The last generation of figure sculptors

[Last Hussar]

Within a few years I doubt that we will have sculptors like the Perry's and Techno

As soon as we can print a master the modelling will be done on computer. Note I am not talking mass printing of figures, I mean the master. I don't know about materials, so there may be an intermediate stage Printed->mould-> master->current master, but the costs will be more than covered by the savings of not doing it by hand.

Modern 3d programmes allow you to easily modify a figure. Once you have the basic 'T-post' (that is arms outstretched to the sides), then manipulating the 'rig' is easy enough to produce any number of poses. A variety of head gear is easy enough to produce, as would be facial expressions and equipment.

[Wulf]

Are you putting them out to grass?

I've seen some 10m scale 3d printed minis, and I'm not greatly impressed. There's a bit of time left yet...

[Ithoriel]

Are you putting them out to grass?

I've seen some 10m scale 3d printed minis, and I'm not greatly impressed. There's a bit of time left yet...

Captive bolt pistol ... it's the only humane way

CAD packages and 3D printing for masters I can see. 3D printing of end products looks an awfully long way off to me. Too crude and too pricey compared to the alternatives.

That said the sci-fi stories of my teen years featured things I now use every day without a second thought. Perhaps the future is nearer than I think!

[Last Hussar]

Are you putting them out to grass?

I've seen some 10m scale 3d printed minis, and I'm not greatly impressed. There's a bit of time left yet...

To quote Rick Blaine - maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday.  Remember the Wright brother's first flight was less than the wing span of a 747.  It was less than 20 years from the first CD to being able to record CDs yourself.

[Wulf]

I'm working beside people who were born the same year I started here...

What we need, however, isn't technology, it's talent - we already have 3d minis, but they're just not very good. We need 3d sculptors, not 3d tools...

[Steve J]

I've seen very nicely sculpted stuff that's been printed on a Envisiontech Perfactory machine (used in the jewellery trade) and you can barely see the build lines. From what I've seen this machine would work perfectly well for 10mm figures. As has been mentioned you just need talented sculptors who can use 3D sculpting programmes.

[Techno]

I'll have to learn that then.....And become talented as well. 

At the mo', from what I understand, having something 3D printed is way, way more expensive than having myself and my colleagues push putty about.... (Or make something out of plasticard.)

I'm sure it's more than perfectly feasible.....Though I can see a lot of potential teething problems.....Though those ought to be relatively easy to overcome.
(Be costly to start with though.....And out of range of the pockets of smaller manufacturers).

I think it WILL come....But by then, I reckon I'll be pushing up the daisies. 

Cheers - Phil

[d_Guy]

I'm working beside people who were born the same year I started here...

What we need, however, isn't technology, it's talent - we already have 3d minis, but they're just not very good. We need 3d sculptors, not 3d tools...

I agree with this. It seems that many of the skills required will be quite different.
Also - think Techno,Jr. Meets Windows 14 - a possible need to re-learn skills every two or three years. (Although AI has probably taken over by that point)

[Wulf]

(Be costly to start with though.....And out of range of the pockets of smaller manufacturers).

The question is, how many BIG manufacturers of teeny toy soldiers are there? Very few, if any, working in smaller scales.

[Last Hussar]

We already have the skills - watch any video game- 3d modelling is already here.  I would imagine that there will soon be POD for 3d, like Shapeways.  I'm not disputing the present problems, but many of you will be here on products that were science fiction 20 years ago- tablets/smart phones etc.

Yes we'll still have Techno Juniors, but they won't be sticking knives in themselves professionally (it will be purely for fun).  There may be some post print clean up to do, but I'm talking about sculpting from fresh.  This isn't like how painting survives in the time after photography- no matter how artistic the scuplts are, they are not the object - they are a means to an end.

[fred.]

From what I know (from reading, not doing) there is a big difference from being able to produce a 3d model that looks good on screen, and one that can actually be 3d printed, and then cast in metal. Stuff like undercuts, minimum resolution, minimum size to be cast etc.

Obviously this will come, but it seems that its not as straight forward as first appears, especially with organic stuff and clothing.

Vehicles seem to be easier with the current generation of software - but even with these it seems difficult to get details right with several test prints.

[Techno]

I think Forbes has hit the nail on the head there.

I would imagine (at the moment) a chap using a computer to produce a 3D master, would almost certainly be able to produce a much 'finer' and better proportioned figure than a traditional designer.

(With the exception of one designer I can think of......And he charges around 8 to 10 times what I charge Leon.....Allegedly.)

Then you'd need the traditional designer (at least at the true scale) to tell him why lots of it would just not work as a metal wargames figure.

"It'll snap there"......"These bits will never come out of the mould"......"No ! People want to actually paint these bits....They won't even be able to see what they're supposed to be."

You'd almost need myself, Clibby or one of our colleagues looking over his/her shoulder all the time.
It's knowing where you have to 'cheat' and 'compromise' that makes up a fair proportion of the sculptor's armoury.

I could write a book on this. 

Cheers - Phil

[fred.]

I could write a book on this. 

Why not!

[d_Guy]

Actually I'll vote for you writing a book on the subject also - it would be interesting to read. You might want to condense all the injury reports into one or two chapters, however - don't want to discourage people 

[clibinarium]

The tech, the skills, the printing is already here and works fine. Its the cost that's the issue. To get a print done is not expensive, to get one done that will be suitable for mastering is expensive. That will come down but for now its practical when the economics match up. Bear in mind too that the comparatively low fees available for historical sculpting aren't going to attract many good 3D sculptors who can earn a better living digitally.
The skills for producing a usable print aren't quite the same as just building models in a 3D program, practicalities have to be accounted for, as Techno and others have pointed out; nothing is to scale, you have to know where to exaggerate, you have to produce a "watertight" model (no holes or it won' print), those you see in games generally aren't; its not as simple as moving your T pose around. And you need the "eye" for sculpting, but most 3D artists have that to varying degrees. Again these are issues that are easily addressed.
3D sculpting will simply be one of the tools that sculptors learn. I'm in my thirties so if I want to continue sculpting I need to learn. I've been teaching myself slowly, and got the hang of Sketch-up in a couple of weeks, and was able to produce a tolerable Napoleonic gun.



Its been printed in 28mm, and the print was ok, but not great, its taking a fair bit of work to render into something that can be used as a master. Doing it in 10mm isn't as simple as shrinking it as many parts will become to thin; it will need exaggerating in places and that would mean a significant redesign. Pendraken will confirm this as they cast it  from the print!

In summary; a very useful tool, probably the dominant (but not exclusive) approach of the future, but its not the Sampo! many people imagine it to be.