Blitz AFS Fireman Bust Sculpt ,1-10 scale

[Neil Merryweather]

Certainly not a novice Neil.Sculpting is one of the hardest disciplines to master.The guys at top if their game have done it for years to hone their techniques.I sure wish i had started earlier but with 3.d stuff more prevalent i think it puts some of us off.At times i think i just cant be arsed to devote time to what i do.Im just starting to enjoy things again.Thankfully i sculpted a lot during the first lockdown.
Keep the faith bud.
Richard

Thats very kind Richard. Glad to hear you are back enjoying it, too.
I've just seen a digitally sculpted RAF Pilot bust over on Planet Figure that makes me want to give up altogether. I've had a few attempts at it myself but it's just beyond me.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Hi Neil
Your determination and ingenuity does you proud. It is looking excellent.
Jim

cheers Jim, I am quite pleased so far-it's one of my better efforts.

 

[Richard48]

Thats very kind Richard. Glad to hear you are back enjoying it, too.
I've just seen a digitally sculpted RAF Pilot bust over on Planet Figure that makes me want to give up altogether. I've had a few attempts at it myself but it's just beyond me.

Trouble with some 3d stuff Neil is it lacks character and some of the sculpts appear stilted and robot like.Its great for weapons and equipment but many like the traditional wet sculpting.There is a place for all i feel,Dont give up as the head you sculpted is particularly good and there are many who shy away from sculpting but at times i find it quite theraputic and relaxing but frustrating as well.Its a case of if you look at something and its not quite right then go again.At least with sculpting you dont end up losing lots like with an expensive kit at 50 pounds plus.Its nice to see other sculptors here as i have very little contact with others and most seem not that interested in what we do.
Chin up Carruthers.
Rich

 

[Steve Jones]

Wonderful bust Neil. Luvin your work

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Wonderful bust Neil. Luvin your work

cheers Steve.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

I’m calling him done.

I’ve been absent this week because I didn’t see the value in blogging any more of my failures.
I struggled a bit with the buttons but I got there in the end. It would have been quicker to just make them all individually. but I have at least invented a new use for UV curing glue!
The respirator hooks were a challenge until I hit on the idea of filling in around some bent copper wire.
I wasn’t happy with the oilcloth veil/hood, so I did it again, and again-I had 3 attempts before I was happy. I tried another Duro version and a really terrible silver foil version.

I couldn’t use the Bees Putty because I knew the 3D-printed helmet would melt in the oven, so I decided to make a Milliput mould of the inside of the helmet then a car body filler cast of that, which I then used to model the veil in-situ.

He looked like he'd just stepped out of 'Fiddler on the Roof', but it did the job. I wasn’t happy with the end result, though. I just couldn’t get the drapery right AND the texture. So I tried a different approach by using the crumpled greaseproof paper I was using to impress the texture.
I need it to stay rigid because I want to mould it, so I hardened it with two coats of this (other wet-rot treatments are available, I’m sure)

I think it’s the same as clear dope for model aeroplanes, actually.

I thickened the whole thing up (for moulding) from the inside with my new best friend, the UV fly-tying resin glue, and then added a second layer of crumpled greaseproof paper for the texture of the inside surface, which also got ‘The Tetrion Treatment’.

I nearly forgot the screw on the top of the helmet, for which I used half a lead fishing line weight.

Anyway, here he is, my first ever bust, all ready for rubber (Steady, the Buffs!)


The plinth, by the way, is 3D-printed in PLA on an FDM machine at extra fine resolution (0.06mm build layer).
It’s had a coat of Halford’s High-Build Primer-Filler to fill in the layering, a rub down with 600 wet & Dry and another coat of primer filler. It just needs a coat of gloss before I mould it.

Thanks for looking

Neil

 

[Tim Marlow]

That looks splendid Neil. Hope the casting is trouble free.....

 

[Jim R]

Hi Neil
All credit for your inventiveness. Wood hardener - who'd have thought about that It is all coming together really well.
Jim

 

[Steve Brodie]

thats bloody awesome !

 

[Neil Merryweather]

That looks splendid Neil. Hope the casting is trouble free.....

Cheers Tim- you know it won't be!

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Hi Neil
All credit for your inventiveness. Wood hardener - who'd have thought about that It is all coming together really well.
Jim

Thanks alot Jim. I used it once to harden the edges of a contour model made of layers of card. It made it like a piece of plywood so that I could sand it square.
Recommended

 

[Neil Merryweather]

thats bloody awesome !

How very kind,sir!

 

[adt70hk]

Neil

That is quite simply spectacular. Very, very well done on where you've got to so far!!

ATB

Andrew

 

[wotan]

Bravo Neil, a very handsome result. Lots of inventiveness in the construction, I hope it casts well.

John

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Neil

That is quite simply spectacular. Very, very well done on where you've got to so far!!

ATB

Andrew

Thank you Andrew

Bravo Neil, a very handsome result. Lots of inventiveness in the construction, I hope it casts well.

John

Cheers John, much appreciated, coming from the man who did Yoda!

 

[Richard48]

Now thats a feast for the eye Neil.Really looks great in my opinion.Should be proud of this one indeed.I might need your help soon mate.Carry on sculpting and keeping us figure lot company.
Rich

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Brilliant Neil. A lovely bit of work. Good luck with the casting.

 

[NickT]

" Awesome "

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Now thats a feast for the eye Neil.Really looks great in my opinion.Should be proud of this one indeed.I might need your help soon mate.Carry on sculpting and keeping us figure lot company.
Rich

Thanks a lot Richard,
As for the help-I'm intrigued but feel free

Brilliant Neil. A lovely bit of work. Good luck with the casting.

Thank you Peter, fingers crossed

" Awesome "

Cheers Nick, I'll take Awesome

 

[Neil Merryweather]

I need to report a slight delay in getting to the moulding process...
The photos showed up a weird profile of the Brodie helmet, so I decided to tweak it.

I tweaked the digital model and printed a new one- you can clearly see the build layers here which will have to be sanded away.

I've not only removed the bulge but I've sharpened the junction between the crown and the brim. I couldn't completely eliminate the flat on the top, so I had to resort to filler for that.
When I've sanded that down he will get a hefty coat of primer-filler and a rub-down. Then I will have to re-do the helmet veil attachment, but hopefully just the bit around the brim.
I used the failed helmet veil as a jig to position the helmet on the head correctly, so with luck I won't have to re-make that....
Fingers crossed again.
Such cliff-hangers, who'd have thought it in plastic modelling?
Thanks for looking
Neil