# A Patchwork of Flesh - Frankenstien's Monster



## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

While reading Ghoul Friday's blog I saw this blog called "A Patchwork of Flesh" which solicits it readers to submit artwork of Frankstein's monster. It's interesting that there is a call to re-imagine the monster based on the description in Mary Shelley's book, and yet almost all of the submissions are based on the Karloff monster from the movies. Oh Well.

So here are two of my soon to-be submissions.

First I sketched this:









Then while I was working on my secret reaper's gift, which includes a little monster head to put on your desk and my HunBun asked me to make her a Frankestein head for her desk at work. However, I made it too gross, and now she doesn't want it. Should have gotten the money upfront!





































I made him with a 50/50 mix of super sculpey and super sculpey firm. I used a novelty skull for the base/armature/support. I painted him with an airbrush with some washes and brush detailing using acrylics. It might be hard to tell in these pics, but he is only 3 inches tall, I can almost close my hand around him. He took a week to make and three evenings to paint.

My take on this is that to be the Monster is to be a jigsaw person, a living jalopy with mismatched parts, always breaking down, and in his case, a gruesome and unending task of repair, whether it be "new" parts or "salvage". So each patch represents some level of decay or lack of suitable materials on hand at one time. Moldy, dry, leathery, burnt, infected, and some new bits too. I imagine the monster to be forced into a life of horrorible acts, to others and to himself just to stay alive, and life in which there is almost no comfort.

I recorded the painting on my new video camera, when I edit the 4 hours to a watchable few minutes, I add it to this post.

Thanks for looking!


----------



## Monk (Aug 26, 2008)

He looks great!


----------



## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Great job on the sculpture DC. I guess you wife was envisioning the more classic Karloff Franky, but I think yours may be more true to Shelley's description.


----------



## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

Spooky1 said:


> Great job on the sculpture DC. I guess you wife was envisioning the more classic Karloff Franky, but I think yours may be more true to Shelley's description.


She was along for the ride until I started painting him. I think she wanted a more grey or green overall. OOps!


----------



## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Awesome DC!


----------



## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

Coool!


----------



## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I see you are sponsored by Staples

I really like that sketch. He looks so sophisticated in his stitchiness.


----------



## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

RoxyBlue said:


> I see you are sponsored by Staples
> 
> I really like that sketch. He looks so sophisticated in his stitchiness.


Yeah, he is supposed to be made from the best of society, and be rather handsome, save for his scars and and pale, almost white eyes in the book. (which i skipped on the sculpture)


----------



## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Devils Chariot said:


> She was along for the ride until I started painting him. I think she wanted a more grey or green overall.


And she's known you for HOW long?

"Honey, get real... you know that just ain't how I roll..."


----------



## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Oh, man that's cool! I soo want a painting and sculpting tutorial from you!
So, how big is he?

Don't give in! Don't change the color!


----------



## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

3 inches tall, about the size of a lemon. 

I make a paint tut, but I'll leave sculpting to the masters (playfx you around?).


----------



## smileyface4u23 (Apr 1, 2008)

That sculpture is fabulous! I'll put him on my desk if she doesn't want him.


----------



## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

i love him! he's freaken awesome! great job!


----------



## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

Niiice....dc


----------



## playfx (Mar 10, 2007)

Well you know what I think of it DC......Awesome!!!


----------



## Uruk-Hai (Nov 4, 2006)

AMAZING!! I love it. Great job!


----------



## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

awesome! I wish I had just some of that kind of talent


----------



## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Excellent. You've got real talent.


----------



## RAWR (Apr 4, 2008)

That's really wicked. too cool.


----------



## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

Yeah, what they said!


----------



## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Nice detail! Looks like you cleaned him up compared to the sketch! He is very cool!


----------



## spideranne (Jul 17, 2006)

Wow, way wow. That is great.


----------



## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

How did i miss this? Simply incredible! Exactly how a Frankenstein monster should look. You put alot of thought into this and it shows..bravo!


----------



## halloween71 (Aug 9, 2007)

Love it a very cool face.


----------



## Bone To Pick (Oct 23, 2007)

Devils Chariot said:


> Yeah, he is supposed to be made from the best of society, and be rather handsome, save for his scars and and pale, almost white eyes in the book. (which i skipped on the sculpture)


He's Bondo. JAMES Bondo. 

Great job, DC!


----------



## Ghoul Friday (Oct 6, 2007)

That turned out great! Can I be the surrogate HunBun and then you can send it to me?


----------



## scourge999 (May 4, 2008)

That is amazing man, supper nice work.


----------



## KimilyTheStrange (Jul 20, 2008)

I'm love'n it! You did an awesome job.

Can you give us some hints about how long you cooked it and at what temp? What technique's did you use to do the stitches, etc?

What was the hardest sculpting part, that drove you close to insanity?


----------



## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

KimilyTheStrange said:


> I'm love'n it! You did an awesome job.
> 
> Can you give us some hints about how long you cooked it and at what temp? What technique's did you use to do the stitches, etc?
> 
> What was the hardest sculpting part, that drove you close to insanity?


I give you a few pointers her, but I learned everything i know so far from the Shifflett Bros Sculpting Forum. They work almost exclusively in sculpey, and have have alot how-to and will usually answer your questions themselves in the forum. Its great resource.

top tips:

1. Build a rigid armature: A rigid armature will prevent cracks at stress points

2.Bulk up: Bulk up the armature with aluminum foil. (I actually figured this out from being cheap, I figured I'd need less sculpey, but there a better reason to do it also). You want to keep the sclupey around 1/4' or less. Large dense areas of sculpey will cool on the surface quickly and harden, but the hot interior may still be expanding from cooking, and cause the surface to crack. this is the most common crack with sculpey.

3. Bake low n slow: A lot of people recommend baking sculpey below the suggested temp of 275 for 15 minutes. 200 for 1 hour is common, and then leave it in the oven to cool completely. This is also to prevent cracking and scorching.

4. Mix your sclupey: The shiffletts use a blend of supersculpey and black fimo. Something like 4 to 1 sclupey to fimo. This color helps to better judge detail and changes the consistency.

I used s 50/50 blend of super sculpey and sculpey firm, which is grey. It gives it good workability, medium firmness, and it can be carved with wire tools without pulling.

5. Set your details: use a an embossing or heat gun to set your details. Once you have the form worked out, and you start detailing, use a heat gun on low, around 275 to set your details. This will partially bake the surface of the clay so if you touch it with your fingers as you handle the piece it wont smear. Do it very lightly and very slowly, as it is very easy to crack the clay if your not careful by making one spot very hot, and then having it cool very quickly.

dang that was long.

The most frustrating part is when you start detailing and realize your form is NOT what you wanted. Focus on the form, and re-do it as many times as it takes to get the shape you want. This is the least fun part, but a bad form only becomes more obvious as you detail it more and more.

here some great links to read thru:

Shiflett Bros Sculpting Forum

Make your own tools for tiny sculptures

Dan Perez Studios - where if first learned about sculpting


----------



## Tumblindice (Aug 18, 2008)

Awesome!!!


----------



## Ghostess (Aug 21, 2005)

Freakin' awesome!


----------



## KimilyTheStrange (Jul 20, 2008)

DC - Thanks for the pointers and the links!!


----------



## Scary Godmother (Oct 13, 2007)

I'm lovin this guy, both the drawing and the real thing. Great job!


----------



## Lady Nyxie (Aug 30, 2006)

Really cool, but probably too much for the average office.


----------



## Dead Things (Apr 4, 2009)

I watched your tutorial on Youtube and it was freaking amazing! I see why it took 3 days to paint. I love the look of his eyes, so lifeless.


----------



## shar (Jun 19, 2010)

Excellent work! A real labor of love.


----------



## JohnnyAppleseed (Apr 8, 2009)

This is an outstanding piece, the eyes really take you in and then you get to really see him! I can say you captured what I always thought of Frankie and then took him even further!


----------



## cerinad (Jun 23, 2008)

Hey. I really like him. Awesome work.!


----------



## PirateLady (Jul 23, 2010)

Great work...


----------



## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Nice work DC,
That would be great paper weight to set on my halloween project folder.
everyone would be scared to look into my folder and see what I will be working on next.


----------



## Frankie-s Girl (Apr 5, 2009)

I'd have taken that up to my work! Awesome!


----------



## psyko99 (Jan 11, 2008)

Wow, that's amazing. I can imagine him coming to life. Now you'll have to make him a bride


----------

