Point Me In The Right Direction

[JStorm]

Hey guys, I've been wanting to do some sculpting for a while now and also want to release my own vinyl toys, so my question is:

How do I get started?

[JoshS]

Welcome to the forum.

If you're just getting started in sculpting and want to make small sculpts I'd suggest starting with Sculpey or other polymer clay, that way you don't have to worry about molding and casting to get a finished product. There are plenty of tutorials online that will help you get started with the basics, Smellybugs tutorials stickied at the top of the forum have everything you need to know to get started working with sculpey, also check youtube.

A few weeks back i was looking for info on making vinyl toys, mostly just wanted to see how the molding and casting process for vinyl differs from resin but couldn't find anything other than a few people talking about sending a prototype to a factory in China. I assume the lack of info available is due to the toxicity of the materials involved or the melt temperature of vinyl making it too difficult to do it yourself at home.
You might find this interesting. http://www.mnartists.org/article.do?rid=117339

[philofmars]

I believe it also requires metal molds. I have an Amazing figure modeler magazine somewhere that goes into depth on it. It's quite costly to start up a vinyl assembly line.
I agree with Josh.
Super Sculpy (beige) is the way to go.
Not the white Sculpy, it's crumbly and breaks easily.

[graffitishark]

If you have experience with 3d design, you could try 3d printing some toys to get started.

[solticeart]

They use the metal molds to make Breyer horses and I know they cost upwards of 10 to 50 thousand dollars each. The upside is you can have thousands of pieces cast in each mold.The downside is cost and you lose a lot of detail because the metal molds just can't hold detail, that and I think the type of plastic used. They are much better the they used to be but still resin can hold so much sharper detail than the vinyl plastic can. As the metal mold is used it will loose more over time. They are hard to find someone to make too. I know the father son team that made them for Breyer molding Co at one time don't do it anymore and they use a factory in china now to cast and i think make the molds too... but they are not easy to do and I doubt anyone could do in an at home or studio setting. Even Breyer uses rubber molds for their smaller runs because of cost and casts the pieces in resin or a resin mix.

I have been looking for awhile now on how the molds are made to just because I'm curious. All I have seen so far are copies of old magazine or newspaper articles and the photos are not clear and don't explain anything on how its done.. Id love to know so if anyone finds out just out of curiosity on how they do it and find pictures I hope you will post it here. Id love to see it. I guess its the mold maker in me that wants to know I do my own rubber molds for casting and have been studying on how to make multiple part ceramic molds because I'd like to cast some of my sculpts in earthenware or porcelain someday. I know how its done its just figuring out where to do each piece. Mold making is kind of fascinating to me. Good luck !

[OnceUponASketch]

If you have experience with 3d design, you could try 3d printing some toys to get started.

Would you mind terribly giving us an idea of the programs and equipment necessary to do this graffiti? Thanks so much!!!

[modi123]

Metal - sure for mass marketing, but you can do your own with sculpty.. then silicon casting it... then just rotocasting at home.

Example: this guy.
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/anticlimaddox/page6/

[Aether Technician]

the most well known consumer 3d printer is the makerbot which will run you about 2000usd. A small company called formlabs is developing a consumer 3d printer that can create much higher resolution models and used sturdier plastic...but it's yet to be released.
the other option is to have your model printed somewhere like Shapeways, i.materialize, or Ponoko

as far as software, you can use just about anything. Sketchup, Blender, 3ds, maya, zbrush, cinema 4d

[modi123]

Yea resin and lasers are fun and can produce some good detail.. though six hundred bones more than an extruder.