Kagemusha Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Brilliant work Robert, you really should provide the option of a figure without the life preserver, I'm sure there'd be a market for it. BiggTim and elanlane13 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Kagemusha said: Brilliant work Robert, you really should provide the option of a figure without the life preserver, I'm sure there'd be a market for it. Couldn't agree more Kag, virtually every WW2 RAF pilot you see is wearing a Mae West, but trainees in S Rhodesia and Canada to mention but two places were a long, long way from water! BiggTim and Kagemusha 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elanlane13 Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 Thank you all for the further feedback. Tim; I'm using Bees Putty 100g, grey, tripple firm for these two figures. Max; For 1/32 figures wire around 0.50mm should do. I must admit for this project I used the wire that was wrapped around a roll of chicken wire that I bought! The key is enough rigidity balanced with enough flexibility. BiggTim and mozart 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Thanks for explaining the rationale behind it Robert. I'm looking forward to trying out my "skills" in the not-too-distant future, lots to learn without a doubt but then that's part of the challenge isn't it?! elanlane13 and BiggTim 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durangokid Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 I can't believe the amount of detail, you are a true artist. You say this will be for retail sale? Do you have other products out there? Thanks! Bryan BiggTim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elanlane13 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 Bryan, the two Hellcat pilots will become part of the Elan13 Miniatures range. The aim of this series is to show the different stages from concept, through sculpting to casting, box art and finally bringing a product to market. Yours Robert Durangokid, mozart, chukw and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rigor Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Just wow. Do you work in larger scale. Like 1/9 ? I will be getting the hellcat. And of course one of theses or two hmm BiggTim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiggTim Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Just curious, but could you work in a larger scale and then 3D scan them, then print them in other scales? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ray Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Looking great, Robert! I consider sculpting humans a black art. I can barely handle making a cushion or two. BiggTim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elanlane13 Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 Hellcat Pilots build log part: The Fourth It was time to commit the body of the Fleet Air Arm pilot to the 'oven of terror ' (TM), so the clay could be baked before going on to the next stage. The title 'oven of terror' has nothing to do with the culinary skills of any member of the Lane family, but more to do with the feeling of nervousness I get when committing a clay master to the heating process. I had several problems with cracking when I initially used Bees Putty. However, after consulting others who had used the putty successfully, I learned that the trick was to leave the figure in the oven after it was turned off until it had cooled down. This had resulted in several bakings that had gone well. Unfortunately knowing what to do is an inefficient foil to rank stupidity. I placed the master in the oven and retired to the computer to do some Elan13 Miniatures admin. I didn't set a timer, because they are for sissy's, allegedly. After the requisite 30 minutes baking when the oven should have been turned off, I was still doing admin...after another 30 minutes I was still doing admin (probably playing a game by now, but let's keep that between the two of us). Suddenly it dawned on me I had forgotten to turn the oven off. Language that would only be appropriate for a lads night out in the 1970's filled the house as I rushed into the kitchen. Fortunately I remembered not to open the oven door once it was turned off, but I did have a worrying time while waiting for the oven to cool. Clearly the modelling gods were with me as the only effect to the figure was that it was a rather darker colour than usual, but there were no major cracks! Huge sighs of relief all round. I could now begin the next stage which was adding the life preserver. I decided to do sculpt this in an open position, to show off some of the detail of the shirt and give a layered effect to the piece. The work was carried out with Magic Sculp epoxy putty. (I get mine from Sylmasta in the UK.) The smudgy snaps below show this done and the beginning of sketching in the left arm. I do feel rather guilty about the lack of information about the US Naval pilot. Since we last saw him, he has moved on and now has a torso and head. The snaps below show this. The head is baked but the rest is still un-cured clay. This was a good job because those straps around his thighs are in the wrong place and will need fixing. More of that in Part: The Fifth. williamj, mozart, Starfighter and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiggTim Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 (edited) Absolutely fantastical!! I love watching these develop!! I would love to see a video of it, too. I am also intrigued by the base you have the second guy standing on. Vac forming base? Tim Edited January 11, 2019 by BiggTim mozart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 Lovely stuff Robert, close call with the oven though!! My BeesPutty arrived today, I'm looking forward to trialling it. May I ask why you're doing the Mae West (or similar) from Magic Sculpt and not BeesPutty? BiggTim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly Roger Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 39 minutes ago, BiggTim said: Absolutely fantastical!! I love watching these develop!! I would love to see a video of it, too. I am also intrigued by the base you have the second guy standing on. Vac forming base? Tim It's a universal peg clamp. BiggTim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiggTim Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 (edited) 46 minutes ago, Jolly Roger said: It's a universal peg clamp. No kidding. That's cool!! I can think of lots of uses for that. Where do you get one? Edit: never mind, I found it....https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Work-Holder-CLAMP-VISE/dp/B000RB547G/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1547246718&sr=8-7&keywords=universal+peg+clamp Edited January 11, 2019 by BiggTim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elanlane13 Posted January 13, 2019 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 Thank you for the feedback. That is the clamp I use, though mine is now covered in primer and has been baked in the oven a few times too! I hadn't thought about scanning masters and reducing them in scale. I am at my local club meeting this Thursday and there is a member I can ask about the viability of this. Max, The Mae West was sculpted in Magic Sculp because I didn't want to re-bake the figure after I had baked it for too long initially. The next instalment shows the arms, which are also sculpted in epoxy putty. This is because I currently use plastic tube for the male joint to the body. This would melt a baking temperature. I need to obtain some appropriate size brass tube to overcome this problem. BiggTim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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