Humanoid sculpture (finished!)

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

So, my last critter was far enough out there that I was taking anatomical shortcuts, and that's sloppy. So I thought I'd do a humanoid.

I don't have a particular vision for this character yet. It's a guy walking with a stick. He might be Stilgar, he might be a partyer in the Walking Tower of Uub, or he might turn out to be something else altogether. The point is to make a creature with real-life anatomy so I can see my mistakes.

As such, I welcome hardcore criticism of the anatomy as it progresses.

And, I'm sad to say, I already know his head's too big. I got it the right size, THEN I laid Super Sculpey Firm over the surface. I tried to do it thinly, but the whole head's maybe 3cm tall.

I'll put the most recent progress pic in this post, then I'll put the process in the next post. That way, the current pic won't be out of context.

[RyanKing360]

It's looking good!

I did the same thing. All 3 of my sculptures were creatures. I think it's time for me to sculpt something that is more humanoid too.

Are you using Sculpey Firm?

[agrmrs]

very nice blocking mate ......keep it up :)

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

Let's start with a mistake!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%201/IMG_4852.jpg
It turns out that little wire isn't enough to hold the guy in place during modeling.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%201/IMG_4854.jpg
Those proportions are wrong. When making an armature, I have now learned to make the torso shorter than you think and the legs longer than you think. I was seeing the crotch as the defining feature, but of course that's quite a bit lower than the pelvis, which is what the armature models..

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%201/IMG_4855.jpg
See?

So, let's move on to some successes.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%202/IMG_4863.jpg
First, we give some real teeth for the armature:base joint.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%202/IMG_4864.jpg
... and we make it a tight fit.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%202/IMG_4865.jpg
... and we epoxy it into place. Flexi-Zap really doesn't work well here.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%202/IMG_4884.jpg
... and we start to build up, first with rib cage, then with muscles.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%202/IMG_4887.jpg
Then we think it would be cool if the guy had a stick.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%202/IMG_4888.jpg
The back of the leg is built up quite a bit so the heel can be off the ground. I'm not having much luck with this illusion. I'd like some advice on this matter. Currently (though I don't think you can see it in any of these pics) you can see the armature under the foot.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%202/IMG_4892.jpg
Keep building up muscle...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%202/IMG_4896.jpg
Giving the guy a head...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%202/IMG_4898.jpg
Roughing in a face. This is Firm over a Firm/Super blend. It makes a huge difference in being able to give it features and then not smudge them every time I reposition the head.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%202/IMG_4901.jpg
With the head repositioned so the poor guy doesn't look so tense, and face modeled some more.

I think I probably should have made finger armatures. It's going to be tough getting hands to stay on those stumps. Maybe I'll make some of music wire and epoxy them into place.

Great googly moogly, this is fun. I mean, designing games and books and corporate identities is fun almost all the time, but this is 100% fun.

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

It's looking good!

I did the same thing. All 3 of my sculptures were creatures. I think it's time for me to sculpt something that is more humanoid too.

Are you using Sculpey Firm?

Most of it is a ~50/50 Super/Firm blend, but things that need definition like facial features are Firm.

Agrmrs, thanks!

[Bongsplat]

Looks good Joshua:)

Although its still very early on, you can really see the form taking shape.

Nice work:)

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

Refinement of the torso:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%203/IMG_4903.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%203/IMG_4904.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%203/IMG_4907.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%203/IMG_4908.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%203/IMG_4909.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%203/IMG_4911.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%203/IMG_4913.jpg

I've decided to do the hands separately so they won't be destroyed while other parts are being manipulated. I made little armatures of picture wire:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4922.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4929.jpg

I think the right one is going to be done simply. It doesn't need to be as complex as the left if it's going to be a fist (since it'll be holding the walking stick), and I'm hitting armature a lot as I work on the left hand:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4929.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4930.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4931.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4933.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4932.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4935.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4934.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4942.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4939.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4949.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4945.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4956.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4953.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4966.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%204%20%28hand%29/IMG_4967.jpg

It seems obvious now, but making the thumb be single-thickness wire and the pinky be double was kinda dumb. It's been hard to keep the thumb still, and the pinky's thick.

That said, I'm very pleased with the way this is coming out.

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

Quickie update!

Total time on this hand is probably 8-9 hours.

[Mah ' Crub]

Looking good! As you have no doubt figured out for yourself by now, sculpture is a long and tedious labor of love, that you just have to push through.
Although I personally, have never had to push something the size of a watermelon through a hole, the size of an egg, I can quite ignorantly make the analogy of sculpture, being like giving birth. In the loosest of terms, of course.

Mah ' Crub

[Mah ' Crub]

Looking good! As you have no doubt figured out for yourself by now, sculpture is a long and tedious labor of love, that you just have to push through.
Although I personally, have never had to push something the size of a watermelon through a hole, the size of an egg, I can quite ignorantly make the analogy of sculpture, being like giving birth. In the loosest of terms, of course.

Mah ' Crub

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

There is so far absolutely nothing tedious here. It's a wonderful, meditative process. I have to remind myself to go work on client work, go look at the sunshine, or eat.

I've never pursued sculpture at all, and have only made a handful of sculpture-things in my life. I've sort of been avoiding it, I think. But holy crap, this is fun. Speaking of giving birth, it's a lot like sex. Like, "Ahh. THIS is what I should be doing all the time."

You know, until you get raw.

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

So, I did that again for the other hand!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%205%20%28right%20hand%29/IMG_5060.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%205%20%28right%20hand%29/IMG_5064.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%205%20%28right%20hand%29/IMG_5065.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%205%20%28right%20hand%29/IMG_5090.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%205%20%28right%20hand%29/IMG_5091.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%205%20%28right%20hand%29/IMG_5087.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Phase%205%20%28right%20hand%29/IMG_5089.jpg

Now we're gonna have to get back to the body. I've had a lot of fun with these hands. They're probably about 20 hours, together.

[maddmaestro]

Looking good I can't wait to see the details beginning to pop out of this guy! Keep on putting love into him and he's bound to shine!!!

Maddmaestro:afroboy:

[Deon]

Thanks for the detailed photos!
Keep at it, I think its gonna look great!!

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

I got distracted, but now he's finished! There's no real story to this guy. I figured out, post-baking, what caused some of the weaknesses in the anatomy: his right shoulder doesn't follow the reach of his right arm, for instance. If you see other things that don't look right and have good references to help me, please let me know!

Ugh. The uploader's not working for me. I'll link them.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5830.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5831.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5837.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5821.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5822.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5823.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5824.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5825.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5826.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5827.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5828.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1392732/Humanoid%20sculpture/Final/IMG_5829.jpg

[coddit]

As I'm still pretty much beginner level I found it really interesting seeing the process that you go through. Thanks very much for posting this it's always good to see other people's working outs as it helps with my own learning curve.

I like the hands by the way, watching them develop was very helpful.

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

Glad to help! I'm a beginner, myself. Near as I can tell, the secret is doing the best you can, finishing, then doing the next thing the best you can. I got stuck for a while there, frustrated with the complex overlapping muscles of the thighs, then realized that I should just go for it and do better next time. I'm unhappy with the right shoulder in particular, though I know what I did wrong, and the muscles of the back are technically correct in every sense I can see from the reference material, but they sure don't look right.

So next time, I'll see if I can improve it.

Next critter's a weird-looking dinosaur called an isisaurus (http://z.about.com/d/dinosaurs/1/0/-/4/-/-/isisaurus.jpg). I'm probably going to alternate between weird critters and more easily anatomically interrogable people and animals, since the last one was an alien critter.

(Apropos nothing, I'm curious what this smiley is for: :oneye:)

[aadi]

its, looking good best of luck