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September 6, 2006
new armature: the man of steel
by sven at 10:56 pm
Done at last! All told, after R&D was done, it took about 60 hours to complete this one. Now being able to avoid certain errors, I might be able to trim that down -- but 50 hours is probably a good estimate for the minimum amount of time that any milled armature is going to take.
What should I call the man of steel? I've considered calling this design "the Clark Kent." I've also considered calling it "the Christopher Reeve," as an homage -- but I have trouble shaking my discomfort with appropriating an actual person's name.
Oooh... The stainless steel balls move so smoothly... But the armature also holds a pose really firmly; no worries about this boy falling over. ...And this armature feels a lot sturdier, more unbreakable than the previous brass design.
Oh, yeah, steel is schweeeet!
With a fine armature in hand, you really want to get imaginative in thinking up poses. There's so much control over articulation -- you're compelled to make good use of the power.
Here's another shot that demonstrates the armature's ability to stand on one foot and lean -- without falling over. That's absolutely crucial in an armature; otherwise you can't even animate a walk. ...Which is why I always make a point of demonstrating a big lean when I debut a new 'ture.
(This shot's just a bit more graceful than the other.)
This armature's built to human proportions. But -- I don't know why -- I keep imagining it doing a creepy crawl, like a person that's turned into an animal.
The blueprint for the "man of steel" is almost identical to the one that I used for my previous brass armature. However, steel is a whole 'nother world: the process for making this 'ture had next-to-nothing in common with the previous one. In fact, almost nothing that I described in my "how to make a brass ball-jointed armature" tutorial turns out to be applicable here.
Even so, this project was far easier for my having worked in brass first.
Hm. Seeing these two side-by-side sort of reminds me of the gold and silver C3PO units that you see at the beginning of "Star Wars: A New Hope" in the blockade runner...
(Sorry. I couldn't resist.)
posted by sven | September 6, 2006 10:56 PM | comments (11) | categories: stopmo
Comments
Wow dude... you really knocked my block off! (Looks like your rock-em sock-em armatures did too!). Hmmm... you could call him Kal-el. Or Herc-a-les {must be pronounced the way Eddie Murphy said it in The Nutty Professor ;) }. So what's next... you gonna puppet him up, or make another armature?
Posted by: Darkstrider at September 7, 2006 4:42 AM
Hey... he could be the Terminator. Or Aaaaahnold.
Posted by: Darkstrider at September 7, 2006 4:44 AM
So impressed with all this great action, Sven!
I got it I got it...
Ferrous Bueller! (get it? steel is a ferrous alloy based on iron!) ha.
Posted by: shelley Noble at September 7, 2006 7:33 AM
@Mike: "Kal-el" was in the running... This one's going to be for display -- it's a stepping stone, a link in the evolutionary line, toward making a step-block armature. I suspect that step-block 'tures will become my generic design, if it's a puppet that deserves more than wire and epoxy on the insides.
What I do next is going to depend on if I get into Laika. I'm looking forward to working on a step-block design... But if I get the job -- or actually, also if I get a firm rejection -- then I'll probably take a break and try some other things for a while. It's about time to do some more work on the casting silicone front. Which, incidentally, will be a learning process inflicted on wire armatures -- not the good stuff, not at first.
@Shelley: "Ferrous Bueller?" Ungh... The groan begins somewhere around my knees, and rolls upward.
(...Nicely done, Shells!)
Posted by: sven at September 7, 2006 10:31 AM
Jinkies! Holy crap, man...I am envious beyond belief...fantastic poses, beautiful work...I have no doubt that you will end up at Laika...
....so...about that commission ;)
Posted by: ubatuber at September 7, 2006 12:36 PM
Hey, we can talk. You want to put some steel inside Jenny? Time-lines are pretty up in the air right now, but... I'm open to the idea.
If all your wishes could come true, how soon would you need a 'ture for your production? You could put together an actual-size silhouette for me to work from?
Thinking out loud...
Posted by: sven at September 7, 2006 3:01 PM
ok, how about "MILLhouse Nixon" or "Allen" as an homage to a former US steel town, or "Puddling" both for it sounding close to puddingbowl and for "Puddling (metallurgy), an obsolete method for purifying raw iron, the source of steel"
Posted by: shelley Noble at September 7, 2006 8:16 PM
Woooo Hoooo!
killer job Sven, great poses too. The MAN OF STEEL has got my vote.
Posted by: mark f. at September 7, 2006 8:25 PM
WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! Ok, you're officialy on the next level man...I'm not sure what you think about it, but have you considered selling these beauties? (I mean, not these ones, but armatures in general) Congrats man! Your hard work really shows in here...BUT! I GOT to see them moving!
Alejo
Posted by: Ale at September 9, 2006 11:37 AM
Wow, Sven - NICE WORK! I hope you get into Laika - they would be fools to pass you up. Hope you'll stay in touch in any case. Best in all you do - Kristin (metalsmith-turned-armaturist-turned-art-admistrator-turned. . .?)
Posted by: Kristin at September 18, 2006 9:24 AM
Thank you Kristin!
For weeks I haven't been able to decide if I'm a shoe-in, or don't have a prayer. My stopmo blog buddies have used almost the same words as you ("fools to pass you up") -- but since none have worked in the industry yet, I've kept a big grain of salt in the back of mind. Hearing you say it... Suddenly I think I really do have a chance!
Yeee!!
Posted by: sven at September 18, 2006 11:18 AM