The Energon Pub

I'm thinking about making a figure, but I have no really crafting experience outside of the little sculpting I did in school. So I'm posting this here asking people for any advice.

I'm going to be trying to mould limbs of an original character and joint them using salvaged Revoltech Revolver joints. I'm going to try to work with PolyMorph, unless anyone has any vastly better (and cheaper) suggestions.

I would like from you tips on what I should be aware of during planning and sculpting. I'll also need help with what kind of paint I should use and so on.

The specifics on the figure are:

<a href="http://meverix.deviantart.com/art/Vitra-s-Pistols-Coloured-68990618">Original Character</a>, minus the hair design, perhaps.
Female.
Clothed in shirt, (Open) leather jacket, leather pants and boots.
Shoulder Length Hair*
Around 5" tall, as with most Revoltechs.

*The hair has already been identified as a major problem as, obviously, the hair will prevent her from turning her head very far. Any suggetsions on how to combat this (without tying her hair back) would be lovely.

I'm already thinking of using the hands from another Revoltech figure for her since I seriously doubt I'd be able to sculpt any myself.

I'm going to make every joint on the figure a revolver joint rather than hinged, as I think that might take a little much planning and just isn't as cool as the aforementioned Revolver joint.

I'm using <a href="http://www.gamemelody.com/includes/templates/template_custom/images/Dante.jpg">Revoltech Dante</a> and <a href="https://www.silversnail.com/images/gold/full/action0005235.jpg">Revoltech Revy</a> as templates, learning from them how to accomplish certain effects in the clothing and such.

So <b>basically</b> I'm going to order some Polymorph when I'm sure its what I want, and begin work. Everythings at the planning stage at the moment.

Any experience, any tips, any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Techniques, points of interest, things to be warey of, all welcome.

Thanks a lot!

for the hair, how about trying to use like individual strings of like barbie type hair. might be hard to do, but it would work.

awkwaRd wrote:for the hair, how about trying to use like individual strings of like barbie type hair. might be hard to do, but it would work.

Have considered it but its certainly not popular due to barbie hair having a little too much life... I kinda want to keep the shape of the hair constant

the only other thing i can think of is shortening the hair a bit so that it can move.. but i'm sure that has already ran through your head as well. i'll keep pondering though.

I can't help you since all I've sculpted till ow is a scull and a poor Armada Prime gun, I used clay from Patex, they make glue and stuff, I don't know how much it cost in the UK cos I nicked it from my dad.

As for sculpting, I used a cheap pedicure machine, it took long but came out nicely for it's price.

I let the stuff cure in about the shape I wanted it and used the different tips of the pedicure machine to put in the details and polish it.

As for the hair, how about taking pieces of wire and then putting on the sculpting clay, leaving some spaces of the wire free so you can bend the hair?
Just an idea, never tried it.

Dead Metal wrote:I can't help you since all I've sculpted till ow is a scull and a poor Armada Prime gun, I used clay from Patex, they make glue and stuff, I don't know how much it cost in the UK cos I nicked it from my dad.

As for sculpting, I used a cheap pedicure machine, it took long but came out nicely for it's price.

I let the stuff cure in about the shape I wanted it and used the different tips of the pedicure machine to put in the details and polish it.

As for the hair, how about taking pieces of wire and then putting on the sculpting clay, leaving some spaces of the wire free so you can bend the hair?
Just an idea, never tried it.

Hm, I'm not too fond of working with clay. I want this to come out solid and without much chance of breaking and Polymorph seems to provide that.

I also don't think i have access to a pedicure machine.

As for the wirey hair... I think you're on to something there. I'm giving it some thought..

Meverix wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:I can't help you since all I've sculpted till ow is a scull and a poor Armada Prime gun, I used clay from Patex, they make glue and stuff, I don't know how much it cost in the UK cos I nicked it from my dad.

As for sculpting, I used a cheap pedicure machine, it took long but came out nicely for it's price.

I let the stuff cure in about the shape I wanted it and used the different tips of the pedicure machine to put in the details and polish it.

As for the hair, how about taking pieces of wire and then putting on the sculpting clay, leaving some spaces of the wire free so you can bend the hair?
Just an idea, never tried it.

Hm, I'm not too fond of working with clay. I want this to come out solid and without much chance of breaking and Polymorph seems to provide that.

I also don't think i have access to a pedicure machine.

As for the wirey hair... I think you're on to something there. I'm giving it some thought..

Oh no with clay I mean the stuf that you mix up (it's two different chemicels that put together form a new clay like substance that leaves you like 5 to 60 mins to model it, then it becomes rock hard) it's basecly modeling clay.

As for pedicure machines, just have a look throe poundland and cheap shops like that, I found mine in one of those.

good luck man.

Dead Metal wrote:

Meverix wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:I can't help you since all I've sculpted till ow is a scull and a poor Armada Prime gun, I used clay from Patex, they make glue and stuff, I don't know how much it cost in the UK cos I nicked it from my dad.

As for sculpting, I used a cheap pedicure machine, it took long but came out nicely for it's price.

I let the stuff cure in about the shape I wanted it and used the different tips of the pedicure machine to put in the details and polish it.

As for the hair, how about taking pieces of wire and then putting on the sculpting clay, leaving some spaces of the wire free so you can bend the hair?
Just an idea, never tried it.

Hm, I'm not too fond of working with clay. I want this to come out solid and without much chance of breaking and Polymorph seems to provide that.

I also don't think i have access to a pedicure machine.

As for the wirey hair... I think you're on to something there. I'm giving it some thought..

Oh no with clay I mean the stuf that you mix up (it's two different chemicels that put together form a new clay like substance that leaves you like 5 to 60 mins to model it, then it becomes rock hard) it's basecly modeling clay.

As for pedicure machines, just have a look throe poundland and cheap shops like that, I found mine in one of those.

good luck man.

Oh THAT clay, don't they use that to make custom Warhammer figures?

PolyMorph is a Thermoplastic, I'll have as long as I want to mould it and when I'm done I just leave it to cool. Since this is my first ever attempt, I'll need as much time as possible to sculpt

Yes they do use it for them figures, ah a thermoplastic, cool.

Dead Metal wrote:

Meverix wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:I can't help you since all I've sculpted till ow is a scull and a poor Armada Prime gun, I used clay from Patex, they make glue and stuff, I don't know how much it cost in the UK cos I nicked it from my dad.

As for sculpting, I used a cheap pedicure machine, it took long but came out nicely for it's price.

I let the stuff cure in about the shape I wanted it and used the different tips of the pedicure machine to put in the details and polish it.

As for the hair, how about taking pieces of wire and then putting on the sculpting clay, leaving some spaces of the wire free so you can bend the hair?
Just an idea, never tried it.

Hm, I'm not too fond of working with clay. I want this to come out solid and without much chance of breaking and Polymorph seems to provide that.

I also don't think i have access to a pedicure machine.

As for the wirey hair... I think you're on to something there. I'm giving it some thought..

Oh no with clay I mean the stuf that you mix up (it's two different chemicels that put together form a new clay like substance that leaves you like 5 to 60 mins to model it, then it becomes rock hard) it's basecly modeling clay.

As for pedicure machines, just have a look throe poundland and cheap shops like that, I found mine in one of those.

good luck man.

What do you call this clay stuff made up of mixing 2 parts? Where can i buy that?

Auto Bot wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:

Meverix wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:I can't help you since all I've sculpted till ow is a scull and a poor Armada Prime gun, I used clay from Patex, they make glue and stuff, I don't know how much it cost in the UK cos I nicked it from my dad.

As for sculpting, I used a cheap pedicure machine, it took long but came out nicely for it's price.

I let the stuff cure in about the shape I wanted it and used the different tips of the pedicure machine to put in the details and polish it.

As for the hair, how about taking pieces of wire and then putting on the sculpting clay, leaving some spaces of the wire free so you can bend the hair?
Just an idea, never tried it.

Hm, I'm not too fond of working with clay. I want this to come out solid and without much chance of breaking and Polymorph seems to provide that.

I also don't think i have access to a pedicure machine.

As for the wirey hair... I think you're on to something there. I'm giving it some thought..

Oh no with clay I mean the stuf that you mix up (it's two different chemicels that put together form a new clay like substance that leaves you like 5 to 60 mins to model it, then it becomes rock hard) it's basecly modeling clay.

As for pedicure machines, just have a look throe poundland and cheap shops like that, I found mine in one of those.

good luck man.

What do you call this clay stuff made up of mixing 2 parts? Where can i buy that?

Putty, hobby shops and arts and crafts shops, or the internet, just google it.

Dead Metal wrote:

Auto Bot wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:

Meverix wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:I can't help you since all I've sculpted till ow is a scull and a poor Armada Prime gun, I used clay from Patex, they make glue and stuff, I don't know how much it cost in the UK cos I nicked it from my dad.

As for sculpting, I used a cheap pedicure machine, it took long but came out nicely for it's price.

I let the stuff cure in about the shape I wanted it and used the different tips of the pedicure machine to put in the details and polish it.

As for the hair, how about taking pieces of wire and then putting on the sculpting clay, leaving some spaces of the wire free so you can bend the hair?
Just an idea, never tried it.

Hm, I'm not too fond of working with clay. I want this to come out solid and without much chance of breaking and Polymorph seems to provide that.

I also don't think i have access to a pedicure machine.

As for the wirey hair... I think you're on to something there. I'm giving it some thought..

Oh no with clay I mean the stuf that you mix up (it's two different chemicels that put together form a new clay like substance that leaves you like 5 to 60 mins to model it, then it becomes rock hard) it's basecly modeling clay.

As for pedicure machines, just have a look throe poundland and cheap shops like that, I found mine in one of those.

good luck man.

What do you call this clay stuff made up of mixing 2 parts? Where can i buy that?

Putty, hobby shops and arts and crafts shops, or the internet, just google it.

Thanks.

Meverix wrote:I'm going to try to work with PolyMorph, unless anyone has any vastly better (and cheaper) suggestions.

There's a sculpting material in England called PolyMorph...
1. Where do I buy it?
2. How much does it cost?
3. Why has there been no similar posts made by any other Red Dwarf fans??? The Smeg-heads are getting lazy!

Good luck with your build, sorry I cant help more but I've never tried something like this, I just noticed the humorously named sculpting material.
But seriously, where do I get some XD

Justicity wrote:

Meverix wrote:I'm going to try to work with PolyMorph, unless anyone has any vastly better (and cheaper) suggestions.

There's a sculpting material in England called PolyMorph...
1. Where do I buy it?
2. How much does it cost?
3. Why has there been no similar posts made by any other Red Dwarf fans??? The Smeg-heads are getting lazy!

Good luck with your build, sorry I cant help more but I've never tried something like this, I just noticed the humorously named sculpting material.
But seriously, where do I get some XD

Teehee, yeah I was a bit "hm" about the name of it.

I'm getting it off eBay for about £10 for 100g I think. I haven't actually bought any yet but its there.

Meverix wrote:

Justicity wrote:

Meverix wrote:I'm going to try to work with PolyMorph, unless anyone has any vastly better (and cheaper) suggestions.

There's a sculpting material in England called PolyMorph...
1. Where do I buy it?
2. How much does it cost?
3. Why has there been no similar posts made by any other Red Dwarf fans??? The Smeg-heads are getting lazy!

Good luck with your build, sorry I cant help more but I've never tried something like this, I just noticed the humorously named sculpting material.
But seriously, where do I get some XD

Teehee, yeah I was a bit "hm" about the name of it.

I'm getting it off eBay for about £10 for 100g I think. I haven't actually bought any yet but its there.

Darnet! I'll have a look round next time I go art supply shopping. Thanks anyway ^^

Drew up some sketches, detailing obviously how the figure looks and where the joints will be located.

I know the perspective is off in the second picture but you get the idea.

Cool, can't wait to see what it looks like once it's finished.

For a LOT more info on non TF type action figures, check out my pals over at figurerealm

They have a pile of info & tutorials and a few thousand customs to look over:
http://www.figurerealm.com/customtutorial.php
http://www.figurerealm.com/ViewCustoms.php?SORT=NEW

My main hobby is customizing Marvel Legends figures, but I like to work with TFs quite a bit as well.

The revoltech stuff is pretty sweet. I have the girl Revy, and a couple bots, but there are a LOT more parts available in the 6 inch ML scale to create your fig.

For sculpting a lot of the guys use Apoxie Sculpt or Fixit Sculpt (also by Apoxie). I don't know about the UK but I buy it online here in the US, It is a 2-part self hardening clay. Awesome stuff!

Good luck with your figure!

rpetras wrote:For a LOT more info on non TF type action figures, check out my pals over at figurerealm

They have a pile of info & tutorials and a few thousand customs to look over:
http://www.figurerealm.com/customtutorial.php
http://www.figurerealm.com/ViewCustoms.php?SORT=NEW

My main hobby is customizing Marvel Legends figures, but I like to work with TFs quite a bit as well.

The revoltech stuff is pretty sweet. I have the girl Revy, and a couple bots, but there are a LOT more parts available in the 6 inch ML scale to create your fig.

For sculpting a lot of the guys use Apoxie Sculpt or Fixit Sculpt (also by Apoxie). I don't know about the UK but I buy it online here in the US, It is a 2-part self hardening clay. Awesome stuff!

Good luck with your figure!

You, sir, are my new best friend! I've been looking for a site to help me sculpt and paint for ages with no luck.

Thanks a heap!

Glad I could help.

Hope to see some of your stuff over there soon!