1:20 scale dimetrodon

[Paleogene Pals]

I would be interested in buying a copy if you were to cast it.

[Yutyrannus]

I would be interested in buying a copy if you were to cast it.

As would I .

[LophoLeeVT]

WOW!!! the dinetrodon looks sooo good!!!!!!

[spinosaurus1]

thank you everyone

i manage to cut off the arms and legs, exposing the wire underneath. i plan to wrap the wire with a bit of aluminum foil to increase bulk and allow the clay to stick to the armature better.

i'm also going to wait until Archinot shows the progress on her build of recent sculptures feet. shes been kind enough to give me quite a bit of helpful tips that i wish to show on my dimetrodon sculpture. and possibly Inostrancevia next. i appreciate the advice

[Archinto]

I am pretty close to being able to build the legs for the diadectes. I need to get it to a bakeable point with peg ankles before i can do the feet. I will definitely share the process with you. I want to eventually make a dimetrodon too, but would like to see yours done first

Since you have taken the time to de-clay the legs, I'd maybe widen the creatures stance a little. The way a dimetrodons skeleton is built is very similar to a lot of modern day lizards who motivate with their bellies low to the ground. I think getting the stance a little more splayed would add to the bulkiness you are looking for.

[spinosaurus1]

thank you for for doing this. would be a good help keeping a close watch on your thread

as for the stance. i agree with you that the dimetrodons stance would be rather similar to modern squamates, but i decided to depict the animal in a far less interpreted high walk. this stance is used rather well in crocodilians and varanids to get to places rather hard for a low belly dragging stance to get over. i believe dimetrodon would of been just as capable of moving in this way if the situation required it.





that being said, i agree that the legs should be tweaked outwards a bit, and i will play with the idea. i actually changed the entire stance of the limbs armature. it looks alot more dynamic then the previous static pose. i not only want to convey dimetrodon as a bulky beast, but also an active predator capable of releasing a burst of energy when time required it.

[Archinto]

Oh excellent, a more dynamic walking pose will definitely add to the look.

I do beleive that Dimetrodon was a very agile predator, able to chase down prey and effectively take it down as well. I see it is a very muscular creature with the ability to run very fast. I think you are on a good track. It'll be interesting to see how you approach it.

I'm getting closer to the baking point on the Diadectes, so Ill be able to show you how I do the feet soon. They will look different than your dimetrodons feet, but I will also show you how I do sharp conical claws.

[spinosaurus1]

glad to here that you like it.

here it is so far. it looks so miserable without its legs...

[Viergacht]

Ag, this is looking great! I love when animal sculpts tell a bit of a story rather than just being a generic archetypical specimen: here we have a battered but still deadly old warrior. Like an old croc that knows every nook and cranny in it's territory. Maybe not as agile or sharp of sense as a younger beast, but with the edge in decades of canniness and experience.

One thought: you might want to try boiling rather than oven baking the sculpt, since it will keep the thin details like the tail tip and toes from overbaking, which can make them brittle.

[Paleogene Pals]

Boiling huh? Never thought of that. Can't wait to see your updates on this piece!

[Archinto]

I dunno about boiling it, that could trap water inside on the armature and cause problems. Plusnot sure ifthats really recommended by the manufacturer trick is not leaving it in the oven too long. When you do your first bakings do them for less time than is needed for a full cure. Itll solidify the details but still allow more cure time on the thin areas on all further bakings.

[Viergacht]

I never had problems with water being trapped in the armature, but I usually sealed off the armature entirely with clay as the first stage.

[spinosaurus1]

very interesting. i didn't know you can boil the clay until it hardens. i might try that in the future. sounds like a very neat technique.

viergacht, i would like to see some of the sculptures you have done. you, along with Archinto definitely have more experience in sculpting then i do, and clay is one of my favorite mediums to work with. it helps me alot to ask questions and get replys by people who already know what their doing.

[Archinto]

Okied dokie, As promised, heres some pics of how I lay out my feet.

When I build it up, I sculpt the leg and a "foot ball" Then I roll out a long rope and pinch off toe sized pieces and attach em to the foot lump. Once attached I then smooth the toes and the foot together. The front foot in this photo is just the toes put on, and the back foot has them roughly smoothed in.

Diadectes WIP by Archinto, on Flickr

After the rough smoothing is done, you can do the fine detailing. For the toenails I use a toothpick with a blunt end and roll out the toenail. the blunt end makes the cuticle pop rather nicely. just roll it from one side to the other with the blunt end of the pick making the cuticle.

Diadectes WIP by Archinto, on Flickr

[spinosaurus1]

thank you again for doing this. it is a great help.

heres what i started so far going by your pictures. i defined the musculature and the limbs are more erect in a high walking position. my dimetrodon is likely vastly smaller then your diadectes and so i am probrably going to find making the claws a pain in the butt. more progress pics coming soon

[Archinto]

You could do the feet last, thats usually what I do. Claws get sculpted right before its about to go back in the oven. Im liking the pose. It gives the figure so much more character! Keep up the good work

[Viergacht]

Ag, I wish I had some pictures! I didn't have a digital camera back when I was doing a lot of sculpting, which was mostly kitbashing action figures, and most of what I had I lost when my computer fried. I'll definitely take pics if I do some more. I haven't been lately because Sculpey is impossible to find here in SA and insanely expensive to ship.

I wanted to add I'd be very interested in a copy if you end up casting this! That is one characterful Dimetrodon!

[spinosaurus1]

thank you both for the kind words and helpful tips. i certainly cant wait to try the boiling technique on another sculpture.

viergacht, your recent sculpture looks it would be amazing when finished. i'll be watching your thread with interest.

Archinto, i would like to say thank you again for the kind support and the very useful tutorials and methods you explain.

heres the dimetrodon. i'm calling this sculpt done. i very much like how the pose came out. the legs are lengthened and are much more muscular then they were before. its no doubt that this was an active hunter now. it's much more dynamic then what it was originally. as of now, i'm researching different methods people use to start making molds of figures like this. need to start gathering materials
heres the pics

[Archinto]

This is a far better dynamic pose than the static standing pose you had before. Really diggin the swagger! Itll be cool to see once its all painted up.

[Viergacht]

I LOVE the new pose! It was a great sculpt before, and now it looks like it's strutting down the street to the tune of Stayin' Alive!