Friday 7 August 2009

Rock Star Revealed


And so here we are....with a rock star...of sorts lol.

This guy really knew how he wanted to look and would not do as he was told.

Still, I have to say for my first baked head I am very pleased with him.

Considering he was made with clay that was far too overworked as it was only my practice head, was different colors because I kept picking it from the wrong batch and was filthy dirty I am amazed he looks like he does. I never intended on baking this head...like I say I was just playing and getting the feel for the clay. But I think he is good enough to deserve the dignity of being given a body and dressed.

No, he doesn't look as I had in my head and yes he is full of mistakes...but he is mine. My hands shaped him, baked him, colored him and gave him hair. I basically watched him come to life in my hands. Just start calling me Geppetto :-)

If you have never tried to sculpt a human then you probably think I have lost my mind but I am hoping all you sculptors out there understand what I am saying.

We laughed, we cried, we had tantrums and we talked. It is so strange...he is standing there with little more than a head yet I catch myself smiling at him.

Anyhow, at the risk of sounding completely insane I'll shut up.

As usual, he looks way better in real life than he does in the photos....many of the goofs I made you just can't see till you look at an enlarged picture of him






He is not dressed at all, nor does he even have a body. I just draped some cloth over him for his photo shoot.

You should have seen me, posing him, straightening his clothes, smoothing his air...lol...all from a girl who never cared much for dolls :-)

He ended up with a head much larger than I planned so to keep him in proportion I had to make another armature. I was aiming for 8 - 10 inches. He stand 12 inches tall. Which, to be honest, seems just about the right size for a display doll to me. Besides, being roughly 1/6 scale I can now buy him an authentic guitar :-)

As he is larger I decided to give him a soft body. I sculpted his neck and just enough chest to allow an open collar.

I have no idea who is he or what he'll wear yet but I am leaning towards a bass guitarist in a long Victorian style velvet coat.

Now for my mistakes....

My blending is appalling. I have to mix and leach my clay until it is really firm as it is so warm here. I guess this makes it harder to blend. I thought it was blended fine until it came out of the oven. Having 2 different colors of clay doesn't help lol.

His eyes. The shape of his open eye is all wrong and needs to close more at the inner corner. My eyeball appeared smooth until I started to paint it when I realistic it wasn't at all. Hence the rather rough paint job.

I need to learn to refine the crease between the upper eyelid and the pad of fat that lays above it. I found this quite hard actually. It was either too defined or too subtle. I couldn't find the middle ground.

His lips. His upper lip is too prominent and wonky and his lower lip is a mess. Again this is a blending issue. Also painting...I didn't have any suitable lip colors so winged it.

The dimples in his cheek look too deep although I copied those from a photo and the dimples were that deep. Guess it looks different in clay so I need to be aware of that.

Hair....hmmm...what I thought would be the easiest part was actually the worst.

For a first go I did actually succeed in getting a tidy parting but I hate that Tibetan lamb fur hair...makes me sneeze like crazy and gives me fur balls lol. And FabriTac glue. Oh my goodness...how do you all work with it...what horrible nasty stringy stuff. So if I get different hair and glue I think I'll be fine with wigging.


I would appreciate any other criticism from you sculptors out there. I am pretty sure I know where I am going wrong and only practice will help that but if there are any other comments I'd greatly appreciate them. I won't be upset in anyway...be as brutal as you like lol...it is the only way I'll learn.


I really think that this is where I am meant to be heading. Yes I enjoy making my flowers but I never woke up at the crack of dawn wanting to get up so I could start working on them like I have with this. I think that's a sign don't you ? And I truly hope this excitement never goes away.

I must say a HUGE thank you to all of you who helped me though this adventure. I can't wait to get started on my next one. I might even do an entire band :-)



19 comments:

  1. Jayne- I think he looks fantastic- love his cheeky wink! I have a lot of admiration for you. I tried to sculpt a head for about 3 days and each one ended up squished back into clay. I have a lot of admiration for all the doll sculptors out there. I think, as you say, that everything that bothers you will get better with practice. Wish I could give you advice or criticism, but I am out of my element :)

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  2. Thank Kim.

    All I can give you in terms of advice is practice, practice, practice.

    He...hmm...he deserves a name doesn't he.

    Anyhow, he took me a week and 4 heads to get like this. As it is so hot here the clay mushes really quickly and I was just getting really disheartened. So I made 4 heads. Each one was worked on for 10 minutes or so then put back in the fridge. I'd get another out and just keep going like this.

    Just keep going...ignore the fact that the clay is filthy...just use them to practice on and keep plugging away.

    I am sure that this is one of those things that the techniques will just click into place. Not for me yet unfortunately but I think it will.

    This has been the hardest thing I have ever attempted to make. Made easier only by the fact that I really wanted to do this but honestly, it does not come easy for me at all.

    I was just determined and passionate enough in my desire to sculpt, to keep going until I got somewhere.

    Watch and read as many tutorials as you can. You'll find your own way but they give you an excellent starting point.

    Have a photo in front of you at all times. This will allow you to see where things are placed on the head and the movement in the skin, muscles etc.

    Keep a mirror on your desk too...if you want to sculpt a wink then wink at yourself in the mirror to see what happens to the rest of your face.

    All of this makes it sound like I know what I am doing lol. Of course I don't but these are the things that are helping me.

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  3. Oh doesn't he look so fine in his first photo-shoot! Even though he may have rough bits that show up to you more than anyone else, he has SO much going for him. (((((())))))

    I am looking forward to your next rock dude. By the way, this one's poncho is really stylin'. :-)

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  4. Hello Jayne or should I say gepetto LOL I smiled at him too, well he was winking at meso I couldnt resist him !!
    He is just fab :0) yes I know you can list all the faults but he is a character and you have brought him to life and so you should be proud of that. There is plenty of time to refine your methods for now just enjoy the feeling of bringing life to a piece of clay, you will be hooked now, be warned....theres no going back LOL
    julie xxx

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  5. I too, love what you have done. I can see his eye and those practices really paid off. So is it true that the eye ball do do look better with skin or do you already know which one works and which one doesn't even when they are on a stick?

    Is there a bit of you in him?

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  6. Jayne, I love your "Pinocchio" too! I can see his brilliant blue eye. All the practice has been worth it. So is it true that eyeballs can only ever look good enough with skin? Or can you already tell which ones work and which don't when they were on a stick? Your tips are useful for all kinds of mini making! Thanks!:)

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  7. He's a charming fellow Jayne...and he's all yours! I think he looks just fine. But the others are right. He needs a name!

    As for wigging...I find that to be more difficult that sculpting. I even dread doing it on porcelian dolls I've used for dressing.

    Just keep at it. It's addicting...like potato chips....

    Tabby

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  8. You Rock Girl xxx You have done a really good job on him Jayne. With a bit more practice you will churning them out.
    Ditto what Julie said as well.
    Debie xxxxx

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  9. Jayne, he's fabulous!!! And he is your creation!!! I can see some great sculpts from you in the future!! Way to go!! Hugs, Marsha

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  10. Wow, Jayne, you did it! He's amazing. All that work and frustration really paid off! Congratulations!

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  11. Oh thank you, thank you, thank you.

    I am so pleased you all like him too, flaws and all.

    I AM hooked...I've been hooked on wanting to do it for years...Julie I am sure you remember me asking you questions years ago lol. But now I've finally done it...I still can't believe it.

    I am in love with a lump of clay...crazy huh.

    The eyes Sans, I ended up sculpting them in... and why didn't I listen before all that work. So much easier....well OK not easier as I can't do it but I know I'll learn.

    And painting them isn't as hard as it sounded...my problem was my eyeball wasn't smooth but if I crack that I think I'll be fine.


    A little while back Jodi asked the question what was everyone's favorite piece. I said I wasn't sure I'd made it yet.

    Now I know...it is this fella. I don't care if I ever sculpt much better pieces. This guy will always be the one for me.

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  12. He looks really good, Jayne. I can't wait to see him finished. What happened to the doll you started last year? The political prisoner. He was awesome and I'd love to see him completed, too.

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  13. I think he is fantastic and shows you have a talent for sculpting. He is amazing for your first sculpt and his face is brilliant including his chest. Its all so perfectly done and thought out.
    It was also lovely to hear your inner thoughts on the making of him and also the enjoyment too.
    I shall really look forward to seeing him dressed and finding out his name.
    I too had the rush of excitement making my wizard and couldn't get over the fact i actually brought him to life, so i really know how you are feeling. I still look forward to the next one but sadly got to earn some pennies and feed the starving kids... lol.
    Looking forward to your entire rock band!
    Nikki x

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  14. Thanks De :-)

    My prisoner never got as far as baking. He had part of his face done but he wasn't right at all so just got cast aside.

    I did find him when I went to get my clay though...all dried out and cracked up poor guy.

    I still plan on doing that scene though so will make another.

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  15. Just found this chap on fb and its a treat to find him here too, I think you did a fantastic job and have to echo what everyone has said......brilliant!
    xx

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  16. Thanks Nikki and glad you feel the same...a wonderful feeling huh :-)

    I don't get a buzz like this when I make flowers :-(

    Thanks Julie....I am really pleased with him.

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  17. Jayne for your first sculpt I think you've done wonders. Can't wait to see him fully dressed and Rocking..x

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  18. Aww I really like him
    Mistakes???
    I think he is a great character!
    I have never made a doll and I so want to,I am researching the best clay and how to's now
    I understand that it takes a few dolls to make one, one is happy with, so I guess that is the way I will go
    He certainly is cheeky! I do like him!

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  19. I really like him, I think it takes a lot of patience to achive something like this so you should be very proud. Never tell people your mistakes! Accept that he is more human we all have little quirks and flaws! Well done
    Marsha in England

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Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment :-)