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Sculpting Tools Question

Started by Brother_Brimstone, April 27, 2010, 09:10:41 PM

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Brother_Brimstone

I'm trying my hand at my first ever full-on sculpt (don't expect pictures, it will probably be a failure and end up in the bin). However, recently, I've been equipping myself with the usual; plenty of green stuff, knowledge (in the form of 'anatomy for artists' books) and of course, sculpting tools. My question is this; what is the difference between cheap and expensive sculpting tools (obviously other than price)?

Seeing as my sculpting will be purely recreational, doomed to failure, and probably will never lead anywhere, I just bought a cheap set of tools off ebay for a fiver. However, if they're made of metal, and in the right shape, I can't understand what sets the more expensive apart from the cheap...

This is more an academic than pragmatic question, as I'll probably never have need for more expensive 'professional' scultipng tools, but i'd be interested to know nonetheless. All input is welcome and appreciated.

Tessio Niri

A friend of mine has the scuplting tool set from Heresy minitures which he has gud results with. Dental tools are always handy and smetimes can be picked up off ebay at a reasonable price. I myself, am still soldiering on with the GW sculpting tool which as you can imagine isn't that good, though I have sharpened the end which has improved thing.

Hope this helps.

Regards T.
"There is but one God and his name is the Omnissiah. How his hunger extinguishes that light of the stars." Magos Belion Tygrosa

Brother_Brimstone

Thanks for the response, although it wasn't quite what i was asking. The Heresy miniatures set you mentioned illustrates my point nicely though. That 12 pc set costs £12, I've seen others up to $60, and mine cost a fiver. I just can't see why there is such a price difference for a 12 pc set. Is it branding? Quality assurance? Something else?

I'm sure there is a reason, but my lack of expertise in the field rather limits my knowledge.

MarcoSkoll

#3
As my talents at sculpting are hardly the most impressive on the forum, I'm only moderately qualified to comment here, but I will anyway.

Tools... there's a bit more to it than "a bit of metal in the right shape".

I've bought three sculpting tools from GW over the years. One approaching on a decade back, another one when I mislaid that first one (since found again), then a third when I was short of one while at University. All three are loosely the same shape.

The first two - if I could find a store that sold clones of either of these two, I would recommend them in a second. If I had to make do with just one tool, it would be one of these.
The latest one - I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole if I were buying again. Rough surfaces, flimsy construction, blunt as anything and less usefully shaped. Presumably GW found a cheaper supplier of a visually similar tool, but it really isn't up to the same job.

In short, you want to make sure your tools are actually solid, sharp where appropriate, and with smooth surfaces. You don't need to pay extra beyond those criteria (although, ironically, I paid more for the most recent GW tool.)

As far as my own tools, here's what I use most of the time:
- My old GW sculpting tools - one of which has been sharpened and Teflon coated (General purpose work, as you can imagine)
- 5pc set of Size 0 Extra Firm Clay shapers - from Heresy (good for smooth flowing surfaces - cloth or skin, mostly. Also helps smooth a new layer into older work).
- Cheap water colour brushes (helps smooth the putty and remove finger prints).
- Wicking needle (for moderately fine detail).
- Small sewing needle, clamped into an old pin vice (for finer details)
- Fixed blade hobby knife (allows you to cut very fine details - forming a model's mouth, for example).
- GW's old modelling tweezers (helps you to pinch ridges in the putty - for the nose, lips, etc.)

That generally deals with most jobs. I do have Heresy's 12pc set, but it's not really necessary with the above list.

Oh, I do also occasionally use a Dremel with a small diamond grinding bit to do the job of "filing". It works better than a file on putties, and can also get to concave areas. But not something to buy to use for only that job.

~~~~~

One more piece of advice:

Quote from: Brother_Brimstone on April 27, 2010, 09:10:41 PMdon't expect pictures, it will probably be a failure and end up in the bin
Bad move. While you might find it embarrassing to show others whatever result you end up with, doing so means you can get feedback that will let you improve.

I've got older drawings that I cringe to look at today. I wasn't hugely proud of them at the time either. But damn it, I showed them to people and I got feedback that told me WHY they didn't look right. And as a result, now I know where I was going wrong, I've improved.

If you want to get good, you've got to tolerate the process that'll get you there.
S.Sgt Silva Birgen: "Good evening, we're here from the Adeptus Defenestratus."
Captain L. Rollin: "Nonsense. Never heard of it."
Birgen: "Pick a window. I'll demonstrate".

GW's =I= articles

Kallidor

I imagine that more expesive tools will be as Marco says, more finely made from better material. The only sculpting tool I have, and the only one I use is a Games Workshop one (minus the blade end which snapped off about a year ago) and I use it for almost everything. Sometimes for an especially delicate area (like eyes) I use the tip of a stanley knife and I get a decent amount of use from a small pointed clay shaper.

If you've got a set of tools I would think they'll do you quite well, I certainly wouldn't be lured by anything that got anywhere near £60 and to be honest I think I'd begrudge paying twelve.
Be Pure!
Be Vigilant!
BEHAVE!

Kasthan

A simple cheap one I use a lot (I don't do that much self sculpting, but find a large amount of gaps and little extras that I need to add) is to take an old paint brush cut the bristles off and drill out any remaining one with a pin drill. Then take a sewing needle (either a place holder pin or a thread needle [mum's and gf's prefer the place holder ones as they are cheaper]) place that in the hole that is now where the bristles would have been and crimp the metal around it (careful use of a pair of clippers will do it). Place a small amount of super glue around the hole just to keep it in place better.

This costs nothing really, cause you will already have all the bits. It feels like a paint brush still in your hands.

It is useful for placing things and the tip is fine allowing you to drag detail into the GS or whatever material you use. If the tip get gunked up take a file to it, the GS will come right off (that is a tip for all tools inc knifes)