11-01-2007, 06:30 PM
A first for me to do a video. The quality isn't great (as expected), but for the specific steps I wanted to show it came out better than expected.
STEP 1: PREPARE THE MODEL
In order to sculpt scale mail effectively, it's much easier if its on a flat surface. Also, if you are using Dwarf bodies and plan to keep the trim around the armour intact, you needs to prepare it properly.
To do this, gently scrape away the existing chainmail using a hobby knife. You may not be able to do this with a massive craft knife, I use a slim scalpel tool.
[attachment=230]
STEP 2: ADD A LAYER OF GREENSTUFF
To do scale mail you need a decent thickness of greenstuff. By this I mean enough to sculpt 'layers' of scale, but not enough that it bulges out over the trim going round the armour.
Get this part right and its a lot easier later on. Sculpt it too thin and the scales are too lumpy with the texture underneath.
[attachment=231][attachment=232]
STEP 3: DRAW THE LINES OF SCALES
This step basically means you draw a line with a craft knife to split it up into however many layers of scale you want, I'm using the Dwarf Miners bodies and generally stick to 3 layers. On a couple of bodies I do 4 layers.
[attachment=233][attachment=234]
STEP 4: 'TUCK' THE LINES OF SCALE UNDER EACH OTHER
Scale mail works so effectively because the scales overlap. In order to represent this on a model you need to press down each row on the upper half so that it is lower than the layer above.
[attachment=235]
STEP 5: SPLIT EACH ROW INTO INDIVIDUAL SCALES
Use a sculpting tool to press down on each row, effectively splitting it into the scales. Do them in such a way as represent the pattern below.
[attachment=236][attachment=237][attachment=238]
STEP 6: PRESS THE CURVE ONTO THE BOTTOM OF EACH SCALE
You could just leave the scale mail as it is, with the armour being made of rectangle pieces of metal. Some 'die hard' traditionalists like me choose to have them curved on the bottom.
I knew this would be easier to explain with a video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFRJZqmJw9M
STEP 7: FLATTEN THE SCALES
A step that IMO is often overlooked. Basically this means very gently pressing down onto each scale to make sure it is actually flat. The steps above can cause them to be a bit rounded.
I cover this in the video.
FINAL PHOTOS
[attachment=240]
STEP 1: PREPARE THE MODEL
In order to sculpt scale mail effectively, it's much easier if its on a flat surface. Also, if you are using Dwarf bodies and plan to keep the trim around the armour intact, you needs to prepare it properly.
To do this, gently scrape away the existing chainmail using a hobby knife. You may not be able to do this with a massive craft knife, I use a slim scalpel tool.
[attachment=230]
STEP 2: ADD A LAYER OF GREENSTUFF
To do scale mail you need a decent thickness of greenstuff. By this I mean enough to sculpt 'layers' of scale, but not enough that it bulges out over the trim going round the armour.
Get this part right and its a lot easier later on. Sculpt it too thin and the scales are too lumpy with the texture underneath.
[attachment=231][attachment=232]
STEP 3: DRAW THE LINES OF SCALES
This step basically means you draw a line with a craft knife to split it up into however many layers of scale you want, I'm using the Dwarf Miners bodies and generally stick to 3 layers. On a couple of bodies I do 4 layers.
[attachment=233][attachment=234]
STEP 4: 'TUCK' THE LINES OF SCALE UNDER EACH OTHER
Scale mail works so effectively because the scales overlap. In order to represent this on a model you need to press down each row on the upper half so that it is lower than the layer above.
[attachment=235]
STEP 5: SPLIT EACH ROW INTO INDIVIDUAL SCALES
Use a sculpting tool to press down on each row, effectively splitting it into the scales. Do them in such a way as represent the pattern below.
[attachment=236][attachment=237][attachment=238]
STEP 6: PRESS THE CURVE ONTO THE BOTTOM OF EACH SCALE
You could just leave the scale mail as it is, with the armour being made of rectangle pieces of metal. Some 'die hard' traditionalists like me choose to have them curved on the bottom.
I knew this would be easier to explain with a video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFRJZqmJw9M
STEP 7: FLATTEN THE SCALES
A step that IMO is often overlooked. Basically this means very gently pressing down onto each scale to make sure it is actually flat. The steps above can cause them to be a bit rounded.
I cover this in the video.
FINAL PHOTOS
[attachment=240]
