Possible commision thread for Spock, Kirk and Mc Coy by Chris Howes!

[LTM438]

Thanks!

No problem, and by the way, anyone who is looking to make a captain's chair, these blueprints are just about the most accurate available. These are what that guy used according to his site. https://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/uss-enterprise-bridge.php

 

[LordAzrael]

For those who are hanging out for this and have paid for a spock sculpt from Chris - why not switch your money to a different Howe sculpt (he's got a quite a few coming through) and pick up the one Ironman has organised. At least you then have Spock, and if the other line doesn't eventuate Chris won't have to do a Spock ?

 

[abake]

Yeah, I'm going to do just that.
Whenever Chris shows up I'll ask him to put the money I sent him for Spock into the RE Milla commission.
Now it's all a matter of when he decides to show up...

 

[icruise]

I have no intention of switching, personally. I don't think I have any interest in any of the heads he's actually produced so far, and in any case I've paid for all three of these heads and that's what I should get. If Chris decides he can't come through on that, then I expect a refund.

 

[samueljd]

I have no intention of switching, personally. I don't think I have any interest in any of the heads he's actually produced so far, and in any case I've paid for all three of these heads and that's what I should get. If Chris decides he can't come through on that, then I expect a refund.

Same here, I've committed to the commisions that I've chosen to be a part of and paid early on, so if Chris comes through I'd be happy.

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

Ladies and Gentlemen, James Tiberious Kirk:

Sorry for the protracted silence but I've been working my **ss off on an amazing number of commercial projects and, of , course, the good stuff like our friend Kirk here.

BTW, quality takes time, my friends, but I will always come through. Hopefully your patience will be amply rewarded.

I did a little poking around on the web and, frankly, I can't find a Kirk sculpt worth a darn. I think this one is coming along pretty well, however. As always, comments are appreciated.

Stay tuned for Spock and Bones....

 

[samueljd]

Very nice Chris. The sculpt looks great! I only notice 2 things that I would like changed IMHO. The hair is curling down slightly much (Kirk would have that wave in his hair, but it wouldn't curl that much downward except after a grueling fight scene) and his face looks a tad smooth right now (it would probably look even smoother after painting). Kirk would usually have a few more creases for his stern look unless he had that mischievous grin. Everything else about the HS is wonderful, I'd definitely say it's the best Kirk sculpt out there.

 

[Ironman1188]

It can definitely be told who the sculpt is but I can't, as samueljd put it, say it's the best Kirk sculpt out there.
If everyone who did/does a Kirk sculpt did it from the same photos or episode then maybe that type of comparison could be but Nanjin's is just as good or better from what I've seen, the SFM one captures the young Shatner Kirk look and the Eydylhands version is quite good albeit a bit narrow in the jawline.
No offense, but for the wait time, I was really expecting to be rocked by this sculpt. And, no, I hadn't pre-payed for it, but Trek is like POTA to me, you can never have enough.

 

[icruise]

It may not 100% dead-on, but it is quite good and Shatner isn't easy to capture. It's better than the SFM sculpt, I think. I agree about the hair curling too much in the front.

 

[Ironman1188]

Thats why this is a discussion forum, we all get to have our opinions.
You are right, Shatner, for some reason is not easy to capture. I just don't see this particular sculpt being "better" than any we have seen before and, for the wait time for it, think it should be undisputably the best.

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

Very nice Chris. The sculpt looks great! I only notice 2 things that I would like changed IMHO. The hair is curling down slightly much (Kirk would have that wave in his hair, but it wouldn't curl that much downward except after a grueling fight scene) and his face looks a tad smooth right now (it would probably look even smoother after painting). Kirk would usually have a few more creases for his stern look unless he had that mischievous grin. Everything else about the HS is wonderful, I'd definitely say it's the best Kirk sculpt out there.

Thank you for the kind compliment, my friend. As I finish out the piece I will, indeed, be adding to the texture. Shatner actually has some rough skin if you can get a good look at a closeup.

But you don't like the curl? Oh, well, that was a last minute addition I thought livened up the hair a bit. I thought it would go well with all those ripped shirt Kirk figures folks are going to make!

Thank you for your input, anything else you can see on a second look?

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

It can definitely be told who the sculpt is but I can't, as samueljd put it, say it's the best Kirk sculpt out there.
If everyone who did/does a Kirk sculpt did it from the same photos or episode then maybe that type of comparison could be but Nanjin's is just as good or better from what I've seen, the SFM one captures the young Shatner Kirk look and the Eydylhands version is quite good albeit a bit narrow in the jawline.
No offense, but for the wait time, I was really expecting to be rocked by this sculpt. And, no, I hadn't pre-payed for it, but Trek is like POTA to me, you can never have enough.

I'm sorry you're disappointed by the first round on a sculpt. That's why I ask for input. Many eyes see things from many angles.

Rather than be negative, why not be constructive and help make it a better sculpt? I don't know if you are familiar with my process, but what I do is post photos of a piece while it can still be worked on and made better, then I ask for constructive comments. Through this critique I aim to make the best heads available. Perhaps, being but a mere human, I cannot always live up to that lofty goal, but if you look at the evolution of most of my work I think you may agree that with the help of folks here who serve as my extra eyes I've been able to make a few passable likenesses.


Again, I'm sorry that a first draft didn't "rock" you, and I'm sorry you're of the opinion that somehow if only it had been quicker it would have been better, but I refuse to crank anything out just for the sake of having something done. I don't do that. I will not undermine my integrity that way. If something is worth doing, then it's worth taking the time to do it right.

This is not an easy nor simple pursuit. It is an art, if I may risk sounding a bit pompous, that takes a lifetime to master. And no, I have not yet mastered it, even after having spent half my life and my entire professional career pursuing it. I'm not so arrogant as to deceive myself in that fashion. That's why I ask for input! And I treat EVERY job as if it was the most important job I have ever had. I like to think that my friends and customers come to me for these heads because they see that something extra in my work, that passion, that concern, that dedication.

So, if you have specific points that would help to make it a better sculpt, to make it, in fact, as samueljd so generously says, "the best Kirk sculpt out there", then please do participate. Together, we can make these sculpts "rock".

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

It may not 100% dead-on, but it is quite good and Shatner isn't easy to capture. It's better than the SFM sculpt, I think. I agree about the hair curling too much in the front.

Again with the curl? Ah well, the curl must go I suppose. Anything else you can see?

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

Thats why this is a discussion forum, we all get to have our opinions.
You are right, Shatner, for some reason is not easy to capture. I just don't see this particular sculpt being "better" than any we have seen before and, for the wait time for it, think it should be undisputably the best.

Once again, it's not a finished sculpt. It's the first round. Let's make it the best out there, eh?

I'm terribly sorry you've had to wait a while, but I ask again, do you just want anything cranked out fast, or do you want a dedicated sculptor who asks for your input, who works with you who responds to your thoughts to try and make it the best available?

To see how this works, please go look at something like my House head and cane to see how it's a back and forth process that does result in a pretty nice product.

I appreciate the fact that you have your own opinions, but why not use those opinions to join the group, have some fun, participate in making it a better sculpt rather than just saying it takes too long? That way you can honestly say, when it's done, that you took part in it's creation! You helped make it the best Kirk out there! That's the feeling I want all of you here on SSF to have. I want you to have an attachment to the piece. It'll mean a lot more to you in the end, it will be more than just a hunk of plastic that resembles William Shatner or Deforest Kelley or Leonard Nimoy.

So, put your thinking cap on, please, and help us out....

 

[Ironman1188]

I'm sorry you're disappointed by the first round on a sculpt. That's why I ask for input. Many eyes see things from many angles.

Rather than be negative, why not be constructive and help make it a better sculpt? I don't know if you are familiar with my process, but what I do is post photos of a piece while it can still be worked on and made better, then I ask for constructive comments. Through this critique I aim to make the best heads available. Perhaps, being but a mere human, I cannot always live up to that lofty goal, but if you look at the evolution of most of my work I think you may agree that with the help of folks here who serve as my extra eyes I've been able to make a few passable likenesses.


Again, I'm sorry that a first draft didn't "rock" you, and I'm sorry you're of the opinion that somehow if only it had been quicker it would have been better, but I refuse to crank anything out just for the sake of having something done. I don't do that. I will not undermine my integrity that way. If something is worth doing, then it's worth taking the time to do it right.

This is not an easy nor simple pursuit. It is an art, if I may risk sounding a bit pompous, that takes a lifetime to master. And no, I have not yet mastered it, even after having spent half my life and my entire professional career pursuing it. I'm not so arrogant as to deceive myself in that fashion. That's why I ask for input! And I treat EVERY job as if it was the most important job I have ever had. I like to think that my friends and customers come to me for these heads because they see that something extra in my work, that passion, that concern, that dedication.

So, if you have specific points that would help to make it a better sculpt, to make it, in fact, as samueljd so generously says, "the best Kirk sculpt out there", then please do participate. Together, we can make these sculpts "rock".

As I said, I mean you no offense, and I certainly didn't say that cranking out a sculpt quicker would make it better. You were gone from the thread for quite some time and many folks were anxious to see any progress on the Trek front. I realize that you took on a plethora of commissions all at once, but do berlieve that this was one of the early set ones. That being said, when you posted that Kirk was done I expected, perheps wrongly, that it was a finished sculpt ready to go. With that conception I expected to see Shatner jump off my monitor.
As for criticisms?
-The aforementioned curl
-the overall hair "texture" looks flat to me - not enough detail to it -megoish
-the peak of his hair on the left side seems too rounded
-the sideburns seem to go too far forward at the point
Now these are things that may be tehre but just not picked up in th photo. Overall the 1/4 turn pic looks mpst like kirk to me, the full front and side seem to be missing something I can't put my finger on, but that keep it from looking "right" to me. I realize how vague that sounds but if I can't pinpoint it, I can articulate it.

 

[Mooncat]

I think the forehead needs more work

Its to concaved atm, which throws the hairline out on it,

plus the sculpts a tad elongated kirks head looks to be a bit more squat

Jaw needs to be a tiny bit squarer

I had a quick 10 minute play with photoshop

Hope my 2 cents is welcomed Chris

 

[icruise]

The curl in the hair just seems a little out of character.

It's hard to put my finger on the issues with the likeness, but maybe the nose is a bit too big or wide. I will say this: the likeness seems worst in the bottom two pictures.

What do people think about the crescent sideburns? I think Kirk had a couple of different styles, but I'm not sure which is more "iconic."

I think the forhead needs more work

Its to concaved atm, which throws the hairline out on it,

plus the sculpts a tad elongated kirks head looks to be a bit more squat

Jaw needs to be a tiny bit squarer

I had a quick 10 minute play with photoshop

I don't really think that's an improvement to be honest.

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

As I said, I mean you no offense, and I certainly didn't say that cranking out a sculpt quicker would make it better. You were gone from the thread for quite some time and many folks were anxious to see any progress on the Trek front. I realize that you took on a plethora of commissions all at once, but do berlieve that this was one of the early set ones. That being said, when you posted that Kirk was done I expected, perheps wrongly, that it was a finished sculpt ready to go. With that conception I expected to see Shatner jump off my monitor.
As for criticisms?
-The aforementioned curl
-the overall hair "texture" looks flat to me - not enough detail to it -megoish
-the peak of his hair on the left side seems too rounded
-the sideburns seem to go too far forward at the point
Now these are things that may be tehre but just not picked up in th photo. Overall the 1/4 turn pic looks mpst like kirk to me, the full front and side seem to be missing something I can't put my finger on, but that keep it from looking "right" to me. I realize how vague that sounds but if I can't pinpoint it, I can articulate it.

I appreciate the input! Now we're talking.... if you can take a second look and try to isolate that something that would be helpful. Sometimes it helps to look, take a break, then come back and look again.

Thank you, my friend, for the constructive critique, it really does help.

Just for the record, I never just put up a finished sculpt and say "take it or leave it". I always want input, it just makes for a better product in the end. I'm not so arrogant as to think my opinion is the only one that matters!

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

I think the forhead needs more work

Its to concaved atm, which throws the hairline out on it,

plus the sculpts a tad elongated kirks head looks to be a bit more squat

Jaw needs to be a tiny bit squarer

I had a quick 10 minute play with photoshop

There may be a foreshortening issue with the photo on the monitor. We are looking down slightly on Kirk in that photo. That makes his face appear a little squatter than the sculpt. When compared with dead on profiles, for example, the sculpt is exactly the same length as Kirk.

One of the techniques I use (as well as good old fashioned measuring!) is to hold the sculpt up to a photo and overlap itthen allow my focus to pass back and forth from sculpt to photo, sculpt to photo. This helps keep the sculpt in line with the proportions of the subject. However, perhaps there is a slight width difference across the cheeks or jowls? Of course, it doesn't help that Shatner tended to put weight on during the series. Most of my reference was captured from "The trouble with Tribbles" along with other photos garnered from the net.

Please explain about the forehead a little more. Where do you see it as concave?

 

[C.Howes_Sculptor]

The curl in the hair just seems a little out of character.

It's hard to put my finger on the issues with the likeness, but maybe the nose is a bit too big or wide. I will say this: the likeness seems worst in the bottom two pictures.

What do people think about the crescent sideburns? I think Kirk had a couple of different styles, but I'm not sure which is more "iconic."

As mentioned, the sideburns come from "Tribbles". I kind of like them, but will change them if that's the consensus. Any examples of other styles?