Jethro- mold and cast pictures!

Two molds are finished, seven more to go. Though the molding process is a bit slow for my taste, the casting is the exact opposite! I made my first junk cast today (of Jethro's head and... I'm not at all disappointed. Seriously, I can't wipe the grin of my face.

Here are the pictures:



First the mold. For it's design I looked closely to Twigling's work and added a few air vents where I thought it was needed.
Oh, right, almost forgot: I gave the mold a name, so if - in the distant future when I have several head molds - I can keep them apart. The mold's name isn't Jethro this time. I've decided to give each of my dolls musical terms if I'm ever going to sell them. Somehow the name Andante seemed appropriate for this one. Walking pace: slow, but steady.



The two heads! One in resin, the other in clay. I love how the resin softens the lines in his face. It makes him look more gentle.



Despite using a pressure pot, two airbubbles got stuck (on at the top of the head, the other to the left, near the left ear). I think there could be two possible reasons why this happened:
1. I need another airvent (this is especially true for the upper air bubble. Though it is close to the funnel, I get the feeling the air has no option to get away)
2. I pressurized the cast too late. The resin was already hardening. The edge of the head is also riddled with these tiny bubbles which wouldn't have been there if the pressure tank had enough time to do its work.



Still, I'm pretty content with the results. There are a lot of details in this sculpt that could've caused trouble, but the big disaster didn't happen. the ears are completely bubble-free, for instance, as are the nodges for the headcap and the neckhole-system.

I think I'm starting to like this casting business.

 

Dianna: Thank you! I can't wait to see him finished too (which is a good thing after a year), but I must say I feel a little discouraged knowing I have to make another leg .

Yuusui: I'm kind of fond of his nose too. Thank you!

Lori Metcalf: Wow, thank you! I love your work, btw, how's progress going?

 

Thank you!

St.James: Yes he's going to be 60 cm. That is, as soon as I have found the guts to cut off 4 cm of his upper leg.
I'm using Formofit. From what I've heard it's almost the same as LaDoll.

Things are going a little slower then anticipated. I don't have time to sculpt. :pout Hopefully I will be able to do some more work this weekend.

 

New pictures in post 1.

 

Thank you, Twigling. You were right about the older pictures, so I've put them in this post. Their not really progress-pictures, though. The photo's of the torso are the oldest photo's I have of it:

An older picture of his torso. As you can see, the front isn't finished yet:


Here, I still have to change his collarbones and chest-muscles:


The finished arm (including the impressive garden of my mother):


And a bad picture of the first leg. I'm working on his second leg, but there isn't much to show as of yet:

 

Thank you, you guys. I will post more as soon as I have something new to show you.

 

New pictures in the first post!

Older progress-pictures, 24 December 2008:

 

SimonPurple & Articula: Thank you!

Holyvirus: Hey! You're here too?? Welcome! Yes, I was very happy the torso splitting was a success, as was the splitting of the other parts. I was worried that I might loose some of the detail, but I worked very carefully and all went fine!

Miss_Pygmalion: Thank you! I haven't lost any detail in the legs just yet, so things might work out okay!

muse: I'm very happy with his torso! Never thought it would turn out so well.
Glad you like his face so much! Here are some more pictures, including a profile-pic:










Patl: I hope so too. This is one of the reasons I'm looking at all the different resins people use. I think I need a resin that glows a bit, though I'm still unsure what colour I'd like for him. Of course, when the time comes, I could just try a few until I've found one I'm happy with, but I like to research and It'll probably save me some money.

 

I'm curious too! Are there pictures of that doll on this forum? I can't seem to remember it.

 

moniee: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like his face, 'cause I was about to feel insecure about it (again), so I needed that comment.

DanceCat: You're making me shy! And yes I am a little proud; It's great to see him come together. And yes, he will be around 60 cm (perhaps a little less) when he's ready.

The book did help me, if only because the pictures are wonderful and help me stay motivated. You don't really need the text, the photo's speak for themselves. And if you dó want to know what Yoshida wrote down, there is a thread on DoA where every page is translated.

The clay I'm using is formofit, which is basicly Premier, only a little cheaper. I love it, it's really easy to sand and still quite sturdy. I've dropped Jethro's head about three times and he only had a little dent. He didn't chip, he didn't break apart, he was just fine.

I'm looking forward to seeing your boy's body. You'll be fine! I mean, Jethro is only my first project - if I can do it, you can too! Just use many reference pictures of real people and sculptors you admire and take your time. Good luck!

 

New pictures in first post

@Runy: Glad to see you here as well. I love your work .

 

melissamarie: Yes, I did. Which was the main reason why it took me such a long time to get this far. I didn't know anything about anatomy as realistic (yet stylized) as possible. But the main reason it takes such a long time? Hip joints. Seriously, I just can't get them to work!

Rainings: Thanks!

 

Thank you all. I wish I had more time to visit this place. I've seen an awful lot of great projects, but my job is taken away all free hours I have. Ah well, I'm reaching the deadline soon, hopefully I have more time (to visit and sculpt) later.

New pictures in first post.

 

More new pictures in first post. A work in progress of the hands and feet.





@cheshirepanda: Thank you. And yes, those hip joints :mad:. I decided to work on the hands and feet first, before continuing with them.

@patl: Aw, but Bug is cute! I didn't finish his other hand. Started working on a foot instead and got a little carried away (I think I spend a total of 8 hours working on 1 foot ).

@Runy: Detail isn't very hard, it just requires patience. First you have to make sure you have the basic shape (that includes carving the place where the future nails will be) and then you add tiny bits of clay until you think there's enough detail.
Thank you for your patience, btw. You've been following this thread ever since Jethro was just a head. That's amazing!

@ieatedyourcooki: Thanks!

@Frozen: Heh. I hope he's finished in a few months. I hardly have time to work on him, am happy if I can afford to spend one hour every two weeks, so this has been a job of a life time.
Next project is going to be even more ambitious. I want to make several 80 cm graphic novel style men (a bit like those EID's from Iplehouse) and women. The next twelve years I think I'm busy.

 

@Maggs: Thanks. Now I have to find a way to make the other hand and foot look like their counterpart.

@patriciaLangston: Thank you.

 

Maggs: Yeah, it is one of the reasons I'm taking so slow. I'm too much of a perfectionist, correcting things that are hardly noticable. But well, if I can see them, I imagine others will too.

armeleia: Thank you. I'm glad he's almost finished now. Strange, I've been working on him for years (with an 11 month break in between), but I'm getting impatient. There's a new idea I want to start with, but not until Jeth is finished.

Jphobia: Well, he has to have clothes eventually, but those have to be commisioned. It might take a while before his body is 'decently' covered . Thank you.

glimmer: Thanks! I still have to do one more foot, though. Hope I can make it look just like the other.

Icekibby: Thank you. You're too kind.

littlegreythings: . I'm glad you like him.


The legs are done! The hip-joints, the knee-joints, all work as they should. The only thing left to do is his other foot and then I can test-string him (carefully) and finish the stringing channels. Wish I could show you some pictures, but I left my camera at my parents' house. I owe you those.

Can't believe his almost done :dead!

 

New pictures in first post.

@Rad Inana: You're wish is my command, hehe. I'm really nervous about the casting. So many things can go wrong. One thing I've decided, though, I'm going to buy a pressure pot. I can't stand bubbles, especially when the mold is just fine.

@Runy: It really is weird, it's almost like saying goodbye to him already. Still, there are two or three more i's I need to dot, so there's plenty of time for that ;p.

@Jphobia & Blue Dot: Thank you

 

Thank you. I'm glad he can be strung up.
Looking at his pictures yesterday, I decided to change something about his cheeks and lower lip. I bugged me to see how he looked off in so many angles. But this is the last thing I'm going to change that has nothing to do with jointing. Really. I swear.