Alright, second mold completed. Five positives pulled yesterday afternoon. Pencil mold completed. Two positives pulled. I was meticulous with my use of Plexiglas to ensure a level mold, yet I had a slight problem with apparently not using enough Easy Release 200 to separate the mold halves. An X-Acto knife was needed to aid with the separation of the mold, and I inadvertently sliced into the sole region of the right foot. Every positive has a small gap in the bottom of the foot and requires a Magic Sculpt patch and sanding to level off.
Whilst machining away late into the night, I decided to grind down the rivets and see what they would look like with a flat head as opposed to a round one. I can go either way - the rounded version has a playful quality, but is also very prominent. I dunno, at this point the sculpt has taken on a life of its own, veering way off model from my original graphic. I feel the pencil is too tall by about 3/4". Like I've been telling myself throughout, this is merely the first prototype. It's the "Mark I" version of Sketchbot. I need to get this painted up and in presentable form for San Diego Comic Con next week and see what kind of reactions people have to this in person.
More documentation up on Flickr.
3 comments:
STEEEEVEEEE!!!!These look great...looking forward to next week!
This sculpt is coming along really nicely. I'm about to embark upon a very similar project, so following this blog has been really helpful and inspiring for me.
Couple of questions: You mentioned the importance of keeping the mold level. What's the consequence of an off level mold? Your current sculpt really lends itself well to a level mold, but I would think certain shapes would almost require a more organic seam to accommodate the topography of the original.
Also, how does your pencil mold work? It looks like you poured it in one solid piece. Did you cut the mold in half after it cured, or are you able to retrieve the positive from the pour hole?
Thanks Branden,
My first mold attempt was with flimsy foam core, which caused the mold to bow outwards. I wanted to use more stable materials the second time around so that I would ensure as tight of a seal possible. You are correct that more organic shapes can have an undulating seam. My character lent itself to a fairly straightforward delineation between front and back.
The pencil mold was poured as one piece and I cut a slit on one side and halfway through the top and bottom. I was then able to pry open the rubber mold enough to pop out the cast resin.
Looking forward to seeing your upcoming project! It's nice to see folks take notice in mine, and if you can glean anything from my mistakes, all the better.
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