Hedgehog sculpt-along Tribble included

[cornbread]

Here is something easy to sculpt that requires little time and lets you practice on some symmetry. It is a 2 step process that is less than 30 minutes.   The instructions are for a hedgehog, but is easily convertible to make a star trek tribble.

Start with a bent wire armature.  This keeps the putty in place as you are pushing it around.   How big?  As big as you want.  Make your 2nd one smaller.  Do one to get that hang of it.  This one is about 1/2 inch long, the wire is 1/4 inch bend

 

Mix your putty.  Make it about the right size, then squeeze it so it is the same length, just twice as long, then fold it over the armature.  Make sure it encapsulates the wire.  use your fingers to push it into an approximate shape.  A hedgehog kinda looks like a football with no pointy ends.

 

 

Use a tool to lift the bottom off the cork so it has more of a football shape and less of a breadloaf shape

 

Wet your fingers and smooth out the putty.  Wet fingers rubbed back and forth works like sandpaper on wood.  A wet tool can work on the underside

 

Take your wet fingers and "pinch" the nose of the hedgehog, Then rub the pinched ridge on the top of the face. Hedgehog look forward

 

Use you needle tool to "draw" the outline of the eyes and nose.   I tend to do more of a series of dots to start and then connect the dots.  Try to keep the eyes lined up with each other

 

Outline the face with an exacto blade.  Use tiny pushing in motions with the point of the blade to start making the spines

 

Continue drawing spines with the knife.  Do not draw the same line over and over.  It should have a random pattern of spines that all point backwards.  If you make a mistake, just push more lines in.

 

A final option is to lift up the nose.  Just slide the knife under the nose and lift. Now let this cure until solid.

 

 

At this point you have all the information to make a tribble

 

 

STEP 2 THE EARS--------

 

Roll a piece of putty into a rope and wrap it over the head 

 

Use the needle tool to push the center of the ear to the head and then use your knife to cut the sides of the ear.  Leave a little putty next to the needle tool mark for  the edge of the ear.

 

Shape the ear into a triangle, and then lift the point up. 

 

DONE!

 

 

See? Easy.  The painted one at the top of the post was made by my 9 year old son.  His first hedgehog.  You can do this too!

[Arydis]

This was a great reminder of how just a little sculpting can add some detail and interest to your miniatures.