old model sculpting

[Darius]

hey now that i cant sculpt with that crappy polymer clay i got i want to know how did they use to sculpt model kits?did they sculpted in wax?modeling clay?ore any other method

[Landseer]

Model kits? you mean like the little plastic die-cast buildings used for HO type model railroad displays etc?

If so, I don't think those were modeled, the detail is too fine and perfect- like every brick on a facade with window sills and pinhead sized sculptures, they were probably drawn on paper, then chemically etched into metal plates or something along that line as they did with printing plates, and then molded to make metal dies to produce the plastic production pieces, though now the master plates would be laser etched.

Intricate models like these are what I'm referencing;

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/785-5026
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/272-144042

[Darius]

no no no i am talking about models like aurora monster models etc.how where they sculpted?

[Alfred]

Hey Darius, monster models and garage kit sculptors use a variety of techniques. Many of them use Super Sculpy or Super Sculpy Firm (which is grey in color), or they use Chavant clays (the frimer clays usually), and some start the sculpture in either of those two clays and then to get all the detail tey do a simple mold and cast a wax in Castaline. It's a very hard wax that can be carved or added onto with more hot wax. Check out this video: http://www.hvatv.com/ you'll see how he builds up the figure and how he uses the hard wax for the details. I hope it helps.

Alfred

[Darius]

you bet it does.i am so inspired!one problem is there a way i could make those wax pens.any tips on how to make them?

[Alfred]

I'm not sure where you live, but out here I can get soldering supplies. These usually have a variety of tips that can be used like the wax pen. To adjust the temperature I simply use a dimming extension cord (also available at most hardware stores. It takes a little getting used to, to figure out where to adjust the slider, but eventually you'll get it (I made marks on mine so I could adjust it quickly, in fact I bought 2 so I could have them at different temperatures for different applications I was doing at the same time).

A little quick research and I found this: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/206-802
not exactly the same model I use, but it serves the same purpose.

Here's another i found just right now: http://www.all-spec.com/start/weller.html?s=GAWA&kw=weller&gclid=CKbg3sbXso8CFRFSagodxgodTA

It has all the soldering tools you'll need.

Good Luck!

Alfred

[Darius]

well good news for m.in city i live there is 3 electronic stores and 3 giant hardware malls.i think it is not a big problem for me to get soldering tools.:)did you made the tips for you wax pen as well?

[Alfred]

No, I did not make the wax pen tip, but if you take some copper wire and bend it into shape and then solder that to a copper tip, it should work if you keep the temperature down so that you don't re-melt the solder. I use a tip that looks like an old fashion ink pen (almost like a leaf) and the I cut a small slot in the tip so that I could draw lines with wax. I learned all this stuff from a toy maker who works for MATEL toys. He showed me lots of cool techniques but I do mostly fine art sculpture and have no need for such high levels of detail.

Alfred

If you really like sculpting fantasy creatures, super heros and that kind of stuff, take a look at my favorite fantasy sculptors. Two brothers named "The Schiflett Brothers" http://shiflettbrothers.com/index.cfm from the home page you can also go to the sculpting forum and look at the sculpors gallery. Lots of really good sculptors and lots of techniques.

[Darius]

ok i have sculpted a spiderman statue i didnt do much of detailing.so should i start cuting it into pieces and making the mold?

[Alfred]

It depends on how detailed you want to get it. If you're planning on casting it in a hard wax to do the details, then as long as your forms are all in the right proportions, go ahead and mold it. You'll have to mold it again when the detailed version is finished. If you don't want to make so many molds, then take your time and finish it, then mold it when it's ready. I did a hulk sculpture (I even posted it in this forum a while back), I still haven't molded it, but I'm not sure I want to keep it anyway. I did all the details in the clay.

[Darius]

well i dont have the wax pen so i think i will sculpt spideys eyes.when i will cast it in wax i will polish it and carve the web detail.

[Darius]

here are my sculpts http://punisheris.deviantart.com/gallery/

[Darius]

well i finally going to cut my sculpt in too a few pieces.any tips on ow should i cut my sculpt without destroying it?

[Alfred]

If your piece is baked, use a dremel tool with a cut off wheel. If it's in clay, use something thin and sharp like a razor or x-acto blade. Either way, make sure you make registration marks so it will be easy to line up the pieces afterwards. You can repair the marks in the cast piece once you've alligned them and reattached. Good Luck! It's never easy cutting apart a sculpture (at least not for me).

Alfred