Hello, I'm Joe Sid, founder and head sculptor of Neo Modeltech. I'm here to show you the basics of converting my Generic Vixen into a full-fledged character and maybe provide a little inspiration along the way. Neo Modeltech offers a full line of "Original Generic" kits that are just waiting for your skills and motivation to transform them into your favorite characters. This project involves our female figure, the Generic Vixen, and I'll take you through the steps to rework her into Lara Croft, the heroine of the Tomb Raider video games.
Before we begin the project, I'd like to give you a bit
of background on myself. I was born in Thailand and moved to the United
States when I was eighteen years old. I suppose I inherited my artistic
abilities from my father who is a comics artist in Thailand. I've never
attended art school or had any formal art training. I basically taught
myself sculpting and became serious about it in the early 90's. Most of
the work I was doing then consisted of one of a kind sculptures and prototypes
for various companies. I was inspired to create the Generic Man when I
saw how so many people converted existing model kits from one character
to another. I thought, "I can sculpt, why don't I sculpt and cast just
a plain figure so other people can use it as a base to customize different
characters?!"
So the Original Generic Man was born. Now that you know
where I come from and where the idea for the Original Generic Man came
from, lets start this project.
Photo 1- These are
all the parts for the Generic Vixen kit and the tools used for sculpting.
These tools can be found at any art supply house. Aside from these tools,
you may find toothpicks and other small pointed objects handy. That block
in the corner is the basic material for this conversion, Super Sculpy.
Photo 2- This is the assembled Generic Vixen, striking a
typically dynamic "hero" type pose.
Adding Support For Sculpting-
Photo 3- Dotted lines
serve as a guide for drilling holes to place support pins in the feet.
Photo 4- Drilling
holes, using pre-drawn lines to guide the direction of the drill bit.
Beginning The Sculpture-
Photo 5- Now we're
ready to start, first, the Sculpy is applied in thin layers in the areas
where the clothing will go. Be sure the layers are not so thick that they
hide the musculature and form of the figure underneath.
Photo 6- Once the
Sculpy has been applied in the basic form of the clothing, details are
added with simple sculpting tools. You can check photos in magazines or
in catalogs to determine where the wrinkles are placed in the clothing.
Be careful not to overdo the wrinkles.
Photo 7- A flat brush
dampened in a bit of alcohol helps to smooth the finished surface, removing
any stray bits of Sculpy and smoothing out fingerprints and imperfections.
Photo 8- I use an
industrial heat gun, set on high temperature to set the Sculpy right on
the figure. Keep the heat gun moving to prevent scorching and bubbles.
You can tell the Sculpy has set
Photo 9- Lara's shorts
and shirt, completed.
Adding Accessories To The Sculpture-
Photo 10- Since Lara
is a gun totin' woman we'll start with her holsters. I begin by drawing
the holster to scale.
Photo 11- The drawing
is cut out as a pattern and that shape is transferred to a slab of Sculpy.
Photo 12- The individual
holsters are cut out.
Photo 13- The holster
strap is added to the belt. Belts and straps are made from small, rolled
"snakes" of Sculpy, which are flattened and added to the figure.
Photo 14- Attaching
holster to the strap.
Photo 15-18- Adding
details to the holster.
Photo 19- The finished
holster.
Photo 20- A drop of
super glue helps hold the holster in place.
This has been a simple demonstration of what is possible
with a bit of Super Sculpy and a Generic figure. The figures that you create
can be as simple or as elaborate as your imagination allows. Now it's your
turn to create your own customized figure and show the world something
they've never seen before!