Superman VS Hulk. Newbie Sculpt

[riteguytu]

Hello folks and sculpting gurus!

I just started my first ever sculpt easter weekend and I thought it be nice to get crits and comments on it.

I've always loved to draw and paint, read comics etc and so I guess this is a natural progression!

This is based on Mike Deodato's Hulk vs Superman artwork:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335337&stc=1&d=1206827435

Here are some initial turn-around sketches to help me visualise the poses:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335351&stc=1&d=1206827701
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335352&stc=1&d=1206827701
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335354&stc=1&d=1206827701

And one to help with proportions and wire skeletons of the sculpts:

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335353&stc=1&d=1206827701

I cut out some sculpting wire and strung it all together with some masking tape and wrapping copper wire roughly in the shapes I drew in that last sketch.
From there, I laid on the super sculpey!

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335338&stc=1&d=1206827701
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335344&stc=1&d=1206827701
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335345&stc=1&d=1206827701
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335346&stc=1&d=1206827701
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335347&stc=1&d=1206827701

More to come!

[Briantoreilly616]

That is looking brilliant so far. I can't wait to see how it turns out. Nice collection in the bg by the way.

[riteguytu]

Thanks!
I just realised my detolfs are in the background there...

Anyway back to work:
Quick comparison:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335438&stc=1&d=1206836097
I think I'll lift hulk's left leg a bit so he's coming down from a height.Will add to the drama!

Sculpting the fingers.Sheesh! I didn't know fingers were so tough to do.What with the folds,knuckles and fingernails...

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335439&stc=1&d=1206836097
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335440&stc=1&d=1206836097
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335441&stc=1&d=1206836097
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335442&stc=1&d=1206836097

[Aseyngel]

No - this cant be your first sculpture! You are withholding information from your eager readers ;-)
The muscles looks very good - and you seem to use a good procedure using reference pictures and drawings. WELL DONE!
Cant wait to see more!

[SolidCatTactics]

wow!
now that really looks awsome!
if it s really your first then you seem to have found a new hobby ha? ;))

got one question:
the book one the table with the muscle references looks very interesting - could you tell me the title & author?!

cheers

[riteguytu]

Thanks guys!I'm flattered and blushing but it really is my first ever sculpt! I guess the sculptor has been inside straining to get out for a long time...:steph:

The reference book I use is Burne Hogarth's Dynamic Anatomy;fab-tastic book!

Anyway, onward and upwards...I apologise for the blurry pictures;my camera isn't top notch.

Head shot:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335853&stc=1&d=1206889295

Very interesting problems posed by the texture of the hair.

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335857&stc=1&d=1206889295
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335858&stc=1&d=1206889295

Full shots:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335854&stc=1&d=1206889295
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335855&stc=1&d=1206889295
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335856&stc=1&d=1206889295

You can see some detail of his torn trousers there.
The toes still need work(another fussy bit).

I use a heat gun to harden the super sculpey so I can handle it without ruining the scupts. Unfortunately, being a newbie(doh!), I scorched some of hulk's hair.I guess paint will cover that up...

Some detail shots:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335859&stc=1&d=1206889295
Folds in trousers
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335860&stc=1&d=1206889295
Veins in arm
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=335861&stc=1&d=1206889295

[TeaMonster]

You're onto a winner here, wow first ever!!
I think it would be well worth your while, to upgrade your camera.
The shots aren't doing your work justice :)

[Pavel Sokov]

ya the shots are awfull.

awesome hulk, but it seesm to me the open hand is a bit too fat, and the abs are shifted to the left.

I see you went with the gorilla hulk style face. not my thing, but thats just me. If you can you should open the mouth more, give it more force and fierceness

[Robert.B]

from what I could gather from the fuzzy close ups the pecs are looking a little too small,and you have strange clumping in between the serratus muscles and the obliques. Also the space inbetween the biceps and triceps is looking a little odd.

[Red 3183]

Great Job so far! Have you already baked the body? Cause there is one thing I would work on. In the reference art, The Hulk's left side of his body is stretched and right side is compressed. Like he is reaching with his left hand. But your sculpt seems to be too upright/rigid. If you can still tweak it slightly, it would give the sculpt a much greater sense of motion. Otherwise, Awesome first sculpt!

plus: are you using Macro mode on your camera? seems like it's not set and is focusing on the stuff in the background.

[riteguytu]

Fantastic!This is exactly what need...real crits.

Thanks guys;I'll sand the open hand fingers down and bump the pecs up a bit. I dunno about opening his mouth more...I think the fierceness will come out when the paint comes on;eyebrows,clumped forehead etc.

Let's see what I can do about those serratus muscles...

The problem with hulk also is that there are so many interpretations of his size and proportions;arms with respect to legs,size of fingers compared to size of head, facial features,yadda yadda yadda...

I must say turpenoid is invaluable for small size sculpting;really helps to smooth things out.

Well, superman has begun...
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=336141&stc=1&d=1206918774
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=336142&stc=1&d=1206918774

Some preliminary together poses to gauge relative proportions:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=336143&stc=1&d=1206918774
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=336144&stc=1&d=1206918774
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=336145&stc=1&d=1206918774
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=336147&stc=1&d=1206918774

[madm4tt]

Great Job so far...The poses are fantastic.

Bye

[ZaahnJanson]

WOW this is AWESOME!!! can't wait to see it finished and painted!!!!

[Brad Cruise]

hey there, had to say that very nice first sculpt you have there! i wish i could do muscles like that,im newbie too:D
I thought that maybe hulks palms were bit too big and supermans butt, other than that looking very good man.

[quasimodox]

I think Superman's butt is a little too big/round too. They look very nice so far! Keep up the good work! :)

By the way, what is the white stuff on baked Hulk?

[riteguytu]

Thanks guys.More crits please!

Superman's fists:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337497&stc=1&d=1207088172
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337498&stc=1&d=1207088172

Superman's head:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337499&stc=1&d=1207088172
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337500&stc=1&d=1207088172

Checking with my reference:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337502&stc=1&d=1207088172

More progress:

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337503&stc=1&d=1207088172
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337504&stc=1&d=1207088172

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337505&stc=1&d=1207088172
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337509&stc=1&d=1207088172
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337510&stc=1&d=1207088172
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337511&stc=1&d=1207088172

[riteguytu]

Never fear, I'll fix Supes' butt! The white stuff is sculpey residue after smoothing with turpenoid...

[riteguytu]

More Supes:

I'm a little unsure of how to do the cape...

I've got an old foil tray that might work.A portion of it:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337548&stc=1&d=1207091896

Folded into the rough shape I want:

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337549&stc=1&d=1207091896

Trying it on for size:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337550&stc=1&d=1207091896
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337551&stc=1&d=1207091896
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337552&stc=1&d=1207091896

Sculpey over foil:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337553&stc=1&d=1207091896

Cape in place:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337554&stc=1&d=1207091896
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337555&stc=1&d=1207091896
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337556&stc=1&d=1207091896
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337557&stc=1&d=1207091896
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337558&stc=1&d=1207091896

[riteguytu]

Now the hard stuff; Some detailing to Supes:
S Shield, belt, boots...

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337575&stc=1&d=1207092866

[Gonzossm]

Can you please explain to me how you smoothened him out please i must know how!!

[riteguytu]

Smoothing is done with turpenoid...

orry folks;I need to invest in a better camera.

Looks more like Supes, eh?
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339122&stc=1&d=1207257861

My base needs to be made now.
Hulk is coming down from a height...lots of rocky ground;sort of in a circular arena-ish battleground.Supes will be rising from the ground to meet hulk.I might leave a little space between the two to heighten the drama...


Anyway, preparing my base:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339108&stc=1&d=1207257861
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339112&stc=1&d=1207257861

Checking the heights:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339113&stc=1&d=1207257861
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339114&stc=1&d=1207257861
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339115&stc=1&d=1207257861
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339116&stc=1&d=1207257861

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339117&stc=1&d=1207257861
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339118&stc=1&d=1207257861
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339119&stc=1&d=1207257861
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=339120&stc=1&d=1207257861

[Gonzossm]

falcon punch

[riteguytu]

A bit more progress on the base:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=340277&stc=1&d=1207401865
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=340278&stc=1&d=1207401865

I was going to drill a hole through hulk's leg and insert a bit of modelling wire to prop him up...I think i'll have his feet gouge big, ugly tracks into the ground instead! Grrrrrrrrr!

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=340279&stc=1&d=1207401865
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=340280&stc=1&d=1207401865
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=340282&stc=1&d=1207401865

[kaze0099]

Its herd to see your sculpture. can you make your images smaller and less blurry please?

[Pavel Sokov]

please tell me you didnt bake superman yet!

in a few shots of his lower torso he looks extremely deformed. his 6 pack seems to keep on going to the sides, its like has has 6 packs on the full circumference of his torso. this needs to be changed man, it looks like he has FOP.

[riteguytu]

If you click the links, the pictures will open in a new window at a viewable size...

Ok, I've made indents in the base for hulk's feet.Supes will have a spike through his right foot that goes into a hole in the base and his right hand will rest on a support attached to hulk's left arm.

Here they are:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=340321&stc=1&d=1207408712
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=340322&stc=1&d=1207408712
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=340323&stc=1&d=1207408712

I'm pretty happy with that;they can stand on their own even though the base sculpey is still soft.Means my engineering works!

Okay, time to make like a baker:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=340325&stc=1&d=1207408712

I hear Sculpey gets soft when being baked, so I put in the foil to support Hulk and Supes.Hope that works...

[riteguytu]

Pavel, do you mean the Superman's serratus muscles are too large?I realised that as well and fixed them...

[Pavel Sokov]

http://conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=337510&stc=1&d=1207088146 this shot shows what i meant. if you look here u will notice that he has like a 30 pack. in your white baked photo it seems fixed i think.

[riteguytu]

Thanks Pavel, I fixed it!

[wyrmnite]

Wow!

This is looking impressive Riteguy!
I cant wait to see it painted and finished!

[riteguytu]

Okay both figures and base nicely baked.I've airbrushed some white primer onto them...

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=341359&stc=1&d=1207533706
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=341360&stc=1&d=1207533706
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=341361&stc=1&d=1207533706
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=341362&stc=1&d=1207533706
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=341363&stc=1&d=1207533706
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=341364&stc=1&d=1207533706
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=341365&stc=1&d=1207533706

One thing the priming did, though was bring out all the tiny cracks in the figures after baking.Now I see why the pros use grey sculpey...I'm going to seal those cracks with super glue...

[riteguytu]

Okay time for painting. I'm a little nervous about this...

Hulk airbrush basecoated:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342049&stc=1&d=1207602767

Comparing with Bowen's she hulk for shading and colour etc
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342050&stc=1&d=1207602767

Some burnt sierra shading:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342051&stc=1&d=1207602767

Close shot:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342058&stc=1&d=1207602767

Body masked to do trousers:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342059&stc=1&d=1207602767

Trousers done:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342062&stc=1&d=1207602767

Superman masked to do his body:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342061&stc=1&d=1207602767

Supes' body done:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342065&stc=1&d=1207602767

Posed together:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342066&stc=1&d=1207602767
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342067&stc=1&d=1207602767

Superman done!
Shading done with pastels. I rubbed the pastels on some sand paper and used a dry brush to apply the powder to the figures.
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342068&stc=1&d=1207602767

Posed together.KA-BLOOEY!
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342070&stc=1&d=1207602767

Dunno what to do with the base yet...

[riteguytu]

Close up:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=342083&stc=1&d=1207604048

It's now my desktop background.Yippee!

[riteguytu]

MORE CRITS PLEEEEZZZEEE!!
And I have a better camera now!

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344079&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344080&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344081&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344082&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344083&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344084&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344085&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344086&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344087&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344088&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344089&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344090&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344091&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344092&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344093&stc=1&d=1207817772
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=344094&stc=1&d=1207817772

[CastorFiber]

Man, thats a lot of pictures.

I think this is a creation to be proud of. I think you could do that cape a bit "cleaner" if you'd use a wiremesh instead of foil. I liked the pictures, even the crappy ones! Thanks! ;)

[riteguytu]

Thanks for all the comments, guys.I really enjoyed this and will definitely keep sculpting!

[brandonshiflett]

Anatomy looking really solid. Well done.

Brandon
www.shiflettbrothers.com

[riteguytu]

One of the Shiflett bros likes my work!!!!!! :xpld: :xpld:

[riteguytu]

ONE OF THE SHIFLETT BROTHERS LIKES MY WORK!!!!!!

Gasp! Wheeeeeee...bonk! (I just fainted...)

Sorry, I forget to say: THANKS BRANDON!

[AA-ron]

Job well done!

[Gonzossm]

you should make another sculp :D

[riteguytu]

Thanks for all the comments and crits folks! Here's my next endeavour: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=124251

[Vermis]

Excellent work! Especially for a beginner. But... it's a bit of a pain to try and scroll through a million and one humungous photos. And to wait for them to load. Try gimp.org.

[waronmars]

I think the paint job lets it down a bit. You might want to check ot like miniature painting tutorials for ideas on how you can paint it better, you can still use things like shading. Even something as simple as putting a darker colour in the recesses and lighter on the raised areas helps :)

http://www.paintingclinic.com/
http://www.coolminiornot.com/article
http://oz.games-workshop.com/hobby/painting/painting_basics/techniques/default.htm
http://uk.games-workshop.com/warhammer/painting/

This sort of stuff can be very useful.. Good luck, I really like the sculpt.

[Bicnarok]

Love the muscle work, nice one.

Well, this thread made me realise I need a faster PC. Firefox crashed so had to view in in IE which took ages. Maybe compressing the pictures a bit in an app like Xnview would be helpfull.

[xYnoTx]

You might check out john browns video on armature building, it will show you how to build arms and head ect seperate. It helps a great deal expecialy when you are workin in small details.

[riteguytu]

Thanks people! Really nice that this thread is still pulling in comments...I'm still sculpting!