I'm working on creating yet another City of Heroes character; my main, a Blaster named Ionic Burst. This is his picture.
I started off with a ML Longshot (I still can't believe action figures are $10+ nowadays). The first thing I did was cut off the mullet and collar, as well as the 4 fingered hands. After the collar was gone, his neck was way too long, freakishly so... I used my jeweler's saw to saw the head off and cut a smaller section of the neck out before supergluing the head back on. Next I cut off all Longshot's pouches and other miscellany that was sticking out, and attached a pair of hands from a Psycho Mantis figure with super glue. I sculpted the flared gloves out of sculpy and used a hand sander to sand down the other parts which were sticking out.
Next, I sculpted hair by hand and exacto knife, and used a 1/2 Tsp measuring spoon to smoothly sculpt the shoulder pads. Taking others' advice, I boiled the fig, and to my luck the super glue didn't melt. I removed the now hardened shoulder pads and reattached them to the shoulders via super glue.
Now I noticed that his chest showed no muscular definition... which is bad, because the character is fairly buff and wearing a skintight costume. I used sculpy to make a chest mold from an old wrestling figure, and boiled the mold to harden it.
Via the now hardened mold, I made a thin mold of the chest and attached it to Longshot's chest... I used sculpting tools to fix any imperfections and cut off excess sculpy, and then boiled it again. I then sculpted a belt and groin to make the chest look smoother. I'm hoping this will look smooth when all is said and done.
Here's a commission piece I'm doing for a friend. She asked me to make a custom of her friend's City of Heroes character. I started with a ML Punisher's head and neck, sawed the neck off a ML Cyclops and superglued the Punisher head and neck on. I dremmeled the boots down and began sculpting using Apoxie, sculpting everything you see in grey here. Finally I cut the ankle wings from a ML Namor and attached them to the ankles of the custom. Next stop: Painting.
Well... here's a figure that I'm doing as a Christmas gift for my grandmother. It's of my grandfather who passed away several years ago. Needless to say, he was an amazing man whose life could have easily been a movie. He started dirt poor and built his fortune for the sake of his family through hard work and business savvy. The type of American dream that really can't happen very often anymore. Anyway, I started with a Cable head and an unknown body (Professor X maybe? Lex Luthor?). I decided to base the figure off a picture of my grandpa where he's wearing a tuxedo. I did away with the tie and added a shirt and bowtie with apoxie, sanded away his square jaw and scowling mouth and added rounder cheeks and a smile with apoxie (let me tell you... mouths are really hard to do. I'm very unsatisfied with my work on it, but I don't feel I can improve it anymore. Such tiny work!). I cut off the top of his head and added a bald head, then added a receding hairline, all with apoxie. His head is still too thin for my grandpa, but I'm at a loss on how to fix that. I think I'm going to paint soon. Let me know what y'all think so far.
Thanks Doc. I don't know if I'm comfortable switching out joints, though. I don't worry too much about rub since I don't tend to make my customs with posability in mind anyway. For the most part they're just display pieces.
Cool, only thing I can suggest is getting some Wasp figures and changing your Psy's knee and elbow joints so they're black, so when paint rubs it won't be noticeable. Although, I don't know if the joins are compatible, I haven't had a Psylocke in months...
Ok, I'm finally starting another custom. This will be none other than Ms Marvel. It's pretty self explanatory so far. I started with a Psylocke base and have thus far sculpted breasts, hair, sash and the edges of her boots and leotard part of her costume from Apoxie Sculpt. I think I've done a far better job on the bangs/front of the hair this time around. Thus far it looks pretty good. Let me know what you think.
I gave Rogue some breast surgery and cut back her bangs slightly.
I finished the sculpting on Slapstick... did the gloves, the boots, fixed the shoulder pads and put the points on the toes. Once that hardens I'll be ready to paint.
But naw, Slapstick is a Marvel character... a guy with all the powers of a cartoon character. He's currently appearing in the Avengers: Initiative comics as an Initiative trainee. Here's a page from Avengers: Initiative.
The first is Slapstick. I have his hair and part of his shoulder pads sculpted so far. I may need to resculpt the left side though to make it match the right more.
Next is a Rogue... I have the back of the hair sculpted so far.
Update! Since this isn't for any contests, I can share it as a WIP.
I'm making a Speedball custom out of a ML Quicksilver. So far I've cut away Pietro's hair and sculpted Robbie's on... also sculpted a belt and his mask. More as I get more done. The sculpting tools I bought have really helped with my hair sculpting.
Update! I finally got off my butt and finished the figure (Minus the cape of course... I just can't do em).
So I painted the colors in, hand painted the eyes, lips and eyebrows, outlined the costume details with an ultra fine pointed sharpie, added some minor shading and detail with watercolor, and polished the whole thing off with a few coats of matte sealant. Viola! I'm getting better with each figure it seems.
This time I even have partial articulation! The head swivels and I made sure to sculpt the knees so they're articulate.
Well since Dremel came out with a router rig for the dremel, there are now really nice router bits available for the Dremel shaft diameter. I have this whole set of ball socket makers and man can I just tell you how worth thier weight in Gold those things are for figure modding?! Of course, they weren't marketed as ball socket makers, they are some sort of moulding creation nonesense but I knew the real use for them!
Well I have now sculpted everything that needs to be sculpted on this figure (I think)... I got the belt, the buckle and the hair. Gotta let the fig cool and dry overnight and then I may consider painting tomorrow.
I have the material and variablepenguin's cape pattern. The problem is that I can't sew.
Moon Knight's cape eh? Problem is I'd have to buy a Moon Knight fig to get it... besides, I really wanted the look of the cloth cape with him. Thanks for the suggestions though.
Looks good so far but I think you went a bit too high with the boots bud. She is showing a tad more thigh in that screenshot you have there. Good job with the joints and don't forget about ultra fine steel wool as a smoothing tool too - if it will polish metal it will make her legs er uh boots nice and smoothe!
Well that figure's shelved till I can figure out how to do the cape. In the meanwhile, I'll be working on my wife's CoH character Neutrina. Here's what she looks like.
I started with a Fairchild figure as the base, popped the head and arms out after boiling them, and popped in the arms and head from an Olga Gurlukovich (Metal Gear) figure. Unfortunately, the arms' sockets were too small for the Fairchild torso, and so just hung loosely, leaving me little choice but to superglue them in place. I sculpted the thigh high boots from sculpey (this time making sure to sculpt them so the leg joints will still end up being articulated), boiled the figure and sanded the sculpting smooth.
Don't feel bad buddy I can't hang with the cloth clothing it's easier for me to sculpt the stuff as opposed to sewing it. Your figure looks good, definitely better than you last one man I think I see someone's game coming back!
I think I have my game back for the figure-making in general, but this cursed cloth may well be a foe that even Doom canno--, er Punstarr cannot handle.
I have now added some shading, sprayed the matte sealant on the figure and have everything completed except the cape, the material for which is seen pictured with the figure. I have no clue how I'm going to make the cape, though. I don't know anyone who can sew and embroider with professional quality. I may be stuck at this point for a bit.
paint apps look hella clean great job man, if you have a fodder piece that is gonna get sculpted or not used try your dry brushing on that. first keep it up man.
Please wait...
~Gj
I sculpted the rest of the things that needed to be sculpted, including her glove edges, "panty lines", collar and mask.
I finished the sculpting on Slapstick... did the gloves, the boots, fixed the shoulder pads and put the points on the toes. Once that hardens I'll be ready to paint.
Hmm
~_O
Dedi
But naw, Slapstick is a Marvel character... a guy with all the powers of a cartoon character. He's currently appearing in the Avengers: Initiative comics as an Initiative trainee. Here's a page from Avengers: Initiative.
I particularly like slapstick
He your own creation?
~_O
Dedi
~Gj
So here are my 2 newest projects...
The first is Slapstick. I have his hair and part of his shoulder pads sculpted so far. I may need to resculpt the left side though to make it match the right more.
Next is a Rogue... I have the back of the hair sculpted so far.
Your sculpting is getting really good man
keep up the groovy work
~_@
Dedi
Damn her and the gamine sexuality of those tight shorts
(Thumps ground ala Chuck Heston)
~_@
Dedi
Got the sleeves and most of the shorts sculpted.
~_O
Dedi
~Gj
I'm making a Speedball custom out of a ML Quicksilver. So far I've cut away Pietro's hair and sculpted Robbie's on... also sculpted a belt and his mask. More as I get more done. The sculpting tools I bought have really helped with my hair sculpting.
So I painted the colors in, hand painted the eyes, lips and eyebrows, outlined the costume details with an ultra fine pointed sharpie, added some minor shading and detail with watercolor, and polished the whole thing off with a few coats of matte sealant. Viola! I'm getting better with each figure it seems.
This time I even have partial articulation! The head swivels and I made sure to sculpt the knees so they're articulate.
*Goes to submit the finished fig now*
I do need to get some more tips for my dremel thingie.
Thanks for the comment and the critique, bro.
Moon Knight's cape eh? Problem is I'd have to buy a Moon Knight fig to get it... besides, I really wanted the look of the cloth cape with him. Thanks for the suggestions though.
I started with a Fairchild figure as the base, popped the head and arms out after boiling them, and popped in the arms and head from an Olga Gurlukovich (Metal Gear) figure. Unfortunately, the arms' sockets were too small for the Fairchild torso, and so just hung loosely, leaving me little choice but to superglue them in place. I sculpted the thigh high boots from sculpey (this time making sure to sculpt them so the leg joints will still end up being articulated), boiled the figure and sanded the sculpting smooth.
I think I have my game back for the figure-making in general, but this cursed cloth may well be a foe that even Doom canno--, er Punstarr cannot handle.