Sculpting IRL vs Digital

[mlkr]

Hi everyone,

So having a rising interest in Epic 40K and the 6mm scale I have found that a lot of producers model their miniatures digitally and then print their master out in different ways. This got me wondering if it would be a viable thing to do for 10mm fantasy? Maybe it could be a nice option for people like me who want to create something for the community but lack the artistic skills needed. On the other hand I think that you will likely loose the nice "organic/living" feel that sculpted miniatures have. Anyone have any thoughts on the subject?

Cheers!

[calmacil]

I've pressed quite a few 3d prints for a small company called mantic. Personally I prefer the hand made greens/greys for movement in the figure.
Also it can depend on the quality of the 3d print. If it's cheap you're likely to have lots of small lines (these are picked up on moulds)

If done well 3d prints can be great. If you're doing epic 40k then vechiles should be great

[Stormwind]

The best infantry models you can get are hand sculpted. 3D printing is great for vehicles where the eye is forgiving.

[Malika]

I don't know about that. Troublemaker Games did some pretty sweet infantry through digital sculpting: http://www.troublemakergames.co.uk/did.htm

[mlkr]

Thats the kind of stuff I have been eyeing with interest. 6mm shouldnt be that much different from 10mm. But maybe 3Dprinting works better with sci-fi for looks? Are there any examples on 3Dprinted fantasy-stuff out there?

[Malika]

There probably are, but the market is smaller I think, which means it's a bit harder to find.

[mlkr]

True,

6mm sci-fi has a huge following compared to that of 10mm fantasy. Anyways - If I ever find the time and inspiration I will try to do something really simple with 3Dprinted 10mm fantasy. One can always dream ;P

[Stormwind]

I would LOVE to see some 3D modelling attempts at strips of infantry for 10mm fantasy.  You would HAVE to brainstorm them to make some good ones otherwise they will end up looking a bit uniform like the Copplestone ones.

[Aquahog]

While I see your point, there are better and worse examples in the range. The Orc warriors are my favourite.



Not pictured is the second type of command.

[Stormwind]

Sorry, the Copplestone ones are great - and I like them - but they lack the character of some of the GW sculpts.

[Vermis]

Maybe it could be a nice option for people like me who want to create something for the community but lack the artistic skills needed. On the other hand I think that you will likely loose the nice "organic/living" feel that sculpted miniatures have.

That's the problem, I think: digital sculpting by itself doesn't really bridge the skill gap when it comes to organic figures. After seeing a lot of the 6mm stuff printed in the last few years, I'm just about convinced it's superior for tech and mechanical objects (microarmour at least), and I think it'd be useful for sculpting the kind of tiny details of 6mm and 10mm minis; but for organic figures at any scale and in any medium, it helps to have some knowledge of anatomy, proportion and posture - the human eye is well-trained to pick up discrepancies! - and then how to alter those three to suit the scale. A lot of early 3D sculpting for gaming miniatures had the most delicate, fine, realistic details... that then printed out as skinny, fuzzy blobs. And much as I support Ben's ventures with Troublemaker etc., I think he still has a little trouble with organic figures. (The pics posted earlier have the advantage of being wrapped in armour and big coats - but the third and fourth infantry figs seem to have something funky going on with their feet.)

There are various resources out there for learning a thing or two about anatomy; some free, some commercial; some good, some not-so. For starters, Figure Drawing For All It's Worth is a book that pros and experts often point at for learning the basics of anatomy. (Until recently it was only available as a free download of an old edition, from some sites, and those are still around. But since the situation's changed and it's back in print, and if you're very serious about sculpting figures, it'd help to keep it in print by buying a physical copy. ) There's also Anatomy for Sculptors, which is based around a pricey but excellent book (one of the very few Kickstarters I backed), but also has good resources and key points of the book online.

Also, for one of my own pet obsessions - animals real and imagined - there are sites and books like these. (what a coincidence)

And if my sig is still the same one, there are a few sticky topics there, with various other books and sites that should help too.

[Islacrusez]

The big issue is that digital modelling is not a replacement for skill. Doing it digitally doesn't require less skill or artistry, it just requires a different skillset. Perhaps the only thing it saves you is troubles with a shaking hand or filler dust all over your desk.

With the right tools (read: software, printer), a skilled artist can make an organic sculpt just as good as any hand-crafted piece. Hand-crafting it has been around an awful lot longer though, and the techniques have been developed longer. Digital to 3D print is still a very new technology, a new opportunity, and advances are still being made in the tech. For example the recent news of the 3D printer that prints and cures continuously using an inhibitor, as opposed to the more common method of printing, allowing those horizontal striations to potentially be reduced to the molecular level.

People need to learn how to use the things that aren't even in use yet, then they need to master them. There's no reason it can't be you. The important thing is to remember that digital requires mastery just like physical sculpting.