Neytiri Sculpt - Something a little different. UPDATE on post#13

[AProps]

This is my 4th sculpt so far and I'm feeling like I bit off a little more then I
can chew with this one.

I was a little hesitant to post this because I really don't have any experience
sculpting. I do love it, but just wish I had more time to practice. Even though
this sculpt has a long way to go, I would love to know what you guys think
of the direction I took with this.. I've always loved Relief Sculptures and just
decided one day to give it a shot using Neytiri as the character.

The Clay is new to me and I'm really having a hard time getting it smooth
(chavant hard) so it's a bit tedius going over the same spot over and over
to get it smooth. I did learn that baby oil works pretty good, but once you
start smoothing, it seems you have to set it asside for an evening or else
the sculpt becomes way to soft to work with. Any good advise for a good
smoothing solution is very much appreciated.

I'm not really sure how I'm gonna finish this yet, but I was thinking it might look
cool finished off in a stone texture, with the whole piece looking like a piece
of broken stone that has Neytiri chiseled out. What do you guys think?
Thanks for looking!

[sloopster]

i love bass releaf sculpts i havent done any in ages but this looks great the front on view is great. it captures her likeness very well.
as for smoothing i wouldnt start mucking about with adding oils etc to the sculpt. if you freez it (be carefull as it will want to pop off the perspex) then you can use the edge of a scalpel to scrape the surface realy smooth you can then burnish it with a nice sculpting tool and finaly give it a very light going over with panel wipe or lighter fluid that typa thing. i would love to see this in an old bronze finnish with the green batina on it . i think this is going to be a realy nice peice.

[AProps]

Wow, thanks so much for the compliment, it means a lot to me . I will
definitely give all your suggestions a go. I'll probably try it first on some
scrap clay to get the hang of it before venturing any further.

I was thinking of several different options for this sculpt. One was a pewter
looking finish, a stone finish, and the third was a bronze finish. I might do
all 3 and keep the one I like the best and then give the other 2 away..

Thanks again for you compliment and help

[AProps]

After spending some time comparing the original image with my sculpt, I
decided to make some much needed changes. I still have to complete those
changes, so everything is still a little rough in the pic below.

[AProps]

Been busy making small changes here and there. My skill level is still at a point
where the places that need adjustment don't immediately jump out at me, but
I think I'm pretty happy with the likeness. I'm gonna fix a few more area's and
then start to clean everything up. My plan (because I messed up lol ;0) once
the face is complete, I'm gonna mold it and make a resin casting and then sculpt
the hair around it. I'm really not sure how I'm gonna do the hair yet, so I think
it would be best to make the casting so I don't screw up any detail while playing
around with idea's.

I took this left pic and did a quick cut out in PS, then pasted it over the original.

[AProps]

Still at it I spent some time tonight cleaning up as much as possible.
I'm still having a very difficult time smoothing this out like I want it. The sculpt
itself is pretty small so I can't get my fingers in there to smooth anything.
I've pretty much been using tools from start to finish which for me is the
most challenging thing I've done in sculpting so far. I'm hoping to have all
the changes and most of the smoothing finished tomorrow

[AProps]

Here's where I'm at. Not a lot done since my last update, but I have been
making subtle changes. Biggest change is the brow line. I'm still not finished
with it, but I like it better now. I just kept feeling like the brow was a little
too heavy, so I cut it back a little. I also did a little smoothing.

[AProps]

Got a little further on this tonight. I still have a lot to do, but I'm feeling better
about the likeness. Now, if I can just get the dang brow line the way I want it

[Alaneye]

I really like this... it's the closest to a proper likeness in clay that I've seen

[AProps]

I really like this... it's the closest to a proper likeness in clay that I've seen

I don't know what to say, Alan. That's huge. I was just hoping for a decent
likeness, so thank you so much for the compliment

[Alaneye]

Neytiri is very beautiful and most of the attempts don't really capture that beauty... as I think you have.

[AProps]

Neytiri is very beautiful and most of the attempts don't really capture that beauty... as I think you have.

I agree, she is a very beautiful character, and probably the one reason I
was afraid to sculpt her. Your compliment really makes me fee like I'm heading
in the right direction with this. I was starting to think I was just going around
in circles with all the adjustments I was making. Thanks again, I can't tell you
how much it's done to motivate me to move foward on this.

[AProps]

Made a couple more tweeks. I also started smoothing everything out, but
I still can't smooth this out without leaving tool marks I just
can't seem to work this stuff. I think for the rest of this sculpt I'm either
gonna switch back to sculpey firm or try chavant med or soft. This chavant
hard is a bear. At least the sculpey smooths fairly easy

Hope you guys like my progress, and thanks for looking.

[AProps]

I took a little break from this and started a new sculpt to hopefully help
me see the problem area's a little better before I mold the face. I also
started working on my own wax recipe's. They all suck!!! Well, except one.
The one I made kinda carves like TMS wax, but in no way as good. This TMS
wax is awesome stuff. I honestly can't wait to use it. I'm gonna try to have
the face fully complete over the weekend and then mold it and pour a wax
copy.

[AProps]

I've finally managed to get working on this piece again. I really wish
I had more time, but I've been working on so many projects that this
one kinda got lost in the mix.. I'm still stuck on what to do about the
hair. Hair is one of those things that's extremely hard to do for me,
so I'll probably practice before moving foward. I still have plans to
do a final clean up on a wax copy, so I am wondering if it would be
easier to do the hair in wax.. Something to think about. Hope you
guys like my progress..

[SpiralHorn]

This is really awesome, can't wait to see it cast.

I can see you've done some shaping, but I would maybe make the bottom of the neck a little thinner so it looks like it's tapering back instead of coming straight down from the head. The ears too, need more details. In the ref pic there are some interesting shapes on the insides of them that even just hinting at would add a lot I think. As far as the hair goes, treat it like one big mass and don't worry about sculpting out every individual braid. You could define the parts in the foreground and have it kind of fade into the back.

This is kind of a complex example of what I mean http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MCMgezocmQ...s_1765_100.jpg

[AProps]

This is really awesome, can't wait to see it cast.

I can see you've done some shaping, but I would maybe make the bottom a little thinner so it looks like it's tapering back instead of coming straight down from the head. The ears too, need more details. In the ref pic there are some interesting shapes on the insides of them that even just hinting at would add a lot I think. As far as the hair goes, treat it like one big mass and don't worry about sculpting out every individual braid. You could define the parts in the foreground and have it kind of fade into the back.

This is kind of a complex example of what I mean http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MCMgezocmQ...s_1765_100.jpg

Thanks for the pic, that really gives me a direction to shoot for . Yeah the ears are just roughed in. I was thinking of just finishing it off in wax.
My main problem with the few sculpts I've done is lack of experience, so when I run into wall (like the hair) I tend to practice before going
any further. Sculpting the hair is a thought I've had, but I just don't know how to do it at this point. There's still a couple hours left tonight so
I'll have to get to it and see what I come up with . Thanks so much for the compliment and the advice, I really appreciate it..

[SpiralHorn]

Sure thing! You actually got me thinking that I need to get back into doing reliefs. They're so much fun!

I can see you've done some shaping, but I would maybe make the bottom a little thinner so it looks like it's tapering back instead of coming straight down from the head.

Btw I was referring to the neck here, not the bottom of the whole sculpture. The hair would be more forward than the neck. Not sure how I screwed that sentence up so badly, ha.

[AProps]

Btw I was referring to the neck here, not the bottom of the whole sculpture. The hair would be more forward than the neck. Not sure how I screwed that sentence up so badly, ha.

No, you explained it fine. I knew exactly what area you were talking about I'll definitely keep the neck in mind. I like that idea since
it will give the sculpt more depth.. Thanks again..

[clifcarver]

it sounds like you might prefer a softer clay for sculpting

to smooth chavant clay they suggest on their web site ...
___
http://www.chavant.com/new_site/files/faq.htm
How do I smooth the surface?
Try water, Avon Skin-So-Soft, WD-40, Goof-Off, turpentine, lighter fluid and multipurpose oil/wax solvents by brush or hand. Some of the new "citrus" based cleaning fluids will work well.
____

heat can be used to soften the clay for working
as in a heat lamp or warming box
and it can be used to soften sharp lines
by hitting the area directly with a heat gun or other small heat source

you are doing well,
keep at it

[AProps]

it sounds like you might prefer a softer clay for sculpting

to smooth chavant clay they suggest on their web site ...
___
http://www.chavant.com/new_site/files/faq.htm
How do I smooth the surface?
Try water, Avon Skin-So-Soft, WD-40, Goof-Off, turpentine, lighter fluid and multipurpose oil/wax solvents by brush or hand. Some of the new "citrus" based cleaning fluids will work well.
____

heat can be used to soften the clay for working
as in a heat lamp or warming box
and it can be used to soften sharp lines
by hitting the area directly with a heat gun or other small heat source

you are doing well,
keep at it

Thanks so much for the relpy and kind words . When I first started, I started off using the softer clay, but
after a while I just didn't like how easy it was to mess up hours of detail with one wrong move.. I really like
the chavant, but it's pretty tuff to get smooth.. I think I've tried everything under the sun to smooth it. I guess
the only thing that words is time and patience with tools. I was hoping for an easier way out lol Oh well..