Head-a-day Challenge. 3/2 Challenge up - Open mouth! -O-

Xen: I love her overall expression the most. She looks so melancholy.

Armelia: I know you said no critique, but I have to tell you I am in love with those cheekbones!

Kaye: Your sculpt looks almost ready to cast! I'm impressed at the cleanliness of the sculpt, and the cute little button nose.

Legodae: I'm a sucker for elf ears, so I'd say that's my favorite part but I'm biased. =P I do agree with you about the lower lip though, it's full and shaped very well!

Quilibet: I love the cupid's-bow shape you have on the lips, it gives them a hint of a smile (which I adore on a doll!)

Keanna: I do like the nose, and the way the nostrils are shaped. I agree with what others have said, that the lips look like they're almost ready to speak. ^_^

Bloodlath: That's really impressive with modeling clay and just shaped by hand! I love the really adorable face-shape you have going on. I'm a big fan of pudgy cheeks. It looks like a mischevious pixie.

 

I'm not too late am I? Well, here's my head for the first challenge. She's not finished yet (I still have a lot of sanding to do) but enough to show:







1. Approximate size, medium, etc. She's SD/60cm sized. The medium is paperclay.
2. Best feature Well, I'd have to say her mouth or nose. I spent the most time on them
3. Worst feature Her eyes -- I didn't finish them. I will later though XD
4. One thing you learned Well, this is my first time sculpting a female head of this size. It learned tons. I can't choose one specific thing =P
5. Critique welcome? Yes, no? Sure, why not =] I'm going to finish working on her after this week is over so critique would be great

 

wow, you guys are fast!!! I worked on this off and on from around 6pm to 9:30 pm. I was zonked last night and just crashed afterwards (and our house is really dark at night - i don't think i can ever get pics at night....)

but here goes :










1. Approximate size, medium, etc. aprox. SD sized, grey extra firm super sculpy

2. Best feature : his nose - I really liked his nose for some reason....

3. Worst feature : hmmmm - toss up between his forehead and his eyes --- he really needs some build up/refinement of his skull and his eyes were all googly and sticking out --- so i just squished them in and then never went back and cleaned them up much...

4. One thing you learned : I have real problems making these the right size for the dolls... so I took a head i'd done and didn't like, that was about the right size, and chopped off its nose and mouth and smoothed over its eyes and carved off its chin and eyebrows so i basically had just a kind of flattened egg shape ---- and took a mold of that shape to try to use to squish clay into to get the basic size before i start.

but i found it really hard to use that basic shape --- don't know why --- but it took almost an hour of futzing around with the clay until i could start adding nose and eyes etc.

so i guess i learned that those "volumetric" molds may not work for me...


5. Critique welcome? Yes, no? sure


thefontbandit : wow - i love those lips! I wish you had posted pics of the whole sculpt... you definitely got full lips.

xen: you are incredible! not only incredibly gorgeous lips, but i love her chin, so delicate and rounded... she is really beautiful...

armeleia : I find creative paperclay really hard to work with myself - it is kind of lumpy! for me, ladoll and premier feel much different - if you ever want to try another airdry clay. you did incredible for the first time ever using the paperclay.... I love the lips and chin on your sculpt... <grin> and the cheekbones. I know you don't like it especially, but I think it is a wonderful start - almost a cat fae of some sort, with those narrow eyes, broad cheekbones and pointy ears...

Kaye : so very beautiful!!! sheesh, I wish my lopsided sculpts looked half as good as yours... she is so sweet already...

logodae : I love your sculpt's profile!!! and the curve/shape of its skull. I really like this tiny head... so hard to sculpt in this size, and yours is great.

quilibet : beautiful face - exquisite mouth and nose... are you going to work on it more?
only 1 hour? sheesh.

Keanna : awesome nose --- good proportions. and you are better than i am at making your features stay properly in line on the face.... for the eyes - I found it works better for me to just go ahead and sculpt in the round eye shape then carve it out after it is baked. it helps me make the eyes a better shape..

bloodlath : w00t! awesome happy face! and you did beautiful ears! you notice mine doesn't have any? I hate doing ears. great head shape --- you definitely should be making more heads, this one turned out great!

kiomi : great head, with beautiful lips.... what kind of paperclay did you use? I know darkmothflame is going to post hers after she gets home from school today, so you aren't the last.

 

Wow! I'm impressed with everyone's work..lots of talent here!

 

Kiomi: The sculpt is really cute! I'd love to see what it looks like once it's all been sanded and finished. ^_^

Patl: The nose is divine! Very realistic, and the lips are very kissable and full. (And there isn't really a full sculpt, which is why I just posted the lips, heh. There's a cursory attempt at a nose, and I dug out some holes for the eyes but they're completely the wrong shape and very uneven. )

Overall, I'm really impressed with what everyone has come up with in just one day! And there's so much talent!

 

putting in my place holder for my pics (i'm at school right now) and i finished my head late last night but i wasn't able to get pictures.... i feel like my lips pale in comparison to every one else's though ><;;;

[edit] okay, here is a picture - the others weren't so good....

i need to premise this though -- when i heard that the challenge was luscious lips i wanted to do a quick sketch first to work from... well, the mental image that came to mind was the black dahlia yeah, my mind works in strange ways.....

size : slim msd (unoa/narae)
material : premier paper clay
best feature : um...... >> i'm not sure she has one yet
worst feature : her eyes ><;;;;
one thing i learned : my OCD will not let me put down a halfway finished piece... even now i want to work and tweak her and everything until she's "perfect" <sigh>
critique : i would love critique on how to make more "realistic" looking features like what most people are doing ><;;;



xen -- i love love love her eyes! and actually, i think her mouth looks amazing the way it is ^^

kaye - i'm always in awe of your heads ^^;;;

logodae - i adore the ears - i only wish the pics were better so i could see the details of the face >< ((but i know about crappy phone pics....))

quilibet - how did you do your lips? they're gorgeous!

keanna - yay! i'm not the only person who got a strange idea for it!

bloodlath - what kind of modeling clay are you using? i also only used my fingers really to do everything (then used a bamboo skewer and an exacto knife to do the tiny details like the line between the lips)

kiomi - i adore the profile and the smile!

patl - you know i already hate your mad skillz.... ((and is it just me, or does he have the faint basil rathbone flair in the nose/profile that you and i both adore?))

zidora (i know you posted after me technically but your pics were up before mine ^^;;; ) - that profile is adorable and the eyeshape looks like it has really good promise!

<deep breath> okay, i think that was every one that wanted critiques - sorry i'm not very good at that part.....

 

I've been away for a while, but this sounds so much fun! Everyones sculpts look fantastic!! I feel a new head coming on!

 

My pics are coming! I am trying to figure out the digital camera; the husband promised to help me this afternoon. All I can say is wow! Everyone's pictures have been fabulous!

 

Wow, I'm so at awe with the projects people have posted in so short time. I'll return with comments, but for no I'll just post my own pictures as I have to catch a movie.

Well, here goes my head no 1 - "Luscious lips", which is kind of ironic as they're not really very luscious, but as I usually do lips very thin, this is actually kind of a breakthrough for me, hehe...

1. Approximate size: about YO-SD-size

2. Best feature : I like her nose best.

3. Worst feature : I'm afraid that would be the lips...sigh. Or maybe the eyes that I accidentally cut out too large.

4. One thing you learned : It was hard sculpting with polymer as I'm used to paperclay. I had a hard time getting even the basics done, but in the end I kind of got the hang of it.

5. Critique welcome? Very much, but of course it's a rough sculpt so if people find it hard to comment on something as unfinished it's ok

From the front:


And profile pics:


And a couple of pics with eyes, just for fun

 

Everyone did so well .. I particularly like Xen's face (love the long face and cute chin) and PatL .. as usual your talent just floors me.

OK .. what's next!!!? LOL.

 

WOW...I finished first!...didn't realise that!! I will post the next challenge at 5pm EST...that's 5pm our Aussie time this afternoon Wednesday...right? If I'm wrong please tell me.....

BloodLath......What a cutie pie...very sweet Pixie looking head...love the mouth...and the ears......GR8 job.....

Kaomi......Wow....I'm very impressed with this head.....I love the soft smiling mouth....really pretty....GR8 job.....

Patl......Wow......awesome work!...I simply love the mouth and the overall look of this head.....soft features and calm look....GR8 job....

Zidora.......Awwww so sweet...what a little darling.....Love the mouth..side proflie is lovely.......GR8 job.......


xen

 

I suspect Armeleia meant North American EST, not Australian EST... they both stand for "Eastern Standard Time," amusingly enough, but there's a 15 hour difference. If I'm doing the math right, 5 PM Tuesday (our EST) translates to 8 AM Wednesday (your EST).

It's also about fifteen minutes from now.

 

Oh Logodae...thanks so much,I'm a bit clueless here..lol... it's already 8.30am here Wednesday...so do I post the challenge now??? Or our Thursday 8.00am.....? I'm such a dill...

xen

 

Hee. Hello, Xen-from-the-future! I think you can post the challenge now, for those of us still back in Tuesday.

 

Logodae...you're an angel *hugs*.......Thanks,........here goes.....

Todays challenge is all about the NOSE.......so lets get some cute little noses going.....


xen

 

hey darkmothflame.... I'll happily spend some time with you on faces --- i owe you a lot for all the advice you've given me on joints! you got her features even and well placed thats the biggest thing. i love the shape of her lips --- i think if you start building in more depth to your features, you will like them even more. I admire you guys who are working in paperclay - its hard to do a quick one day sketch in the airdry clays....


hey zidora -- what a sweetheart! would love to see her whole head - have you put in eyes yet to see how she looks?

hey xen ---- noses???? like, many noses? <grin> do they need to be human noses?

 

Sorry guys......any sort of nose at all....big or small....can be human or animal nose....Although a "trunk" would look really funny.........

This should be fun......

xen

 

w00t! ---

Ganesha!

 

Wow they are all so impressive. I feel a little out classed. Must came out of my classroom more often.


thefontbandit : I like your lip, they look very plush. Even the kitty thought so.


xen: I thought you nose was very well done, and the face had a good shape to it.


armeleia : What great boning. The lips are wide, reminds me of Heath Leadgers broad grin. Very well done.


Kaye : Too sweet. Perfect childlike proportions.


logodae : Your profile was very strong. But the head had a very peaceful look to it.


quilibet : Your lips are wonderful.


Keanna : It looks as thou we caught them in mid word. A very expressive sculpt.


Patl: As always a fan, he's gorgeous. I hope by the end of the week I am closer to the realist sculpt.


kiomi : Lovely lips. The region between the nose and the lip is perfect.


darkmothflame: Very theactricall. I'm using very cheap, kid friendly, modeling clay. It's all I had on hand until Friday paycheck comes in.


zidora: Your eye area s very good.

Off to sculpt what I hope is the perfect nose.

________________

 

hey armeleia!!!! I called Ganesh (Indian elephant headed god of good fortune)!! ah well --- hmmm, puppy? oh i love squishing clay!

today i just upped and left work early. clay was calling so much stronger than the computers....

off to start softening clay....

 

Yay! I love seeing all these lovely heads! And hoorah, my two favorite things: lips and now noses. ^^

xen: Love the lips, and the style. So elongated and really elegant.
Armeleia: Fantastically shaped! Love the almost unfamiliar face structure, and the pronounced cheek bones, as well as that nicely wide mouth. I know exactly what you mean by making noses too small for your own tastes! I consciously tried sculpting a small nose before, but I hated the result. I love noses, and the bigger, the better. X3 And I just have a soft spot for the ears! Thanks for the critique! On top of that, I've also noticed my lips are veering slightly to the left a bit, haha.
Kaye: Just beautiful! Love the little nose, and the cute little lips. So professionally finished, and the eye shape is wonderful.
Logodae: Very sweet and stylized! Adore those ears. And the sculpt is so smooth! My heads always have a few bumps or two. X3
Keanna: Looks like she's singing. Very rough, but great potential. I like the nose.
Bloodlath:I love that happy smile! Nice nose, and adore those cute, chubby cheeks!
Kiomi: Ahh! Pardon me! I wrote the wrong thing for yours, Kiomi! I mixed up some head-sculpts, and terribly apologize! I actually quite like the eyes, nose, and mouth. Lovely early stages!
Patl: Oh, I adore him. I'm such a sucker for large noses, and he's sculpted so well! Love the eyelids, upper and lower, and those lips! And the forehead, the cheek structure! And thanks so much. I think I'm going to scrap him/her, but he was fun to make. ^^
darkmothflame: Aw, she's so cute and pouty! I love her little nose.
Zidora: Aw, so cute! Love the nose.
TheFontBandit: Such cute lips!

Thanks for the comments! I make lips in two separate pieces, kind of a triangular shape for the top lip, and then stick 'em on, and work on them from there. X3 Haha, is it funny I do all my detailing with the tip of a mechanical pencil?

EDIT! Sorry KIOMI, I mixed you up with someone else, and gave you a critique you didn't deserve at all!

 

Thanks for the comments. I updated my post with a couple of pictures showing the whole head with eyes.

Sorry to be a bit late with the comments on the "lips"-sculpts, but here goes:
xen > I'm really impressed with the finished state of your head - you managed to do a lot. She's very expressive and I like the slender face. Her lips are very soft-looking and sweet, but a bit puffy at the middle maybe. The middle of the top lip is very big, but I can see that you've commented on that yourself, so no need to repeat .

armeleia > I know you said no critique, but just wanted to give kudos for having managed to sculpt an entire face in paper clay in so short a time, even though it sounds like a bit of a battle

Kaye > So cute, even if it's a bit lopsided . THe nose is cute as a button and the lower cheeks are really good. The distance between the eyes and nose is a little short, but maybe it's part of the childish proportions. I like the area of the lips and chin - especially the lower lip and the small grove underneath.

logodae > I think this is my favorite of the lip-sculpts because of the very lifelike expression and the fact that it looks like it's laughing. Especially the mouth in profile is really good (actually I find the whole profile darn good with the strong jawline, the nose and the forehead).
For the sculpt in general I think the right side is good, whereas the left side looks a little more off - the left eyelid looks like it goes around the head instead of sitting in front and the left cheek is a bit small.

quilibet > wow, only an hour? Wish I could say the same about my lumpy, uneven head The sculpt is interesting because I like each of the features, even though they don't match up perfectly (which they shouldn't as it's an exercise ). But I like the overall androngynous look and I think in my opinion that you can claim the title for having sculpted to most kissable lips - I would really love to kiss those The lines of both upper and lower lips are very sensual and harmonic.

keanna > that's one powerful-looking sculpt. It has it's issues, but it's very expressive. I also like the nose - both front and profile.
The skinny cheeks combined with the o-shaped, open mouth makes it look like he's sucking in air or blowing out. If you were going for this I think you did a really good job of sculpting the whole face around it.
The upper lip seen from profile is maybe a bit big/ starts too soon under the nose.

Bloodlath > wow - your first? That's a good job. Kudos
Your sculpt really made me smile, because it looks so mischievous and impish - very cute
From the front the nose drowns a bit in the other features, but else I think you nailed the proportions well. It might be easier to make a longer face for practising so there's more space for each feature? (hope that makes sense ). The ear shape is beautifully done - love the picture from half-profile with the chin-cheek-jaw-ear forming a very nice curve. Good job.

kiomi > very feminine and graceful-looking sculpt. Her profile is very beautiful, but the forehead looks a bit short, though. I like that you've given her "smiling lines" from the nose the the mouth corners - gives her a lot of expression. I look forward to seeing you continue the sculpt

patl > wow, the realism of this sculpt, and in such a short time, is blowing me away. Love the rounded nose tip and especially the lips. I love the line of the upper lips and the lower lips that are full all the way from one side to another instead of being full in the middle only. I really like that look and even though it (lower lip) looks a bit lopsided, the overall impression and line is really good. (I had planned to do a lower lip like that but I couldn't get anywhere near it ). Not so fond of the brow/ forehead area, but that may be a question of taste rather than proportions - the bone structure gets a bit aggressive looking when it's so distinct... if that made any sense...

darkmothflame > afraid I have no advice to offer on making more realistic sculpts as you ask for, but I can say that I really like the highly stylized look of your sculpt. It almost has the look of a no theatre mask. I like the heavy lids. Maybe the way to go for sculpting more realistically could be to put on strips of clay one by one to mimic muscle structure while looking at one of those anatomy pictures where you see the muscles without skin?

Phew, ok next time I may not comment quite as much ; )

 

Thank you for all the wonderful comments, they have keep me going thru this trail and error process. I just finished my second sculpt, can't say it was easier, but more enjoyable. It took a left turn from where I had originally start but I think am I love. See you guys tomorrow at 5.

 

I'd also like to thank everyone for the great comments and critique! This is really helping me improve my sculpting skills and it's so much fun

I'm still working on my second sculpt. I hope to finish it sometime tonight.

And BloodLath, you sould post pictures of your second one! I'd love to see him or her. Also, you'll be able to pick the next theme

Edit: Oops, I know I was forgetting something: Patl, the paperclay I use is called "Creative Paperclay". I bought it from the Hobby Lobby and I know it's also at Michaels Craft Store.

 

I'd also like to thank all you guys for the lovely comments on my "head"....You're all so sweet *hugs*........This is so much fun to do.......I've got the next "head" in the oven baking as I 'speak' so not finished yet...lol......I even missed my lunch to do this!! Should have popped something in the oven with the head...lol...

Darkmothflame......I love your sweet little head...so lovely and round...very cute mouth and button nose......GR8 job.......


xen

 

I finished the nose one for today, but my mom took her camera back from me T_T I will keep making what you guys make though, even if there are no pics to be had

 

Ahh, I don't think I'll be able to sculpt tonight. I've got quite a bit of studying to do. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's heads!

 

Am I too late to post for the 2/25 challenge? I just got back form classes...

Here is my guy with his kissy lips...............





I put some colored powder on them to accent them, but they make him look like a girl.

Size: little bigger than MSD

Best Feature: His smirky, kissy lips

Worst Feature: Eyes. Didn't bother to finish them all neat like

What I learned: How to make parted lips

 

Whee! Giant schnoz! Hee hee. I decided to make a head with a big nose. ^_~





He (I think it's a 'he' anyway) has such a big nose and itty-bitty lips, but I kind of like it. =P

1. Approximate size, medium, etc. Kind of a large 43cm, in Super Sculpey. (Still need to make the trip to the craft store for paperclay. )

2. Best feature: I love the giant nose, hee hee.

3. Worst feature: Eyes. They're uneven. >_< And the forehead, now that I'm looking at pics... it's pointy and there's not enough of it.

4. One thing you learned: I learned the curve of a nostril and how it attaches to the face.

5. Critique welcome? Sure!


Thanks so much for the critique, everyone! I love seeing the talented artists here, and what you've all come up with! Also, I've learned so much just from these two challenges. Just getting up off my lazy butt and actually focusing on different parts... Thanks for starting the head-a-day challenge, Armeleia!


Also:
Miss_Pygmalion, they do look kissy! I love the shape of the lower lip, especially.

 

#2 Nose......

Miss_pygmalion.......I love the little head....and those lips are wonderful..kissable...ruby lips...I love how you have parted them....

TheFontBandit.....Wow...what a schnoz....I love it, such a lovely shape...you have done a wonderful job.....

Well, here's my NOSE for the day!!! .....don't laugh...but my favourite nose of all belongs to the Rabbit...I just adore how soft and twitchy they are...so....










This is the picture that I worked off.........

Approx size...........MSD...on the bigger side...
Best feature.........I like the nose......
Worst feature........ears......
One thing I learned........that I like making animal faces....
Critique..........Yes please.......

xen

 

Yay, bunny sculpt!

I love the expressiveness of it, even though it's a rabbit the face has a lot of personality.

 

Xen .. Love your bunny .

TheFontBandit .. Great snoz

Miss_Pygmalion .. cute upturned nose

Ok .. here's mine ..


Approx size .. YoSD size
Best feature ... button nose .. sorry I've got no imagination to do something different and interesting like Xen's
Worst feature ... probably lopsided again .. always happens to my sculpts
One thing I learned .. this is fun!
Critique .. Yes please

 

Armeleia.
That's a great nose .. the only thing I can see might need improvement is the forehead .. it needs to be bigger I think but that could be something you intended to do later anyway.

 

lol....I just cracked up when I saw my Rabbit head..I didn't realise how funny it looks...l like a cartoon bunny.....


Kaye........Is that the cutest nose I've ever seen...what a little darling..her little ears
are so sweet too...wonderful face....

Armeleia.........Beautiful nose.....I love it...I like the mouth too....awesome work.....

TheFontBandit....thanks for the lovely comments...glad you liked "funny bunny".....

Kaye......glad you liked bunny...........

Now, I have run out of Sculpey, so off to the craft store in the morning......having lots of fun doing these......

xen

 

Armeleia: Nice. Love the nose and lips. Out of curiousity I went and did a quick photoshop edit to see what he'd look like with more "traditional" BJD proportions:



I think it suits him.

And here's my very silly entry:

 

Okay I think we got the camera to work...
1. Approx size....big-head is about 5 inches tall without the neck. I used some plasticine I bought in Alaska 12-13 years ago...yes I am a packrat.
2. Best feature...left ear
3. Worst feature-eyes!
4. Learned...I really should try to find my tools before I start sculpting, I know they were packed, but as all my stuff is in the box forest...makeshift tools bite. Plasticine is very unforgiving and major hard to smooth and I love paperclay best. My daughters have weird imaginations (they are 10 and 11), but they can sculpt better than I did at that age...
5. Crits-I know she is very rough, but go ahead what do you think?

First my lame tools

Closeup

With a stylish turban

And finally playing with the photo editor

 

Sommersdai .. love him/her

Logodae .. your sculpt looks like someone I know! Love the lips and the crooked nose

 

A quick post of the door mouse!

Sorry for so many pics. He was hard to photograph.












Size: SD
Material: Elementary School Grade Modeling Clay

1. The good: I love him. Not what I had plan.
2. The bad: Need to work with stuff I can smooth better
3. I learned too much to list.
4. Critique is okay.

 

head 2 - nose...... have to admit, the first thing i thought of when xen said nose - was Kaye's adorable noses. so figured I better do something very different.... Armeleia! I thought you were doing an elephant?

anyway - for some reason decided to do a lion cub - poor lighting this morning, apologize for the photos.... :

















1. Approximate size, medium, etc. - fits an 8 or 10" tiny (works on bug's body but needs shorter arms and legs and paw type hands and feet) grey firm supersculpy

2. Best feature ---- nose!

3. Worst feature ----- ears (they were supposed to be jointed and i just couldnt seem to get a shape i liked so i gave up for the night) and neck/back of head - its even more lopsided than my norm.

4. One thing you learned --- don't expect to keep sculpting after you take benedryl.


5. Critique welcome? Yes, no? --- yes

miss_pygmalion: that is a great head! but especially the lips... really looks a lot like a person I used to work with! what kind of clay are you using?

theFontBandit : <grin> gorgeous Giant schnoz!!! and a great mouth too!

xen: <smirk> ---- great rabbit, especially with the hair and rose setting off those fine, fine ears!

Kaye - not only a gorgeous nose but gorgeous ears too. I'm so jealous.... just curious, all my sculpts head off to the left. which side do yours slope towards? the minimees slope to the left too... a lopsided sculpt is obviously a sign of greatness.


armeleia - but where is the elephant???? ah well - he will do - and very well... love this head! i love how he is kind of smirking up at us from his down-tilted head. this one is definitely a keeper... about what size is he?

logodae : <grin> my dad's nose does that too, but it looks much better on your head! wish i could see the mouth better - it looks like it is great. funny, with the silly nose i was expecting it to feel silly or smirky --- but i get a sense of grace instead - i think its that lovely curve you have going up the middle of the perfect oval - get a yin/yang sense... cool!

sommersdai : wow! gorgeous head! thank goodness for long shelf life on plasticine! what a great character... (the turban makes me want to see him/her on a round little body with ali babba pants and clothes.... awesome!)

ah bloodlath! : have you ever seen the work of the sculptor Beth Cavener Stichter
http://www.followtheblackrabbit.com/index_main.htm
one of my all time favorite sculptors.... get a bunch more clay and start making lots more sculpts and please share them all with us. wonderful head! great character and beautiful too. thank you for posting lots of pics...

 

Hi, I just wanted to pop in and say how much I am enjoying this thread. You guys are really inspiring, and this may be the best and most positive thread I've had the pleasure of viewing on DoA in months.

I especially love the crooked nose head (seriously! I wish that one would get casted!) and the "Door Mouse".

I cannot sculpt myself right now because I'm in my second-to-last metalwork class for my cert program - it's Advanced Studio and every bit of my time that's not going to work or family is going towards finishing my required projects for that (argh). But after I finish the cert program later this year, I'm getting some clay and I'm going to do a head a day (or every other day maybe more realistic ) and I figure after about two years I will start vaguely approaching the skills of you guys.

Keep up the good work

 

Thanks for the encouragement, armeleia. I'm very shy about showing anything I work on so it will be awhile, and it might not end up being the type of thing that BJD people like or appreciate but just getting up courage to do it is a good thing for me! I used to make attempts as a kid but I usually didn't have access to decent clay and would get discouraged pretty easily thinking, "I can't do art" but I used to actually watch sculpting shows on TV where they would make heads and stuff, and wish a lot...which is probably how I end up on DoA years later

 

I've been watching this thread (i'm no sculptor, I just like creative things), and I had to come out of lurk mode to say that that door mouse is just about the cutest thing I have ever seen!!!

BloodLath- You should definitely start some projects here on DoA... I say with full confidence that people would LOVE your work.

Everyone else's work is really great also... Keep it up!!

...ok, back to lurk mode. (hehe)

 

I love the door mouse! I think you should keep going with this sculpt and complete a body. It's a "cute" head but I see him/her as more of a goth bunny..which would be very cool!

 

Sigh, I'll probably not manage to participate today... some problems with work. But I hope to be able to do a head for toworrow's challenge

As for the sculpts - so nice to the heads of today's challenge. It is fun to see how people took the nose theme in all kinds of directions.

fontbandit > What a nice, big nose. I love looking at the nostrils. They're so perfectly shaped. The tip and bridge could maybe have used a bit more definition?

xen > that head is just hilarious . I love how you positioned the eyes so it looks as if it says "Who? Me?" It is more quirky than cute, but I think you captured the essence of a soft, round-ish/ triangular-ish rabbit nose very well. Ah, I think the reason I find it more quirky than cute ( which is no bad thing ) is that the mouth area reminds me somewhat of a walrus. I love the way you sculpt and again I'm impressed with how far you've come with the sculpt.

Kaye > aww, everything about the sculpt is so soft and tactile-looking. The ears are so well done!

armeleia > It was really interesting to see logodae's "stretching" of your sculpt: It clarifies a lot of things for me about some of the things that make up the bjd aesthetic so thanks to you both I like the masculine brow area on this one and the nose seems to have only good angles. I like the long, straight bridge.

logodae > I have to say your sculpt made my day. I've returned to the thread to look at it several times during the afternoon and it cheered me up. Love the smiling eyes, love the nose - not just the crooked part, but also the tip.

sommersdai > that is so cheerful and fun I love how you did the ears.

bloodlath > wow, in the first pictures, that's one mean-looking critter I really like how you did a cute animal head in a dramatic way with the almost vertical eyebrows and dynamic face shape.

patl > aww, a melancholy- looking lion cub. THe nose is so sweet and round. The face looks a bit fuller to the viewers left. I like the eye shape and lids.

 

Kaye: I love your noses. They're so cute. I especially love the little pouty lips though.

Armeleia: The nose is very strong and I love the shape. I agree that he's a bit off from the ABJD aesthetic, but I like him anyway. I also agree that reshaping the eyes or making them larger would probably push him more toward the ABJD look though.

Logodae: Cute! Very stylized, almost Picasso-ish or something. I like the curvature in the nose, gives it a very unique artsy look.

Somersdai: The turban made me laugh out loud! She does look a teensy bit uneven, but for a rough sculpt in plasticine, great job! I like the almost down-pointing elfy ears. ^_^

Bloodlath: I really can't wait to see what you can make when you get smoother clay! The two sculpts you've shown so far are amazing with such a difficult material! I love the overall shape and the big eyes (so cute!), but I'm a bit thrown off by the vertical lines running from the ears to the nose tip.

Patl: I agree, the head is very much a lion cub, but has enough human qualities to make him a great anthro doll. I love the way the nose does have a bit of both.


Also, thanks so much for the help with the critiques, everyone. I'm still learning a lot (these have been my second and third attempts at sculpting) and it's been a great help. I tend to overlook a lot of things, so it's nice to have others point them out so I can improve.

 

Well, I had time today, so. . .

I thought I'd have a go at an anthropomorph, kitty-faced! It started coming out stronger than I had intended, but I liked it, so it's now a tiger. I used plasticine, so it couldn't be more than a rough sketch, as the stuff is a bugger.

Be kind, this is my first head sculpt!

Approx size: MSD

Best feature: the join between the nose and lips, I really like the way they flow together

Worst feature: Wonkiness. I need to work on my symmetry!

Anything I learned? Not to work with plasticine! It sucks.

Critique? Sure, go wild - but I know it needs to be way, way smoother. that's the plasticine, it's a bugger and it sticks to my sculpting tools.

Front-on


Side-on


And for a fun, a quick photoshop of a tiger face-up.

 

<rushes to submit pics>

since i'm in the midst of preparing molds i'm not able to spray her all one color like i wanted so the details are a little hard to distinguish.... but i love her to bits! i'm going to definitely finish this head (i've already named her beatrix)

size : slim msd (unoa/narae) - resin cast that i've modified with paper clay
best part : here eyes and lips (got some special training from my mom patl last night and now i think i'm worlds better on lips ^^)
worst feature : her roughness i think....
one thing i learned : that it's easier to focus on sculpting features when you're not fighting to keep the head from smooshing......
critique : of course ^^







and oh my, the animal heads are all great! however, i'm so overwhelmed with other things today i don't have time to individually comment on people's heads - so sorry!!!

 

Okay everyone, today's challenge is partially-closed eyes! Whether it's called "dreaming", "wake-up", or "tender", I love dolls with partially-closed eyes. So show me those sleepy, bored-looking, or haughty sculpts with drooping eyelids. ^_^ It's up to you how far to close them. Half-way? Just a sliver of eye showing? Whatever you decide.

(I have obligations tonight right after work, too, so hopefully I'll be able to participate!)

Also:
corchen: You are far more patient than me if you're working in plasticine! I like how strong the nose is, very tigery. Rawr. ^_^

darkmothflame: She looks so sweet and a little pouty/sad (I can see her going either way depending on a faceup). I like how even and symmetrical she is!

 

Another good group of heads all! I love that animals wanted to come out of the clay(s). I adore Alice (Elfdoll) and I would love to see some little friends for her....there is certainly a good start represented here!
Corchen-your tiger impressed my tiger loving husband. You have some mad photoshop skills on top of sculpting.
Now I must go back to my...well whatever it is, cause I am not sure yet...

 

hey corchen! great minds think alike! love your tiger... especially his big strong tiger nose and the tiny lip pads... he looks so great photoshopped!

darkmothflame : i love her profile! and i love how much more 3d she feels than your first head --- but part of that is getting better pics this time. I like her with eyelids and her defined lips and look forward to seeing her with a faceup.....


sleepy eyes? hey! if i ever finished first, that is what I was going to ask for! can't wait to see everyone's faces!

 

Hi guys, just wanted to say thanks for the lovely comments on "funny bunny".....having so much fun doing this...only today I've had to work!! end of the months A/C's etc....then I had to search for some Sculpey!!found some........

Logodae.......I love the nose you did...gives the face so much character...
Sommersdai........What a very cute pixie face.....I love the nose..sort of gnomey......
BloodLath.....LOVE the wee mouse........
Patl............Your lion cub is just too cute.......
Corchen........Wow....a tiger.......love the nose......
Darkmothflame........Love this face....love how the eyes slope...beautiful side profile...

Now must away and see if I can do some sleepy eyes!!.......

xen

 

Armeleia I love that dreaming cat face, her lips look so soft and she just seems sweet, you wouldn't happen to have a profile of her face? I'd like to see her brow line a little better