Chris Howes: Maximus project!

[lilnoosh1]

i wonder if the guy from this site would make boots for us, does anyone know him

https://www.custom-figures.com/gladiator2.html

 

[Lord Vicious]

i wonder if the guy from this site would make boots for us, does anyone know him

https://www.custom-figures.com/gladiator2.html

Yeah, I know his work; great stuff, but I don't think he does commissions. But we could always try of course

I think he's a member o the OSW-forum...

 

[galactiboy]

BTW, the Gandalf Boots looks a lot like the ones Maximus wore... might be able to score a pair of those and cast them up.

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

Hey guys,

Quick update: I've got the basic armor "panels" laid out and I will be hardening them soon. Then I'll do a little carving and sanding in preparation for details which I will be adding in wax.

If all goes well and I can get a few other things out of the way, I hope to have first photos in about a week or so.

After the armor is complete I can see about boots if enough people want them.

 

[Lord Vicious]

Hey guys,

Quick update: I've got the basic armor "panels" laid out and I will be hardening them soon. Then I'll do a little carving and sanding in preparation for details which I will be adding in wax.

If all goes well and I can get a few other things out of the way, I hope to have first photos in about a week or so.

After the armor is complete I can see about boots if enough people want them.

 

[Lord Vicious]

BTW, the Gandalf Boots looks a lot like the ones Maximus wore... might be able to score a pair of those and cast them up.

That's a great idea! Thanks, bro.

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

Hello All!

First of all, I hope to have first very rough WIP photos on Monday or Tuesday, assuming the gods of Rome are smiling upon me.

I have a request and an offer (that I hope you can't refuse!). I don't normally request all payment upfront in advance, but this is an unusual project that is requiring a lot of time and investment on my part. So, I'm asking those who have signed up for the precast discount and have yet to pay to please make payment as soon as possible. My PayPal address is [email protected].

What's in it for you, you ask? A heck of a one time deal to top off your Maximus Figure in a unique way.

I am sculpting a "Battle Cry" Maximus head that will eventually sell for $35.00 each. There will not be the normal precast discount on this head. However, as a prepaid precast armor customer you are entitled to purchase the "Battle Cry" Maximus head for only $10.00 each plus shipping. If you can wait for both armor and head there will only be one shipping charge.

There will be no other Maximus like this out there. His battle cry expression will bring a new level of life to your figure. Imagine him sweating and dusty from the stadium, perhaps a little blood splatter from his vanquished foe, giving a guttural yell of triumph. Now that's a Gladiator!

Here is the look I'm going for:

Thanks, everyone, for your participation!

Please note that this offer is still open to anyone else who hasn't yet signed up and wants to jump on board for the precast armor discount.

 

[Gruff Old Bear]

Well, as you know I've already paid...but I did just send the extra for this great-sounding head. It can all ship together; I can wait. Funny, I was just looking at my HT Russell head and thinking it wasn't as swell as I first thought...

 

[carbo-fation]

Count me in. I'll be able to pay next Friday once I get paid. This is an offer I truly can't refuse.

 

[lilnoosh1]

who would be interested in painting the armour and sculpt?

 

[LordAzrael]

I too can pay next Friday (pay day).

 

[eighthsamurai]

hey chris, sorry in a bit of a rush, so feeling too lazy to read through the whole thread. can't believe i missed this one. my question - are there still slots open for the precast armour + battle cry head discount? let me know, i'd be very interested. and i'm ready to payola the cashola. thanks!

 

[Lord Vicious]

hey chris, sorry in a bit of a rush, so feeling too lazy to read through the whole thread. can't believe i missed this one. my question - are there still slots open for the precast armour + battle cry head discount? let me know, i'd be very interested. and i'm ready to payola the cashola. thanks!

I'll put you on the list, mate!
Technically, there's no real limit as to how many people can join. We just needed 15 people to ensure this project could get started.
Anyone signing up now will get the pre-casting discount; that's 100$ for a complete set of armor (chest piece, gauntlets, greaves) shoulder armor).

And, like Chris announced, he's got a special treat for anyone signing up now with the pre-casting discount price:
" a "Battle Cry" Maximus head that will eventually sell for $35.00 each. There will not be the normal precast discount on this head. However, as a prepaid precast armor customer you are entitled to purchase the "Battle Cry" Maximus head for only $10.00 each plus shipping. If you can wait for both armor and head there will only be one shipping charge.

There will be no other Maximus like this out there. His battle cry expression will bring a new level of life to your figure. Imagine him sweating and dusty from the stadium, perhaps a little blood splatter from his vanquished foe, giving a guttural yell of triumph. Now that's a Gladiator! "

 

[eighthsamurai]

thanks dude! this rules. i'll be sending payment for the armour and head this evening when i get back home! rock on!

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

thanks dude! this rules. i'll be sending payment for the armour and head this evening when i get back home! rock on!

Glad to have you aboard!

I'm finding this project really interesting. Though my poor HT Truetype figure is suffering for it!

I finally hardened the breast-plate and back last night and peeled them off the body. Now I'm grinding out from behind to thin the armor to the proper thickness. It's looking good. I hope to have a couple photos late tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Lord Vicious]

I finally hardened the breast-plate and back last night and peeled them off the body. Now I'm grinding out from behind to thin the armor to the proper thickness. It's looking good. I hope to have a couple photos late tonight or tomorrow.

Maximus is cooooming!

 

[carbo-fation]

Can't wait for the pics! I'll send the money by Friday.

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

Can't wait for the pics! I'll send the money by Friday.

Excellent! Thank you, everyone, for your support.

The photos will be of the plain breast-plate and back, shoulder guards without any ornamentation yet. I'm establishing the foundation out of gray Super Sculpey Firm first. Then I'm applying the emblems by melting on pink Casteline wax then carving it back. The effect should be pretty accurate looking, though I have had to make a few compromises with the shape of the Chest-plate to accommodate the reality of fitting it onto the shape of the HT TT body.

I'm debating how to mold and cast this armor. I initially thought of making a wall-thickness mold where I would mold the front face of the armor, then lay a sheet of clay or wax into the mold to form the thickness of the armor then create the second half of the mold. But now, I think I would rather make both halves of the mold directly from the armor model since I've been able to make a sufficiently thin model. I had been worried about being able to sculpt it thin enough, but that worked out after all.

Now I'm thinking about what material to cast this out of. A friend suggested flexible urethane. This has advantages and disadvantages. It will be easier to fit onto a body because you can flex it, but it's harder for me to get a good casting due to the difference in viscosity between rigid and flexible urethane. Plus what about painting? Will that flake off too easily on flexible material?

The material I choose will effect my mold approach so I want to decide this well in advance.


Any preferences, thoughts or ideas?

 

[eighthsamurai]

who will you be getting to paint yours up, chris? i'm wondering if someone would be willing to do it there, so i don't have to have it shipped here and then back out again. i think this is going to be a beaut! can't wait to see progress.

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

who will you be getting to paint yours up, chris? i'm wondering if someone would be willing to do it there, so i don't have to have it shipped here and then back out again. i think this is going to be a beaut! can't wait to see progress.

I have to check with Kuato, but I've already got him backed up with projects and I'm worried about burying him waist deep in various castings! But he might find this project too cool to resist.

If he can't, I might be able to paint them myself, or perhaps we might find some other interested painter. But, like I said, let me check with Kuato. I have to talk to him about a Sylvester Stallone multi-head project anyway...