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Noel, my 1st head-Critique, Please!

Oct 3, 2007

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    1. Noel is the first BJD head I've ever worked on. I don't really have any sculpting experience, so this has really been fun. I'm hoping to cast Noel and his partner Nova soon. They are 60cm size. I'm asking for gentle critique now, before we make a mold. Please be specific. Thank You!

      ***Since the SubForum is closing, follow my work on 'The Joint' artists' forum or at fishbonegreene.com***

       Had a little time to work on Noel this past weekend, so here are a few of his improvements. Below is a photo of him on a body, just for fun, even though he is not done. Still need to do eyelids/tear ducts properly, but the rest of him is coming along nicely.
      [​IMG]

      [​IMG]

      UPDATE! - April 22nd, 2008!
      Noel is really coming along! I've made lots of alterations to him since my last update:
      [​IMG]
      We've also started practicing making molds and casting in resin to familiarize ourselves with the processes (and to experiment!). Here is an example of our first cast: (White one is original, green one is resin)
      [​IMG]



      UPDATE! - March 19th, 2008!
      Both eyes are beveled. Added to the back of the neck and have started cutting down the back of the head so I can craft a head cap. Put the bridge back on the nose and realized it's a little long. Also still need to do the inner corners of the eyes. Hoping to make a mold this weekend.
      [​IMG]



      Older Updates in Post #6.
      ​
       
      #1 VinylFaerie, Oct 3, 2007
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    2. That's a really unique sculpt. I like it a lot!
       
      #2 Miss_Pygmalion, Oct 8, 2007
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    3. Oh wow, it looks like it'll turn out really cool!
      Good luck!
       
      #3 Acursed Brow, Oct 8, 2007
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    4. Looks like it'd be a nice sculpt for a jester kind of doll or something similar. =3
       
      #4 BynByn, Oct 8, 2007
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    5. How big is it? It looks too small for a 60cm
       
      #5 penguu, Oct 8, 2007
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    6. It was small, but I built it up to 60cm size. (In a few minutes, I will post a newer pic.) It's still needs most of the face sanded down and added to, so it won't be so 'jester-y' when it's done.
      ​

      Previous updates:


      [​IMG]
      ​

      UPDATE: OCT 9th
      [​IMG]

      Update: Oct 15th
      [​IMG]

      UPDATE: Oct 18th
      [​IMG]

      Update: November 16, 2007
      [​IMG]


      UPDATE! - Feb 8th 2008!
      I've ordered some books and videos of doll making, mold making and casting. I'm hoping to put in my order for silicone and resin next week. I hope to have a usable cast about a month from then.

      [​IMG]


      UPDATE! - Feb 24th 2008!
      Resin and Silicone have been ordered and should be here tomorrow! EEEEEEEK!
      Construction will begin next weekend and should be done within the week.
      Also, Noel will hopefully be finished by then and ready to mold & cast.
      Wish me luck!

      UPDATE! - Feb 27th 2008!
      Resin and Silicone have arrived, construction should begin in shop this weekend, we hope. Molding and casting to follow afterward.

      UPDATE! - March 10th, 2008!
      Worked on his eyes for a bit; they are getting closer. He needs some more sanding, evened out a bit and more definition to his features, but he is getting close to done!

      [​IMG]


      UPDATE! - March 13th, 2008!
      Cleaned up his new eyes and beveled one of them.
      [​IMG]
      ​
       
      #6 VinylFaerie, Oct 9, 2007
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    7. Ah, I see. What's the overall look you have in mind, if you don't mind me asking? =3
       
      #7 BynByn, Oct 9, 2007
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    8. To be honest, I don't know! :) I think it's a boy though. I'm just kind of seeing what happens.
       
      #8 VinylFaerie, Oct 9, 2007
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    9. Started on an arm, but it needs a lot of work. I also re-added the ears.
       
      #9 VinylFaerie, Oct 16, 2007
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    10. Still in love with his nose~~
       
      #10 batchix, Oct 16, 2007
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    11. Aww! I hope you still like it when he's done. I've done a lot of work on him in the last few days. I'll post a new pic tonight.

      Also, he has a name now: NOEL.

      Edit @11:45: Added a new photo.
       
      #11 VinylFaerie, Oct 18, 2007
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    12. Ah, cool~ :XD: He's come a long way since I've last seen him. The right ear is a bit uneven (or maybe the left ear, depending on which one you want the basis to be?), and the eyes look a leeeeetle small. I don't know if you're planning to make them bigger or not. Jawline + nose are a tiny bit square? Again, don't know if that's what you're going for. :? I look forward to checking it out at the meet next weekend~
       
      #12 -cain-, Oct 19, 2007
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    13. He is still very much a draft, but thank you for the critique! The ear on the right side is finished while the one on the left is still more of a random ear-shaped lump, so that's why they look different. The eyes and nose still need a lot of work, but overall I am happy with the lips. I'm glad his final facial shape is filled in now, even if the details are still vague. :D
       
      #13 VinylFaerie, Oct 19, 2007
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    14. the squared out chin is much better~~~

      I think the problem with the eyes isn't that they're too narrow, but that they're too long and/or too close together. Keep it up~ :O
       
      #14 penguu, Oct 22, 2007
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    15. Done a lot of work on this boy lately, will be posting a pic later tonight.
       
      #15 VinylFaerie, Nov 14, 2007
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    16. New pic posted! :)

      His face shape is final, and now I've begun to work on one eye and the lips. The nose is still a lump, but I'm saving it for last. ;)

      Any thoughts?
       
      #16 VinylFaerie, Nov 15, 2007
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    17. Noel has now been joined by his (female) buddy Nova. (pics soon) I hope to have them both done by the end of January.

      I've also started a secret project named Dimru; stay tuned for more news!
       
      #17 VinylFaerie, Dec 19, 2007
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    18. BIG UPDATE!
      The holidays kicked my butt so I haven't completely finished Nova or Noel, but Noel is really close now. I think I'm going to widen his eyes a bit as he looks too old with smaller eyes. I've started on Dimru's legs for size and I'm sketching out some ideas for Nova and Noel's bodies.

      I've also ordered several books and videos to help me on my way to learning how to make my own dolls. I'm hoping to make the order for resin and silicone next week, so my apprentice and I will be messing about with that then. We figure a couple weeks or a month to get our first usable cast from the process.

      I also gave Noel his upper lip back, in case you were wondering. :D
       
      #18 VinylFaerie, Feb 8, 2008
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    19. Made the order for resin and silicone, it should arrive tomorrow, according to the tracking numbers.

      We still need walls in the shop but we have almost everything else. I still need to finish Noel, but I'm trying to get as much work done on my commissions as I can whenever I have some free time.

      Also bought Tshirts and a domain. We hope to have a website up by the end of the week.

      Check us out.... http://www.fishbonegreene.com
       
      #19 VinylFaerie, Feb 24, 2008
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    20. Resin and Silicone have arrived! Construction in the shop is scheduled for this weekend, hopefully.

      That means we should be able to make molds next week, maybe? And be casting the week after, we hope.
       
      #20 VinylFaerie, Feb 27, 2008
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    21. I've done some more work on Noel. I've widened his eyes and finally given him the beginnings of eyelids. He is so close to being done now! Photo added to progress post.
       
      #21 VinylFaerie, Mar 10, 2008
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    22. New photo added to progress photos!

      Worked on smoothing out the eyes a bit; beveled one. Next is re-adding the bridge of his nose so his face doesn't look sunken in. Yay!
       
      #22 VinylFaerie, Mar 13, 2008
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    23. Did the other eye and added onto the bridge of his nose. No pics now, but I am asking for gentle critique now, before we make a mold and cast him. Please be specific. Thank You!

      New pics in the next day or two.
       
      #23 VinylFaerie, Mar 17, 2008
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    24. Vinylfae,

      Kudos to you on your progress. I'd like to see more pictures of your progress before you go ahead with the molding. There is a lot of useful information on the Sticky section just before the threads. You'll also find tutorials on head sculpting and mold making.

      Good luck!
       
      #24 Bruny, Mar 17, 2008
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    25. For critique, I'd possibly revisit the eye area. The eyes are rather large, and their placement is close. You might consider adding a little clay to close the inside edge of the eye a little to both make the eye slightly smaller and spread them apart a little. You might also want to consider the jaw's symmetry - the viewer's right side of the jaw seems to be a little longer. I think that would be easy to fix by adding a little bit of material to the right or by sanding down the left to match the slope of the other side. The ears look to be perfectly even though, so I wouldn't touch them. :) The mouth and nose also look to be very even and symmetrical.

      Your finishing looks really good - he's very smooth! I think you'll get good, clean molds off of him.
       
      #25 armeleia, Mar 17, 2008
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    26. Bruny, Thanks for your suggestions. I've done lots of research, and I keep doing more every day. ;)

      Armeleia, Good to hear that other people see what I see! Thanks for the pointers. I haven't done the inner corners of the eyes yet because I wanted to re-add the bridge of his nose first. But that's next on the list. We're hoping to make a mold this weekend so cross your fingers for us!

      (posted a new progress photo in the first post.)
       
      #26 VinylFaerie, Mar 19, 2008
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    27. Hey Pax:)

      He's really coming along! Now that he has eyelids and eyes, it's easier to see a character in there. You might want to look at bringing the area between the nostrils down a bit lower than the flesh outside the nostrils. Also the outer corners of the mouth... not sure how to describe it but I guess you could look at your own mouth in a mirror (or get a friend to sit and model for you) to see how the corners of the upper lip tends to overlap the corners of the lower lip and there is a soft depression in either corner.

      I suppose once you build up the bridge of his nose and give him tearducts etc he will really start to come together. But looking good so far;)
       
      #27 twigling, Mar 19, 2008
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    28. Thanks twigling! I have taken your suggestions and changed both the nose and mouth areas. You were right! He looks much better now. I will post new pics this weekend to show everyone his new head shape as well. :)
       
      #28 VinylFaerie, Mar 21, 2008
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    29. Updated with another photo. I still wasn't happy with the nose, so I added a bunch onto it so that there would be plenty to work with while trying to resculpt it. I really need to do some more work on his eyes. I'm finally starting to really like his mouth too, though I think it should be deeper. He's not done yet, but he's much closer and really starting to look like a BJD. :D

      We did get a chance to spend a little time in the shop making our first mold (a one-piece cone mold) for a little doll-size liquor bottle. It turned out really well when we cast from it. (photos in first post, of course!). We've started a two-part mold for another doll prop and then we plan to mold Noel with a three part mold. Cross your fingers for us!
       
      #29 VinylFaerie, Apr 22, 2008
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    30. Did some more work on Noel, and even plopped him on a body really quickly, just to get an idea of how he's coming along. What do you guys think? (photos in Post #1)
       
      #30 VinylFaerie, Jul 24, 2008
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    31. Wow, he's really come a long way! As for critique, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I did a quick photoshop:

      [​IMG]
      (click thumbnail for full size)

      The (virtual) changes:

      Deepened the corners of the mouth.
      Blended the bottom sides of the lower lip into the chin.
      Added a bit of clay to the center of the chin.
      Smoothed the lines where the chin meets the jaw a little.
      Added to the inner (near the nose) upper eyelids.
      Deepened the area above the inner upper eyelids.

      Something thing I didn't change, but I think you ought to check on... the (character's) right eye looks higher than the left. Might want to hold him up to a mirror and see what you see.
       
      #31 Logodae, Jul 24, 2008
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    32. Thanks to everyone who has been so helpful since I started on Noel. To follow his progress, or the progress of other dolls that I am working on, please join "The Joint" forum or simply check out my website: http://www.fishbonegreene.com
      Thanks again!
      Pax
       
      #32 VinylFaerie, Feb 13, 2009
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