Remember you're an artist!
I didn't really have a post. I've been busy, busy, busy. I get about one day off a fortnight at the moment. Which should change starting this week. I need to remember that resting is good. I was going to do an easy post and grab another one of the mysteriously acquired photo's off the camera. But then I realised the camera is FULL of really cool photo's that I took. So even though I'm playing with videography most days, and spending too much time in front of the edit suite or burning sack loads of DVD's; I should remember that I DO have a couple of 'artistic' bones in my ol' body. So, here's how you sculpt a miniature head and cast it for use in a film from scratch... ... ... yeah, OK, the short version.
Oh yeah, that last photo... another one of the mysteriously acquired photo's.
posted by G3T Films at 5/08/2008 02:42:00 pm
Take: 37
Good tip, never know when a little head would be welcome. Kind of reminiscent of the Davey and Goliath TV show. I'd like to see the video you made with the character.
Thu May 08, 03:03:00 pm
Hey Phos,
Um... moving on. I didn't actually make the movie. Only the puppets for the movie. The film (shot on 16mm) was really cool. I'll have to see if the Director will give me a copy at some stage. I think she's overseas at the moment.
Thu May 08, 03:10:00 pm
That's VERY artistic G3TFilms! I know what a long and arduous task sculpting and casting can be! Ermmm is that last image of the character's favourite food? Can you tell us the character's name?
Thu May 08, 04:56:00 pm
Ha! I've never really seen the label of artist as a compliment. Just reminding not to take it too seriously but can also do something other than operate a camera or editing suite.
The characters name was Christian. For a young lad he's an optimist. When presented with trying situations, like the nasty girl from up the street, he can look at things from alternate angles to create something new. He's pretty cool for an ungly leetle poopet!.
Who doesn't love baked vegetables?
Thu May 08, 09:26:00 pm
I wouldn't want to open the fridge and find a glowing red Christian sitting there instead of my fav bar of chocolate ;)
Very impressive sculpting ... take a bow *!*
Fri May 09, 07:28:00 am
Hehehehe, That would be quite a shock Bimbimbie. Just when you're in the mood for a tasty sweet treat *BAM* Evangelised! HA!
One of the hazards of working with polymer clays like super sculpey is that they really retain any heat after they've been worked for a while and they tend to get very loose and soft. Fine for broad sculpting (cheeks, etc) but terrible for detail around the eyes where there's less than a millimetre of detail. A quick freezer trip and it's back to work.
How about I take a beer instead?
Fri May 09, 08:51:00 am
Do you make the eyes and hair too ... or are the eyes painted - I can't quite tell from the photo.
btw how's possum settling in, hope he didn't see the red one, might put him off singing or could trigger the swearing of course *!*
Fri May 09, 10:04:00 am
I've made puppets like this where I've done the hair and eyes but for Christian and the Brat neighbour girl I used a Japanese supplier of... wait... no not true. The Japanese Doll supplier screwed up my order and I had to make hand painted eyes for these two. I did use hair from a previous order.
The company, which have amazing miniature plastic eyes and human hair wigs, is usually really great and very quick on delivery too. They were more aggrieved than I was when they found out they'd mucked me about.
Possum goes through phases. Last night he was really good and didn't mind being handled at all. We're practising moving him from one perch to another at the moment so we can get him back in the cage when we need to. But the previous night he was in a strop and took the exercise with great indignity. Glowing red Christians make me swear, Possum should have the same luxury.
Fri May 09, 10:51:00 am
i want you to know remember you're a womble.
Fri May 09, 11:13:00 am
Rich you are amazing!
I love these types of post!
All those stages... coolness.
I have a FAB idea!
You should sculpt each of your blogfans into a little doll!!!
*stifled giggle*
C'mon... it wouldn't take you long!
Do me first!!!
Do me first!!!
Fri May 09, 11:44:00 am
The real kid is super cute!
Can you also make a puppet out of the cute kid with the beard and glasses in pic. 9?
Fri May 09, 01:46:00 pm
I never called you an 'artist', just artistic! Although, I would call a camera operater an 'artist' anyway!
You just had me dig up my old notebooks where I used silicone and fiberglass to make piece molds, but never had a go using polymere clays. I fell in love with using 'Ultracal 30' to make the casts at the time, but it was long ago!
I like Christian's character, he does sound cool!Errrmmm leetle poopets don't like vegetables cooked any way!
Fri May 09, 02:11:00 pm
Ahhh, Dear BoiledEgginSometypeoffurniture, I've never been to Wimbledon Common but if I was to go it'd be as Madame Cholet; I would collect and recycle bad Londoner food into something more a lot more delicious.
Fri May 09, 03:54:00 pm
Jin, I'm sure if I explained each stage it'd be a lot more useful to people out there. I get a lot of people coming to the blog to look at the Vlzerdko and Brun puppet construction post.
PS. Behave yourself and quite yer jump'n about... if I was going to do someone, they certainly wouldn't be my first BWAhahahaa!
Fri May 09, 04:00:00 pm
I would disagree with you Diana but it's the Director cousin or something, and they come from a very tradition Filipino family. My real thoughts on children might offend them.
Ahhh, you mean Nerdola Beeru, yes, well, puppets of him are particularly rare. But that's mostly because for some reason all effigies made in that form take on the smell of the original. It's not pleasant! I guess the lesson is, 'Never trip a Gypsy'!
Fri May 09, 04:06:00 pm
Ha! Anonybird, it's been a running joke between Diana and I for years now about being an 'Artiste!' Camera ops are artists, hahaha, maybe the same way a blue collar worker is an artist. Yeah, there ARE great Plumbers and Carpenters.
Ahhh, ultracal 30, soft as stone and creamy white! Beautiful material to make a mould. What type of things did you mold/cast?
Fri May 09, 04:17:00 pm
Blaspheming green possum scares away door knocking glowing red Christian ... hmmm puts me in mind of my mum doing something similar to a Jehovah Witness pest on our doorstep years ago *!*
Fri May 09, 05:44:00 pm
Heads! HAHA, I cast people's heads initially built in white clay when a ceramicist but they all wanted copies. I learnt how to mold from a special effects guy. I'm an artist having been in the film industry too! No more information because I'm Anon ;)
If you can jump from being a cameraman to a sculptor, you ARE an artiste! Write it on your tax form!
PS: Birdies have their moods like we do. One day they are in a good mood, the next not for no apparent reason.
Fri May 09, 07:09:00 pm
Bimbimbie, we used to have a JW family down the street from us when I was growing up. I was from a pretty strict christian upbringing but even my Mum would allow me to put on music containing a lot of swear words when they came for their door knock... every weekend! Blech, I felt sorry for those kids.
Sat May 10, 12:38:00 pm
Haha! What a small little world. You should post some photo's of your stuff... even if you ARE Anonybird.
Well, actually I jump from Director to Cameraman but Sculpting is just something I've been doing (poorly compared to real sculptors) since I was teen. That's not an Artiste it's just someone in the Aussie independant film industry. Everyone tries to do as much as they can... they have too!
PS. someone discovered the wonder of lettuce last night. He's in a great mood today.
Sat May 10, 12:44:00 pm
Hi there Petal!
Just thought I would pop my nose in.. Great sculpturing! I would imagine it's a great stress buster too!
Although I would be a little scared waking up in the middle of the night needing a drink, popping to open the fridge and have this little head staring back at me!
But then again that usually happens when I look in a mirror first thing!
Awww and I LOVE possum! I have had many budgies in the past all with there own little characters.. Now I am livin at me mum's I have Charlie to talk to - her little feller! Mad bird he is..
Anyway lots of love and blessings
Hope you are well :)
Melanie
x
Sat May 10, 05:07:00 pm
Hey Mel!
Yeah scultping is definitely something that I love to do. There's a certain inescapable calmness to the sculpting process. One of lifes little joys :)
Luckily the polymer clay only needs a couple of minutes of rest in the freezer to make sure it resisitant enough to metal sculpting tools (usually dental tools) to hold fine detail. There's no discovering it in the middle of the night. Polymer clay over night in a freezer would be ruined; just crack apart.
The budgies certainly are little charmer aint they! Well, ours certainly is :)
Yeah, doing very well (considering the lump) Ho[pe you've got good things in your life too.
Take Care - Rich
Sun May 11, 12:11:00 am
Hmmmm, the smell might be a problem, for some puppet buyers anyway. But for some it wouldn't matter, and a few might even pay extra for it!
Maybe you could bottle the scent so people can fragrane their other puppets. You can call it "Eau de Arteest"
Sun May 11, 12:23:00 am
That reminds me, I need some beer!!! Haven't had any beer all week, I'm going to sprout wings!!!
OK, after seeing your instructional set of pics I'm sure I can go make one of those little faces... first the beer!
Sun May 11, 01:44:00 am
And on the subject of budgies it reminded me that one of my ambitions is to actually see the little fellers out there in the wild! Blimey, can you imagine the noise thousands of them make all flocking together! Would love to see that :))
x
Sun May 11, 03:15:00 am
So after you finished the sculpture, it turned to carrots and you ate it? I see peas and what is "Mighty Soft" Is that bread? You have a very organized freezer. It's a good thing this was not in my freezer or I would have bitten into it thinking it is marzipan.
Sun May 11, 12:30:00 pm
I do clay sculptures from time to time so I found that post really interesting :)
Sun May 11, 06:36:00 pm
cool work.
Mon May 12, 08:04:00 am
I have read these and will answer them eventually, but first... yep... more work! It was 6:00am until 11:45pm yesterday. Tired.
Mon May 12, 11:24:00 am
Most artists are poor Diana, no-one wants to smell poor.
Wed May 14, 10:42:00 am
The beer is an integral part of sculpting Tich, ALWAYS start with beer.
Truthfully, it is really nice to do sculpting over a slow beer. Very relaxing, very zen.
Wed May 14, 10:44:00 am
Puddle Duck Mel,
It would be a great to see the budgies in the wild. When they come together, usually around water where there's plenty of seeded grass, during summer for breeding their flocks can be in the thousands.
Although, that all occurs in the outback, a long way from Sydney. I've only ever seen it on film.
Wed May 14, 10:50:00 am
Hahaha, Ces, Mighty Soft is a close approximation of bread. It's probably more like American Hotdog buns, white, soft, full of sugar.
The organised freezer is only because Mooncar and I are notorious fresh food people, ie. there's nothing in there worth mentioning... except of course the ice cream. Mmmm, french vanilla.
Wed May 14, 10:55:00 am
Hey Wildlife G, you should post some pictures of your sculptures. I'm always interested in seeing other peoples work :) The scale of the sculpt in this picture is pretty much my limit. I can go a little smaller but not much.
Shelley over at HalfLand (linked under 50% land) is the queen of miniatures. Her work is very impressive.
Wed May 14, 11:11:00 am
It is fun Ruela.
Your work seems really interesting. I'll enjoy drop in to see it from time to time.
Wed May 14, 11:13:00 am
*BURP*!*
Wed May 14, 06:14:00 pm
Any project that includes the step "get the Stoner..." is a great project in my book.
Tue May 27, 01:29:00 am
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