fbpx

Learning and sculpting and Grimalkins

Jennifer Miller sent me a great tutorial on sculpting by a real “creature pro”: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18287 ( you’ll need to scroll down through the postings to see the whole tutorial, it is worth it! )
These pro sculptors are simply amazing; the drop dead gorgeous anatomy detail is one thing, but they can duplicate a conceptual drawing with perfect accuracy! THAT is sculpting!
There is so much to learn!
I still sculpt the same amateur way as I did as a kid; starting with a wad of clay or aluminum foil or something, and working the whole composition out all at once. I have rough sketches of ideas that I refer to, but I definitely don’t measure and duplicate them with any accuracy. I usually sculpt backwards, from the outside in.
I am always really proud of myself when something comes out looking somewhat like an original sketch, but often the 3d compositional idea comes first, and I later decide what kind of creature it will be! For example, the Grimalkin candle lamp only became a cat at the last minute. It was originally a demon, then a fox, finally, while I was almost done sculpting it and wondering what the heck I was doing, I happened to tune into a radio program that was discussing the sprite fairy cat character, Grimalkin! Ha! Perfect! Grimalkin is such a cool character, it is a wonder there aren’t more stories and movies and shows that include him (EXCUSE me, I mean HER. Grimalkin is female). Who doesn’t love evil little kitties?

5 thoughts on “Learning and sculpting and Grimalkins”

  1. SMELLY BUG!

    when PC first started sculpting, I sent her that exact tutorial and said,” LOOK AT IT!!!!!!”

    that definitely is an insane talent to duplicate into 3’d what is 2d.
    there are a few threads in the sculpting section of CA that are pretty awesome. my favorite is a dino one that later PC had oogled at for a while. lots of different techniques. it may be wierd, but i’ve tried applieing some of the ideas to just drawing. it is quite interesting to do something in a new way.

  2. Thank you for providing the link to the tutorial, it was great! And I’m now interested in the “Prototyping technology” that is mentioned on page 8, where plaster model parts can be produced from computer models.

  3. yep! Smellybug! Gad, his skills are killer, arent they? Been using that tutorial for a while now, and am hoping someday to actually master even a couple of the techniques in it. I actually have a binder with his tutorial parts printed out…that I refer to sometimes. It took a while to edit out all the jibber jabber. he’s got another tutorial on the same site, called “carriage kid” that has interesting stuffs in it too. 🙂

Leave a Comment