AUTOMATA - "Pirate Puppet" Pt.3

AHOY, ME HEARTIES! Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen!

Time to show you the next stages of my little project.  As you can see, I managed to finish the rest of the sculpting, and have moved on to painting the pirate.  Below is how I made the HAT.  I started with an aluminum baking pan to create some support inside the Sculpy.  I cut a circle about the size I needed...folded up the sides, and cut slices in the middle of the metal to measure on the pirate head.  I made the hat brim a bit smaller, then flattened out some Sculpy.  I baked the brim first, then trimmed out the aluminum bits in the center with an exacto blade.

Next I sculpted a bandana on the pirate's head.  I made sure I could separate it from the skull after baking it with a heat gun.  I then put the bandana and brim together, patching up the gaps, then rounded off the top of the hat with more clay.

I then sculpted the torso.  I only needed to see the front and part of the sides of his chest and belt.  The rest will be covered up by the coat made of fabric. Also, this allows me to get to all the mechanical bits, to connect my strings that will be hidden underneath the coat.

Here are all the basic parts, after I gave the whole thing a base coat of acrylic paint.

Now on to painting the details.  I usually start out with darker tones...dry-brush on the highlights...glaze with a very watered down wash of darker browns...then add more highlights.  This process goes back and forth until I find a good balance.  I prefer the rougher hand-made look to everything.

Here is the face...and a good example of what I described above.  The color on the far left is darker than the final tone...I was building up layers, to bring out the details.  I gave him a fancy GOLD TOOTH, as well.

Now all the basic components have color.  I can start the final stages of the Pirate's clothes, then add some hair and a beard!

Make sure ya come back for more, or you'll be SWABBIN' THE DECKS....ARRRRRR!!!!!