewhere, but today I (finally!) got my Batman Black and White statue. I really need to make a Hellboy of similar size and in mirrored pose now...
:)

[Johann]

again, brilliant.

[DannyBoy7783]

awesome work!

[Jake Capps]

That is just sick!!! I dig it!

[Maija]

That's an outstanding piece, Ivar. Your best work so far.

What is the dark material you applied the armature first that is still visible in some spots through the Cernit?

[DannyBoy7783]

Looks like epoxy to give the skeleton of the wolf a little more substance.

[Jake Capps]

I want it! I want to walk into a comic shop and buy it now!

[Ivar_L]

Thanks all! That's what I like in forums - when I post work in progress pictures, it's just too embarrassing not to update the pics or stop working on them...
:)

ruta -
the white stuff right on armature wires (on the first pictures) is epoxy putty. Different supermarkets sell different brands here and this one was white. This other stuff is Cernit. I tried to mix grey Cernit for the face of my Mathilda-from-Leon 1:6 sculpt, and it turned out too dark. I also have several different colors of Cernit from the times I discovered this material what I really don't use anymore. So I used some for covering the armature... In some places it shines through. When I started the details of right hand, I made the fingers armature/fingernails from another putty, this time dark green. Fingers are still covered with Cernit, but fingernails are epoxy putty. I used the same putty for lower jaw and fangs.
I got some superfine Milliput from Helsinki's hobby shop last week and tried it out yesterday when started the right leg. I think I'll use the same material for tail or some other details which could bend or break. I used another putty for strenghten the legs too, without it there will be cracks every time I remove wolf from the base...

Here are some details:
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/2753/werewolf183rl.jpg

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/979/werewolf155sv.jpg

[elhuevosupremo]

Incredible.....

[Ivar_L]

I'm trying out some now materials and ideas here, no need to comment.
:)
Some progress since those photos, I hope I can post some more in a couple of days...

http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/1056/hellboybw015ce.jpg

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/9527/hellboybw022ik.jpg

[DannyBoy7783]

The head is a little small.



;)

[Ivar_L]

The head is a little small.;)You know, I think you're probably right...
:o
I'll look what I can do...


:)

[Mikolaj]

I'm buying most of my comics from Internet, there just isn't any comic shops here. Last packet with comics is in customs somewhere, but today I (finally!) got my Batman Black and White statue. I really need to make a Hellboy of similar size and in mirrored pose now...
:)
Yeah I got mine only two weeks ago. I'm growing a habbit of scatching it's head before going to sleep! ;)
As allways Ivar-> outstanding work! I just don't know where you find time for all these wounderfull creations!

[Atomica]

I've just spent an hour going through every page of this thread for the first time... WOW! It was worth it, there is so much cool stuff being made out there... I think I'll keep checking back... I'm green with envy (or should it be red?)

[Jake Capps]

First off I'm posting for the first time drunk. But I 2 agree that the members off this thread (forum) are very talented!

[DannyBoy7783]

This is my first "I'm still slightly drunk from last night" post and I agree. Everyone here has amazing talent.

[Mike Cross]

My Hellboy bust from John T is not totally completed in the paint department, including the eyes and the second coating, but I like the base and I think it looks great with the special pieces from JT and Grim Tim.

[photon]

hi everyone,
This is my first post. The great work here has inspired me to try my hand at sculpting. I started this Mignola alien sculpture today. It's pretty rough so far. It's super sculpey with some red sculpey III mixed in. I'll continue to post as it develops.

-peter

[Jake Capps]

Photon that kicks ass. I can't wait to see your MM Alien after you paint it! Great work!:D

[Jake Capps]

My Hellboy bust from John T is not totally completed in the paint department, including the eyes and the second coating, but I like the base and I think it looks great with the special pieces from JT and Grim Tim.


Man that bell from Third Wish is really cool! I think I hate you for having that, color me green with envy! :D

[Kelly Tindall]

Sweet looking alien!

Can't wait to see it finished.

-K.

[Xequals10]

My Hellboy bust from John T is not totally completed in the paint department, including the eyes and the second coating, but I like the base and I think it looks great with the special pieces from JT and Grim Tim.

Who did Mohlomi's bell? I WANT! Very nice stuff.

[Jake Capps]

Who did Mohlomi's bell? I WANT! Very nice stuff.

I think it was John Thompson, I do remember begging like a dog for one! Come one John sell me that ubber sweet bell!!!

[Ninth Hispana]

The bells,...the bells,..they toll for thee and I must say,..me.Bandit, I think we missed the boat on that awesome chime by John Thompson.I think he did a magnificent Screw on Head as well....[Being surrounded by clever people, makes me feel smart.]

[Jake Capps]

The bells,...the bells,..they toll for thee and I must say,..me.Bandit, I think we missed the boat on that awesome chime by John Thompson.I think he did a magnificent Screw on Head as well....[Being surrounded by clever people, makes me feel smart.]


It doesn't make me feel smart. "They toll for thee"; well whats the toll because I'll pay it!

[Ninth Hispana]

I know, I know.....we were just, not in the right place at the right time Bandit.The Sculpey pages early on, I think, had Mr JT being most generous with his skills as this site's community shows.I too would pay the toll.......talk to you soon ....

[JohnThompson]

Ninth, I know of a few people on this forum who wouldn't regard me as a "generous" person, as I am more than willing to accept money for my work and have in the past. Aside from that, I wanted to give something back to this community and decided to offer casts of my Mohlomi's Bell sculpture free to the members of this board who wanted one. I'm still making them as long as my mold holds up, so for anyone who'd like one, please PM me with your name and mailing address, and I'll get them sent out as I get them made.

[Xequals10]

Ninth, I know of a few people on this forum who wouldn't regard me as a "generous" person, as I am more than willing to accept money for my work and have in the past. Aside from that, I wanted to give something back to this community and decided to offer casts of my Mohlomi's Bell sculpture free to the members of this board who wanted one. I'm still making them as long as my mold holds up, so for anyone who'd like one, please PM me with your name and mailing address, and I'll get them sent out as I get them made.

You (kind sir) have got PM.

[Mikolaj]

PM sent to the generous creator of these magnificent pieces.

[Ninth Hispana]

PM also sent, with grattitude.If you need anything let me know.

[Jake Capps]

Geeeeeeee!! I feel just like Peter Griffin!:D

[vtswordfish]

Wow this forum is amazing! Anyways though I just thought I'd ask a few questions about what everyone uses as their primary sculpting medium, I have used just original sculpey so far but I find that it is way too soft a lot of the time. I read that some of you were using super sculpey, I need to get some of that and try it out. Thanks for the awesome pics and inspiration!

[Kelly Tindall]

Hi, VTSwordfish.

There's a bit about working with Sculpey on, I think, the second or third page of this thread. It's got a lot more info than I can relate here... I use it so much I took a screencap of the page and load it up whenever I work with Sculpey.

-K.

[PoprocksAndCoke]

Wow, this board really has some talented members. I've been browsing a few pages, and the stuff looks great. Maybe I should give it a shot, sometime...

[Ivar_L]

Not enough traffic in my favourite thread...
So, here's something from me.

When I got this Mignola Black and White Batman, I just wanted to have a similar sized Hellboy. Starting is easy, so I started one. I even posted a couple of pictures here some weeks ago... Anyway, this weekend I finally sculpted some. I tried and I tried to get the legs right, but then I gave up and just baked the sculpt. (I started with torso and then moved to legs.) This way I could try to make progress in other areas and to come back to them later.
Here's the result of the weekend:

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/2105/hellboybw06800bh9.jpg

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/7883/hellboybw07800nz5.jpg

Head is not baked - I just started on it, legs will change, coat is missing it's lower part etc etc, so there will be a lot of work ahead. I hope it's interesting to see how unfinished it is...
:)

It will stay like this for a week as I will be away from home, sculpting and Internet.

And here's another sneak peek of a bust I'm trying to figure out how to make stone flames...

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/654/lizpreviewuv2.jpg

[Ninth Hispana]

Ivar, beautiful work....keep well and have a good trip.

[Jon D.]

Awesome bro! excited to see it finished! :)

[PoprocksAndCoke]

That looks seriously awesome. Can't wait for the Liz one.

[Jankenstein]

Ivar, that is awesome! :D

[Snikt!]

Wow, that is fan-freaking-tastic

[Jakob Westman]

Wow Ivar... that's AWESOME!!

/ Jakob

[misterX]

Hello dear community.

Ivar I for a long time read your messages. You the excellent sculptor. I wait for continuation of work. New pictures.

[Jake Capps]

Umm...can some one pass me a towel. That looks so cool, nice take one the MM Batman statue.

[Ivar_L]

Wow, misterX, a new country here, I think? Welcome!

As always, you all are too polite here. Thanks! I need to correct the position of legs, as Hellboy is ca 1 cm shorter compared to Batman. It's just the pose, as armature was bigger. I'm trying to make it look like Hellboy from this century's drawings, so the face is very different from my first Hellboy. I like this scale and size, if this Hellboy will turn out ok, then maybe I'll try some other characters too. Someone who has no action figure made out of. But, ohh, I need to finish some of my stuff before it...

By the way, this Hellboy is made in three parts. There's a plug in waist area, made from copper tubes. Tail is separate too.

I think the paintwork of my Hellboy will not be as cool as Batman though. Not greyscale, but I will try some muted colors and maybe try to paint in some shadows.

[DannyBoy7783]

As always Ivar, excellent work. :)

[misterX]

So it also will be coloring, cool. Where to enter the name in turn on it Hellboy? I Wish to buy one version.
(I do not like knees they very much hang.

Excuse for my English.

[Ivar_L]

I'm not selling copies, it's just for me, sorry. There's no guarantee it will look good when finished... There are more than enough official Hellboy sculptures, look around for them!
Knees - I already corrected the pose, knees will be smaller.
:)

[Petersen]

Ivar,
Wonderful work. I agree with your decision to go with smaller knees. I also took a look at your sculpture gallery on your website!!!! I don't think I had seen the finished werewolf, beautiful!!!

[misterX]

Ivar,

It is a pity that you do not sell, I would buy, precisely. :(
Very good work.
Your figures it is better than official figures Hellboy.:)
Can offer the ended work for duplicating to manufacturers of toys or Dark Horse

[Ivar_L]

Ivar,
Wonderful work. I agree with your decision to go with smaller knees. I also took a look at your sculpture gallery on your website!!!! I don't think I had seen the finished werewolf, beautiful!!!
Wow, famous people are looking my gallery...
:)
By the way, I have an idea and sketch for a picture with a mouse, one day I will draw it...

Knees - it's tricky area, as they are usually pretty prominent and angular on Mignola's drawings. I want to make leg muscles smaller, when I have Samaritan and coat in place, then I will finish legs.

Poor Werewolf is not finished, far from it. He's waiting to get new muscles and fur for it's left hand, a finished base and tip of the nose. I need to update my gallery, pictures there are very out of date. Werewolf doesn't even have a tail and claws on the latest picture there!... I need to add this (http://img417.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rabidpenguins800oh8.jpg) and some new pictures of the Wolf, as he looks pretty different now, even without finished left shoulder.

[Ivar_L]

Hi,
I baked Hellboy's head yesterday:

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/826/hellboybw09800ty1.jpg

It's some 23-24 mm high. Or less than inch... :)

[Mike Cross]

Great scowl on his face..it looks like he was just smacked by a tentacle, or a werewolf, or bitten by a floating head...

[Jankenstein]

Ivar, that looks great! :)

[misterX]

I have waited your new work Ivar. An excellent miniature. How are you doing with the termination of big sculpture Hellboy?

[Ivar_L]

Thanks!
I hope to spend some time today and to add right hand to my 7 inch Hellboy. Old bust is just waiting for ordered casting materials to arrive. I'll try to finish another sculpt and then it's time for some more mold making...

[Ivar_L]

Small update on my Hellboy, as the last picture I posted is pretty much outdated by now. It takes much longer to finish details then I hoped - several days of work and I still haven't got stone hand ready... For hand I needed to bake the sculpt several times and will need to make a couple of more bakings - first as the rough form and then with textures, as othevise soft clay doesn't keep it's form... I think I need to move those 3 circular details a little bit up, but not as up as the one on thumb... Legs and coat are rough... need to change right part of the collar, as left side is longer... left hand is too small, so I will add glove... etc etc.

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/3830/hellboybw10wf7.jpg

[misterX]

Excellently. It is interesting to watch your work.
I wait for the termination of this sculpture.

[alz]

Holy$H!7, Ivar!

That looks fabulous. Lemme know when it's finished so I can break into your house and snatch it.

;P

[Mikolaj]

It turned out really good but don't you think that his beard needs a bit of facturing? I mean it looks a bit as if it was some kind of a slime hanging of his face... Rest is as allways absolutly outstanding!

[Jakob Westman]

Looks awesome Ivar!

[Ivar_L]

Khan, there is some textues on beard, it's just not visible on this photo.

Now something completely different, it's not me, but it's totally insane sculpting - Clay Flowers (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=67653)
(I hope this is the best place to post this link.)

[misterX]

Wow, it is mad work. It is A lot of time and forces.

[Jankenstein]

Ivar, you have to figure out some method of mass production so all of us can get one of those! :D

[Duncan Fegredo]

Ivar, you have to figure out some method of mass production so all of us can get one of those! :D

Absolutely!

There is some beautiful work in this thread, many pieces of a far higher standard than those commercially available. What I like about this piece is you have a really captured the look of the latter day Hellboy- he's not so cocky, he's old, tired. Great stuff Ivar.

Duncan

[6are54]

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/3830/hellboybw10wf7.jpg

wow! That's by far, the nicest HB figure/sculpture I have ever seen!


I NEEEED IT!!!

[DannyBoy7783]

I hope you plan to make a cast of it and paint it in greyscale to go along with the mignola batman statue as well as a colored version. Top notch work buddy!

I would suggest you set up your lighting and take a picture of him and convert it to greyscale and then use that as reference. Looking at the picture above I realized the work is pretty much already done for you.

[ADamUnRama]

Ivar you did a bigger complimet to Mignola's art work than Randy Bowen did (in my ipionon). Good job

[misterX]

Interestingly what responses about this work would make Mignola? Whether Visits this forum Mignola?

[MartinRedmond]

How does one contact earthbound? I did a google search and no one provides any link to them. Thanks

[6are54]

I just have to say it again...that HB sculpture is sooooooooo nice!
The profile is so dead on...it's scary.

[ChrisTheHomunculus]

Hey, most talented sculptors!
Just got through reading the whole of the thread (took me 3 days in between doing other things) and I just wanted to say how inspired I am by the work thats being done!
So, I get paid soon and I've decided to take up the gauntlet and attempt to start sculpting! I already have a few dentistry type tools, I'm bidding on a set on ebay and also looking into sculpey on ebay.
So, what would everyone suggest? I was thinking about getting Super Sculpey Firm, would this be good for a new starters material?
I was thinking about getting a pasta maker specifically for this, any other must have tools?
Thanks!
Chris

[Petersen]

Chris,
I always have at least 2 or 3 little tools in reach when I am sculpting. Usualy one is an xacto knife (I use an old dinged up blade), a dowel that I have sanded the ends to different shapes (one more rounded one more pointy) and sometimes a flat thingie (I like using a plastic 'fid' used for smoothing copper foil in stained glass work). You can go nuts with tools: rakes, knives, brushes, etc, but you should use things you feel comfortable with.

When I was in school I made a few clay tools in the woodshop by sanding different edges into some scrap pieces. They lasted my wholle college career (and then mysteriously disappeared)

Also depending on what you plan on sculpting you may want wire, foil, and/or epoxy putty for structure under your forms.

[ChrisTheHomunculus]

Is there any kind of wire in particular that you would suggest?
One of my mum's ex hobbies is floristry, so I know there will be some surplus kicking around the parents home, also some finer stuff on a reel that I think I spotted around here somewhere...
I also have Milliput and Kneadatite (blue/green) amongst my hobby stuff.

Purchased a pound of Super Sculpey Firm (the grey one) and a set of 12 metal sculpting tools from ebay, I'm awaiting their arrival, I think I know a few other hobby shops where I might be able to find stuff too.

I'm thinking of starting with something simple, possibly one of the fungoid ex-pirate monsters from the unused pages of The Island. Seems like a pretty basic shape, hands and features that won't scare a beginner like me...

Chris

[nanook]

first things first:
HI ALL YOU SCULPTING GREATS
Mr. Thompson: thank you for coming up with the idea
and to all you sculptaholics (ivar, you estonian crazy person) i tip my hat in amazement. great work throughout the whole thread/community (which i discovered just two days ago). As it so happens, i fell over the cover of "HB-weird tales" iss.6 done by frank cho a few weeks ago. and since i like cho's style and the whole "liberty meadows"-thing and the crudeness and overall ...redness of HB, i thought: maybe i should sculpt him and that scantily clad young lady he has flung over his shoulder as my first sort of "group sculpture".
should be fun with you guys breathing down my neck... i'm sure you'd be of help when it comes to achieving a good likeness. have to finish a pratchett/kidby-swampdragon-sculpt first though....
so, i see you around!

[nanook]

as for wire and stuff, chris:

aluminium wire in different diameters (1;1,5;2 up to five mm) is best because it bends easily enuff. even when you've already got sculpy sticking to it you don't mash up the sculpt completely in case you have to readjust a limb or anything...
whatever your sculpt requires. then, to wrap around your basic sceletons arms and legs and body, florists wire or anything with a smaller diameter is great. And, again, tools: just try anything that looks like it might work. or build your own stuff. loop-tools made from guitarstrings or handcarved boxwood...whatever is at hand.

[ChrisTheHomunculus]

Thanks for the advice!
My Super Sculpey Firm arrived yesterday, and I'm waiting on a batch of tools from ebay, I'll see how they turn out then think about making some of my own.
Cheers, results in the next couple of weeks!
Chris

[nanook]

Mr.Thompson / Ivar:
what kind of software did you use to make these nice turrnaround 3D Gifs?
will something like "monkeyjam" work?
Ming:
most of your pictures didn't show when i did my backup reading :( but the ones that did looked pretty darn good. That GRRR-winged monkey-HB is nice!
and that ball-and-socket joint vice on the pictures of that cool Hellboy w/stairs wip looks like the answer to at least half of my modeling dreams. great tip right there. thanks.

[Ivar_L]

what kind of software did you use to make these nice turrnaround 3D Gifs?I used Microsoft Gif Animator, a small, old and free program. It works without installation and it should be available somewhere in the net.

[nanook]

thanks for the quick reply, ivar, will try it out. :)

[nanook]

tried the gif-animator. it's cool. cleaning all the shots beforehand is a real pain in the "rear end" - as it always is - but the end result looks a treat.
haven't finished my swamp dragon yet, i.e. haven't started on hellboy, but as soon as i do i'll post some pictures. happy trails till then;)

[Ming]

haven t been here in a while-hey ivar that hellboy is coming out awesome are ya gonna paint im??

[Ivar_L]

haven t been here in a while-hey ivar that hellboy is coming out awesome are ya gonna paint im??Welcome back! I'm sure you have something to post here...
:)

My Hellboy will be in 3 parts when finished, one of them is tail. I'll try to make molds and paint resin/plastic castings. But there's a long way to go...

Here's a new picture with some views I think I haven't posted yet. Collar is different, there's some progress on legs. I'll try to get left leg right (both leg's muscles are totally wrong now), then I will continue with coat. Also, I will change the holster as Jakob suggested.

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/1881/hellboybw12800cx5.jpg

[Jakob Westman]

Looking superb Ivar.
But in that first angle it almost looks like he's tipping over backwards. Then again, Hellboy does have a tendency to fall down in the comics as well ;)

/ Jakob

[Ivar_L]

But in that first angle it almost looks like he's tipping over backwardsYes... But that's because the lower part of the coat is just a thin layer of clay on wire net, waiting when I will be there with all the folds...
:)
Also there's an optical distortion as the camera was not horizontal.

Ok, next pictures when I really have something to show.

[ChrisTheHomunculus]

Well, this is my first sculpting attempt, which took me around about a day (basically a day of practice, sculpting, then starting over, repeat ad infinitum).

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f343/chris2686/Action%20Figures/PA040002.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f343/chris2686/Action%20Figures/PA040005.jpg

The last time I was near anything resembling clay was around about year 9 in school, around about 7 years ago, so constructive criticism would be nice!
Its obviously (I hope!) Cthulhu, based on the following:

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f343/chris2686/Action%20Figures/cthulhu.jpg

Which is perhaps my favourite rendition of my favourite Old One. I used the picture in a project back in college, not really sure where its from.

Thanks to everyone for all the inspiration, he got baked a couple of hours ago, and now has a slight crack in his forehead, but never mind, a coat of paint is on the agenda tonight!

Chris

[Sparky]

Looking good!

I make Cthulhu out of Sculpey as well, except mine are quite goofy:

http://www.phobe.com/cthulhu/cthu_green_sm.jpg

Cthulhu with gears (http://www.phobe.com/cthulhu/cthu_gear_red.jpg)
more gears (http://www.phobe.com/cthulhu/cthu_gear_green.jpg)
Blingthulhu! (http://www.phobe.com/cthulhu/blingthulhu_sm.jpg) (No, I haven't actually worn this around my neck...YET)

I find it impossible to keep the tentacles from breaking off at the very tips...anyone have any ideas?

[ChrisTheHomunculus]

I love them!
Currently painting my sculpt, its turning out ok! Lots of stuff I would have done differently, heres looking to my next try!
Chris

[Kelly Tindall]

Hey Chris, what did you use to base the tentacles?

Sparky, I love that gear-Ctuhuluutuhhullu. Cuthooualul. Regardless, it's devilishly clever.

-K.

[ChrisTheHomunculus]

The tentacles are just sculpey, SuperSculpey Firm though.
I was worried they might change shape in the oven, but they stayed exactly the same.

[evening]

These sculpts are all awesome.
I want those Cthulus (Cthuli?) with gears, Sparky!
Man, I wish I had time to sculpt something.

[Petersen]

Chris,
Cool sculpt. I'm sorry you baked it already though (part of the beauty of sculpy is that you can leave it for days..weeks and it will still be pliable without having lost it's shape). It looks too clean. Notice on the refrence (a great painting, I have seen it before remember and likeing it then too) there are some wrinkles on the 'temple' of C's head. A rake like tool or wire brush can make some great wrinkles. The shoulders could use more definition as well. Great start, great subject with great refrence!

any photos of the painted version? Are you using oils because you are comfortable with them? I prefer acrylic with a sealer afterwards, easier to clean and not as thick, but you could use the texture of the paint as an advantage.

[ChrisTheHomunculus]

Yeh, I do agree that its very under-detailed, and then I started noticing fingerprints and so on.
I'll get some photos when its finished painting, I'm going for Cthulhu Mk. 2 in my next sculpt.
I am using acrylics, mainly because theyre the ones I have from wargames miniatures. Vallejo and Citadel.

I also did my first real hellboy sketch today (after I decided to open my Mezco comic book Hellboy) and I'm actually very happy with it! I used the figure as a model and I think it turned out well, especially with stature and facial features. Possibly an art thread to follow:)

Chris

[Sparky]

I want those Cthulus (Cthuli?) with gears, Sparky!
I'd send one to you, but I'm afraid he'd arrive in a million pieces. :( Still haven't perfected the baking time, I guess. Even though there are wires underneath the tentacles, they still snap off. I wonder if I should dip them in resin or something...

[Petersen]

Are you using oils ....

I'm sorry, when I read you were painting it I thought I read you were using oils, now I see that is a detail I fabricated.

[Ose]

Not a full sculpt, but this is the most I've done in ages. The plan is to make a mold of this single horn, then cast in latex so I have a pair of light-weight horns for my faun costume. This is somewhere between 2.5 and 3 inches in size.

http://www.dragonfyredawn.com/costuming/faun/hornsculpt.jpg

[Ivar_L]

Hi,

I hope to post a couple of pictures of my Hellboy later today, I have some progress to show.
But now, another thing - I started the base yesterday. I want it to be a circular base, 9 cm in diameter with 8 cm B.P.R.D. logo on/in it. I want the logo to go IN to the base. At first I was thinking about stamps, but I don't know can I order this big. So, I just printed out the logo, put it to clay disc, ink stuck, baked it and cut out the logo. Now I need to make another clay disc, smooth it's surface, push the logo inside it, bake and after some clean-up there's the base!
It's total coincident, but my Hellboy can stand on this logo almost without touching any lines!

As I said, I'll try to post some pictures after I bake HB's new belly, here's the base stamp:

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/6112/base01600yb9.jpg

[Jakob Westman]

Looks great Ivar!!

[rhboyd]

drool.....


it's all coming together SO well.....
thanks for the update...
-r!

[Ivar_L]

Ok, here are a couple of new pictures. At first, how it looks in two parts:

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/2742/hellboybw14600sq9.jpg

Legs -
right one is old version, will re-sculpt it completely. Left leg (right on the picture) is almost there. it's very hard to make them look like Mignola's pictures, with massive knee and straight muscles on front view. I still need to add several details, but I'm not sure what I will add to the pants... On action figure there just some lines, on pictures there's another strap.

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/3008/hellboybw13800fz0.jpg

At first I wanted this sculpt to be very minimal, but it looks I just can't do that. There are details creeping in everywhere and suddenly it's again very complicated...
Anyway, here it is as it looks now. On Monday I tried one idea I had, made a quick "Ninja Turtle shell" and added it to the Hellboy's belly. I think the result was much better than the original torso. In fact, it was the first detail I sculpted, so I planned to change it anyway. I like it how Hellboy looks older and tired now... :)
I will change the holster as Jakob suggested... collar is ok now... need to replace one (pectoral ?) muscle I kept as reference for proportions... left hand is too small, think I will add the glove... some of the folds on coat's back are there, but most are not... etc etc.

It's very hard to get the light the way all the forms are visible. Actually it looks better than on photos.

http://img345.imageshack.us/img345/953/hellboybw15800ty3.jpg

[6are54]

WOW, that's incredible. Although if i had to give just a tiny little suggestion, it would be to make his knee caps a bit less round...a bit more square-ish.

[nanook]

looking superb! as always, ivar.
i agree about the kneecaps with 6are54, though.
and - he's slightly tilted backwards so he looks a bit taken aback.
is that intended? i think a wee bend to the front would make him look more daring. just an idea though...
keep up the good job!

[Ming]

when ya don't get birthday wishes ya know you've been forgotten-anyway aside from that i've been busy.heres a pic of a cast i did a few days ago, its of the black flame.mind you its just the head, it had a body once but thats another story.i put it on top of a flashlight for better effect,enjoy! sorry i don t have anything else to show but this'll keep your eyes busy till ivar posts his hellboy-toodles!;)

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f27/mochiindesigns/blak.jpg

[JohnThompson]

Beautiful, Moses! The underlighting really gives a nice energy to the flames!

I'd love to hear the story behind what happened to his body sometime.... does it involve your cat and sifting through the litter box for broken pieces of Sculpey???

[Agent Helix]

Ivar, that Hellboy sculpt is incredible.

[Ivar_L]

Ming, this sculpt is as cool as everything you posted here! More, more!
:)
And it's just in time, as I want to try to sculpt some flames for one of my little things which I hope will be ready in November... So now I have 3D reference to swipe from!
:evilsmile

Agent Helix, nanook and others - thanks! I'm trying to finish 7" Hellboy's coat's back, right side of the front is almost ready with all the buttons. Then I'll try to make temp tail and then it's time for some new pictures...
(And I'll try to take some where Hellboy is not tilting...)

[Ming]

look who it is the hopplehead himself JT! how ya been bro?wheres that marquis?!?!?! theres a box full of crap for ya that i haven t been able to ship yet-maybe next week.maybe:confused:

[Kelly Tindall]

I really like that Black Flame, man. How big is it, and what did you make it out of?

-K.

[MackSztaba]

This is one awesome thread! Cool Hellboy statue! How long did the sculpt take?

[gary bolt]

when ya don't get birthday wishes ya know you've been forgotten-anyway aside from that i've been busy.heres a pic of a cast i did a few days ago, its of the black flame.mind you its just the head, it had a body once but thats another story.i put it on top of a flashlight for better effect,enjoy! sorry i don t have anything else to show but this'll keep your eyes busy till ivar posts his hellboy-toodles!;)

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f27/mochiindesigns/blak.jpg

Somehow I missed this awesome post. Very well done, Ming! Your flames are great! What material did you cast for that transparent blue colour?

Sorry we missed your birthday.

[lerochelle]

Okay, I know it's not exclusivly Mignolia, but I had to sculpt something more really than a comic character. *nothin' against comics mind you, it's just the way I have to do things.*

Used several pictures from the movie as refrence and I do hope to turn it into a full bust soon. Kept seeming to melt on me when I added more so I had to do a half firing of the sculpy to get it to hold up to next barrage of clay...

BTW... any tips on how to keep it from burning on the next firing? It was only in for ten minutes as it was kinda thick and is still sorta soft at the underside where I had the foil.

Enjoy!;)

[DannyBoy7783]

Kind of reminds me of Jigsaw from the Saw movies.

[Mikolaj]

Inspiring work as allways, Ivar!

That flame is so real, Ming! Couldn't have done that better!

[JohnThompson]

BTW... any tips on how to keep it from burning on the next firing? It was only in for ten minutes as it was kinda thick and is still sorta soft at the underside where I had the foil.
Check your baking temperature-- if this burnt in only 10 minutes, you probably have your oven set too high. Sculpey usually recommends that you bake at 275 F for 15 minutes per quarter inch of clay thickness. You can bake it at lower temperatures to "set" the clay, but it will be less flexible and more brittle the lower you set the temp.

If you're using the soft, mushy white Sculpey, you may be out of luck no matter what temperature you bake at. The white stuff is crap! Your pictures are too dark for me to tell what kind of Sculpey you used.

Your sculpt is turning out pretty good so far, though! As you add more clay to the face, be sure to beef up his jaw a little more-- Hellboy needs a big jaw for chewing up all those pamcakes! Good luck with the baking, and keep showing us your progress, please.

[Ivar_L]

BTW... any tips on how to keep it from burning on the next firing? It was only in for ten minutes as it was kinda thick and is still sorta soft at the underside where I had the foil.

I think it's hard to burn polymer clay if the temperature is right. I was baking one small bust at night at 130C and forgot it to oven for some 1.5 hours! It's darker now and head is a little brownish, but it's ok and I baked it several times later with new details.

By the way, I think you should read this thread here -
Baking Super Sculpey to achieve proper hardness (http://www.statueforum.com/showthread.php?t=33465)

[lerochelle]

Yup, used the white crap. so now what? I'm planning on painting it when all is done so I'm not really all that worried about it burning, but still.... what makes it crap? I started with a chest and neck first then fired it then began the head. But after my daughter has played with it and it fell off the table... (the fired part survived... the head didn't) I think it should be pretty durable.
Baked it at the 275 F for 20 minutes. The bottom was browning but thats it.

[ChrisTheHomunculus]

I love that Black Flame, brilliant!
Do you have a gallery of your stuff online Ming?
I'm sure when I checked through the earlier parts of this thread a lot of the photos were red X-ing.
Chris

[DannyBoy7783]

The white is crumbly/brittle and all around crap. It's the original sculpey and they have improved on it quite a bit since then. I used to mix a small tiny package of sculpey 3 into those boxes of white and I had good results. I did this so I'd have a larger amount of sculpey at a reasonable price. Also, I find sculpey 3 to be a bit too pliable so it would sort of come apart on me. I found that the 2 sculpey types complimented each other quite well. Just mix until it is all one color. The white just isn't really pliable enough to work with alone. There is a reason they sell a pound of each so cheaply.

[Ming]

never tried the white sculpey so i have no say.i always used the pink sculpey then mixed it with grey premo/fimo-that mix right there was flawless! then i started mixing the pink sculpey with cernit and i was in wonderland!!:D to avoid the pain that came with mixing i upgraded to grey sculpey and i haven turned back since, that stuff is incredible!! they have a soft grade but i think they stopped producing it.grey sculpey has an oil based kinda feel-its really good highly recommend it! when i bake my peices i bake it at 250 degrees for a half hour to 45mins letting the piece cool down in the oven.i find by doing this cracking stays to a minimum, but with the grey sculpey im finding that sometimes cracking doesnt happen which is awesome!

i have pics of pre casted black flame that i need to upload.i casted it in crystal clear resin mixed with a blue dye,takes forever to cure and if not mixed right a waste.ya need a scale to get the right mix.

to answer your question JT,yes my cat had a lot to do with the demise of the black flame.i guess she read my mind cause i never was feeling the pose from the get go, so she made the decision for me and went ahead and scrapped it .the only piece left was the head.:o

heres my web site if ya want to see more of my crap:

www.mochiindesigns.com

[Ivar_L]

Hi,
made a new and longer tail for my Hellboy tonight and thought maybe it's time for a new picture... No more comments - it's 3:06AM here...
:)

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/7337/hellboybw19800vx8.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/8308/base02600by5.jpg

[DannyBoy7783]

I hope you start doing this for a day job Ivar. You are better than most professional sculptors who sell stuff like this on the mass market.

[jnapper]

Holy cow! Fantastic per usual!

[ChrisTheHomunculus]

I have to agree with Dannyboy...I would buy that statue in an instant if I saw it in a shop!
Love the base too, I think it'd make a great keyring or somesuch:)

[MackSztaba]

Great Work!:D

[Jake Capps]

WOW! Great job man!

[6are54]

I know, you are modest and you won't like me saying all this. I apologize.


I'm sorry Mr. Ivar, but that should, without a single doubt, be THE HELLBOY FIGURE.
I don't buy figures, for many reasons, one of them being the lack Mignola Essence....but damn...you MUST submit your work. It would be a crime not to.

And I would be an eager customer.

[Duncan Fegredo]

What he said, this is superb- cast it, clone it sell it, I want one!

-d

[Mikolaj]

I'd buy one too! How much more do we need to try to convince you, Ivar? ;)

[lerochelle]

I would definitly buy one... if I could afford it, If I couldn't, I'd save up for it!!!

Great craftsmanship!

[evening]

I agree. I think this is the best HB sculpt I've seen. Fantastic!

[Ivar_L]

Hi,
and thanks for all the nice comments! It really means much to me, coming from the peope, who know and love Hellboy. I'd really love it if everyone who likes it, could get a copy... From a comic shop... :-) But it's obvious that I don't have any rights or recourses to make and sell them. And, I don't know, for me it looks like there's already way too much Hellboy stuff coming out anyway.
I still may swap some casting for some stuff I'm interested, who knows. But first I need to finish it. And when it's ready and cast and painted, I may show it around...

I spent most of my weekend sculpting and made some REAL progress. I have the coat! There are details and one nasty crack I need to change and repair, but all the big moments are there. It was very hard to get all the folds to look right, as this coat is one pretty absurd piece of clothing. I still need to finish inside of the lower part with all the inversed folds. I don't want it to be too fragile, so I need to use sort of "optical illusion", where sides are thinner than mid part.

I'll try to fix some details tomorrow and then it's time to move to the legs. There are some straps I really don't know what to do with, but I'll think of something.

Mignolas's drawings are really inspiring, they are like made for 3D. It's really strange I haven't seen any computer images which I could get exited of. Just today I was scanning through Hellboy/Batman/Starman and characters and interiors are like made for stylish angular 3D animation. Really.

It could be very cool if all the sculpting people here could collaborate and make different Hellboy characters in the same scale... I really like this size I copied from DC's Batman statue. There's just too many cool characters for one person to sculpt. I want to try a couple of more, I even have some pretty cool ideas. I think I will start with female nazi... ;-)

Here are some pictures from today, I hope they show some new details and angles. Base is one of the "not so good" copies, where stamping the logo went wrong. Tail will be higher, I still haven't made the hand or glove bigger etc etc etc...

http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/6821/hellboybw21800ii9.jpg

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/8835/hellboybw22600ym4.jpg
http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/3858/hellboybw23600fa7.jpg

http://img314.imageshack.us/img314/3663/hellboybw20800hf3.jpg

[Mikolaj]

Stunning as allways!
But should the lines of his coat on his back be a bit more unregular instead of so lineal? Thats just my opinion but what I think is a material won't allways fold that idealy square way.
Just my thought. ;)

[alz]

Nice n' Nice Ivar! Not much I can add to it, other than some drool.

[rhboyd]

holycrap...

amazing stuff, Ivar... thanks so muchfor sharing!!!
-r!

[misterX]

Excellently. (I want, I want, I want...):(

[E. Spears]

Holy crap, Ivar. That's just amazing. I love all your sculptures, but this is just crazy. The way you bring Mignola's work to three dimensions is phenomenal.

So yeah, I totally want one.

[6are54]

...And when it's ready and cast and painted, I may show it around...

Excellent! You do that.

btw- I find the lines of his coat, on his back, to be alright the way they are. I think one of the thing too many artists do is to wanna make HB have an "In the wind" look when really, Mignola's drawing aren't so in the wind but mostly still and stationary (in a good creepy way of course.) ;)
s'watta think..

[deep_set]

very VERY nice ivar. one of the best, if not the best hellboy sculpts i've seen.

i would so buy this.

[JoshuaIzzo]

I suppose this is a god place to drop these. I posted the full bust in my art thread, but these can go here too. Here are 3 sculptures by our own John Thompson. He was SO kind to send me castings of these to paint up. Enjoy!

Joshua

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v303/gntlmn1220/HellboyBust01.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v303/gntlmn1220/HellboyBust02.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v303/gntlmn1220/HellboyBust03.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v303/gntlmn1220/HellboyBust04.jpg

[JoshuaIzzo]

More images.
JI

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v303/gntlmn1220/HellboyBust05.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v303/gntlmn1220/Bell02.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v303/gntlmn1220/Bell01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v303/gntlmn1220/RightHandofDoom02.jpg

[JoshuaIzzo]

Last one! And thanks again John!

Joshua

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v303/gntlmn1220/RightHandofDoom01.jpg

[Sparky]

I hate to post this silliness in here with everybody’s fabulous sculptures, but I thought you might find this little monster-related polymer clay project amusing:

Last week I found this resin foo dog peeking out from behind a bunch of other weird crap in the housewares aisle at Ross. His face was totally smashed in, and I felt bad for him. As Mr. T would say, “I pity the foo”.

http://www.phobe.com/crap/foo_busted.jpg
Side view (http://www.phobe.com/crap/foo_busted_side.jpg)

But I knew he could be repaired…in a creepy way, of course. After convincing the puzzled Ross manager that I really, really did want to purchase a broken foo, she marked him down to $2.99. WOO HOO DISCOUNT FOO

I made a bunch of Fimo tentacles and baked ‘em, making sure the tapered ends would fit together inside his mouth. Then I packed the hollow inside his head with packing (naturally) peanuts, and glued the tentacles in with Liquid Nails, filling any gaps around them with lots of extra glue. He also had a puncture in his back leg which was easily filled with another small tentacle. Mixed up some brown, black and copper acrylic paint to match his bronze finish, and ta-da: CthulhuFoo. He’s kinda creepy, no?

http://www.phobe.com/crap/foo_fixed_drama.jpg
Cthulhufoo front (http://www.phobe.com/crap/foo_fixed_big.jpg)
Face (http://www.phobe.com/crap/foo_fixed_face.jpg)

[DannyBoy7783]

Looks awesome! Can we get some more photos and perhaps some with different (normal) lighting. The shadows are nice for effect but it obscures the piece a bit. Great work though, looks really neat.

[Sparky]

Normal lighting? Uh oh, there's not much normal in my house... :)

Here's one with flash that shows it a bit better:

http://www.phobe.com/crap/foo_fixed_disco.jpg

[Jakob Westman]

Great stuff in here!

I saw Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly yesterday and on the DVD there was this special feature about the animation process. And... one of the animators had a Hellboy statue on his/her PC tower. I'm not sure what piece it was, but it's not one of the officially released statues. But it reminded me of a piece that someone on this forum made more than a year ago and auctioned off on ebay. It was a full figure sculpt and he wore a kind of Spirit-ish glove on his left hand. And if it's the sculpt I think it is the hair was not sculpted but actual hair.

/ Jakob

[Tad]

I'm going to go aroiund the house and randomly break stuff then ship it to Sparky to "fix." Imagine what she could do with a blender or a refrigerator!

Sparky, if you even consider having a garage sale, I'll be up there in a flash.

[Ivar_L]

Nice work, everyone!

This is last update for 2006 from me, Dec 31, 8 minutes before midnight:

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/7108/hellboybw24600hr5.jpg

[evening]

Sparky, that's excellent. I like that he and his monkey friend are having a disco party.

[rhboyd]

Ivar.... Esta Fabulosa!!!!!

Beautiful, man... amazing work.

-r!

[DannyBoy7783]

Ivar, I would give my right hand for a cast of that statue ;)

[gdeo]

Fantastic Job!!!Happy New Year Bud!

[Jake Capps]

You guys have done some really great work this year. Ivar it has been a real treat to watch your statue come together. Keep Sculpting Biatches!! This was by far my favorite thread of the year!

[Ivar_L]

Hi, this thread is at the end of the second page and needs a bump...
:)

It looks like my Hellboy will be ready soon. I have his tail connected now and most of the details are there too. Now I need to finish the coat...

Here's a quick new picture from today, with many changes from the last picture - new glove, belts and buckles everywhere, tail is connected, new details on holster... And something extra - recently I got white opaque Cernit I haven't seen before and to try it out, started another sculpt. It's just a rough armature, I don't know when I will work on it. But it looks good with Hellboy...
:)

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/659/hellboybw26600xp6.jpg

[DannyBoy7783]

Don't ever give me your address Ivar because I will come to Estonia and rob you of your sculptures :)

[Jake Capps]

Sweet, sweet mermaid action! You are way too talented!

[gdeo]

These look fantastic!

[Punch]

Amazing work. On what page would I find a description of your process?

[Ivar_L]

Amazing work. On what page would I find a description of your process?Thanks!
My process - nothing special. Wire armature, then polymer clay (Cernit or Fimo, they don't sell Sculpey here). If I don't like some details I already baked, then I carve it away and sculpt a new version. And I usually don't like my first version... :) I bake everyting I do many-many times. In fact, Hellboy is in the owen at the moment and I'll try to post some better pictures later today.

[Ivar_L]

Here are two latest pictures. First one is very similar to the picture from Dec 31, so it's possible to compare them and to see the changes. Second shows lower part of the Hellboy with tail attached. Some of the details are not visible when Hellboy is assembled, so maybe it's more interesting this way...

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/7526/hellboybw30600ck7.jpg

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/6166/hellboybw27600fo3.jpg

[Jake Capps]

I really like the detail you put into the tail. That was something I thought they never really got right in the movie.

[Ivar_L]

I really like the detail you put into the tail.It wasn't easy... First one I made was too small, so I made another. On the same time, I didn't want it to be as long or thick as on action figures or on some drawings. Also, I didn't want it to be just like a spiral, so it's asymmetrical with a little bit more organic look.

For some reason it's werd to write about Hellboy's tail...

And another detail, maybe the one I changed most compared with the original design - Y-shaped belt. I think straight belt between the legs and then somehow going around the tail (like on 18" figure) should be pretty uncomfortable... :)
I don't think I've ever seen this tail area drawn in detail in comics, it's always in shadows.

[Jake Capps]

Thanks for taking the time Ivar! You have put in the work, and it shows.

[parrish]

Wow. Ivan, everything you post on this thread makes my jaw drop.

I honestly think a lot of your pieces have ourdone some of the statues available.

[JohnThompson]

That's a damn nice Hellboy you've made there, Ivar! I've really enjoyed watching it come together. Thanks for sharing all of your work here!

[Tofer]

In my view that's the most accurate 3-dimensional representation of Hellboy ever, including the commercial ones. Great stuff, Ivar!

[6are54]

Wow. Ivan, everything you post on this thread makes my jaw drop.

I honestly think a lot of your pieces have ourdone some of the statues available.

"...some of the statues available." HAH! Try ALL of the statues available. I've never wanted something so bad.

Honestly, I'm in a state of disheartened grief and distress at the thought of it never being available commercially.

[ZombieHound]

Ivar, despite that you've heard it over and over, those sculptures are really amazing. I've seen plenty of self-made versions of superhero busts and statues, but these have to be some of the best of the bunch. They're absolutely breathtaking, especially that most recent Hellboy sculpture. The detail on it, on all of them, is eye-popping, and I wish more people would put that If these were on the market, I'd definately want one on my shelf.

Cannot wait to see how the mermaid turns out.

[6are54]

Honestly. Not only is your work true to Mignola's art, to a level I have never seen before, but you are now producing characters which I'm sure would be absolutely incredible once made into statues (mermaid).

[lerochelle]

Why do I not think thats a mermaid? Somehow I got the impression that it was Hectate.

IDK I'm a dork I guess...

[6are54]

Hecate has a much longer lower body which looks a lot more like a sea snake's or something.
I don't remeber what the end of her tail looks like but I'm pretty sure it's NOT that classic caudal fin (split fin).

[lerochelle]

Just sayin... would be a cool Hectate...

Ivar? What's it gonna be? (might as well ask the sculpter)

[Ivar_L]

Ivar? What's it gonna be?Looks like I really didn't wrote here who it supposed to be, must have been a private message or something... It's Mermaid from The Third Wish. I'm trying to fix all the details on Hellboy and add some to my old crouching Werewolf (pictures very soon). Mermaid has right hand and spear now, but she is waiting it's time...

[deep_set]

Ivar, it's not like im the first to say it, but that's an incredible sculpt, and I also have really enjoyed watching it come together. Now, when are you making a mould? :D

[Ivar_L]

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/7026/ilsaportraitav1.jpg

[DannyBoy7783]

I don't even know how to compliment you anymore Ivar. It's all amazing and that's all there is to it. Love it.

[ZombieHound]

Ivar - truly remarkable. I'm only upset because you cannot sell those beautiful pieces into molds and share them with the rest of the world. It's seriously some of the best works I've seen.

[Jakob Westman]

Holy crap Ivar,
you're a genious!!

/ Jakob

[hellboyone]

What everyone has said, Ivar. Brilliant work.

[Ivar_L]

Thanks! I'm just starting this sculpt, as I wanted to try out new precise clay mix - 5 g black with 100 g opaque white. This way I could get the same color later, this was a slight problem with my Hellboy.
I don't know, maybe I should've waited with posting... But it was deep night here, self-criticism was off and I liked the picture...
:)
It's pretty small, by the way - the skull on the neck/collar is some 2 millimeters in diameter and the head is 22 mm. The whole figure is the same scale with Hellboy - 1:10, 170 mm.

[Ivar_L]

I'm getting my 7-inch Hellboy ready for molding, some minor details and it's ready. I need to make new molds for my dear old original Hellboy bust too - they were the first molds I ever made are and they were destroyed from all the experiments with plaster and resin. I don't have a decent copy of the bust myself...
So, I thought I'll change it a little bit. Sun icon always looked a little weird to me. Also, I never really liked the neck area - way too boring and plain compared to pretty cool head. So I carved big parts out and sculpted a new neck. It looks like I really learned something in the last 1.5 years, as I like it much more now. Of course, it's nothing like real anatomy, but it looks cool. And I've never seen demon's anatomy books...
:)

Here it is, with the old version, with unfinished new Sun and unbaked right side:

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/9885/hellboycolor04600xf0.jpg

Better pictures when it's ready...