Smaug the Magnificent

revolutionary · **Posted:** Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:43 pm

This is a very cool project, looking forward to seeing it come together!

n.

Razhburz · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:36 pm

wow!! that is truly awesome! I love it.
HAve you considered casting it? I'd love to get my hands on one

Natarn · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:01 pm

Hexter wrote:

Wow!You have really incredible sculpting skills!
I can't imagine how long it would have taken you to sculpt the scales.
How long have you been sculpting?Any tips or secrets you would be willing to share?

I've sculpted an estimated 500 to 600 scales so far and I've not even finished one side of him yet! Let's just say it's taking A LONG TIME. I'm really busy with work at the moment, and (more importantly) family, so haven't sculpted any more scales in the last five days.

How long have I been sculpting. Well, it all started with a tin full of Plastercine when I was a child... I did art at sixth form and then got into ceramics and did a degree in Ceramics: 3-D design. It was nothing like this stuff though.

I made lots of models as a teenager - out of scrap materials, but again, nothing like this.

My first lotr sculpting project was my mumak conversion, where I bought a large plastic elephant, ripped its head off and sculpted a new one before building the howda (battle tower thing) out of scrap materials. The mumak head was made out of milliput. It's in my gallery if you want to see it.

The Ent, 'Fangorn's Fury' was my first green stuff sculpt and this dragon is my second, so I'm a newbie to mini modelling but not to working in 3-D.

Tips...

Take it really slowly.
Never rush.
Only work with a very small amount of putty at a time so that it remains workable and you don't waste any.
Have a pretty clear idea of what you are after.

The main tip is to take the project slowly.

Here's a better profile.
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Dorthonion · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:17 pm

The best things are well worth waiting for and this dragon fits into that category.

Radagast the white · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:31 pm

I agree. Marvelous!

Joansean · **Joined:** Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:23 pm **Posts:** 760

I agree with Dorth , Take your time , cause it'll make the mini even better !

Great work ! keep it up.

I really need to start sculpting .. :wink:

Special Agent Dale Cooper · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:24 pm

look great. and the mumak too

Hexter · **Joined:** Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:33 pm **Posts:** 45

Thanks for the tips mate.
Good luck sculpting the rest of the scales,can't wait to see it finished!

The ent and the mumak are incredible by the way. :shock:

DurinsBane · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:28 am

That is simply 'freakin awesome' work so far !!!

The thing I like most about this thread, is that you demonstrate from your latter stages, how little we the observer understand what your intent is !
By this, I mean for example, the initial head looked like 'Nessy' (the Loch Ness Monster), little did we know that you had the intent of adding a lower jaw, which simply transformed the sculp !!!

I am simply gobsmacked so far ... keep it coming !!!

DurinsBane · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:31 am

PS: a tongue in that mouth would finish it off perfectly, along with the teeth which are no doubt planned !

Natarn · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:36 pm

Thanks, everyone!

I'm glad you like him.

Here's a shot to show his whole body so far.

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Sorry it's a bit dark, but you get the idea.

Joansean · **Joined:** Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:23 pm **Posts:** 760

DurinsBane wrote:

PS: a tongue in that mouth would finish it off perfectly, along with the teeth which are no doubt planned !

you can see little teeth on the upper jaw.

A very nice Smaug so far ! but looking at that body it'll not be finished until Christmas next year ..!

Natarn · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:35 pm

Joansean wrote:

DurinsBane wrote:

PS: a tongue in that mouth would finish it off perfectly, along with the teeth which are no doubt planned !

you can see little teeth on the upper jaw.

They aren't teeth. They are gums.

There's only one tooth as I was experimenting. I may start the whole tooth and gum thing again now that I've had a think about it. I've a better idea now of how to go about it.

He'll certainly be given a tongue.

Natarn · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:38 pm

Joansean wrote:

A very nice Smaug so far ! but looking at that body it'll not be finished until Christmas next year ..!

Oh, come on! You're being a bit optimistic aren't you! :wink:

Beowulf03809 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:38 pm

It is really looking amazing. You're at a point you could give us a side-by-side pic wtih some minis to get us even more excited.

I am really interrested to see your progress on the wings. I can't picture scultping GS that thin. :roll:

BilboOfTheWhiteTower · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:56 pm

Wow...it was tough to get a feel how big the head was, but the last photo really puts it into perspective when shown with the rest of the model. I love the pose too. That is going to look amazing when finished.

BrentS · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:45 pm

Looks great my friend! I think you are proceeding a very reasonable pace. I fully expect you to get this one finished in a timely (for such a large tedious process) fashion.

I'm with Bilbo, I love the pose!!

Hexter · **Joined:** Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:33 pm **Posts:** 45

Smaug is looking brilliant,i really like the pose.The pic makes it look like his body is blu-tac! :lol:

Curunír · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:53 pm

Fantastic!

Beowulf03809 wrote:

It is really looking amazing. You're at a point you could give us a side-by-side pic wtih some minis to get us even more excited.

Yes please!

Quote:

I am really interrested to see your progress on the wings. I can't picture scultping GS that thin. :roll:

If you haven't see this yet check it out. The tutorials are great and he talks about working with thin GS. Cheers to Grimmatt for posting the original link.

http://mandragoreminiatures.free.fr/home.htm

Natarn · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:30 pm

Curunír wrote:

If you haven't see this yet check it out. The tutorials are great and he talks about working with thin GS. Cheers to Grimmatt for posting the original link.

http://mandragoreminiatures.free.fr/home.htm

Thanks, Curunir. I've looked at this site and will be doing so again. His tutorial is good - I think that his dragon is tiny, though, so I'm hoping it will work just as well with larger wings.

Smaug the Magnificent

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