Vengence...a work in progress. new pics post 47, 12/28/08

[maddmaestro]

So It's been a while since I posted something, and i felt it was time to share the piece that I have been working on lately. The piece is actually the brain child of myself and my best friend. One day we happened to be discussing possibilities for pieces. A character that wasn't done before, that had potential and there were few if any representations of at all. something we could take and build on and run with in almost any direction. We chose the Norse god of vengence and rebirth, Vali. Son of Odin and a giantess, he was sired solely to kill the one responsible for the death of Baldur. His weapon of choice is a bow. There is a little more to this guy but not much is written at all, check out his Wiki if you want, it talks more about Odin than him.
So anyways we've got a little leeway. We decided that his bow would be crafted from the Yggdrasil tree, in which his father was hung to gain wisdom.
So I'm rambling...hope you like what I've done so far...let me know what you think.

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/vali1.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/vali2.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/vali3.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/vali4.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/drizztstatue045.jpg

[pocko]

hey, great idea and looking very good.

don't want to sound too patronising, but you can definitely tell the difference between this and your previous models in terms of quality. i think its suprising how obvious the improvement is in people's 3d work, mine included, as they practice.

the head/face is really expressive too.

i think (as there isnt a whole body pic) you need to look again at how and where the legs and hips are built up. the waist looks a bit narrow (even for hero proportions with a v shaped torso) and i dont think you have the legs attaching at a high enough point.

[DMN Creative]

Interesting subject matter, looking forward to watching it develop. When i first looked at it I was thinking about how he was holding his right arm (I dabbled in archery as a younger man...) so i dug out these pics from my 'sculptures i'll make one day' file. Hope its useful, and lets face it, Rambos all about the vengence!..

http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/DMNcreative/rambo2bowshot70al1-1.jpg

http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/DMNcreative/Rambo__First_Blood_Part_2_Pics_2-1.jpg

p.s. i flipped them around coz Rambo's left handed!

[maddmaestro]

hey, great idea and looking very good.

don't want to sound too patronising, but you can definitely tell the difference between this and your previous models in terms of quality. i think its suprising how obvious the improvement is in people's 3d work, mine included, as they practice.

the head/face is really expressive too.

i think (as there isnt a whole body pic) you need to look again at how and where the legs and hips are built up. the waist looks a bit narrow (even for hero proportions with a v shaped torso) and i dont think you have the legs attaching at a high enough point.

Thank you Pocko. Nice to hear from you, and I agree with you about his waist. Sometimes it takes posting pics to notice the flaws that need correcting. I May have fudged on the leg connections as well, but keep in mind this isn't a super-hero, or even a human. He is half giant, and half god. I purposely didn't show off the lower half as much because his legs are not complete or really even half done. I know what you mean about looking back and seeing drastic improvements over the last pieces I've done. And Thank you again for taking the time too check out my work to everyone that looks.

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[maddmaestro]

Interesting subject matter, looking forward to watching it develop. When i first looked at it I was thinking about how he was holding his right arm (I dabbled in archery as a younger man...) so i dug out these pics from my 'sculptures i'll make one day' file. Hope its useful, and lets face it, Rambos all about the vengence!..

http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/DMNcreative/rambo2bowshot70al1-1.jpg

http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/DMNcreative/Rambo__First_Blood_Part_2_Pics_2-1.jpg

p.s. i flipped them around coz Rambo's left handed!

Thanks for the pics. I never even thought to use rambo pics as reference. I got every other archer from Robin hood to green arrow, I even got a little japanese girl firing off one of their great bows. The main differences betweenthe poses though seems to me to be that my guy is aiming down while the two rambo shots appear to be aiming either on the same plane or upwards...also bear in mind the right arm that you pointed out is the most recently worked on part of the statue and is no where near as complete as the left, its far to long for one thing...

I sure am rambling a lot today, sorry for being long winded. Please keep telling me what you think guys.

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[KingUnicorn]

I know how those initial roughing out stages go, so I'm withholding any sort of figural critique until you say you've finished up an area and are ready. You've already picked out the key anatomical elements, so we'll have to sit back and watch as you smooth and shape them.

There's only one piece that I think you might want to reconsider at this point and it's the upper lip of our hero here. It seems a bit absent - or at least not as prominent as it should be on the face. Just something to review.

I agree that this is shaping up to be one of your strongest pieces. The energy in the pose and the intensity in the face already highlight a few challenges you're willing to tackle to bring this to completion. I'm certain as things continue, we'll be quite thrilled here with the progress.

~KU

[maddmaestro]

I know how those initial roughing out stages go, so I'm withholding any sort of figural critique until you say you've finished up an area and are ready. You've already picked out the key anatomical elements, so we'll have to sit back and watch as you smooth and shape them.

There's only one piece that I think you might want to reconsider at this point and it's the upper lip of our hero here. It seems a bit absent - or at least not as prominent as it should be on the face. Just something to review.

I agree that this is shaping up to be one of your strongest pieces. The energy in the pose and the intensity in the face already highlight a few challenges you're willing to tackle to bring this to completion. I'm certain as things continue, we'll be quite thrilled here with the progress.

~KU

I know by my earlier statements I might have seemed as though I wasn't receptive to criticism, but that isn't the case. Tell me what you think honestly, and I promise to take it into consideration. His mustache is meant to cover the upper lip KU but after listening to your advice I think I Have to thicken it up a bit more...Thanks for the complements and I hope you stay tuned for the next updates...

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[KingUnicorn]

Hey, Madd-M. Just wanted to chime in quickly here. I didn't think you were avoiding crits in any fashion. In fact, you're very responsive to positive crits at all phases of your progress. My comments are more focused on what I think will help you move this along at certain points in the work.

I recognize that when things are being shared in early stages (that "rough and ugly" phase) that it can be difficult to find the right sort of feedback. This early on, I believe you'd be more interested in comments related to the posing of the figure (which DMN-C has already commented on) and the sort of aesthetic you're pursuing. When you've fleshed out the figure more and feel you've hit that first wall, we'll be here and ready to help you out.

I think just a little more hint of the lip at this point:

http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/images/beards_19.jpg

~KU

[DMN Creative]

Green Arrow! man that takes me back, and lets not forget Hawkeye, his Marvel Comics counterpart :)

[Aseyngel]

Good to see you are working again.
I am sort of just trying to survive at the moment - but had to pop in.
Vali is looking good so far, - and you are lucky to get all the feedback above.

It is so sad that you guys cannot read Peter Madsens VALHALLA cartoon (danish/norwegian/swedish language only) - where the latest album deals with "The Trouble with Baldur" (hard to translate as the danish title plays on "ballade" meaning "trouble" and "epic song" at the same time.)
http://www.petermadsen.info/pages/vh/vh13/vh13-eng.html
A good deal of the Nordic Mythology has been dealt with in the previous 12 albums.
A page from the album: (Getting ready for some combat....)
http://www.petermadsen.info/pages/vh/vh13/side29-rentegnet.html

[maddmaestro]

Good to see you are working again.
I am sort of just trying to survive at the moment - but had to pop in.
Vali is looking good so far, - and you are lucky to get all the feedback above.

It is so sad that you guys cannot read Peter Madsens VALHALLA cartoon (danish/norwegian/swedish language only) - where the latest album deals with "The Trouble with Baldur" (hard to translate as the danish title plays on "ballade" meaning "trouble" and "epic song" at the same time.)
http://www.petermadsen.info/pages/vh/vh13/vh13-eng.html
A good deal of the Nordic Mythology has been dealt with in the previous 12 albums.
A page from the album: (Getting ready for some combat....)
http://www.petermadsen.info/pages/vh/vh13/side29-rentegnet.html

Always good to hear from you Aseyngel, my firend. I appreciate you taking the time to drop me a line, so sorry to hear you aren't feeling well...I know how that goes. I wish I could read the story of the Valhalla cartoon. It looks quite interesting. i was always a fan of norse mythology. Hope to hear from you again once I have some more progress done on this guy!

Dmn...I know both characters have basis in the Robin hood mythology, I just think Green arrow pulls it off better to me. And I'm a Marvel fan truth be told. Although both characters have undergone some inteesting changes and depictions in recent years. Green Arrow on the Smallville show, and Hawkeye in the Ultimates universe. He got more of a gunslinger look, and doesn't even use a bow...ah well, so much for nostalgia. Thanks for staying tuned pal.

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[dreamsorcerer]

Hello Master Maestro,

I've been watching your progress for some time now and you're always improving. It looks like you're learning from your own experience and I applaud you my friend. I think it's a bit too early for me to give any sort of critique just yet because I just want to see how you progress. But, if you really do need any kind of help then I'm sure we'll all be happy to give you some advice no probs.

Keep up the good work matey!

:D

[maddmaestro]

Thanks for the encouragement Kenshiro, I really appreciate it. Also I just wanna say a big thanks to everyone here...I have posted this at all the sites I frequent, but you guys are the only ones that have given me any support. So thanks a lot!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[KingUnicorn]

Also I just wanna say a big thanks to everyone here...I have posted this at all the sites I frequent, but you guys are the only ones that have given me any support. So thanks a lot!

I think some people don't know what to say. It's hard to look at something and - depending upon your impression of your skill level - feel as if you have some knowledge to share that will push a piece a little bit further. And then there are some people that won't say anything. That goes with with territory.

I think it's important to give the feedback you yourself would want to receive, to support a community of growing artists no matter what the skill level, and to be willing to take one on the chin from time to time. I think you accomplish all of those things here and you're growing for it.

For me, this will be a strong step forward for you. But the one I'm really waiting to see is piece No. 5. After that, piece No. 12. Those will be the power hitters.

~KU

[maddmaestro]

Thanks KU. I think that your approach is what I have tried to do, whether I felt my skills were on par or whether they were woefuly inadequate in comparison. I have tried at least to give a thought on pieces from my basic knowledge of art. I guess sometimes you get a little down knowing you are free with your opinion and advice, and others are not. But I sincerely appreciate you and the other members here because not only on this piece but all the work I've shared, I get a sincere an honest set of opinions and critiques, and to me that is what helps one grow and develop as an artist. That is all. I hope I didn't sound like a whining brat, or anything. I just want to improve, and you all are my teachers, my peers and the stick with which I measure my growth as an artist. I can only hope you enjoy my piece #5, and #12 as much as I will enjoy creating them. Thanks so much...

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[original willow]

This piece is impressive. But, I'm even more struck by the casual conversation you and your colleague have. I mean, really....Norse Mythology!?

What's wrong with me? I talk with my friends about deck rot, kids, difficult co-workers, the price of gas.....

I think I'm going to pout now.

[troyboy]

He's looking good dude, but like Kenshiro and KingUnicorn have said, I'm waiting to
see a bit more. But don't read into that. It doesn't mean that this is a bad piece, it
just means that I'm waiting to see more. For all of us, getting positive feedback from
your peers is a huge ego-boost and when you get very little, or nothing, it's like, hour
by hour, somebody is deflating you like a balloon losing air. We've all been there and
you have to learn to push past that and forge ahead. The bottom line is this:

If you're getting very little feedback, more often than not your sculpt, (A) hasn't
captured anyone's interest enough to comment on it, or (B) it needs work and most
people would rather say nothing than something mean/critical (for fear of sounding
like a complete tool or being read the wrong way).

Either way, it means you need to improve the sculpt or move on to the next piece and
not worry about the feedback either way. If a sculptor's goal is to get compliments with
every piece, then he or she needs to post them on the forum that his or her mom
moderates (again, I'm NOT saying this is you, I'm just making a general statement).
If your goal is to improve then you should be constantly sculpting and posting
(unless, of course, client confidentiality keeps you from posting a piece until it's
"officially" unveiled).

The breakthrough pieces in which you show real skill or improvement are going to get
positive responses, without fail. If there's a lull or crickets chirping, I always take it as
a polite way of saying I need to get back to work.

Okay, now that I've rambled on about that for a few minutes, let me throw out my two
cents on this particular sculpt.

First the positive. I love the subject matter and the idea of the pose. I think this can
turn out to be a really cool piece. Like Kenshiro stated, you continue to make improvements
with each new piece you post and this is no exception.

Now for the crits. The one thing I find most new sculptors doing is focusing on details
(in this case the face, abs, ribcage) and not enough on the overall proportions and pose.
If the sculpt doesn't convey some sort of dynamic energy, it's usually pretty stiff and
uninteresting.

To me the best example is the difference between Boris Vallejo's stuff and Frank Frazetta's.
The characters in Boris's paintings look as though he had them stand in the same static pose
for a few hours while he painted them. Technically, very accurate and well painted, but BORING
as hell. Frank's paintings, however, look as though he took a snapshot right at the very pinnacle
of the action. Sometimes there might have been a short arm or leg here or there or some animal
wasn't 100%accurate, but who cares?!! You can't get more energetic and exciting than a
Frazetta painting.

Instead of looking at all the archer references you can find, go to Wal-Mart and buy a cheapo $10
full length mirror (the kind you put on the back of your door), grab a stick, and do some posing
yourself. Really arch your back and get extreme! Do something so that when you look at yourself
in the mirror, you're thinking, "Oh yeah. That is bad@$$." Then you sculpt a bit, pose, sculpt a bit
more, pose, sculpt some more and so on and so forth.

The ideal way is to get your pose down, have someone take digital photos of you from every angle
and print those out as your reference, but, unfortunately, not everybody has all the necessary items
to do this.

You make sure you get your sculpt all posed and proportioned correctly (length of arms, legs, torso,
etc.) before you even THINK about adding one bit of detail. That all comes later and it's a bit
harder to perfect (I still haven't!), but with each piece, you'll find it coming more naturally.

All of this is not to insinuate that you haven't taken criticism well or that you're complaining or
anything. I just don't want you to get too down about what does or doesn't happen on the forums.
Pats on the back are awesome, but they shouldn't make or break your desire to sculpt.

Good luck dude and I'm looking forward to seeing more. ;)

[dreamsorcerer]

Hello Master Maestro,

Yer know, it's 4am over at the moment and I have to get up in 3 hours! Yeah.. I get insomnia now and again. So I hope I don't say anything strange (coz I'm a zombie at the moment)

Anyhoo, I've been looking through this thread quite a bit and reading through most of the posts and I must say that I take my hat off to Sir.Troyboy for his constructive words of encouragement and honesty. He truly is the don! :D And Maestro my friend, there is a certain philosphy that I carry with me always, and it's simple, 'if I do something I enjoy then I do it, if I don't enjoy it then I won't do it'. I think this would apply to any artist who simply enjoys what they do, doing it for the labour of love. Like me! I don't get paid for the sculpts I do, but I sure do get a buzz out of it. And sometimes getting frustrated can take some of the enjoyment out of it. BUT it's not a bad thing yer see.. because that's how we learn. A lot of things that I've learnt from sculpting is that it can be a case of trial and error. Instead of seeing it as frustration, try and turn it around and see it as a challenge. And you'll see it in a different light. We do understand that you feel down, sincerely my friend, and you know all of us are here to encourage you. And you know mate, it shows that you actually care about what you do, that there's plenty of passion for what you're doing and that is something you cannot deny. Take a step back my friend, and leave the sculpt for a few days even. Cover it up and come back to it with a refreshed mind. Whenever you feel down, just stop and do something else even! We will see your project come to fruition!

I hope I didn't sound preachy or nowt like that mate, I just don't want you to feel downhearted.

Now.. I've done a little paint over and I thought it may help you. I hope you don't mind me doing this, but I find paint overs an enormous help in cyber space! So here you are:

524330

I hope this helps?

Keep up the good wrk my friend :D

The very best of wishes,

Kenshiro.

[maddmaestro]

He's looking good dude, but like Kenshiro and KingUnicorn have said, I'm waiting to
see a bit more. But don't read into that. It doesn't mean that this is a bad piece, it
just means that I'm waiting to see more. For all of us, getting positive feedback from
your peers is a huge ego-boost and when you get very little, or nothing, it's like, hour
by hour, somebody is deflating you like a balloon losing air. We've all been there and
you have to learn to push past that and forge ahead. The bottom line is this:

If you're getting very little feedback, more often than not your sculpt, (A) hasn't
captured anyone's interest enough to comment on it, or (B) it needs work and most
people would rather say nothing than something mean/critical (for fear of sounding
like a complete tool or being read the wrong way).

Either way, it means you need to improve the sculpt or move on to the next piece and
not worry about the feedback either way. If a sculptor's goal is to get compliments with
every piece, then he or she needs to post them on the forum that his or her mom
moderates (again, I'm NOT saying this is you, I'm just making a general statement).
If your goal is to improve then you should be constantly sculpting and posting
(unless, of course, client confidentiality keeps you from posting a piece until it's
"officially" unveiled).

The breakthrough pieces in which you show real skill or improvement are going to get
positive responses, without fail. If there's a lull or crickets chirping, I always take it as
a polite way of saying I need to get back to work.

Okay, now that I've rambled on about that for a few minutes, let me throw out my two
cents on this particular sculpt.

First the positive. I love the subject matter and the idea of the pose. I think this can
turn out to be a really cool piece. Like Kenshiro stated, you continue to make improvements
with each new piece you post and this is no exception.

Now for the crits. The one thing I find most new sculptors doing is focusing on details
(in this case the face, abs, ribcage) and not enough on the overall proportions and pose.
If the sculpt doesn't convey some sort of dynamic energy, it's usually pretty stiff and
uninteresting.

To me the best example is the difference between Boris Vallejo's stuff and Frank Frazetta's.
The characters in Boris's paintings look as though he had them stand in the same static pose
for a few hours while he painted them. Technically, very accurate and well painted, but BORING
as hell. Frank's paintings, however, look as though he took a snapshot right at the very pinnacle
of the action. Sometimes there might have been a short arm or leg here or there or some animal
wasn't 100%accurate, but who cares?!! You can't get more energetic and exciting than a
Frazetta painting.

Instead of looking at all the archer references you can find, go to Wal-Mart and buy a cheapo $10
full length mirror (the kind you put on the back of your door), grab a stick, and do some posing
yourself. Really arch your back and get extreme! Do something so that when you look at yourself
in the mirror, you're thinking, "Oh yeah. That is bad@$$." Then you sculpt a bit, pose, sculpt a bit
more, pose, sculpt some more and so on and so forth.

The ideal way is to get your pose down, have someone take digital photos of you from every angle
and print those out as your reference, but, unfortunately, not everybody has all the necessary items
to do this.

You make sure you get your sculpt all posed and proportioned correctly (length of arms, legs, torso,
etc.) before you even THINK about adding one bit of detail. That all comes later and it's a bit
harder to perfect (I still haven't!), but with each piece, you'll find it coming more naturally.

All of this is not to insinuate that you haven't taken criticism well or that you're complaining or
anything. I just don't want you to get too down about what does or doesn't happen on the forums.
Pats on the back are awesome, but they shouldn't make or break your desire to sculpt.

Good luck dude and I'm looking forward to seeing more. ;)

Hello Master Maestro,

Yer know, it's 4am over at the moment and I have to get up in 3 hours! Yeah.. I get insomnia now and again. So I hope I don't say anything strange (coz I'm a zombie at the moment)

Anyhoo, I've been looking through this thread quite a bit and reading through most of the posts and I must say that I take my hat off to Sir.Troyboy for his constructive words of encouragement and honesty. He truly is the don! :D And Maestro my friend, there is a certain philosphy that I carry with me always, and it's simple, 'if I do something I enjoy then I do it, if I don't enjoy it then I won't do it'.

I hope I didn't sound preachy or nowt like that mate, I just don't want you to feel downhearted.


Kenshiro.

Okay First off thanks to you both. It is really a big help to hear the words of sculptors whose work I admire.
Let me say this, of course I want to hear words of praise. Most if not all people feel good when they hear words of encouragement, and I am definitely one of these. But this is not the reason I post, nor is it the reasson I ask for responses. I love the art of sculpting heroic figures. I learned how to draw because of a love for comic books, and once I started seeing sculptures of the characters it was to me the natural extension of that love to learn how to sculpt the characters that I love. I am a beginner at this. In complete truth this is the third piece that I have worked on and plan on finishing. I want to improve, and that is why I ask for comments. When I respond to the critiques that I recieve it isn't to deride the thought process behind the comment, but rather to let the person that wrote it understand my viewpoint.

I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET. I don't have a teacher or really anyone that I can vibe with about this face to face, because although I am friends with plenty of artists they all think that everything I do is amazing for some reason. And I really never get honest criticism. That is why I depend on the artists I meet in cyberspace. And that is why I give you guys so much credit, you keep an open mind and dig into the concept and work that I put forth. That is all I'm saying, and maybe I should have just said it this way in the first place, but all I meant was that I appreciate you guys for giving me the tips, tools and pointers that I need.

I hope that I don't come off as some kinda long winded idiot...please forgive me if I do.

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[Aseyngel]

Everyone in this forum is very carefull not to offend or be offended - but it seems to me that apart from a few "specially challenged people" who leaves Conceptart after a few very colourfull (and very entertaining) posts, the forum (and this one in particular) is VERY civilized. I myself have never felt more relaxed in a forum before. Most people commenting on a thead are "the usual suspects" - and once someone (in my god-like opinion) have established himself(herself) as serious - I never take any critique as an attack on my person (but that might just be becourse I dont really know you all ;-)

TROYBOY - Do you think we could have most of your comment above in a sticky labelled "For new sculptors in the Forum" or something similar? That is certainly something you could write to everyone to keep up their spirit on the long dark Conceptart-nights!

Sorry my Mad(-dmaestro) friend - this post was of a more general character. But trust me - you will never be Long Winded ;-)

[rvbhal]

Hello maestro!
I am so out of time that I could not read all of the above.For that I am sorry.
So let me say only that your anatomy is evolving at great speed!
Keep at it!

[maddmaestro]

so I've put a bit more work into this piece. Listening to good advice I cut out a portion of his torso...and made a few steps forward. Realized after looking at the pics and talking with my friend Morhawkee, that I wasn't accounting for the draw tension in regards to his bow, and arm positioning I worked on that a bit after taking these pics. Also noticed his legs are a bit on the skinny side. Its funny how much easier it is to spot flaws after taking pics...almost like seeing the piece through another set of eyes. Well, as always comments and critiques are valued and appreciated. Thanks!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/Valistatue001.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/Valistatue002.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/Valistatue003.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/Valistatue004.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/Valistatue005.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/Valistatue007.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/Valistatue006.jpg

[fruitdot]

Looking great Siddiq, you've made amazing progress! :D

[fruitdot]

Just a question: you do know that archers hold and release the bow-string with the index and middle finger (the arrow is held in between)? Just wondering, I know you haven't detailed the hand yet but just wanted to tell you that the bow-string isn't held with the whole hand. :)

Sometimes I see people use only two fingers (index + middle) and sometimes I see people using three fingers (index + middle + ring), from what I've been taught the two-finger version is correct but I think both can work. :) The thing about the two finger method is that the release is made easier without accidentaly "disrupting" the string and thus loosing power from the release. But I'm no expert, and it's your sculpt! :)

(I've instructed tourists in archery on Öland, a small island in Sweden, last summer, lol. xD I'm not a great archer myself, but apparently I'm a pretty good teacher since more than one of my "students" got bullseye on their first shot, haha. xD)

[fruitdot]

P.S., don't trust movie references too much for archery position if you want it to be correct. :p Many times they have incorrect position, just as with swords fighting. It's always "exaggerated" in the movies. ;)

/Sabrina

[fruitdot]

Found an interesting page of "beginning archery" which you might find useful. :)


http://www.archery.metu.edu.tr/siteen/lesson01.html

[maddmaestro]

Thanks for all the tips Sabrina! Really appreciated. I did know about the "two finger" grip on the arrow, but as you pointed out haven'treally detailed the hand yet. I plan on posting some more pics either today or tomorrow. Love to hear your thoughts...

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[fruitdot]

You're very welcome my friend! :)

Once again I'd like to point out that you've made great progress in your sculpting skills, I'm impressed! :) Keep it up!

/Sabrina

[Mariahc]

WOO.. I love this work, the expression is great! you've achieved a good torsion for the effort in the body, and the arc is cool, it seems marfil. It's possible that right leg is thinner but I don't know so well I'm not an expert absolutely, I modeled a huge leg in my figure... I will follow the progress. Good work my friend!

[maddmaestro]

Thanks Mariahc! Glad you enjoy it. I am pretty excited by this piece, evertime I work on it I see a real improvement, not just in the piece itself but in my meager skills at sculpting. I look forward to your next update on Pegasus and friends...

Sabrina, your skills keep on growing as well. I love following your advancements as well! Keep it up!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[KingUnicorn]

First off, this is some terrific progress. The beard looks much more refined and the addition of the helmet brings out some of the ferocity we've all been expecting of this piece. The helmet is interesting. There's something about the swooping aspect of it that seems to fit with the "drawn arrow" posture. To be honest, it looks like the perfect place to add some stitching effects, as it begs to be something made of leather and bone.

As for the body, those muscles groups are starting to shape up. I know beefy, bare-chested, barbarian-esque types take a lot of work to even things out, but getting the placement down is an important step.

A great update, my friend!

~KU

[maddmaestro]

First off, this is some terrific progress. The beard looks much more refined and the addition of the helmet brings out some of the ferocity we've all been expecting of this piece. The helmet is interesting. There's something about the swooping aspect of it that seems to fit with the "drawn arrow" posture. To be honest, it looks like the perfect place to add some stitching effects, as it begs to be something made of leather and bone.

As for the body, those muscles groups are starting to shape up. I know beefy, bare-chested, barbarian-esque types take a lot of work to even things out, but getting the placement down is an important step.

A great update, my friend!

~KU

Thanks King Unicorn! You have summed up what I was aiming for perfectly. The helmet was meant to flow in the opposite direction of the arrow, I was wondering about texturing the helm as well, your idea of making it organic is something to consider. I can't wait for you to see the work I've done since these last pics, I'm eager always to hear your thoughts. Thanks so much!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[maddmaestro]

So I've worked on this fellow some more, refined some areas, worked out some problems. Still plugging away and moving forward. I've begun to armor his torso, and the bits you see are pretty much all there will be on his torso anyway. I do plan to detail it a bit more though. So before I begin to ramble, I will shut up. As always let me know what you think, I am eager to hear your criticisms and praises. Thanks!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

ps. sorry about the pictures. I was forced to do this at a friends house because my camera decided to crap the bucket, and like an idiot I left my lighting and backdrop at home...better pics next time, I promise!

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0619.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0620.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0621.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0622.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0628.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0626.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0630.jpg

[fruitdot]

wow, just keeps getting better and better my friend! :D keep it up!

[fruitdot]

Btw, I like the runes in his belt! :D I know how to spell my name in runes, lol. xD gotta know some old norse I guess, since I'm Scandinavian. :p

[dreamsorcerer]

Wow!! Looking great master Maestro!! You have been working hard!! :-)

[maddmaestro]

Thanks guys! Sabrina, I should have asked you how to spell his name in runes...I just picked the ones I thought looked cool, lol! Thanks again for the comments guys, glad you like what I've done so far!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[fruitdot]

Siddiq I'm glad you didn't, lol. xD I would've probably just googled it then! ;p I used to know almost the whole rune alphabet, but I've forgotten a lot! They don't really teach it to us in school either, so... it's a shame tho! I'd probably do better spelling his name in Cyrillic! ;)

[rvbhal]

Getting better and better! Great improvement ! Polymer clay has great plus sides. But finger prints are one of the few negatives. I myself suffer with them!
Just a bit more refining the details and bingo , success !!

[Alphaduce]

from what i could tell there wasnt much reference pics on this guy at all. some people might not think about how difficult it would be but i know its tough. Definitely a challenge.

your doing pretty good so far.

you have probably already been here but i found this site http://www.holynationofodin.org/education/gods/Vali.html

good luck

[maddmaestro]

Thanks a lot, Roberto, and Alphaduce. I actually haven't visited that site yet. Every bit of reference helps too. Yeah Roberto finger prints are a pain. I will deal with them eventually. Thanks again my friend!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[Mariahc]

Great!! very realistic details, the tendons of the fingers and the veins. Helmet is wonderful and belt runes detail is very original, I love these details!

[maddmaestro]

Thank you Mariahc. Still working on the details but glad you like it so far.

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[KingUnicorn]

Holy hell! Drop off for a few days and look what's been shaking the halls of Valhalla! That image - second up from the bottom - is brimming with all sorts of frothy awesome!

Still lots more to do here (and details, details, details to build on the epic foundation you've laid out for yourself), but it's certainly an update that promises quite a bit in the end.

Bring on the leather and fur!

~KU

[IronicTrout]

That's turning out to be pretty sweet.
P.S. the face kinda reminds me of Solid Snake from metal Gear Solid 4. lol. which I think is AWESOME!! Anyway keep up the good work. Cant wait to see this finished.

Joe

[maddmaestro]

Holy hell! Drop off for a few days and look what's been shaking the halls of Valhalla! That image - second up from the bottom - is brimming with all sorts of frothy awesome!

Still lots more to do here (and details, details, details to build on the epic foundation you've laid out for yourself), but it's certainly an update that promises quite a bit in the end.

Bring on the leather and fur!

~KU

Thanks a lot KU! Yeah that happens to be my favorite pic as well. The details are coming slowly, mostly cause I didn't plan this guy very well. He is so heavy I have had several mishaps. He fell over yesterday, and I had about six hours of work to do repairing him, Hopefully I have reinforced him enough so he won't fall again. This has caused me to totally relook at the way I do armatures. The belt was destroyed beyond recognition, had to re-do it. Well live and learn right? I hope I can post some new pics soon.

Ironictrout thanks for taking a look, I never noticed the Solid Snake resemblance, but that is a complement considering he's a video game icon. Stay tuned!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[maddmaestro]

So After the last photosession I had the most unfortunate accident with this piece. It fell under its own weightbuckling and forcing the support wires through the mid-section. I had a lot of work to do repair it, about six hours of non-stop sculpting. It was a pain. I had a feeling something like this might happen though, I didn't plan the armature as well as I should have. Oh well, I think it looks better now, personally. As always I am interested in hearing you thoughts, and feelings on my work, so please feel free to comment!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0726.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0722.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0723.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0727.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0728.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0732.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0735.jpg
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff337/maddmaestro/IMG_0738.jpg

[One Eyed Terror]

Good form, pose and proportions, as well as musculature.
I would suggest carefully and meticulously going over the entire piece and refining the shape of all the different aspects of it, smoothing out the rough edges, and sharpening others, will make things flow better and give it a much more realistic look.

Great looking piece so far. But a good refining, head to toe, would take an already nice piece, to the next level.

[fruitdot]

your work is starting to look really professional Siddiq, I must say I'm very impressed! :D (sorry - I'm not too good with the constructive criticism ;))

[MikeMakesModels]

That is looking actually very good :)

From a quick glance - the legs (particularly the raised one) wouldn't suffer from a bit of tweaking, and the top and bottom of the belt/waistband could do with a tightening up - might be a texture thing too though.

Looking good though: Keep us posted :)

[Wiggins]

Well this certainly did explode with detail and kinetic energy since it's inaugural post! Really captured that pose, something to be proud of, for sure.

Thanks for keeping us updated and can't wait to see this all tooled out!

[Mariahc]

good progress! I love definitive belt, I love the pose, and skin piece details are very very good! I like your work so much!

[maxblack]

Sorry to hear about the armature!. You might want to look at this for some help in that area.
http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/dvds/scu01.html
Like the way the archer is coming along Keep it up!!

[maddmaestro]

good progress! I love definitive belt, I love the pose, and skin piece details are very very good! I like your work so much!

Thank you, my friend! I look forward to seeing more of your work soon. My work is moving a bit more slowly now as I try to fine tune all the little details.

Sorry to hear about the armature!. You might want to look at this for some help in that area.
http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/dvds/scu01.html
Like the way the archer is coming along Keep it up!!

Thanks for the advice. Believe it or not I know all about making more effective armatures and stands, however I never planned this guy would be as large as he turned out. Hindsight is 20/20 after all. Anyway I fixed the problem by using a heat gun to flash cure his legs. He stands up nice and tall now! I hope to post some new pics soon!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[Bongsplat]

Wow mademaestro this looks great:)
It has a real animated feel to it,really good posture,and great work on his anatomy details.

Cant wait to see more:)

[rvbhal]

Getting better and better. Soon will have to think about the base hm?

[Nadarian]

Hey maddmaestro! I'm new on this forum and on the "fantastic world of sculpting" lol xD and I haven't seen other sculptures from you yet, but the evolution of this sculpture from the first pic from the last ones.. is amazing!

You're doing a very good work with this archer, just the tips like the one from One_Eyed_Terror about smoothing edges, like the muscles of the torso. If you smooth them they will look like real skin and flesh. Keep up the good work!

[riteguytu]

Hey Maddmaestro, any updates on this?

[Leo777888]

Hey maddmaestro,

it's my first time that I'm posting here. Made my registration just now to offer You some additional help :-))

If you like, I could support You with a lot of real field photos from archery with traditinal long bows... can also answer detailed questions regarding archery

Great work! Good action pose. In real combat noboddy would stand as stiff as sport archers are recomended to do. So dont worry to much...

maybe some very generell comments regarding a propper stand while arching...

war bows are hard to pull so advanced fighters would ever "sattle" there front shoulder as deep as posible to get maximum force flow into the body. (I can provide You with pictures.)

Normally an archer tries all the time to "form the T" means that spine and booth shoulders are ever 90° to each other and spine is ever straight. (under heavy bows this is the only way to do this "effort" more than one season...)

So due to the "T" aiming is normally only with the hip or better with the legs.

To deal with shooting up or down an Archer try to equalize with the legs. downhill means then to go down to the fore knee if its necessary. Foots are in line with shoulders. Head upright. Perfect stand gives the smalest shape when looking direct from afront. Very plain - like standing direct against a wall :-)) The triangle between both shoulders and the but shall not be distorted to the foot line....

And the shoulders blades are as close together as posible. advanced archers could easely hold a sheet of paper just with there shoulder blades.

If You would shoe the enormous tension from the bow - show a deep small grove between the shoulder blades... and heavy muscle around... (Picture possible)

Again, Please don't interprete all this general stuff as critic to Your work. I'm pretty sure than even the most advanced ancient battle archer would make a "quick & dirty sniper shot" if he has no other orportunity.

When Sabrina gave that link to the training page I only thought that sport bows are different to old stile longbows....

Sabrina is absolute right, most movies show it in a way it looks good and stylish. even Legolas was badly wipping with every shot - :-))

How about this: Maybe a little obstakle in the later set could explane the pose he had chosen to make his shot ... ???

Never the less,

Bow and arrow is an excelent choise for a dramatic pose. Now doubt! I like Your archer very much.

By the way - how do You plan to flex the bow?

I'm eeger to see Your next progress.

As I stated before - If I can provide You with anything You may need about archery... ore somebody else here around... I would like to be a new usefull member here .-))


bye, André

__________________________________________________ ______________
"The skill is all between your ears, boy!...You don't aim a bow. You think where the arrow will go, and it goes." ("Agincourt",Bernard Cornwell, a Novel about the legandary english longbow archers)

[maddmaestro]

Hey Maddmaestro, any updates on this?

Thanks alot for the support, Riteguytu! I have actually almost finished this piece, it might not be done as well as I would prefer, but it looks pretty good. Unfortunately I don't have a camera mine died, and money is too tight to replace it. Hopefully I can have a friend take some pics for me to post, stay tuned!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[maddmaestro]

Hey maddmaestro,

it's my first time that I'm posting here. Made my registration just now to offer You some additional help :-))

If you like, I could support You with a lot of real field photos from archery with traditinal long bows... can also answer detailed questions regarding archery

Great work! Good action pose. In real combat noboddy would stand as stiff as sport archers are recomended to do. So dont worry to much...



As I stated before - If I can provide You with anything You may need about archery... ore somebody else here around... I would like to be a new usefull member here .-))


bye, André

__________________________________________________ ______________
"The skill is all between your ears, boy!...You don't aim a bow. You think where the arrow will go, and it goes." ("Agincourt",Bernard Cornwell, a Novel about the legandary english longbow archers)

Thanks so much Andre, and let me welcome you to the forum! I would have loved to make use of your knowledge before, unfortunately I have baked the piece and am basically finished aside from fixing a few cracks and such. Maybe the next archer I could garner your input before I start sculpting. Do you sculpt? I would love to see your work! Take care, and thanks again!!

Siddiq
Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[riteguytu]

Thanks alot for the support, Riteguytu! I have actually almost finished this piece, it might not be done as well as I would prefer, but it looks pretty good. Unfortunately I don't have a camera mine died, and money is too tight to replace it. Hopefully I can have a friend take some pics for me to post, stay tuned!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

Argh, I hate waiting!
Wanna see, wanna see,
:aw: :aa: :an: :an: :aa:
:as: :ae: :ae:
:an: :ao: :aw: :a!: :a!: