The London Bobby

[John Everett]

How great is this character!



I bought some smaller versions of my standard silicone sculpting tools. These small tools get into the tight spaces with much more finesse than the sharpened metal spears I had been using in confined spots.


The epoxy putty core takes shape over a wire frame from a heavy gauge paper clip. I've used lots of types of wire for armatures and for convenience, stiffness and ubiquitousness, nothing beats a paper clip.


Shoes will mostly be covered by pant legs. I'll add the laces with stretched sprue (Branigan technique) once the sculpting phase is complete.

[Shaun Symonds]

Hi John
Nice subject , Nice pose & a nice start.

Shaun

[Justin Wooding]

Hi John,

I really like this! You make it look so easy too, easy enough to be inspired to have a go, but somehow i think there is more to it than meets the eye. I have a diorama hatching in my head in which i will need a couple of Men In Black............ yes the Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith characters

One of my favourite expressions is....'If it doesn't look right, then it probably isn't!'. I'm sure you would go by that theory in your sculpting?

Well done mate, watching your sculpts come to life is very cool

[Shawn Ramsey]

Nice start John and which part of the country is this one taking shape?

Shawn

[Milan Mynar]

I admire everybody, who is able to do it.

[Justin Wooding]

Hi John, how is Bobby Bob coming along?

[John Everett]

Hi John, how is Bobby Bob coming along?

I admire everybody, who is able to do it.

Oh yeah. I had forgotten I posted this here. I finished the right leg about a week ago. Maybe I'll try to get the other leg finished today or during my next trip. The top coat will be the most difficult. I take that back. Doing the hands crossed over his back will be the most difficult.

But I think the helmet/hat will begin as a US infantry helmet. The overall shape at the base is about correct. The hat will need to be kept separate from the face in case some modelers would want to use a Hornet head.

I'll see about getting a picture up before the day is out.

[John Everett]

Finally got around to posting pictures of the latest progress.






Pockets and topside to go.




These are some other ideas I'm considering:
The Slouchers


I'll know I've graduated to a new level when I could pull this off.

[John Everett]

Hi John,

I really like this! You make it look so easy too, easy enough to be inspired to have a go, but somehow i think there is more to it than meets the eye.

Well done mate, watching your sculpts come to life is very cool

Thanks, Woody.

Yes and no. I've found over the last years that about half of sculpting is having good tools and the other half is in the knowing how to use them. There's the technical side of "putty X behaves thusly with solvent Y" and "the distance from the elbow to the shoulder is..."
But then there is the immovable obstacle of raw experience. You can buy all the very best art books ever written and until you put tools-to-medium you're no better off. We all know this from painting figures. Sculpting is no different.
I always say that your first dozen figures will be shite. But your 13th will be perfect. This is as true in paint as it is in putty.
If you think you might like to have a go.............Then go! Don't look back! For the cost of a good kit you can buy everything you need to start producing your own figures.

[Justin Wooding]

Thanks John, i have a couple of projects for the future in which i will have to modify or scratch build figures. Your advice is sound, just have a go. The worst that can happen is i waste a lump of putty