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Description
So, lately I've received several comments from folks wanting to see more about how my models are made. I fully admit that I don't document my process much, largely because it tends to be so sporadic and disorganized. But I do often snap pictures of my models at various stages of completion because I find that taking a picture of them is a good way to look at them from a fresh perspective and see flaws I would otherwise miss. So here's a few pictures of some of my recent models while I was still working on them. Apologies for the lackluster quality and random desk toys strewn about around in them. I didn't intend to share these pictures when I took them!

Virtually all of my models are sculpted out of styrofoam, since it's easy to buy in a variety of shapes and sizes, hot glues together really well, and is easy to cut and sculpt. Since many characters I make are made of simple rounded shapes, I often start with styrofoam balls and eggs as the base structure and cut off or glue on styrofoam to shape them more to my liking.

For more unique or complex shapes, I'll usually draw out a pattern for the shape I need and cut it out of a block of styrofoam instead. As you can see in a few of the pictures, I also use dowel rods and pipe cleaners when I need to create thinner shapes, like arms and legs. Of course I always collect copious amounts of reference images of whatever character I'm making to best work out how to sculpt them. I often joke that my actual favorite hobby is "staring at styrofoam and thinking" since I often do just as much of that as I do actual sculpting!

When I'm ready to start covering part of a model with felt or fur, I usually first mark up the styrofoam sculpt with a Sharpie marker to figure out where all the color breaks need be as well as where to put the seams when a shape is too large or complex to stretch a single piece of felt all the way over it. Felt is nice and stretchy, so there's usually not much need to get too specific with patterning out pieces of felt to cover a model. I normally just cut out a rough shape for what I need, hot glue it down along the Sharpie lines I've drawn out, and trim off the excess. I use low temperature hot glue, since it's inevitable that I will get glue all over my fingers. That makes it a little easier to not burn myself, and it gives me a bit more flexibility to pull pieces apart later if I need to make changes.

In a number of pictures you'll see parts and pieces of previous attempts at a model, like a Mickey Mouse body or a prototype Klonoa head. Iteration is often a major component of these models, as I often have to make something once or twice to get a feel for how I want to approach it before I can get it to a level of polish or accuracy that I'm satisfied with. In the case of an especially challenging model like Mickey, I made his head five times and his body three times before I was happy with him!

Ultimately, there's nothing too fancy or unique about how my models are made. I use common and cheap materials that are easy to buy at any craft store. They are a lot of work to make, but the process isn't really that complicated. Unconventional, perhaps...but less stressful than sculpting with clay, at least! 😅

Description
So, lately I've received several comments from folks wanting to see more about how my models are made. I fully admit that I don't document my process much, largely because it tends to be so sporadic and disorganized. But I do often snap pictures of my models at various stages of completion because I find that taking a picture of them is a good way to look at them from a fresh perspective and see flaws I would otherwise miss. So here's a few pictures of some of my recent models while I was still working on them. Apologies for the lackluster quality and random desk toys strewn about around in them. I didn't intend to share these pictures when I took them!

Virtually all of my models are sculpted out of styrofoam, since it's easy to buy in a variety of shapes and sizes, hot glues together really well, and is easy to cut and sculpt. Since many characters I make are made of simple rounded shapes, I often start with styrofoam balls and eggs as the base structure and cut off or glue on styrofoam to shape them more to my liking.

For more unique or complex shapes, I'll usually draw out a pattern for the shape I need and cut it out of a block of styrofoam instead. As you can see in a few of the pictures, I also use dowel rods and pipe cleaners when I need to create thinner shapes, like arms and legs. Of course I always collect copious amounts of reference images of whatever character I'm making to best work out how to sculpt them. I often joke that my actual favorite hobby is "staring at styrofoam and thinking" since I often do just as much of that as I do actual sculpting!

When I'm ready to start covering part of a model with felt or fur, I usually first mark up the styrofoam sculpt with a Sharpie marker to figure out where all the color breaks need be as well as where to put the seams when a shape is too large or complex to stretch a single piece of felt all the way over it. Felt is nice and stretchy, so there's usually not much need to get too specific with patterning out pieces of felt to cover a model. I normally just cut out a rough shape for what I need, hot glue it down along the Sharpie lines I've drawn out, and trim off the excess. I use low temperature hot glue, since it's inevitable that I will get glue all over my fingers. That makes it a little easier to not burn myself, and it gives me a bit more flexibility to pull pieces apart later if I need to make changes.

In a number of pictures you'll see parts and pieces of previous attempts at a model, like a Mickey Mouse body or a prototype Klonoa head. Iteration is often a major component of these models, as I often have to make something once or twice to get a feel for how I want to approach it before I can get it to a level of polish or accuracy that I'm satisfied with. In the case of an especially challenging model like Mickey, I made his head five times and his body three times before I was happy with him!

Ultimately, there's nothing too fancy or unique about how my models are made. I use common and cheap materials that are easy to buy at any craft store. They are a lot of work to make, but the process isn't really that complicated. Unconventional, perhaps...but less stressful than sculpting with clay, at least! 😅