Captain Harlock's DIY Eastern Roman adventures

[Captain Harlock]

Well this is my second attempt at sculpting from ground zero. I decided to go for an eastern roman catafract from 10th century more or less. I spent quite some time studying icons, illustrations, photos of reenactors and reading thesis of historian friends of friends on eastern roman arms and armour. Its a complicated matter and one must combine many sources from Greece, Balkans and eastern europe in order to get a somewhat clear picture. Add to that the fact that Im a noob at sculpting and you have a really nice challenge  .

So enough words. The material is Beesputty polyper clay, over a green (or grey) stuff covered copper wire armature. I started with a general anatomy form, posed on a miliput copy of a Perry horse. The size of the mini is pretty much consistent with the Perry war of the roses and Perry lotr ranges.




Sadly I dont have any photos prior this stage. Basically I started from the bottom and gradually moved to the top. Started with preparing the larger surfaces, and then proceed to detail them. I made a little tool for the scales out of a bamboo stick (we use them for making souvlaki  ) and a copper strip formed around a needle. The chainmail was done with a blunt needle. I must say that beesputty is a great material but the elasticity of greenstuff works better for chainmail. When I had the torso pretty much done,  it went in the oven.



Once the torso was baked and secured, it was time for the arms.



So once this goes to the oven, I have to make the belts, sword, shields (I ll make a round and an almond shaped one) and offcource some heads.

Cheers

[HappyChappy439]

  That's some fantastic sculpting work! Big fan of how the lamellar armour has turned out!

[OSHIROmodels]

Very good 

[Captain Harlock]

Thanks guys!

this is my diy scale tool

[DintheDin]

You are making a serious job here, your sculpting technique is excellent and you have a keen eye for human body proportions!
I'll be following this thread with great interest!
Cheers!
Dinos

[tin shed gamer]

A good start.
Well done on getting the  lacing for cavalry lamellar the right way up.
I spent last week unlacing and relacing a set for a museum.(thats what happens when you try to save money and buy a display piece sight unseen from India   all I could smell all weekend  was teak oil )
Just one note you don't need muscle toning on the dolly as it can throw the positioning of detail out if the muscles were misplaced.( try using a mirror to note how these areas change with the positioning of your arms ) also this armour moves and bunches in unexpected ways it can ride up under your chin. Especially if you've been in it a few hours, and bouncing around on a horse.
It may sound daft but a couple of quick home made pieces card armour worn in front of the mirror can really help you understand just how armour and weapons move around as you change position.
I'm lucky as I'm surrounded by nutty re enactors and museum curators. So anything upto the late 11th is easily available requiring little more than copious amounts of alcohol and the willingness to look a twit.
I've literally dozens of sculpting tools and can honestly say I can pretty much achive anything I need with two and often just the one.
All in all a cracking start.
I look forward to seeing more.

Mark.

[Captain Harlock]

A good start.
Well done on getting the  lacing for cavalry lamellar the right way up.
I spent last week unlacing and relacing a set for a museum.(thats what happens when you try to save money and buy a display piece sight unseen from India   all I could smell all weekend  was teak oil )
Just one note you don't need muscle toning on the dolly as it can throw the positioning of detail out if the muscles were misplaced.( try using a mirror to note how these areas change with the positioning of your arms ) also this armour moves and bunches in unexpected ways it can ride up under your chin. Especially if you've been in it a few hours, and bouncing around on a horse.
It may sound daft but a couple of quick home made pieces card armour worn in front of the mirror can really help you understand just how armour and weapons move around as you change position.
I'm lucky as I'm surrounded by nutty re enactors and museum curators. So anything upto the late 11th is easily available requiring little more than copious amounts of alcohol and the willingness to look a twit.
I've literally dozens of sculpting tools and can honestly say I can pretty much achive anything I need with two and often just the one.
All in all a cracking start.
I look forward to seeing more.

Mark.

Thank you!
You are right about the muscle toning, but I had to do it. Im graphic designer by trade and I have a fairly good understanding of figure anatomy through painting and drawing. But Im very new to sculpting and more so very new into translating realistic proportions to ''30mm miniature proportions''. So it felt easier to me to make a naked figure, with very broad strokes and then try to ''dress it'' with the basic volumes of clothing and armour. It would be easier if I started with a mini on foot. The reason Im using beesputty, althought it is a very nice material, its because Im not confident and fast enough yet to work within the 40 minutes window of green/grey stuff.
As for tools. Indeed I find myself using one particular tool from a wax carving set (the s shaped one) and 2 more I made myself out of thick copper wire. The ''scale tool'' (basically a U shaped blade) I made, saved my sanity. Too many scales 

The next one will probably have an epilorikion on, for variety.

[tin shed gamer]

The proportioning suggested as much.
You might want to try a drop down of one head in ratio for a foot figure. (Spot on for mounted) otherwise you'll have a anime feel to the limbs.
Beesputty is a good material very forgiving.
I'd recommend trying pro create grey much much less forgiving takes every stroke and stays where you put it and by varring the blend you can achive sharper edging and line's.You've a graphic design skill base you should find it more in tune with your dexterity. Don't get me wrong you'll hate it first time out as you'll expect it to move like bees and greenstuff and it just won't . Second play and you'll be off.

Mark

[Captain Harlock]

A long delayed update. I sculpted afew heads in beesputty, they dont have hair or beards/mustaches yet, these will be added in grey stuff along with helmets and the rest accessories.

[DintheDin]

Speechless! Your faces are perfect! You are a true artist! Cheers!

[bluewillow]

Most excellent, with helmet change they would suit 8th to 10'century

[Captain Harlock]

Thanks guys, I think im going to make afew more heads just for the learning process.

[Captain Harlock]

some more heads for the oven, and Im starting adding hair and accessories

[Captain Blood]

Great work. Well done. You certainly have the artistic skill for this