Step-by-step: Bugman

This is a progress-report for a maquette sculpture.  It began as a class demo at the college then grew beyond the scope of the introductory course.  I'll continue to update until he's finished, and please feel free to comment or ask questions.  Most of the images will enlarge if you click on them.
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Here is the original concept sketch.  The plan was then sized based on how large a sculpture would fit into my home oven (he's done in SuperSculpey, which bakes at about 210 degrees).  I created front and side orthos to use as caliper guides.

Once the drawing was done I considered creating a complete illustration, but I don't know if that will ever materialize -- I've got other ideas I want to do in 2D.
     Sculpey requires an armature for anything larger than about egg-size, and the bug will be about thirteen inches tall.  I built the armature with aluminum wire and foil (a standard Sculpey method).  Anything that can withstand 210 degrees-F can be used, even paper and cardboard.

 
 
 

Once the armature is stable and filled out, I built the mass up with Sculpey until he's within about a quarter-inch of his final thickness.  Many of the surface wrinkles and features are additive, so they will increase the final thickness and have to be taken into account.  Here's the pre-wrinkles mass:

 

The arms will be added last since they'll get in the way when I'm smoothing and finishing the body, legs, and feet.  Also it's time to move him onto his final base so I don't damage any detail-work moving him later.  The major wrinkle are added rather than carved negatively -- It's faster and looks more like real wrinkles.  The eyeballs are glass beads from a local bead shop (glass or stone beads can withstand the baking process):

 
Here he is with feet and much of the wrinkle-work done, but still missing arms and a lot of small surface detail:

 
His face is nearly finished, but still missing antennae and surface texture:

 

Here he's complete with arms, warts, and moobs, and he's baked (click to enlarge).  I created stubs for antennae which I'll add using wire or wood,
and I'll paint the base.

No cracks -- Several students' pieces cracked when baked, and I'm beginning to suspect their practice of leaving the sculpture in-oven to "cure" as the oven cools may be the problem -- Sculpey instructions warn repeatedly against over-baking, which I think the "curing" might be doing.  I bake for exactly one hour at 210 degrees (check oven accuracy carefully), then remove the sculpture immediately to cool at room temperature.  Now on to the next project...

Comments

[EB]

The finest surface wrinkles are done mostly with an etching-burnisher. You can get them at any serious art-supply store, and the tapered point is perfect for tapered grooves like fine wrinkles. Larger wrinkles are additive, meaning a small "tube" of sculpey stuck on the surface and blended in.

[Morgan Kaplan]

How did you create the tiny, ultrafine wrinkles?

[George Jones]

Amazing work...justbeautiful.

[Kyle Stephens]

Sweet work Ed can't wait to take your class.