Could a sculpted 1/6 Chewbacca work?

[Lejuan]

A hair suit involves millions of micron sized fibres, even if man-made. Gillie suits have far thicker, far fewer component strands.

Hair has to lie down in just a certain way to look realistic. The subtle highlights of hair are hard to capture in an artificial fibre.

A replica also has to capture that subtle short hair to long transition from around the mouth and nose. We can barely make realistic human doll hair, when the real thing is relatively uniform and comes to an abrupt end at the forehead.

Gillie suits in contrast can pretty much be a random mess because that is what they are supposed to replicate.

I think a real hair Chewbacca would be fanatastic as an ideal, But creative use of rubber at the joints of a sculpted Chewie is a lot more realistic.

That's too bad. So the only way 'fur' could work is to punch it directly into the plastic... and even that would fall short of providing a convincing Wookie do. I'm very happy with Sparrow's dreads... if this effect could be convincingly applied throughout an entire body it could look good I guess. The issue would then be not how well it holds up as a stand-alone piece but how well it fits with the figures around it.

 

[VintijDroidGutzz]

Pick up book on the history of sculpture to see plenty of examples. Then hop on a plane and go to France, Italy and Greece and visit some museums to be truly blown away.

Comparing the current level of 1/6 action figure sculpture and busts and statues, (whatever you see for sale at Sideshow for instance) to the history of sculpture is patently absurd. Any historic master sculptor likely forgot more about sculpting than anyone in the business today is likely to ever know in their lifetimes.

Don't confuse materials science and process automation with the art of sculpting.

Right..

I'm not comparing timeless classic art to toys - what an obnoxious implication, get over yourself.

I'm talking modern collectible design techniques, & how they've evolved - that's all.

 

[Pixelpiper]

I'm not trying to make this into an argument, but you mentioned specifically "sculpting techniques," which is talent, had evolved. If you meant to say something else, then you should have said something else.

I think the biggest thing to change in recent years has been the audience and DIY participants. The collector and what is demanded. The number of collectors and of course the ease of sharing information because of the internet. Sculpting accurate 1/6 heads and parts by hand was possible in decades past. The modelers working here in the forums are using precisely the same techniques that have always been used with clay, wax, etc. Yet even in small batch custom runs, you see a lot more photo-realistic options available today than you did 10 or 20 years ago. I remember frequenting forums around 95-96 and while there were a few exceptional examples, the level just wasn't where it is today. But that's mainly due to the participants. More people brings more variation, speeding up the evolution of what's expected, fueling competitiveness. Bringing greater awareness and a larger audience comes, then greater demand for a realistic product. Demand equals opportunity and sure enough people come around to satisfy that. Plenty of threads in this forum alone for high end sculpts and tailored items.

Another big factor that's really helped this hobby is the wide availability of great base bodies. 20 years ago you might still be sticking a super realistic head on a Hasbro body after all. The process has been organic.

But in considering toys, while there are some amazing pieces available today, it's foolish to ignore classics and fine examples of the past. IMO, many mainstream toys aren't even good enough to be pale shadows of what was being produced in the 60's-80's.

 

[RavenEye]

Plastic, no... Now a rubber seamless body with implanted hair stuck in underneath and shaved properly... maybe.

 

[Lejuan]

Plastic, no... Now a rubber seamless body with implanted hair stuck in underneath and shaved properly... maybe.

Seamless rubber body? Good heavens no. It'll deteriorate within a few years and all you'll have at the end of it is an ewok.

 

[kl241]

Seamless rubber body? Good heavens no. It'll deteriorate within a few years and all you'll have at the end of it is an ewok.

 

[sithlord13]

I guess I'm not the biggest chewie fan going. Lol but I wouldn't pay 500 bucks for a chewie. Not even with real fur and I can't see it being any cheaper.

 

[Lejuan]

I guess I'm not the biggest chewie fan going. Lol but I wouldn't pay 500 bucks for a chewie. Not even with real fur and I can't see it being any cheaper.

If $500 bought a shrunk-down Chewie in the same way that Tamashii managed a more or less shrunk-down 3PO... forgive me, but I'd probably buy it

 

[sithlord13]

If $500 bought a shrunk-down Chewie in the same way that Tamashii managed a more or less shrunk-down 3PO... forgive me, but I'd probably buy it

Forgiven .....

Seriously no forgiveness required. I just couldn't explain that that to my wife.


I'm still struggling over not buying the c3po. Want it.

 

[VintijDroidGutzz]

I'm not trying to make this into an argument..

Well.. use some tact, & maybe not lay the smart-arse routine on so thick next time.
If you meant to say something else, then you should have said something else..

..but you mentioned specifically "sculpting techniques," which is talent, had evolved. If you meant..

Fair enough - but if you thought I was saying everything in history wasn't worthy until ten years ago..

..then one of these right back at ya ->

I try to be polite & friendly to everyone here as much as possible (I even spoke on your behalf in the 'show us your troops' thread), but your last post there was unecessary BS, & I didn't feel like biting my tongue this time - as I have done with many a smart-arse around here.

 

[swsqueakquels]

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[Craig77]

[QUOTE=pixelpiper;5465259]I'm not trying to make this into an argument, but you mentioned specifically "sculpting techniques," which is talent, had evolved. If you meant to say something else, then you should have said something else.

Actually I have to disagree to some extent with you. Historically there are some impressive sculptures for any given time period with some impressive detail in some pretty hard to deal with mediums i.e marble, granite,gold. However given the detail we now get today and at the size (1/6th), sculpture techniques as a result of demand have come along way...VintijDroidGutzz is right.

In no way are we comparing the historical significance, but yes techniques have gotten better given the tools and mediums we use.
And I do not believe anyone is arguing given these artist had the same tools, they could possible have done as well....maybe. One thing is most of the late sculptors did so in 1:1 and larger, which generally is for an artist easier...not easy...easier. If you look in the last 50 years where one could argue there has been a demand for great likeness at the 1/6th level, museums,toys,ect.. there really has been an evolution in techniques ect..

Sorry to go off, but I saw a bit of a flaw in your argument...

 

[nexus]

While shaggy faux hair fur would be very cool and might work for short run customs, I think the best solution for commercial runs would be sculpted with some kind of a textured finish (flocked paint or something along those lines). Then of course you'd want faux leather and metal for the bandolier.

 

[galactiboy]

Really, this is all conjecture. To show some 20 year old Hasbro doll and point out that it's evidence that hair will or will not work is silly.

And what's funny is so far the best looking customs (IMO) are using that figure. In hand the fur is actually a very nice quality and doesn't have the stiffness most faux fur does.

The biggest issue so far has been the thickness of the figures once completed... although I'm very interested to see how Barryo's V2 turns out as he's starting with a thinner body.

 

[generalgrevious]

I don't know if the body is thinner or not it might be how thick the suit is I think it`s more where the seams from being stitched together that's where it looks puffy (IMO)

 

[FlyAndFight]

No.

Fur or forget about it.

They could have offered sculpted long ago.

 

[kl241]

I think SSC is so daunted by taking on this that they won't even try.

 

[DCFett]

I havent read this whole thread, but go FUR or go home!

 

[swsqueakquels]

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[VintijDroidGutzz]

I'm yet to see one outstanding furry custom (no offense to the great customizers here).