I want to do a life-size sculpture of my robot character. This would be about 6ft tall. Problem is, I've little experience with sculpting. I'm not sure which materials I should use. So far, all I can think of is clay, or paper mache over a wire base. Can anyone suggest anything else? I don't work well with things that I could cut the crap out of myself with, but name anything you can think of. And what would be best for building a sculpture of a humanoid robot? How could I get him to stay up without falling over?

Also, anyone know any really good web sites on amatuer sculpting of large projects?

Personally, I'd do it in steel, but that'd be heavy as shit. Not to mention expensive. I just like working with welding tools :D

recommend getting an old mannequin and building off of it with junk parts you can get at any junkyard. Apart from that paper mache may be the cheapest way to go. I would go without the chicken wire but using newspaper and rolling it up into long tubes and duct taping or masking taping them together to make an armature. and then building off of that.
I hope that helps.

Be sure to post pictures as you build the thing, so we can see the before, work-in-progress, and the finished piece!

my mom's being difficult about this. she wants me to wait until i move out to do this, which i bet if i do i'll never get it done.

i wonder how much a bit of wood for a frame and platform, and enough wire to shape him would cost? if i can get past constructing the frame, i'll be able to complete him for sure.

why do you do want to go with those materials?
wood and wire are going to be quite heavy and probably even heavier depending on the additional materials may use.

what additional materials are you planning on using?

paper mache. i want to go with those materials because they're cheap, and i'm sure the sculpture will be pretty sturdy when im done with it if i use those. also, can't buy clay by the ton, and sculpting all that would be extremely difficult, seeing as i have no carving tools, no money, and whimpy girly arms (i heard i would need access to a large kiln, too?). and i think paper mache would be easier. know what i mean?

so basically i plan to: build a wooden frame, shape the body with wire and bunched/rolled newspaper and masking tape such, paper mache over it, and paint it.

midge, using a mannequin's body for a base like you suggested would have been killer, but i have no idea where i'd find one... and i've only seen one junkyard in all of north crapolina and i don't know if they'd let me take their crud. (although i've always wanted to raid a junkyard xD )

Mannequins can be expensive... you might find one by looking through a newspaper though if it has general stuff for sale there... check the net too!
http://search.ebay.com/Used-Mannequin_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQfromZR40 Ebay ? :)

A place in North Carolina: http://www.macmannequin.com/index.htm (could be more expensive though)


You armature method is sound. You could also build up the body over that using thin strips of cloth dipped in plaster, and moulding those over it to build up the detail and body, then you carefully scrape back into it and smooth it off with files, rasps and things. It's a good method but very messy and the finished result is HEAVY!

The main problem you'll face generally is storage/display. A full size sculpture is awkward. Do you have somewhere for it to go? Will it need to be transported any time soon?

Personally I would HIGHLY recommend that you make a miniature one first! That'll help you work out how to make it so you don't end up with a giant half finished fu**k-up. :)
Plus, you might decide that the smaller one is all you need to do in the end and it'll certainly be easier to handle, store, move, display, and transport! In any case though, it's always good practise to do a smaller test one first before trying the main one ;)

thanks for the links, oz, unfortunately i didn't find anything i could use. i don't think i could be able to do the plaster thing, though cool it sounds, it seems way too complicated for an inexperienced person such as myself. haha, and i don't want him going anywhere when he's finished. i don't care about public display. i'm building him for myself. because i'm that cool/weird/creepy/depraved. basically i plan on sticking him in the corner of my room and only transporting him when i move out.

i was thinking about making a simple miniature prior, actually. but i am definitely going to build the 6ft tall one. i am in love with life size things and i don't want to dwarf my own robot. xD