Armature Tips

[Pennywise]

Last night I tried to start my first sculpture. I started making the armature, and realised that it was a lot harder then I thought. I think my main problems are the materials I am working with. I bought some 30 mm wire at a hardware store, it was pretty much all I could find and I tried using that. My biggest problem was on th joints. What are some tips for attaching sections together, like the legs to the spine, or the arms to the spine. I tried to use some of the sculpy on these areas and it did not seem to work well. After that I wrapped aluminum foil arond it to bulk it up some. When that was done and i started to cover it in sculpy it keep falling over and coming apart Any one have any tips for a total beginner.

[Darkside]

I´d like to know that too :)

[egerie]

I don't know much about concept maquettes but have experience with regular clay, plaster, black concrete, (heavy!) materials so can give only limited advice..
Do you want to bake your limbs separately ? If not, try to make the armature out of a single pieces of wire instead of going modular. Your armature is what's going to take most of your time spent on a piece. A careful planning of the armature is key too. I use to work with stuff ranging from hanger wires to aluminum rods, steel beams, plastic plumbing tubing (PVC), regular wire, chicken fence, .. anything that would hold the weight of the material while still being sturdy if I have to move it around.
If the point of your armature is to make joints, I think there are a few good websites about it on the net. Unfortunately, I don't have the URL here at work. good luck !

[alexvez]

:nohope:

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18287

Its all I have to say

[KoBold]

"Doing a Human body armature"
http://www.iespana.es/alterton/Needham/2bit.htm

Some good general sculpting links:
http://www.theclubhouse1.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=9
http://www.sculptorscorner.goregoregore.com/
http://www.glassattic.com/

I hope you're not actually using "sculpey" to do a sculpture.
Super sculpey, premo, kato, and a few others... yes; regular sculpey and sculpey3... no!

[Pennywise]

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18287
Yeah I read that a little while after I posted this message. Great tutorial, it helped a lot I think.

Kobold Thats for the links I am checking them out now.

I hope you're not actually using "sculpey" to do a sculpture.
No I am using Super Sculpey

[Tully]

I've used Petey's tip of plumber's epoxy putty. It comes in a tube and is a dark grey ring around a cylinder of light grey (or vice versa.. I've seen them both ways). A plumbing supply store or even a regular hardware store with a big plumbing section should have it. You'll need to hold it for 5 minutes or so while it sets up, but after that should should be able to knock it around and have it hold (though I wouldn't actually recommend doing that). Good luck.