Sculpting figures

[menty666]

I was just curious, for those of you that do little figures, do you start from the feet or the head?

Most demos I've seen work from the feet to the head, which makes sense in the grand scheme of things because you can punty to the thinner foot rather than a thicker head.

But is there anyone who works figures from head to toes instead? It occured to me that Wale's (I think) ads show a figure being done "backwards".

Just wondering....

[LyndaJ]

In the class I just took, and in the attached video clip, you start with the butt :)

http://www.fireladyproductions.com/Site/Movies/Entries/2009/6/3_How_to_Work_Oxidizing_%26_Reducing_Borosilicate_ Colors.html

Lynda

[Ro's Glass World]

i do, butt, build legs and punti, then torso, add shoulders and upper arms, neck, head, lower arms, hands same procedure for moretti or boro
ro

[menty666]

i do, butt, build legs and punti, then torso, add shoulders and upper arms, neck, head, lower arms, hands same procedure for moretti or boro
ro

Been trying that myself :)

Always freak out a little when it's time to go back above the waist because I know it's cooled slightly. I try to be good about flashing it, but still.

[vetropod]

Be a good boy Tom, keep that waist area warm!!!

First try a few torsos - butt first, then thighs, *tiny* punty where knees should be, then add gather for upper body, shape, add biceps. Make a bunch of these and then you'll be ready to do the whole figure...

PS - don't think I've seen anyone work from one end to the other, regardless of which end to start. I can't really see how proportions would ever turn out right.

[menty666]

Well here ya go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9TiVHFovtA

[jahglass]

Buy Milon Townsends book, Advanced Flameworking. He breaks it down step by step with great photos.... The book is worth every penny! -Matt

[JSR Studio]

that santinni vid is awesome

[ornametalsmith]

great thread......I've started with a few torso's. I did the butts first.........time to try some arms and legs...I'm a little leary of trying heads and hands....faces have always been difficult.

[Ro's Glass World]

cool busts!
ro

[menty666]

Those are awesome!

I have to admit, I think it a little odd to have a bunch of torsos hanging around, but then again I have a box of butt plugs I still need to photograph and list, so it's not *that* odd :)

[vetropod]

How many butt plugs do you use at a time?!? :devilish:

[Borobot]

wow, those busts are sick ornamentalsmith!!!

I have only made one figure and i really had no clue how to go about it, i started with the head, continued on to the torso and waist, then added arms segment by segment, then legs segment by segment... below is a link to what it turned out like... not bad for my first attempt, not the best proportions though...

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/107/l_9cdf2026519a4957b29d25439de27e57.jpg

I'd like to see what you come out with menty!

[menty666]

How many butt plugs do you use at a time?!? :devilish:

Depends what end I'm talking out of LOL

[ornametalsmith]

thanks, Ro...Xroadsglass and Menty666. I appreciate ya. I did TRY a few whole bodies yesterday..........came out kinda scary lookin. :twitch: :o:

Milon makes it look SO easy in that vid........I need practice practice practice......

[Borobot]

Take into consideration that the average human is about 7-8 heads tall...
More infromation about human figure proportions can be found here...

http://realcolorwheel.com/human.htm

It's pretty much the same information my sculpture teacher told me and it does help, but its still found it to be challenging to get proper proportion on the figure I built due to being faily new with glass.

Post your figures dude!

[glassshack]

Milon has the best techniques out there. Torso, legs , feet, butt , shoulders , head , arms , hands. Think of the overall movement the whole time your making it. Good luck, its super fun once you get it.

[Robert Mickelsen]

Best advice I can give anyone about figures... buy a book on figure drawing that approaches the subject from an anatomical viewpoint and LEARN TO DRAW IT FIRST! Turns out, in the long run, the problems you have to solve are exactly the same whether you draw, paint or sculpt a human figure. The idea is to become fully informed and familiar with the anatomical dynamics of a figure. Then, when you create them you do so with a complete understanding of the form. You don't need anyone to tell you how to make one then.

[HOSS]

Best advice I can give anyone about figures... buy a book on figure drawing that approaches the subject from an anatomical viewpoint and LEARN TO DRAW IT FIRST! Turns out, in the long run, the problems you have to solve are exactly the same whether you draw, paint or sculpt a human figure. The idea is to become fully informed and familiar with the anatomical dynamics of a figure. Then, when you create them you do so with a complete understanding of the form. You don't need anyone to tell you how to make one then.


This is so true. I had been drawing, painting and sculpting the figure for nearly 20 years prior to trying one for the first time in glass. I had no glass sculpting instruction except Milon's book, but didn't have much trouble jumping right into it after just a couple of months on the torch making hitters and slide bowls. This was my first attempt: http://www.glassartists.org/Gal36446_Figure_1.asp

I can't even begin to imagine how much harder it would have been figuring out the right shapes and proportions at the same time I was trying to learn to shape the glass... what a nightmare! Paper and clay are much cheaper than glass, so it makes good sense to work out the hard part with them first.

For art anatomy/figure drawing books, I'd highly reccomend George Bridgman's "Constructive Anatomy", and I'm also also a big fan of Burne Hogarth's "Dynamic Anatomy" and "Dynamic Figure Drawing". Their other books are well worth checking out too, for more specifics on things like hands and faces etc.

[Ro's Glass World]

i also find sculpting in clay, or play dough usually is a great way to figure if i should add or subtract and how to get face and other detail quickly. it also helps with proportion. i build the little guy in dough and leave it on the table to compare, esp. if i make pieces and kiln them till ready, it really helps with proportion. then when im done i smash it back into the jar for next time. i also have one of those wooden bendy guys that painters use, it helps to get correct bends and not have him looking disjointed.
ro

[barefoot stash]

http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Artist-Sarah-Simblet/dp/078948045X

Anatomy for the artist is another get book to check out. They really emphasize proportion and ratios. They also diverge from the "idealized figure" and cover different body types (i.e fat, thin, babies, etc..) which I find much more interesting.

[Ben Burton Glass]

Definitely take a class or get a book on life drawing. Anatomical drawing will very much help your 3-dimensional creation of the same thing...

I make my people like Lucio does. Start with the butt, then add the legs. Punty to legs, then add torso, boobs, shoulders, neck biceps, head, foremarms hands, finished... It takes a little practice but after a hundred or so you'll get the hang of it :-)


aloha!

[matte eskuche]

weather it's a human figure, or a bug, or a dog poop, or whatever, approach is key.

if you build the thickest part of the object first and then build a bit of any extremities off of the bulk, you can keep heat in it by flashing repeatedly and decide when to stop flashing. then you can build the extremities off of the bulk without having to flash it any more. this is especially helpful when using soft glass.

in the example of a human figure, if you make the extremities/legs first and then make the thickest part/torso, you risk repeatedly moving the legs around as you are working on the torso. this can cause stress at the pelvis, and stretching or changing of the position of the legs, etc.

work with soft glass first for figures and you will learn much more about how to approach it. also, watch Italians do it.

[ornametalsmith]

Take into consideration that the average human is about 7-8 heads tall...
More infromation about human figure proportions can be found here...

http://realcolorwheel.com/human.htm

It's pretty much the same information my sculpture teacher told me and it does help, but its still found it to be challenging to get proper proportion on the figure I built due to being faily new with glass.

Post your figures dude!

some great links in this thread. And Matte's advice.......Very helpful. So as to embarrass myself......:evilLaugh here's the SCARY ones first.. :bouncy:
Think I was getting distracted with the Mammeries of my youth.

[ornametalsmith]

And now a few that came out a lil better..... First thing I noticed........I wasn't getting consistent sizes......with the arms and legs. I'm sure that will come with practice. But it's a start......all feedback welcome....good, bad and ugly :chilling:

[JBob]

my second attempt at one.
http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/JBobak300/Glass/DSCF0906.jpg
my 5th attempt.
http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/JBobak300/Glass/DSCF0907.jpg
my 10th.
http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/JBobak300/Glass/DSCF0926.jpg
srry for the shit pictures.
thanks for the lesson mr wonka ;)

[kage]

i like these things. every artist that works figurative should have at least one to play with and sit on the work bench for reference. really helps with proportions, plus they are posable. found at any art/craft store.

http://www.art-made-easy.com/images/wooden-manikin.jpg

[steven p selchow]

I don't remember seeing this post when it came out. Maybe I can try to tell someone how to do a figure a simple way. I have Milons book also, and don't see his reasoning in how he goes about his figures, not that hes wrong, hes a great figure maker, using live people for some of his works in poses, and has a background for this. An Italian immigrant, Guy Squeo, came to America, and ended up enlisting in the Navy, was at Pearl harbor during the attack in 1941. He actually started doing glass in Italy. After the war, he had a son, John whom he taught glass when he was 5 years old, some of these great glassblowers you never hear about. His specialty was clear nude figures. Over 30 years ago, john was a scientific glassblower for then standard oil. He left to pursue artistic boro work, same glass he worked with. I wouldn't be where Im at if it wasn't for him. Long story short. He started out with a 2ft rod, starting in the middle, he made one leg first, then turned the rod around and did the other leg, having the first leg on the left side, he could look at it and do the right leg exactly the same, 2 legs on 1 rod, seperate a gap between the hips and bend the legs down, heat 1 foot and melt the glass to the other foot for a bridge, then do the torso with a bigger diameter rod marver it into a "V" shape for the crotch, attach the torso, make the arms seperate and the head last, as he now knows how big to proportion the head, kiln and assemble. punty up to the elbow attaching the arms. I've done it that way, I've done one leg at a time, do the torso, then attach the legs, or as in the first step, rather than bend both legs from the rod down, melt them off, and have 2 legs on 2 punties, several variations. We all have our own way of doing them. Johns way was how I was taught first, I only wish I had more than 1 piece of his, as he was doing work comparable to Bubacco over 25 years ago, sorry for the rambling, but I hold him in high regards, he don't do work anymore, but his trademark on every piece was a cobalt blue heart somewhere on the piece if anyone comes across one.

steve