WETA-process

[jdeegz]

Hey guys,

I'm really interested in sculpture as of this past semester, and was wondering if anyone had ever looked at WETA's work? Its truly inspiring.

Does anyone know of any similar companies and more importantly ways to go about doing this type of work? Materials, tools, processes. Any information is of much value!
Thanks!

[Mordus]

First of all, understand that Weta is la creme de la creme. Their visionary sculpts are far beyond the artistic reach of most of us mundane beings. But I can hazard a few guesses:
Sculpts destined for use in character/creature design are most often Super Sculpey over a wire armature. Quite often a final design maquette from which all other versions are derived will be created after a long period of conceptual design. Sculpting is more common in the film industry rather than the games world due to the tighter deadlines in game-design, which rarely allow for the complex maquette process.

[Raoul Duke]

I think WETA is the last of the mohecans. Stan Winston kicked the bucket and now everything is CG:( I hope practical effects come back.

Here are some links
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=10
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=71836
http://www.milesteves.com/
http://www.schellstudio.com/about.php
http://www.eldritchdesign.com/process.html

[Waipunga]

WETA is huge! Take it from one who knows........... they do everything, quite literally.

OK Mate, name a process. Better still name what you would like as an outcome. Start from the top : which one holds your interest right now and I will see if I can help out.

[jdeegz]

well sweet! thanks for the replies!

Wai - how abouttheir armor, any idea on what materials they are building these suits with? I am thinking more sci-fi oriented, sharp angles and smooth material
are they using styrene? if so how are they joining and bending, etc.

Gimmie all you got! :D

[Koji Bryant]

Sculpting is more common in the film industry rather than the games world due to the tighter deadlines in game-design, which rarely allow for the complex maquette process.

Disagree. But you probably meant sculpting with analog materials than digital ones.

You just have to check out the works in Zbrush, Mudbox, 3dCoat, Sculptris forums to see that digital sculptors are capable of complex sculpting as well as their trad only counterparts.

[jdeegz]

koji, this thread is about traditional sculpting, not digital, so when he was referring to sculpting i am sure he meant to clay and other materials rather than software :D

[Meloncov]

Wai - how abouttheir armor, any idea on what materials they are building these suits with? I am thinking more sci-fi oriented, sharp angles and smooth material
are they using styrene? if so how are they joining and bending, etc.


I can't speak for the sci-fi stuff, but I know that the weapons and armor in LoTR were blacksmithed from actual steel, then cast in plastic for reproduction and use in actual filming.

[Koji Bryant]

koji, this thread is about traditional sculpting, not digital, so when he was referring to sculpting i am sure he meant to clay and other materials rather than software :D

He mentioned use of sculpture in video games and movies.

:asspat:

[Waipunga]

OK Mate. Let's begin.
Body Armour.

Steel fabrication. Quite simply sheet metal work using all the old school methods of panel beating. The way they used to make cars etc. Best thing for you would be to find one of those old-timers and learn as much from them as you can. Then also learn all you can about welding, brazing and riveting.

Fiberglass. Same methods used as in making boats etc. Make up the master, spray it with release aid, take a fiberglass mould of it, then layer directly into the mould, glass and resin. Fast and stinky but can be very effective.

Fittings initially created in wax, molds taken and then cast in white metal or bronze. Once perfect, more molds are taken and then they are cast in resin to be fitted on to the fiberglass or leather armour and painted up.

Leather, all types, all methods from layering, cold wet molding, hot water moulding etc. Stitched, riveted, bound, laced or whatever is required for the correct look.

OK Here is something you can have a go at. Not too expensive and a hell of a lot of fun.

First design yourself a cool looking helmet.

Go find a foam polystyrene head from the local clothing store. Measure your own head and if necessary add foam to the head by glueing strips of polystyrene onto the existing head with small nails and PVA white glue. If too big then sand it down with some 80 grit paper. Once dried, pull the nails out and sand the head to shape. Take the time and make up a good solid stand for it with plenty of weight. Such makes life so much simpler.

Then make up a leather padded skull cap which fits you nicely. (Find a local leather worker and learn as much as you can from them)

Put that on the head and cover it with food wrap and tape. Make up a smooth mix of your PVA white glue & water and cover the entire head & let it dry (this will be your release aid), then go buy some fiberglass cloth and whatever two pot epoxy resin is available. I generally get the best one I can find which is West System.

Get an apron/coveralls, a box of disposable gloves, and a good quality face mask 'cause you will need them! Then in a nice airy place cut your cloth into strips about 50mm wide (ordinary scissors) and mix up maybe half a small cup of the glue. (Only mix enough glue to use immeadiately and keep your quantities to a minimum. The stuff is exothermic, too much mixed at once it gets hellish hot!) Paint the glue (I just use my glove covered hands) onto the head and then layer the fiberglass cloth one layer at a time onto the head pushing down on the cloth to make the glue come through each layer. Let it cure and sand it smooth before the next layer. Alternate the layers at 90 degrees to each other. This will ensure strength.

Yes it will take you a couple of days to get the six or so layers you need over the piece and yes it is hellish messy at first, but once you have the basics under your belt you can make some cool shit. Once you have the helm, you can then add whatever you want by building it up with foam and fiberglass, then sanding it completely smooth or texturing it, whatever floats you boat. Work around the eye holes and the entire rim of the helmet adding additional bulk/rounded edging as required. Then it is just a case of the normal paint methods etc to finish it off.

The great trick with the foam head is that if it does not come out easily you can just rip it to pieces from the inside out. But having said that the best idea is to take your time and come up with a simple design for the first one.

OK When sanding or working the fiberglass always wear your protective kit. If you do get fiberglass fibres on exposed skin first dust it off and then wash it off with cold water and soap. Don't use hot water. Hot water opens up the skins pores and the fibre just slips right on in. Irritation! Not nice.

Have fun............... go hard! Cheers

[Mordus]

Disagree. But you probably meant sculpting with analog materials than digital ones.

You just have to check out the works in Zbrush, Mudbox, 3dCoat, Sculptris forums to see that digital sculptors are capable of complex sculpting as well as their trad only counterparts.

Indeed, it was analog sculpting I was referencing. I am well aware of the tremendous amount of work done in digital applications.

[jdeegz]

:D Wai you the best!

I've got a friend working on a fiberglass bathtub right now for her sculpture final, ima pick her brain on it!

And another friend just made a helmet out of bronze, haha heavy as shit but still rad.

thanks for the jump off point dude.

[Waipunga]

Hey no seat Man, very happy to help out. Heavy helmets! Oh yeah AI have made a couple of those :-) Seriously funny trying to drink piss with a 6.5 kg piece of bronze on my head and wearing only a toga!

[Waipunga]

OK how to make a rough serviceable armored jacket.

Go to the local Opportunity shop (or where ever you can buy cheap used clothing.) Find the cheapest real leather jacket or coat that fits you.

Find a manikin that is on it's way to the rubbish tip.

Go to the local sheet metal workers or car panel beaters and buy a couple of small sheets of the thinnest black (not galvanised) steel they have. But you may like the zinc look and if so go for the galvanised steel. Thinner the better.

Find a source of leather strip about 30mm wide and maybe 2mm thick.

You will need:
Leather hole punch
Preferably a drill press with some 1.5mm drill bits (any electric drill will do but a press is so much easier.)
Roll of waxed thread
Needle for the thread.
Tin snips
Smooth cut file
Paper
Measuring tape or rule
Markers, preferably chalk (easier to get off!)
Paper

OK here's what you do:

Design a "scale" preferably no more then 50mm at its widest and maybe 100 long. Can be rectangular, rounded, flat top tear drop.......... whatever shape you like as long as it is symmetrical. Make a template of your chosen shape.

Remove all the lining from the coat. With newspaper pack out the mannequin so the jacket is just snug when on it. Put it on the mannequin. If it has a zipper then zip it closed and stitch the top so it can't come apart but make sure you can still get it over your head!! If it has buttons then remove them and sew it closed.

Right, now you need to attach the strips of leather around the jacket to create a whole series of bands spaced at about 80 mm apart. You need to create a nice even overlap of the scales so take your time on this and get it right. Go find one of the local seamstresses and learn about stitching from them. Tell them what you want to do and be amazed at how helpful some of these people can be! Or they will be dip-shits in which case find someone else! Stitch the bands along their top edge. A running stitch is just fine. Do the same with the sleeves as well.

OK then cut out hundreds of scales from your steel. You can determine the number by measuring the lengths of your bands and then dividing the measurement Take your time and get them all the same, File the edges so they will not cut you and then drill two holes at the top of each for stitching them onto the bands. For the ones that you will use around the collar, hem and ends of the sleeves, drill a single hole in the bottom end centre as well. Make sure that you get rid of the sharp edges around the drill holes. Easiest way of doing it is with a bigger drill to just take the feather off and ever so slightly countersink the holes.

Start assembling from the hems and sleeve ends. Attach each one with a couple of stitches onto the lower part of each band. With the ones at the hem and sleeve ends stitch them through the single bottom holes as well so that they will not move. You don't have to do this for the main hem but it is good to fix them at the sleeve ends. Do one full band and move up to the next. With the second row up you will need to step the scales across so that they cover the butt joints of those below just like how shingles are put on a house. Repeat the process until it is all done. You can have fun with the design of course and make larger plates and such for the shoulders but once you get into the project it will tell you what is needed. Once finished you can let the whole thing rust or whatever floats you boat. Once you have the colouration you want then seal it with beeswax (the old method) or spray a sealant over it all.

Have fun. Cheers S