Working with polymer clay [dead space fanart]

curly haired boy

I was posting a few work-in-progress shots in the Dead Space (videogame) thread over in G&T....but i gave it some thought and this is probably a better place.

I used to do a lot of sculpting with polymer clay when i was younger, but it's been well over a decade since i've touched the stuff. i remember being pretty decent at modeling, but it was animals and small creatures less than 2 inches long/tall, etc.

i got more into graphic design in my teens, but over the past year or so i've felt my interest there wane. I found myself looking for a new creative outlet.

i'm a big fan of the Dead Space video game (horror game set on a mining space ship - an alien virus reanimates the dead and twists their bodies into more deadly forms known as necromorphs. protagonist, isaac clarke, is an engineer who must fight for his life using the only weapons available: mining tools). i purchased the isaac figurine, but they didn't make any necromorph figurines....hence, my decision to craft my own.

now, i hope i've not been too ambitious for my first sculpt in years, but i did a lot of reading and have tried to bone up on successful techniques.

the necro i'm making is the brute:

i watched a lot of game footage until i got the general anatomy and physiology down. (hopefully) :oops:

then, i let that knowledge inform me as i shaped the basic skeleton and support frame out of hanger wire:

then i started bulking out the frame with aluminum foil

once that was done, i covered the armature with a thin layer of Super Sculpey Firm:

got the first arm covered. the clay layer is only about 1/8 inch thick right now.

got the front arms and the face/back covered....it's nice to see the brute taking shape.

got the rift in his stomach covered - this is where the gooey parts will be hanging out:

and finally finished - at least with this stage in the process. next: adding more clay, wiring the fiddly bits, and spiking it up.

now i've started the detailing process:

any feedback is greatly, greatly appreciated.

Metalbourne

I guess if I saw this earlier, I'd have told you to start with those areas that are hard to reach, like those shoulder joints, and then build on top of them.

Anyway, the detail you have so far is interesting to look at, but doesn't really capture the grotesquerie that is the brute. You have to remember that the artists who created dead space referenced accident scene photos in order to get the look they were going for. Try to vary your texture more. There should be smooth spots, peices of bone sticking out, frayed muscle, etc.

curly haired boy

i don't think the shoulder joints will be too hard to reach; i've actually got pretty decent access from the back.

i think you're right about the texture variation - i was just thinking myself on how to get that kind of lumpy smoothness. i've pretty much got the 'ridged bone armor plate' part down. i'll try an alcohol wash in spots to soften things up, thanks.

Metalbourne

If you haven't already, google "smellybug sculpting tutorial" and you'll get an excellent guide to doing exactly what you're doing here.

curly haired boy

>googles

>reads

holy fucking shit

well, at least i got the base pretty good. i've got a few of those wireloop tools, i think i'll give them more of a workout. :O

EDIT: i'm gonna need more clay.

bwanie

i think this is awesome.

can't wait to see more photos

curly haired boy

update time!

i spent some time varying the outer texture seen here, and adding the smaller spike on the left. now the texture seems more organic and a lot less regular.



after that, it was time to focus on the back of the forearm. at first i had started with this striated muscle...



but after consulting my reference images once more, i realized i needed something more visceral.

so here i am adding some tumor clusters/open sores/generally nastiness:




but it still needed more, so i just went crazy on the "eww" factor:




hopefully more to come this week - still haven't purchased anymore clay. this was done with some scraps i had.

NotASenator

Looking good.

earthwormadam

Yeah thats looking much more decayed now and less like barnacles. I think this would be a odd choice for subject matter, difficulty wise, but I'm interested to see how this turns out.

curly haired boy

thanks. i'm kind of surprising myself in terms of how it's going. i'm so new to the process that i don't know what i can't do, if that makes any sense. :P

Metalbourne

I'm really liking the variation on it. are you planning to paint it once you're done?

curly haired boy

yes indeed!

i bought some acrylic paints the other day when i purchased more clay. red, bone, yellow, and a smattering of purple and green ought to do it.

Kendeathwalker

they make paint called bone? Sweet.

PierceNeck

I kinda want to go buy some wire and sculpey tomorrow and see what I can do. Thanks for inspiring me to spend money I shouldn't be!

Jake!

I'm liking this, but one thing that the guy over at CA did was to lay down the actual underlying musculature of the animal. I think you should give that a go next time.

curly haired boy

Jake! wrote: »

I'm liking this, but one thing that the guy over at CA did was to lay down the actual underlying musculature of the animal. I think you should give that a go next time.

i saw that!

you'll see more of that as i do the rear legs. the front ones are really this congealed mass of gore, but the back ones definitely have more clearly defined musculature. i did a few concept sketches of how i want them to look, so don't worry.

curly haired boy

progress update: