WAAAAAH! Lego killed my sculpting hobby WAAAAAAH!

[JINZONINGEN73]

Yeah, so I went into one of my old toy bins (I have dozens)... some not opened almost 10 years.

I found some stuff I began sculpting.

I thought in all the moves over the past years, that it was all lost.

But, here were two remnants. As you can see, I was attempting to sculpt FUNCTIONING action figures out of Sculpey and Fimo.

Unfortunately, that stuff changes shape significantly when cooked... even if just using a heat gun, like with the Felicia figure (because her Mystique core body would melt in an oven).

These are REALLY rough. I know that.

I'd only just begun learning the materials when my life got busy... THEN Lego walked into my life.

http://www.maj.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=126333

[ghoulrealm]

I tend to juggle between my 4 main hobbies; playing instruments, sculpture, videogames, and Lego.

Sculpture has taken a back seat to the others as of late, but I still get inspired on occasion. Last year I built some halloween bats, and an alien in a jar. This year i made some mesoamerican artifacts. X-D

I used to do alot of dinosuars, but havent in an age.

Your Felicia is very good. I've started an Ariel the mermaid a while back but only her head and hands. at least I finished the most difficult parts first.

[JINZONINGEN73]

What do you sculpt with?

I found Fimo to be the only thing that has a plastic-like quality, so I could have moving joints.

Honestly though, I don't think it's feasible anymore to make action figures out of ANYTHING you sculpt with.

However, Bionicle Technic joints might be the answer.

Some other dude made the creature from the movie "Pitch Black", but (somehow?) embedded the joints.

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/Marauder3.jpg

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/Marauder5.jpg

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/Marauder7.jpg

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/marauder9.jpg

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/marauder10.jpg

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/marauder18.jpg

I'm wondering if it's even worth it to try this stuff again. The figure would probably have to be sculpted first, cooked, THEN drilled and gouged to accomodate the Lego joints.

And really, the loss of shape during cooking might be the biggest problem there.

[Kahgarak]

What do you sculpt with?

I found Fimo to be the only thing that has a plastic-like quality, so I could have moving joints.

Honestly though, I don't think it's feasible anymore to make action figures out of ANYTHING you sculpt with.

However, Bionicle Technic joints might be the answer.

Some other dude made the creature from the movie "Pitch Black", but (somehow?) embedded the joints.

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/Marauder3.jpg

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/Marauder5.jpg

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/Marauder7.jpg

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/marauder9.jpg

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/marauder10.jpg

http://www.shadow-avp.se/skit/marauder18.jpg

I'm wondering if it's even worth it to try this stuff again. The figure would probably have to be sculpted first, cooked, THEN drilled and gouged to accomodate the Lego joints.

And really, the loss of shape during cooking might be the biggest problem there.

The upper legs remind me of Pohatu Olda arms and the feet are like a cross between the webbed and clawed Piraka feet. 8-

[ghoulrealm]

I typically use Sculpey, but I don't make action figures... more like figurines. All the baking clays are too brittle at the small scale for posing and playing. A lot of my modles fell apart before and after baking if they just sit for over a month. >:-( And many ceramics have too be to too large scale and also fell apart during firing. So I stick to sculpey because no needing ans just superglue the pieces that crack off.

[JINZONINGEN73]

Good, so it's not just me then.

I was wondering if I just cooked them wrong.

A lot of my modles fell apart before and after baking if they just sit for over a month.

...So I stick to sculpey because no needing

Well, I think every type needs kneading. That might be why cracks form over time, because of uneven drying points. When you knead, it all becomes the same.

Do you cook them in an oven, or with a heat gun?

I found that heat guns are GREAT for small stuff, cooking (or at least stabilizing it's surface prior to cooking) it right there.

But with more dense creations, the heat gun only penetrates so far in, leaving the inner material unevenly moist, leading to easy damage.

[ghoulrealm]

I think Femo was the brand that takes half an hour to knead and then is too warm and viscous to hold it's shape well.

I will knead sculpy a little but I don't like it too soft. The firmer the better.

I usually use a toothpick or foil armeture to stabilize and hold forms esp. while cooking.

Ive never used a heat gun. I will use a toaster oven or microwave that has a convection setting.

I once made the tinytoon's cat and forgot to set the microwave to convection. It was malformed (pretty funny looking) but caused a lot of noctious fumes and probably would have caught fire if I hadn't checked on it when I did *wacko*

[JINZONINGEN73]

LOL... yeah, I did that.

Made my wife a cool ashtray with like 12 different colors in it... next thing you know, the oven's pouring smoke and I'm running away to not pass out, choking all the way. :-D