Sculpting/Model Building Super Geek Mega Thread

[Jive Turkey]

Alright, so I'm going to really geek things up in here. Anyone interested in model building or sculpting?
When I was a kid, I used to build military aircraft models and Star Wars models, then when I was in my early teens, I moved onto vinyl model building; it was mostly comic book characters. Over the past few years, I've been sculpting a little for myself. It started off as just a little experiment to see if I could do it, but then I realized I wasn't half bad, so continued on with it. When I was little, I was obsessed with watching the 'making of' bits from Star Wars and other monster movies, so in a little way, I'm fulfilling a childhood fantasy.
I started a new one about 5 months ago (my take on the Tooth Fairy from Hellboy 2), but put it aside and havent worked on it in months. I figured if I stared a thread, it would get me interested again and my hard work wouldn't go to waste.
I'll post some pics of what I've done recently when I get a chance.
So anyway, now that I've geeked myself up, anyone else care to do the same? They can be model planes, cars, those little nerdy warhammer things, whatever you want.
But be warned, you wont meet any girls up in here

 

[Jive Turkey]

So I did a quick search on an old sculpting forum I used to visit and found shots from my first attempt at sculpting. This little guy is still sitting in the basement at my parents house waiting to be molded and cast (The original idea was to sculpt him, then make a mold and cast it in silicone). One day, I'll get around to it. Just a little background on it: My girlfriend at the time and I had an inside joke about a baby version of Yoda, so I decided to sculpt it. I'm sure I've gotten much better since then; there isn't much detail, but I think it was a pretty solid first attempt. Oh, and it's life sized. (his right hand is meant to be clutching a real blanket that was to be added in after the cast was made)

 

[IWasBored]

built quite a few model plane kits when i was younger. one of my housemates is wicked into that stuff. i usually managed to lose a few key parts before i could finish the damn things...sculpting would take too much actual artistic talent (of which i have none).

um, i like legos.

 

[Jive Turkey]

built quite a few model plane kits when i was younger. one of my housemates is wicked into that stuff. i usually managed to lose a few key parts before i could finish the damn things...sculpting would take too much actual artistic talent (of which i have none).

um, i like legos.

I used to love doing model planes. Unfortunately, most of them got damaged. A lot of missing canopies and landing gear
Painting the details on them was always my favourite. I hated applying the decals though

 

[bono_212]

God, that was something I wanted to get into as a kid, but never had the patience. I am not artist at all, everything I try to do in that area comes out really clumsy and generally bad. Makes me sad

 

[Axver]

I used to do model trains. Keep meaning to get back into it; it's mainly the huge fucking costs that hold me back. I have too many expensive hobbies, and it doesn't help that the railway I'd like to model is a bit obscure ... not many model kits, almost nothing ready-to-run, those that exist are bloody pricey, and I'm not quite up to scratch-building locomotives! I do have some cheap models of wagons used by overseas railways that I want to kitbash into something resembling what the New Zealand Railways operated ...

 

[bono_212]

I keep forgetting to take pics of my uncle's set up for you. I'll try and remember when I go over there for Christmas, since I know he'll have it running.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

God, that was something I wanted to get into as a kid, but never had the patience. I am not artist at all, everything I try to do in that area comes out really clumsy and generally bad. Makes me sad

Yeah, same with me. I'm way too impatient and get frustrated easily, to add to that I'm not very good at all with making things.

 

[IWasBored]

I used to love doing model planes. Unfortunately, most of them got damaged. A lot of missing canopies and landing gear
Painting the details on them was always my favourite. I hated applying the decals though

oh yeah, applying decals was a pain in the ass. i could never get them to stick if i needed them to sit on top of something even partly painted, and then being so picky about historical accuracy...drove me batshit crazy.

 

[Axver]

I keep forgetting to take pics of my uncle's set up for you. I'll try and remember when I go over there for Christmas, since I know he'll have it running.

That would be awesome.

 

[bono_212]

That would be awesome.

I know he's got the winter village going right now (well, they never actually took that one down last year), he's got a double Ferris wheel and a carousel as well!

 

[Jive Turkey]

Model Trains are something that I've never had the urge to get into, but am always blown away by what people put together. They're fun to look at. Axver, any pics of your old sets?

 

[bono_212]

When I was a kid, my uncle's set was an entire room of his house. It was insane. They've since taken that down because they remodeled that room into their bedroom, so now he's downsized the set to a smaller section of the house. I'd love if he were to put the whole thing back together some day.

 

[IWasBored]

nice. a friend of mine when i was a kid, his dad had a pretty kickass model train set up. we were allowed to build stuff in the basement with his tools (dude had a pretty awesome workshop), but were pretty much under penalty of death if we went on the side of the basement with the train set.

 

[Axver]

Model Trains are something that I've never had the urge to get into, but am always blown away by what people put together. They're fun to look at. Axver, any pics of your old sets?

I never had a layout of my own, unfortunately. My best friend in high school had room in his garage to set up a table for our trains. We never got around to scenicking it, but we laid increasingly complex circuits of track and ran trains around them for hours. I don't seem to have any photos from those days though. Now all my trains are in boxes, except for a few that are out to make the office/spare room look a bit less boring.

The other day I was rummaging through some old files and found all the plans I designed for layouts. I very nearly began building one when I was 16, bought a bunch of supplies and everything ... then we moved house and suddenly I didn't have any space to do anything.

 

[LemonMelon]

Model train sets are pretty incredible. Ashley's uncle does indeed have a cool setup, but my favorite is still the one by my grandfather. Maybe it's because I was 6, but that thing looked larger than life, intricate right down to the tree and mountain materials. I brought some of what he had in the workshop back so I could start my own, but like Axver said, the hobby is just too expensive. But I certainly respect the attention to detail inherent in a great set.

 

[kramwest1]

I used to love doing model planes. Unfortunately, most of them got damaged. A lot of missing canopies and landing gear
Painting the details on them was always my favourite. I hated applying the decals though

I had a bunch of 1/48 model military planes that I had built and several kits that were waiting to be built in a huge box in my basement. When my dog was a puppy, she peed buckets load on the main floor, and the pee found a small hole in my floorboards and ran right into the box. Hundreds of hours of time and hundreds of dollars literally pissed away.

I had a gorgeous Vietnam-era Huey Helicopter Gunship that was perfectly 1st Air Cav painted. Gone.

The unfinished model I mourn the most was a Minnesota Air National Guard C-130. Dammit! I wanted to build that one.

I've always been a Lego fan and have a monster collection. (And they are washable.)

 

[IWasBored]

i wonder...

oh yes. search turned up the goods.

i think i still have the lemon around here somewhere

 

[bono_212]

EDIT: You know, I bumped this thread, but I was thinking of a different one, sorry to hijack the sculpting/modeling thread for something baseball card related . I'll try and find the right thread.

 

[bono_212]

.

 

[Jive Turkey]

I got all excited for nothin'

 

[kramwest1]

I've been buying some Star Wars Lego sets when Target has had them on sale this summer.

 

[bono_212]

Walmarts got a few on clearance, but they're still mega expensive. $120 for a sand crawler.

 

[IWasBored]

i miss that tape player (the one sitting behind lego elevation stage).