Sketchbot Prototype Sculpt, Phase One

I finally had time on Friday to begin a sculpt of the Sketchbot prototype. In addition to creating a 3d model in the computer, I believe it's equally - if not more - important to execute a traditional sculpt that will allow me to better visualize the forms and volumes, and get a feel for how the object will hold up in real life. Having not actually sculpted since taking a figure sculpting class back in college, I decided to just dive in.



I printed out a size template and used the old cardboard reference trick. I had a pretty good idea how to lay out the underlying armature, however, I think I underestimated the amount of aluminum foil I should have used below the clay layer. I did wrap the thicker wire of the arms and legs with thinner gauged wire so that the Sculpey would have a surface to stick to. (not shown here, once I was rolling I ended up doing less documenting and more sculpting!)




I used an entire(!) box of Super Sculpey just to flesh out the form and ended up baking it longer than instructed because the thickness of the clay was greater than 1/2" at some points. (Next time, I may consider using Styrofoam or balsa wood shaped closer to the actual shape.) The sculpt looked fairly burnt in areas and is rock hard. I hope I'll be able to adequately carve and sandpaper this down a bit. I also need to further explore the "Firm" variant of Super Sculpey that air dries and would most likely have been a better base layer to use. In any case, this first attempt was beneficial in helping me figure out different ways of translating the 2d concept into a 3d form. Stay tuned for more updates!