New Kit Release!!

This week it's all about Meeeeeee!!! Just kidding... but seriously, it is kind of about me. Today is the official release of 5 - that's right, count 'em FIVE - new kits. Head over to the store and get 'em while they're hot. Outrageously low priced, these little guys are definitely priced to move. If you're planning on picking up a few of them in a single transaction, send me an e-mail and I'll get you a better rate on shipping. Here's a group shot to see what I'm talking about. Hope you guys like them as much as I liked making them.

What's your question?

Okay readers, this week I thought I throw the proverbial ball in your court. It's all about what you want to know. So if you have a question about sculpture, art, materials , techniques... hell if you have personal questions you'd like to know about me or any other things you've been curious about and think I have the answer to, then this is the week to ask it.

I'll be answering any questions on the following morning (depending on the volume and complexity of questions). Be sure to post them in the comments section BELOW in this blog's comments (not to the right - which is for general comments). I will do my best to give you a thorough and well explained answer, but if I don't know the answer, I will do my best to refer you to the best possible source.

I'd also like this to be a bit of a dialogue, so if one of you guys wants to expand on any answer given, please feel free. Oh, and one more thing - Please don't ask me to critique or take a look at your work this week. I simply don't have the time to answer questions and look at your work with the proper respect and time it deserves. I appreciate that some of you are interested in my opinion, but please save it for another time.

Okay, that's it. What's your question?

How To: Working with wax

This week I'm sharing my very own "How-to" demo on working with wax. This guide was originally made available after completing a purchase from the store section, but I'm sharing it with all of you. If you wish to download this as a printable PDF follow this link: Zombie Pirate: Step-byStep and it will take you to the Thank You page with the link to the PDF. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Education.

Are you self taught or academically trained? Does it matter? Is one better than the other? I know it seems like the answer to the last two questions is obvious, but you'd be surprised to hear some of the discussions I've had with people about this subject. I thought I'd share my thoughts on education and training and share a little opinion about being self taught.

First off let me say that I am both Academically trained and self taught. I have a BFA from the Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD). I have also studied with Richard MacDonald, Andrew Cawrse, Jordu Schell, and I've taken classes at the Watts Atelier. This coming Saturday I will be returning to Jordu's studio for his next workshop. Clearly I don't have a problem with taking classes or learning from others. However, I have had to learn a lot on my own. Experimenting with new materials, developing new techniques, making tools, these are all things I've done on my own. This isn't the interesting part... What's interesting is the few individuals who I've come across who think that somehow, I was less capable because I turned to someone else for learning. This is where the discussion and the debate grows.

There are people out there who wear the title of "Self Taught" as a badge of honor. They feel it somehow raises them above those who have sought out places of learning. But what does it mean to be "self taught". This is where semantics pokes it's ugly head into the conversation. A self taught person (in my opinion) is somebody who has not learned or been trained by another person directly - as would be the case in a classroom, workshop or apprenticeship. A self taught person relies on books, dvd's, the internet, and an occasional query to a friend. I can't imagine a self taught person being strictly "Self Taught" - meaning that they learned everything on their own. That would mean that in order to learn anatomy, they'd be dissecting bodies in their studio or spend months experimenting with mold rubbers and casting materials trying to get the mix right. This approach seems unlikely and foolish since the hard work has already been done and all the information is readily available. So are you self taught if you buy a how to DVD or read a how to book? Is the only difference a live instructor? This is a question only you can answer. The opinions are so varied that there really isn't a set line for when you're self taught or not.

So why pose the question in the first place? Well, I think it can be a dangerous path to walk when people suddenly put too much stock in the term self taught. They resist learning, because they want to continue being able to say they're self taught. The funny thing is that many of the people who I've taken workshops with, claim to be self taught. Richard MacDonald says he learned everything about sculpting on his own. He never took a class or learned from anybody. I think it's Richard pushing the legend of Richard MacDonald. Jordu is another one who proudly wears the title of Self Taught. So why is this funny? Because the people who say they are self taught, and who wear that title proudly, also know the importance of education and offer workshops to help others learn what they've learned. Maybe it's just funny to me.

I continue to take classes because I feel there are people who are better at some things than I am and if they are willing to share that knowledge, then I want to learn. I also take classes because they provide a great opportunity for networking and meeting new people. I admire, respect, and appreciate Jordu, but I don't need to take his class. It's going to be on advanced maquette sculpting. He's going to talk about preliminary sketching, armature building, miniature eyes, teeth and nails, and a few other things. While I would never consider myself to be as good a creature designer as Jordu, I have had training in this and I think I'm an okay creature designer. I've been building armatures for 15 years now and I've gotten quite good at it. I know how to create small eyes, teeth and nails. So why do I sign up for his classes? There are those moments when a single phrase or a simple demonstration opens up your mind to something it was not aware of before. Those little moments make the whole experience worth while. There's also the fact that I'm hanging out at the studio of one of the best creature designers in the industry. I can also get critiques directly from him on my designs. These little things are what make a huge difference over the long run. The people that I've met in workshops have also been some great people and have led to new friendships and even opportunities.

So let's move on from the Self Taught vs Non Self Taught discussion, and let's talk about the importance of education - regardless of how you come by it.

Education, learning, growth... these are all things that are crucial to your success as an artist. Not allowing yourself to get comfortable in one place is important to facilitate your growth. New challenges keep us on our toes and force us to find new answers to a whole new set of questions. This is an amazing time we're living in right now. The availability and ease of finding information on just about any subject is amazing. When I was in college, the internet was in it's infancy. The information was not easy to find and books were still a better and more reliable source of information. But now, the internet has evolved into the ultimate library. The resources available to the young artist are like nothing we've ever seen before. Today, a young teenager can turn to the internet and learn about sculpting. There's information readily available, and the ease of which you can contact other people is amazing. There's no excuse these days for not finding answers.

When we stop learning we stop growing, and as artists, that's when our work also stops being interesting. Growth is so important that we can not ignore it. Picking up books and videos is one way to expand our knowledge. Jumping on the internet and seeking out new artists and information on new materials and techniques is also a great path towards growth. Being an academically trained person, I would also say that it's a great way to learn (if you have the right teacher). There are some great workshops and classes out there. Some community colleges even offer classes on mold making. The technical stuff is always great to learn from someone with more experience. The aesthetic stuff is a bit tougher. We all have a different aesthetic and sometimes, a teacher may be pushing their own aesthetic on you and it won't feel right. While this can be an annoying part of academic training, it can also be a benefit. When you see how other people look at art, you learn a bit more and open your mind to new possibilities. You certainly want to avoid frustration, but don't close yourself off to a new technique or a new way of thinking - it might just end up working for you.

So get out there and learn. Don't be afraid to learn from others. Pick up lots of books (I love anatomy books and nature books). Sign up for a workshop. And if you happen to learn some new stuff, remember to pass it along. We are the torch bearers of our tradition and it's up to us to keep this information alive and growing.

Cheers!! I'm off to do some learning!!

Convention and Fairs

Okay guys, I wasn't sure what to write for this one, so I guess I'm going to follow up last weeks SDCC post with a post about conventions and fairs (since I attend and take part in several of them).

First off, let me start by saying that conventions and fairs can be a great way to gain exposure as an upcoming artist. You gain a whole new set of fans and followers and can potentially meet contacts that will help your career. You get to meet established fans and help them put a face to the name behind all the work they love. Also, by meeting you in person, they gain a connection to your work and become more "loyal" fans - because they feel a kinship between themselves and your work. However, conventions and fairs are a lot of work, and at times can require a large financial investment on your part. They require planning and organization. A certain level of business professionalism that doesn't seem to come quite so easily to artists (at least not me). Travel can also be a part of the equation if you don't live in an area with the type of conventions and fairs that you want to be a part of. I've been lucky in this sense because I live in Southern California. I have several art fairs (fine art), and conventions all around this area. SDCC, while it is in San Diego, is still just two hours away. Los Angeles and it's surrounding areas is only 30-40 minutes away. But for those that live in other states, or just too far for a commute, travel expenses can be a big deal. Hotel stays, car rentals, plane fair or gas money are things that need to be considered. Not to mention your booth fees, review fee (for some fairs), and equipment rental (if you need it). It's all part of this investment in yourself and your work.

So I know that sounds pretty daunting, but we need to look at the benefits. I mentioned that fans are a big part of it. This is key to your success as an independent artist, making original work. Because you're not likely to gain some kind of distributorship for your creations (although don't count it out completely), you have to do all the leg work to advertise yourself. Building a business around yourself can be quite a challenge. This is when fans play a huge roll in your success. As an independent artist (Hmm... I'm starting to question that term... I should explain it more clearly. By independent artists, I mean one who is working for themselves, creating their own line of products), you need followers and fans in order to be successful. You need them to build a connection to your work that brings them back, wanting more. Their connection to your work will lead to them talking and promoting you to their friends. This is where things really pick up and people start doing the advertising for you (that's not to say that you should ever stop advertising yourself). So building this Fan-Artist relationship is something you want to focus on as an independent artist. And one of the best ways to do that is through conventions.

I've been part of the Beverly Hills Affair in the Gardens Art show for 5 years. It's a great place to gain exposure because it's situated right in the downtown area of Beverly Hills, just steps from the shops on Rodeo Drive. It has a large following and gets thousands of attendees each day, including celebrities (some of the recent ones have included Bill and Hilary Clinton, Michael Jackson and Queen Latifa). Although sales of high end bronze figures is not a regular occurrence at this venue, artist like myself and others continue to exhibit there. The main reason is the exposure to a new set of fans and the possibilities of meeting the right connection to help your career. While my level of success at the show has been minimal, the connections I've made have been very helpful and have opened several doors that I wouldn't have otherwise considered. Sometimes it's difficult to see the connection back to the fair, but if you trace it, you can see that it was through the fair that I met one person, who introduced me to another, who invited me to an event, where I met another person... and so on. These connections can be extremely valuable because they lead to opportunities, and it's all about following the opportunities in our business. Now the flip side of this is the expense and personal, financial investment that I make each year. Here's a quick run down of the costs. A booth fee is $350 (not bad actually because they don't take a commission on any sales - as some fairs do), a review fee of $35 (this is because the show is juried every year, so they charge a fee to cover the judges and the time it takes to review hundreds of applications), there's the rental van - $250 for 3 days, gas, food, promotional materials, packaging and help (if it's needed). All in all, it's around $700+ every year (and that's just one fair). There's also the strain of setting up and breaking down. The long hours of sitting and talking about your work, answering the same questions a hundred times a day. Watching people walk by without even glancing at your work, or worse, making disappointed faces as they look at it and then walk away. I know it all sound like fun, right!! Well, the payoff can be huge when all the planets align in your favor, so from my perspective it's absolutely worth it.

For next year, I've added Monsterpalooza to the list of fairs and conventions. I already purchased my table. This convention will work in much the same way (although I am expecting more on site sales at this one). Because it's local to my area, I don't need a room rental or plane ticket. The art I'm taking is much smaller than my bronze work, so I don't need a rental van. However, this being my first time showing my commercial work, I need some new planning. My booth design is important. You want people to be drawn to your booth. This means standing out from the background. Colorful signs and displays can work to draw the eye. Banners are a great way to promote yourself from a distance. Up close, your booth needs to be organized and well laid out. A great example of a well laid out convention table is the Shiflett Brothers. Brandon and Jarrod have worked on their display over the years and have honed it down to a well displayed and varied table. They incorporate different heights, which avoid the problem of a flat table. When all your work is laid out flat on a table it can seem like a bargain store clearance table. By changing the display heights, it now becomes a showcase for the work and is more visually stimulating. It also allows for spotlighting certain work by elevating it higher than others. This is the model I will use for my display next year. So now I need to fill the table. Figuring out which pieces and how many to take will most likely require several conventions to figure out. I'm not expecting to be completely satisfied with my display the first time out. Right now, the biggest issue I have is filling the table. I have until April of next year, but I do need to get cracking on new pieces. My goal is 12-15 pieces, including two-three 1:2 or 3:4 scale creature busts. I have 5 right now (two of which will go up for sale soon), and I have concept drawings for at least 5-6 more. My hope for Monsterpalooza is to gain some new fans and followers of my work, make some connections to further my career, make some on site sales, and of course hang out with all the cool artists and friends at the show.

Alright, I prattled on for quite some time now. So what am I trying to say? Conventions and fairs can be a great opportunity (despite their financial commitment). Building a fan base is key to the success of the independent artist. Conventions require planning. All of this in hopes of being able to do what we all love to do. It would be nice if artists could find the same level of success or fame as all these movie, t.v. and reality show "stars", but that's not likely to happen. We're probably going to remain on the sidelines of mainstream popular culture, so it's up to us to build our own success. While there's many avenues to success and no two ever seem to be exactly the same, there are some general practices that can lead you there... Conventions and fairs being one of them. So if you've been thinking about getting a booth at an art fair or convention, I say go for it!! Get yourself out there, take a risk on yourself, and see what happens. Even if you don't sell a thing, the experience is always a benefit. If you can't get a booth at a convention, then consider just visiting one. I've never had a table at SDCC but going there has led to some great opportunities. So look up the convention schedules, grab your stuff and get out there. I hope to see you at one of my booths soon.

Cheers!!

Comic Con

This week I thought I'd talk about my experiences at Comic Con and my general thoughts about the importance of such a venue. I'll start with my history with the San Diego Comic Con (SDCC).

I starting going to SDCC at some point while I was in college (94-98). Back then, I was just a comic book geek who really enjoyed seeing everything comic and super hero related. I never thought about looking for work in such a place because I didn't think there was work for me to be had. My friends would take their portfolios to the reviews and try to find illustration work, but I wasn't interested in that. I kept attending year after year solely as a fanboy. I can remember meeting the Shiflett Brothers on several occasions. They were one of my first stops as I entered the con. I remember when I was looking at the "Earth X Captain America" while it was still in progress. Brandon even asked me if I was a sculptor. I said "Yes. How did you know?" and he said "Because only sculptors look at sculpture that way." At the time, my sculptural interests were still in the fine art world, but I was always an admirer of toys and collectibles. As the years went on and my career as a fine art sculptor proved to be a difficult endeavor, I always returned to SDCC for a dose of inspiration - even when I was working construction and not sculpting anymore.

Then came a time (in recent years), when I was able to stop working on construction and focus on my art again. It was around this time that I started becoming interested in commercial work. I had seen Tony Cipriano's interview on HVAtv.com and become inspired to follow a new career path. I made a few pieces, photographed them and put together a "tear sheet" (That's what we called them when I did some commercial sculpture work for Dinamation). The next time I went to con, I went looking for some work (that was in 2008). My skills weren't quite ready yet and neither was my approach for looking for work. I didn't know who to look for and I was just leaving my tear sheets with whomever I could get to talk to me at the various booths. After that convention, I knew I had to change things up. I continued to work on my skills - giving myself assignments and deadlines to follow. I made some new work and managed to get a small gig sculpting for a small toy company. The following year, I went prepared with new tear sheets and actual sculpts. I thought that the photos didn't do the work justice so maybe it would be smart to take physical samples of my work. It was last year that I also met (in person) my buddy Walter O'Neal. We ran into each other outside of the Shiflett Brothers sculpting panel. Walter played a pivotal role in my approach to companies. He pointed out one of the top Art Directors for DC Direct. He told me I should try and talk with him. After the panel discussion was over, I approached the art director and asked him if I could show him my work. He told me to meet him on the floor and that he'd look at it down at the booth. I followed through and showed him all the stuff I was carrying. A Catwoman sculpt, a Dr. Horrible and Capt. Hammer sculpt, and a 1:6 portrait of Morgan Freeman. It was a lot to look at (probably too much), but it got their attention. They liked my work and I got their contact info and was told to send them an e-mail a couple weeks after the con. It was a huge leap forward. They later asked me to send them a copy of my Catwoman sculpt (which is still in their offices).

So this finally brings us to this years SDCC. This year, I changed my approach yet again. Less work, but better work. I also changed from tear sheets to Walters suggestion of key chains with a sample head and a card with my contact info. I worked hard in the last month leading to con to finish my Batman bust. With the very generous help of some of the biggest guys in the industry (Tony Cipriano and Tim Bruckner), I was able to make a piece that really shined.

When I was able to meet with the DC Direct people this time, not only did they remember me from last year, but they wanted me to meet the higher ups. I got to meet with Georg Brewer, Vice President of Design & Retail Product Development for DC Direct. While they had some constructive criticism for the work, they also saw potential and now I've got my foot further in that door than ever (with the small ray of hope that was Georg Brewer saying "Let's try and get you some work"). That meeting couldn't have gone any better, and they took three of my leave behind key chains. I moved onto Sideshow Collectibles. I was lucky to find my friend Tim Miller there. Tim was one of the first professionals to really help me develop my work. I asked him if there was someone I could show my work to, but there was no one there at that time. It was during that moment that a guy named Mat Falls walked up and said hi to Tim. Tim introduced me and said I should show him my work. I pulled out the Batman and the three version of heads on keychains. He liked the work, and was impressed with the idea of the keychain leave behind. I told him he could choose whichever head he wanted, he took the Zombie version of my head. After he parted ways, Tim told me that he was one of the four owners of Sideshow. So that was great, and another moment of huge forward progress for me. The final people I spoke with that day (although I wanted to speak to several more) was the folks from Anatomy Tools. I've known them since 2007 and have maintained contact. This year I went there and again showed off my stuff and left one of the key chains with them, in the hopes of finding some work, sculpting anatomy reference for them. I also hung out with my friend Damon Bard, who was sitting in at their booth. I was told that they would like to interview me for their web site, so that was a cool twist on what I've been doing lately. So overall, this year was an amazing year for forward progress. I need to step up my game and really wow everybody next year. Take things to a whole new level.

So this brings me to the subject of the importance of events like SDCC. I think as an artist looking for work, this event is the single best gathering of professionals in the industry. Everyone under one roof and most are willing to look at your work. It's like a career day for the aspiring commercial artist. Venues like this are not only important for those of us looking for work, but for the survival of the industry as a whole. Venues like SDCC bring people from around the world to look at the amazing work being created by all these great companies. It's the fans that keep this industry alive and SDCC (and other venues like it) give the fans a chance to see and enjoy all the new work being made. We want them to get excited about what's being made. We want them to seek out the artists who are making this work, just so they can shake their hands or get an autograph. We need venues like SDCC to continue so that this industry can thrive. There are those who feel that SDCC no longer represents comics, and I would partially agree with that. It really has become more of an entertainment and pop culture convention rather than a "Comic" convention. But it's a reflection of what interests the fans out there. In a more digital world, comics aren't what they used to be. The local comic book store is going the way of the mom and pop hardware stores. People want things digitally, and so most of their interest is in things they can see and do digitally. That's why movies, video games and T.V. shows that have nothing to do with comics or super heroes have a big presence at Comic Con. But just because it's no longer the same as it once was (and perhaps it's grown a little to big), isn't a reason to not support it. For those of us looking to get into this industry, this is a challenging time. Revenues are down across the board. Companies aren't hiring. Consumers aren't buying as much as they once did. So where does that leave us. If we didn't have venues like SDCC then the industry would probably be in a far worse place. We need these conventions to live on, so that we always have a place to go see all this great stuff under one roof. A place where we can look for work at a dozen different companies all in one day. A place to bring the amazing world of collectibles to the fans. A place for a young kid who grew up loving Batman can go see more Batman stuff than he could ever imagine.

Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed this read a bit. I'm not sure what I've got in store for you next week, but I'll try to bring you something interesting.

Cheers!!

Adam Hughes - Designing Collectibles

Hello to you handful of dedicated blog readers out there. This week, I'm coming to you with a pretty cool interview... The one and only Adam Hughes!! I ask Adam about designing sculptures for the collectibles industry. Hope you enjoy it!!

AP: When did you first start designing comic sculptures, and what was the first piece you designed? 

  

AH: I think the first statue I designed was Wonder Woman fighting a three-headed hydra, for DC Direct. That was... 9 years ago, maybe?

  

AP: In the two big lines that are out now (DC Direct and Sideshow Collectibles), there seems to be a slightly different sensibility between the two. Sideshow's line looks more like "real" women, and DC's stuff has more of that comic look. Was that a decision you made or did each company have a different look in mind? 

  

AH: I think that's the companies themselves making that decision.  I just come up with ideas for stuff, and the companies' sculptors & painters interpret them in their own way.

  

AP: The story that's captured in the pose, look and details of these pieces are what really set them apart from other comic statues. What goes into coming up with the stories for these pieces? Are you tying it back to a particular story line, or are you looking for a part of that character that hasn't been explored? 

  

AH: It all depends on what'd make a cool statue, so 'yes' to both.  I take it on a statue-by-statue basis.  As for what goes into coming up with these stories of each statue, it's just a small attempt to make the statue more than just a pose, when we can.  If a statue or cover can require some kind of closure by the viewer, then I think people enjoy looking longer.  Their brain tries to fill in the missing parts of the story, usually 'how did she get in this predicament or wonder what's gonna happen next?'

 

AP: How much freedom are you given in the design of a piece? and how long do you spend on the design? 

  

AH: I'm given a fair amount of freedom, especially by Sideshow.  I think my input is valued by some, and my ideas are sometimes listened to!

  

AP: Was having a line of sculpts based on your designs your idea or were you approached by Sideshow and DC with the idea? 

  

AH: I was approached by the companies.  I'm so busy trying to be a 2D artist I wouldn't think of working in a different field or medium...

 

AP: You're known for sexy boobalicious girls, and all the statues so far have reflected that, but are you at all interested in designing some male comic statues? If so, which figures would you like to do? 

  

AH: Captain America, Batman, Superman... some of the biggies.  There was a Marvel character from the 1970s black-and-white magazines called STAR-LORD that I really loved.  I think designing a statue of him would be awesome, but I think there's only about 8 people who'd want to buy it...

 

AP: As a sculptor, I know the challenges of creating a Three Dimensional piece based on Two dimensional art. Was this a challenge that was difficult for you? Did you work with the sculptors to improve the designs? 

 

AH: Yes.  I've worked with them all, pretty much.  It's challenging to create a  concept that works from several angles; not difficult, but certainly challenging.

 

AP: Is there any one piece that really stands out as one that captured the feeling you were after, more so than others? 

 

AH: Probably the Rogue comiquette or the Catwoman minibust.

 

AP: Now that you've designed so many of these pieces, are there any characters that you'd still like to do, or possibly re-visit? 

 

AH: Too many to mention.  But I'd love to do a big Premium Format Catwoman statue, with real leather.

 

AP: In recent conversations with sculptor friends, we've talked about the difficulty of pleasing the collectors. Do you look at the feedback that's out there, or do you try and avoid that? 

 

AH: I have to avoid it, and I used to pay a lot of attention to what the collector's say.  But most of what's said is toxic: impolite, or downright hateful.  I believe in Teacup Rules when it comes to the Internet - don't write anything you wouldn't say to someone's face.  People also seem to think that fame, dubious or otherwise, comes with a thick skin.  After a while, the shitty stuff people would write about me would start to preoccupy my mind, and it would affect my work.  So, I stopped reading everything.  I just do my job now; if you don't like a statue I designed, don't buy it.

AP: With your new book coming out (Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes), have you considered putting out a book of all the sculpts that you've designed along with pictures and stories behind the making of those pieces? 

AH: Actually, no.  That's a neat idea.  Maybe we'll do something like that down the road.

AP: I want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my silly questions. Are there any final thoughts you'd like to add or something you'd like to throw out to the fans? 

AH: Nothing more than a heartfelt thanks for 22 years of support.  I hope to keep going for a long time, unless I win the lottery.

-Adam-

Digital Sculpting and the Industry

I was really hoping to continue the portrait discussion for a couple more interviews, but unfortunately the artists that I asked were too busy to get around to the questions. This means it's time for a new topic. Next on the list (as you can tell by the title of this post) is Digital Sculpting.

Since I started doing commercial work, I've heard more and more about digital sculpting. It was something that piqued my interest, but I never really looked into it much more than the few passing glances at some web sites. In 2007, I met Scott Spencer while taking an anatomy course with Andrew Cawrse. Scott told me he worked for Gentle Giant, and being a big Comic-Con nerd, I knew exactly what he was talking about. When I got back from the course, I called up Scott and scheduled a tour of Gentle Giant Studios. It was really cool to see such a place. There were lots of traditional sculptors working on stuff. Scott showed me their scanning equipment. The stuff they use to scan actors, objects, even whole environments, and reproduce them in a digital world. Then I got to see Scott's office. He had a huge Cintique screen coming out of the wall, on which he had a digital sculpting project under way. He told me the program was called Z-Brush and he showed me some the cool features it could do. It was really amazing to see this program at work for the first time. Scott then showed me the digital printers where the things they scan and sculpt digitally, become a physical object. He showed me examples of earlier printers and what they were capable of. You could see the scaling from the many layers of printed material, which would require someone to go in an clean it up. He then showed me what the newer printers were capable of. The tiniest detail was fully captured and it required no clean up. Amazing. It opened my eyes to a world that (for me anyways) was about to be changed.

Since 2007, I've kept one eye on digital sculpting - Ever reluctant to actually take the plunge. I've looked at work being created for Bowen Designs, Gentle Giant, McFarlane Toys, and more, that was all done digitally. The number of toys and collectible figures that are sculpted digitally, is on the rise. Some companies have abandoned all together their traditional sculpting departments and focused solely on digital sculpting. McFarlane toys is a well known example of that, having shrunk it's entire sculpting department down to two digital guys with a couple traditional guys left to be trained as digital sculptors. The shock-wave that moved through the industry after that can still be seen in blog and forum posts, as people talk about the future of this industry. I know I've already come face to face with the reality that digital sculpting is poised to take over. I've applied for work at a number of places and while they like my work, one of the first questions they ask is: "Do you sculpt digitally?" I answer honestly and say "No", and that usually ends the conversation.

So how real is the "threat" (for lack of a better word) that digital sculpting poses to traditional sculpting in this industry? For some it's already very real. For others, their skills are so in demand that perhaps they haven't seen any effect at all. I know several sculptors who have openly stated that they will never sculpt digitally. I don't know if that stems from a feeling of being threatened by the technology, or that they feel that it is somehow inferior to traditional sculpting. I can't do much more than speculate on their reasons, but I know for myself, that as each week passes, the level of sophistication that is achieved by some of these digital sculptors is unbelievable. And in regards to finding work, well... I already said how that has gone.

Digital sculpting and scanning technologies are here to stay. In fact I read recently that 3D home printers are already a reality and that they're becoming more sophisticated and cheaper in price. In a world that's becoming more wireless and digitally immersed, it seems like traditional methods are being pushed out. So we're faced with a choice. Hang on with tooth and nail to our traditional methods of sculpting, or embrace the new technologies as just another tool to create the same things we're already creating. After all, it's not the computer that's doing the sculpting. A keen eye and strong sense of anatomy and proportion is still needed to sculpt a convincing figure (in either traditional or digital methods). If we look back at history, there is always a time when a new technology rises and there are those who embrace it and those who fight against it. When cars came onto the scene, there was concern about the wagon wheel makers. So many of them would go out of business so how could we, in all good conscience, buy an automobile if we knew that the wagon wheel makers were going out of business. In the end, the automobile won. You can still find wagon wheel makers (even today), but the demand for better and faster technologies is always there. We're now faced with the same wagon wheel dilemma. Do we fight against the rising demand for digital, or do we add the digital to our list of abilities? I can tell you where I stand. I would really like to have a future in this industry. And as it stands, I'm a newcomer with little more to offer than the hundreds of other newcomers trying to find work. If I can increase my demand by having more of the desired skills that are being called upon in this industry, then it's time for me to take the plunge. It will be a slow start for me, as I'm not that well technically versed, but you will start to see digital work coming from me in the near future.

We are all faced with this same choice, whether we think it holds much weight or not. It's up to each individual to look at what's ahead and what's at stake for them, and then choose. I certainly hope that it won't become an "Us vs Them" kind of battle, but only time will tell. For now, we must hone our skills and practice that which we love - Sculpting!!

Portrait Sculpting

For our next topic of discussion, I thought we'd talk about something that has (for me anyway) always been a special part of the sculpting process. Portraiture.

Being able to capture a likeness has been an important part of sculpture for thousands of years. Examples of this can be found all the way back in the early Greek and Egyptian cultures. While their ability to capture a true likeness was not as strong as cultures that came later, the idea that an individual was important, and that their face is how we would distinguish them, is what gave rise to the great traditions of portraiture.

For those of us in the commercial world, portrait sculpting has been raised to greater and greater heights. The ability that some sculptors have to capture a likeness is uncanny - and to do it at 1 1/2" is incredible.

I'm going to talk a little about how I got started sculpting portraits and I'll try to give some insights into what I think is important when it comes to capturing a likeness.

My first experience sculpting a portrait was actually only the second sculpture I had ever made (the first being a life sized study of my right foot). I sculpted the portrait of a fellow classmate in my very first sculpture class. We took turns modeling for each other. After a couple of class sessions the portraits were complete. My portrait of her wasn't exactly flattering. She was a woman in her late 40's and her face had all the signs of a woman who had seen too much sun. Perhaps a little less detail would've been better back then. All in all, the portrait was pretty good for only my second attempt at sculpting. After that i was hooked and sculpture became the most important thing for me.

Through the years that followed, I sculpted many portraits. Some life size, some half life, and even a couple of twice life sized portraits. I thought I'd be able to earn a living (or at least pay the bills) with portrait sculpting. However, what I wanted and what was, were two different things. The world of Fine Art started becomming a battle that it didn't seem I could win. I started to look for alternatives. It was around this time that I discovered the world of commercial sculpting (for the toys and collectibles market). I tried my hand at a few busts first, sculpting generic faces as I got used to the smaller scale (which after twice life sized heads, felt like I was sculpting miniatures). I reached out to people online. I found some very talented individuals and started studying their work. My first big help came from Tim Miller. Tim was kind enough to not only chat with me online, but he also gave me his number so I could call him and talk directly to him about my work. Tim gave me some great pointers and really helped to guide my abilities to a place where they could do what I was trying to do.

My first real attempt at a likeness was when I sculpted the figures of Captain Hammer (AKA Nathan Fillion) and Dr. Horrible (AKA Neil Patrick Harris), from the hilarious short: Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog. The portraits weren't that bad actually. Tim again shared some great pointers about hair and ears. I was learning and already getting better. My next foray into portraits came in the form of my first professional sculpting gig. I got hired to sculpt the likenesses of characters from the Buck Rogers series. I threw myself into the projects and tried to remember what Tim had shared with me. I gathered my reference and started sculpting. At first I was only hired to sculpt two of the characters, but by the time the job was done, I had sculpted six. Each one got a little better. I learned a great deal about gathering reference, making my own measurment guides, and even abut resin casting. The project was a great personal success for me because it was trial by fire, and I had passed.

The next portrait I attempted was going to be a challenge. I wanted to see how much detail I could put into a tiny 1:6 scale head. I chose Morgan Freeman as my subject. This time, I made new (smaller) tools, researched ways of getting skin textures on wax, and really pushed myself to sculpt a portrait that was instantly recognizable. I think I succeeded, even if he ended up a little thin in the cheeks (caused by dimensional shrinkage in the wax and resin - I learned about that too). When the piece was painted by the very talented John Richer, I was floored to think that something I sculpted could look so life like. My next personal challenge was a series of self portraits. I wanted to take a neutral expression and see if I could change it in the wax to have different expressions. This was a great exercise, and one that I recommend to anybody trying to get better at portrait sculpting.

The last portrait I sculpted (a little over a month ago) was the portrait of Matthew McConaughey as Denton Van Zan from the movie Reign of Fire. This was an especially difficult portrait as the actor didn't look like his normal self in the roll. McConaughey is usually clean shaven, has a full head of well groomed hair and a Texas smile on his face. However, as Denton Van Zan, he had a shaved head, a dirty beard and stern look in his face. This is where portraiture becomes the most difficult. Actors take on different looks in movies, and as a sculptor, it's our challenge to capture both the look of the character and the actor behind the make-up. When it's done well it's almost magical. I'm not quite there yet, but there are a few sculptors who are. Tim Miller, Trevor Grove, Andy Bergholtz and Adam Beane are a few of those. These are the artists that continually raise the bar that I'm so desperately trying to reach. But it's because of sculptors like these, that portraiture is where it is today. These guys are carrying on an old tradition (whether they know it or not) that goes back to the great masters of Art History.

So, what can I share with you guys about the things I learned? Well, for starters, there's no substitution for good reference. Reference (and a lot of it) is the key to being able to capture a likeness. Getting as many views of the individual's head is really helpful in filling in the details and structure of their head. Be sure to get clean front and profile shots. One of the ways I've been able to get really good pictures is screen captures from DVD's. When my computer can't capture a good image, I go old school and set up my camera on a tripod in the living room and I snap photos right off the t.v.. I've actually gotten real good at it. I use the sepia setting on my camera, that gives me the best detail and contrast without the color to throw things off.

Measuring is the next important thing. It's crucial to take as many measurements as you can. Try to triangulate measurements as that really helps place things in a three dimensional space. Using a mirror and turning heads up side down is also very helpful in finding symmetry and structural flaws. Do this a lot in the beginning. It's better to find the problems early than to have to destroy hours of work when you discover the problem late. Also, try to get some fresh eye's on the piece. Whether that means walking away from it for a while or showing it to other people to get their opinion. Sometimes you can get the best advice from someone who knows nothing about art. One of my regular "advisors" on portraits is actually my mail man. If I'm working on a portrait and just want a quick opinion, I'll walk out of the studio when I hear him coming. He loves seeing what I'm working on, and he has a surprisingly good eye for finding what needs improvement.

Lastly, I'd say the best thing you could do for yourself is practice. Sculpt as many heads as you can. Write down a list of celebrities, both male and female, and start at the top. Advice, how-to videos and books are no match for hands on training. Challenge yourself. Give yourself assignments that you think are hard. Then after a few years of getting better and learning your own way - pay it forward and teach others. With the advent of the digital world and scanning technologies, it's up to us to carry the torch for our ancient tradition of portrait sculpting.

The Young Sculptor Competition

For many of you, the phrase "Young Sculptor Competition" may be new. So before I tell you about my experience during the competition, let me explain a little about what it is.

The Young Sculptor Competition is an annual figure modeling competition sponsored by the National Sculpture Society (NSS). The competition is based on an old world tradition. I believe this competition has been running in it's current form since some time in the late 1970's. The basic parameters of the competition are as follows: To create a 32"-36" figure in water based clay in 28 hours over the course of 5 days of working directly from a model. The judging criteria is: Each sculpture is judged on mastery of the human figure in sculptural form as well as each competitor’s comprehension of the action, unity and rhythm of the pose. Emphasis is placed on encouraging the analytic observation of the human figure, including proportion, stance, solidity and continuity of line. Of secondary importance is surface finish and detail. So, having given you that information, I'll now tell you about my experience.

My history with the Young Sculptor Competition actually goes back more than a decade. I first learned about it when I was still a student in college. I became interested in competing in something so prestigious, so I began submitting. I was turned down the first year (as I thought I might be). I continued to submit each year and soon found myself scratching my head as I was turned down time and time again. Over the course of 12 years I submitted and was rejected 9 times. Last year I was finally selected as an alternate, but wasn't asked to compete. This year I was once again selected as an alternate, but a few days later I recieved the news that someone had dropped out and I was in. I was finally going to get to compete. In the couple weeks leading to the competition, I had a lot of preparation to do. I hadn't sculpted from a live model in about a year, and it had been about a year and a half since I touched water based clay. Through some rather unfortunate circumstances I did not get the time I wanted. I did however manage to get about 7 hours with my wife as the model. Even though it wasn't much time, I felt that the result of those 7 hours was a good sign that I was ready for the competition.

I won't go through a day by day recounting of the competition (mainly because I think it would be boring), but I will describe the week as best I can.

It started (as it always does) with armature building. The interesting thing about that is that everybody builds armatures differently, and all the competitors have to use only the materials supplied to them. I didn't particularly like the materials provided, but I made a nice armature that served it's purpose. As many different ways as there are of making armatures, there are more ways and styles of sculpting. It was clear after the first day that the competition wasn't going to come down to details, rather the judges personal taste in styles. Everything from highly resolved structures of the body, to loosely finished and gestural sculptures filled the room. As the days went on, the competitors' styles really began to come through. By mid week it was also clear that this competition was also about endurance. Every body was tired. Legs and backs were sore, and there was still a few days of competition remaining.

At the end of the day Thursday (the last full day of competition), I finished an hour early and I left the studio to get some rest. On Friday, there was only 3 hours to finish the pieces before the judging. Some people were still rushing to the very end, others were carefully going over their sculptures and applying the finishing touches. I spent that time looking over any small details, but trying not to noodle the piece to death. At noon we were cleared out of the studio before the judges came in and the doors were locked. It was out of my hands - although it seems as though it was always out of my hands.

When it came time for the judges descisions, it was the first time I actually felt nervous. The judges started with an anonymous critique of each piece (they only knew the number of the piece and not who had sculpted it). This was the time that it became clear that the competitors and the judges interpreted the criteria of the competition differently. Where myself and many of my fellow competitors stuck to a strict interpretation of the model, the judges felt that the model (and the pose) was really more of a guideline. In the end, the piece that the judges selected for first place didn't really look like the model, but it had a more dynamic interpretation of the pose.

While winning second place my first time out (I say that because almost half of the competitors have been in the competition before and some of them have been in it as many as four times), is a great achievement for me, it's also a little bitter sweet because I feel the judging didn't follow the parameters that I thought were set in stone. Now that I've had some time to myself, away from the competition, I'm quite proud of my accomplishment and I look forward to (possibly) competing again next year.

If there's any parting advice I can leave you with, it would be this: Competitions are never about "Who's the best", but instead about who the judges think did the best work, in their opinion. So if you find yourself lucky enough to be in a competition, make sure that your main objective is to make something that you're proud of. Don't compromise on your artistic values, or try to pander to the judges preferences. In the end (and I mean of our lives, not the competitions), these little moments of failure or victory mean very little. It's the ability to look ourselves in the mirror and say "For that one moment, I did the best I could."

Exciting News!!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled broadcast to bring you this exciting news!!

I have been selected as one of the competitors in this year's "Young Sculptor" competition (Sponsored by the National Sculpture Society). I have been trying to get into this competition for many years now. Last year i was selected as an alternate, but was not asked to compete. This year, I was once again selected as an alternate and I thought it would be the same as last year - but I just received word that I'm IN!! Only 12 competitors were selected this year, so it's an honor to be one of them. I will be traveling to Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina (where the competition will be held). It's a five day figure sculpting competition, were the competitors sculpt from a live model. I know it's not the standard fare for the commercial work I've been doing recently, but I have a long history as a Fine Art sculptor and it's still a big part of my life and my work, so this is HUGE news. I need to make a lot of preparations since the competition is only a few weeks away, but I'm sure I'll be ready to kick some sculpting ass!!

We now return to our regularly scheduled program, already in progress.

Inspiration

This week I wanted to talk about Inspiration. A subject that we all have in common, but each one of us is unique in who or what we choose. It seems only fitting that this week's topic should be inspiration, since I just went to Monsterpalooza for the first time. A wonderful collection of artists creating some of the most original and fascinating sculptures in the world of model kits and collectibles. This week (today actually) happens to also be my birthday, and it seems that this is also another good reason for reflection on the things that inspire us the most.

Where to begin the topic of inspiration? I guess the most logical place would be at the beginning. My childhood was relatively art free. Meaning that my family didn't really get into art, take me to museums, or even have art around the house. What I did have was T.V. and movies. Kids of my generation where exposed to what I think was a golden time for Saturday morning cartoons. The Warner Brothers (Bugs, Daffy, Wile-E-Coyote, Marvin the Martian, etc), Scooby-Doo, He-Man, Voltron, Silverhwaks, Thundercats, G.I. Joe, Transformers, Super Friends... The list goes on. We also had some of the most influential movies of all time. Star Wars was an endless source of coolness. We also had movies like The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Legend, Indiana Jones. I would spend hours watching these cartoons and movies and then wanting to draw the characters. Not out of some artistic need, but simply out of fascination for the variety of characters. I learned to draw through cartoons and movies, and that eventually led to a passion for art. I wanted to grow up and draw cool things. I thought I'd be an illustrator. But even with all that drive I still didn't learn much about the art world and the influences that were out there. I watched cartoons and spent my time trying to draw them.

Later in life, I found myself in college (the Art Institute of Southern California was it's name until it changed to LCAD - The Laguna College of Art and Design). A whole new world of inspiration opened up to me. I learned about the great masters of art, and found myself gravitating to the world of "fine art". John Singer Seargent, Bouguereau, Alfons Mucha, Edwad Munch and many others were all great sources of inspiration at the time (and still are to this day). Then at the end of my second year, I discovered sculpture. Wow! What a world of beauty, imagination and yes, Inspiration. I couldn't stop wanting to learn more (and sculpt more). Rodin, Bernini, Michealangelo, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Rembrant Bugatti, Daniel Chester French, Anna Hyat Huntington, Malvina Hoffman, Camille Claudel... so may great artists. I was surrounded by inspiration, my mind filled with new ideas and compositions. A passion for the human form filled me to the very core (and it remains there to this day). I felt a connection to the past through all these great artists. I was following a tradition set forth centuries before me and I felt like one of them. I continued in the world of 'fine art' for many years afterwards, finding inspiration in contemporary sculptors like Richard Mac Donald and Javier Marin. Then around three years ago, I came across a video that changed my life yet again. It was a video pod cast of a show called "Heroes, Villains, and Artists" and this particular episode featured the sculpting work of Tony Cipriano.

This episode was the first time I had seen somebody working on the sculptures that you find in the collectibles world. I had seen these sculptures before and they were very impressive, but I had never seen them being made, or even knew who made them. Seeing Tony explain his beginnings in this field of commercial sculpture was like an awakening for me. I thought to myself "I want to do that!" I set about to learn more about commercial sculpting and picked up some new materials (Sculpey and epoxy putty) that I had never used before. I discovered online forums with more people making this great stuff. People were sculpting the characters that I had grown up watching as a kid. Saturday morning cartoons and the movies I loved as a kid were coming to life through sculpture. I took on the challenge of learning how to sculpt for this industry and now my main source of inspiration was yet again, other sculptors. People like Tony Cipriano, Tim Bruckner, Andy Bergholtz, Ray Villafane, Adam Bean, Mark Newman, Trevor Grove, Tim Miller and many, many more are setting the bar and raising it for artists like myself. Everytime I think I'm getting a little closer, one of them pushes sculpture to new limits.

Now that I'm a little older and the world of the internet has opened up the ease of finding information, my sources of inspiration seem endless. I've made friends with many of the artists who inspire me, and I hope that on some level, I'm also inspiring others and perhaps working as their spark, like Tony's work was for me. Inspiration is what drives us as artists, and we must never stop the search for it. Whether we find it in other artists, T.V., movies, books, nature or wherever, inspiration is the spark where new ideas are formed, and that in itself is an exciting idea to me. So get out there and start looking.

Feel free to post your sources of inspiration so that others (and myself) can find something new and perhaps someone might just find that life changing moment.

Cheers!!

Alfred

The Visitor

Yesterday, I had the rare pleasure of a studio visitor. Normally I get newly formed friends wanting to see where I work, or the occasional fan that lives near the area. But yesterday, I was visited by a very smart and gifted 11 year old girl name Carolina. She's an aspiring artist with talents so strong that out of a group of hundreds of kids who entered a contest, she was the winner and got to meet the artist Simon Silva.

Her visit out to my studio wasn't part of a contest, but rather an opportune coincidence. Carolina enjoys sculpting and she knows my sister, who happened to mention that her brother (me) is a sculptor. We arranged a studio visit several weeks ago and finally yesterday was the day.

My first impression with Carolina was that she was so tiny and cute. It's been so long since I was that small that I can't remember it. As she stepped into my humble little studio, I could see her eyes trying to take it all in (there's work at various stages all over my studio). I started with showing what I had been working on for the last two days - two creature busts (an Eel Dragon and a Vampire). It was fun to watch her reactions to the work. I gave her a walk through of my process and showed her pieces that were in various stages of completion. Her questions were intelligent and quite advanced (artistically speaking) for someone so young. She spoke about doing a report on Chuck Close (another impressive name in her knowledge of artists).

At one point during our conversation, she mentioned the use of impressions for sculpting. I thought this would be a fun opportunity to do some hands on stuff. I showed her the silicone putty that I use to make my molds and texture stamps, then we went in search of something cool to take an impression of. We decided the tree stump outside my studio had some cool textures, so we proceeded to find just the right spot. I showed her how to mix the putty then I placed it on the tree. After a couple minutes, we went back to remove the texture stamp and it turned out really well. I told her she could keep it as a reminder of her visit.

We spoke a little more about influences, school and process. She told me how much she liked Werewolves and if I would sculpt one as part of my creature busts. I agreed to do one - so keep an eye out for the Carolina inspired werewolf bust coming later. I wanted to give her a couple more things to remember her visit by, and so I gave her a copy of one of the Zombie Pirates, and I let her choose one of the 1:6 scale portrait heads I had (She chose the portrait where I'm making a goofy smile).

It was such a pleasure having such a bright and gifted young girl in my studio, and I look forward to seeing all the great things she will create. My doors will always be open to little Coralina, and I hope she comes back again.

Dragon Slayer!!

Okay, so the Denton Van Zan portrait is done. It was a very tough portrait to do, since Matthew McConaghey doesn't look like his normal self in this movie. Overall I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out, especially since it was completed in one week (that includes the alternate head).

The bust is 1:4 scale and it was sculpted in Super Sculpey, then transferred to wax for the final detailing. It might go up for sale in the store in a couple weeks, but I haven't decided. I want to see what the general reaction is going to be and if there is enough interest to go ahead with it.

Check back soon for more news on upcoming creature busts.

"I lead, you follow."

So, in honor of the new movie "How to train your pet dragon" (which is really great by the way), I'm doing a bust of a character from my favorite dragon movie "Reign of Fire". Denton Van Zan (played by Matthew Maconahey) is one of the baddest characters in any action movie. This bust is going to be 1:4 scale just like the other busts I'm working on. I'm going to try and have two heads (one stern looking, the other a screaming and slightly charred Van Zan).

I'm still working on the next couple figures in my character/creature bust line, and I should have photos soon.

The Store is Open!!

Alright, it's time to get this web site working with the opening of the new Store section. I know there's only one bust in there right now, but I'm already working on the next couple pieces. There will be new stuff in there soon, so go check it out and come back soon to get updated on what's coming next.

Looking towards the horizon

Having completed the Zombie bust, I'm now working on the Step by Step guide companion to the bust. However, cost is becoming an issue. I didn't know that printing a small booklet would be so expensive. I'm looking at alternative ideas right now and I'm confident that I'll find something. While I'm working on that, I'm also starting to think of the next bust in the line. The figures that got the most votes are the two in the bottom right corner. I haven't decided whether I'll do the Ogre or the Vampire first. I'll probably do an alien bust as the fourth creature just to have a well rounded variety. Perhaps this is one of those times that calls for a juggling of projects. Moving from one to the other and keeping a consistent quality between them. Check back soon for more info on the Zombie Pirate and on what's coming next.

He's Heeeeere

AAARRRHHH!! Well, he's done. The first in my line of original character busts is complete and will soon be ready for sale. The only thing left to do is to finish the "Step by Step" guide companion to this bust and it'll be ready for the Store (which should also be ready soon - although it will be fairly empty at first).

Check out more photos of this creepy guy in the Gallery section, and check back for updates on when he'll be available for purchase.

Almost Finished!!

I made some huge progress yesterday on the Zombie Pirate. Just one small detail left to finalize on the figure, a little work on the lathe for the base, and this creepy guy is ready for rubber. I've got a couple other projects that need my attention, so this piece needs to be done today - That means it might be up for sale as soon as next week in the new STORE section (coming soon). I'll post some preview images by the weekend.

Cheers!! Now back to the studio!!

"I'm a Big 'Ol Five"

So yesterday, my wife and I went to Universal Studios for the first time since we've been together (almost 12 years now). Before then, my last visit to Universal was during the filming of the last Back to the Future movie. My wife was last there when they were still filming the show "Charles in Charge". So in other words... It's been a while. It was a brief visit, but we now have annual passes and can go back anytime for however long we want (even if it's just to ride The Simpson's Ride again).

Now you may be wondering "What does the blog title mean?" Aside from the nod to one of our favorite shows, we rode three of the attractions yesterday and each time we were placed in row 5. The last time, I thought the trifecta would be broken as the attendant pointed us to row 4, but then just as we were entering the row, he changed his mind and put us in row 5. "What does all this have to do do with art?" you ask. Well, nothing really. I just wanted to share a funny moment from yesterday.