Scratchbuilding Figures
By Paul Vickers
Part 3: Clothing
Other articles in this series:
(Articles originally published in the BMSS Bulletin magazine)
Above: "A quarrel over cards", figures scatchbuilt by
Paul Vickers using the techniques described
Below: A detail from "A quarrel over cards". The figures in
the vignette are 70mm
So far, these articles have dealt with the modelling of the human figure itself, which obviously remains fairly standard throughout any period and in any country, any variations being relatively minor and not altering the important proportions and characteristics. However, such standardisation is impossible when considering the clothing, uniforms and equipment with which the figure is surrounded as different types of material, style of cut and fastenings will all affect the way cloth will fold, crease and hang, as well as the variations caused by the position of the figure itself. Therefore this article does not attempt to lay down any hard and fast rules, but rather a few pointers about the way modellers may go about forming the clothing on a figure.
As in all previous work on scratchbuilding a figure, it is advisable not to start straight away with attempting the full complexity of the folds in, for example, a jacket, but to start with a plain and simple shape and to develop it from there. Figure 1 shows a jacket loosely around the body and arms, its only real support being across the shoulders. The distinctive form of a jacket only becomes clear when some fastenings are added to this to give it some shape. The buttons fastening down the front pull the material tighter around the body and the shape of the jacket becomes more influenced by the chest, back, etc. of the person wearing it. The extent of this will depend largely on the tailoring of the garment, whether it is cut to fit closely or more fully, and this is something which should be noted when the uniform is being researched. If a waistbelt is added the shape becomes clearer still, as the belt pulls the cloth in tightly and the waist is emphasised. Some folds in the cloth can now be seen, particularly around the waist, where the material tends to bunch above the belt. There may be some creasing around the buttons as the two sides of the jacket try to pull apart (figure 2).
So far the figure has been assumed to be standing perfectly straight and still, a stance which is very unlikely unless the 'at attention' drill position is adopted. Most modellers will therefore wish to animate their figures to a more natural pose, and it is the movement of the body and limbs which causes most of the folds which have to be reproduced in the figure's dress. To continue using a jacket as an example, if the figure turns to one side so that the shoulders are no longer in line with the hips, so the cloth is also pulled out of line, with creases appearing in the material running diagonally up the body in the direction of the twist, towards the point from which the material is pulled, i.e. the shoulder. If a waist belt is worn these creases will be particularly sharp, as the belt is trying to hold the jacket straight, so it and the shoulder pull against each other.
Probably the most common form of animation is the bending of an arm. This will cause deep folds on the inside of the elbow, which becomes less obvious as they curve around the arm. The sharper the bend in the arm, the stronger will be the pull of material from the point of the elbow and folds will appear in the upper arm running roughly in the direction of elbow to front shoulder, being the points between which the cloth is stretched. There may also be folds in the lower arm, again emanating from the elbow, but these are usually less sharp than those in the upper arm as the cuff is not usually tightly fixed around the wrist and is therefore free to move in relation to the arm. Figure 3 shows some of the folds as a result of the movements discussed.
Creases in trousers can be worked out in much the same way i.e. deciding where the main supports and stresses are, and seeing how the cloth is pulled and shaped by the limbs inside the garment. ~ Where the elbow was significant in judging the alignment of the folds in the sleeve, so the knee is often the starting point for the folds in a trouser leg. However, it must be stressed again that different styles of clothes have different characteristics, as can be seen by the contrast between knee breeches and trousers shown in Figure 4.
Whenever putting foldwork on a figure, remember that not only do creases have to be cut into the model but also ridges built up where the folds cause the cloth to be pushed out away from the limb. Using combination of ridges and indents the tubular outline of the limbs can be broken up, giving a much more convincing and natural look to the figure.
Also bear in mind that the thinner and finer the cloth, the more numerous and smaller the creases will be. Thus, for example, a silk shirt will show many small creases in the arms, whereas a thick woollen coat will only need three or four, but these will be quite deep and substantial. However, whatever the material being modelled, avoid failing into the trap of attempting to put too much foldwork onto a figure, especially in a small scale. Excessive creasing causes clothes to look too heavy, particularly around the joints, and it then appears false. A few well placed, well thought out and subtle creases are far more effective than a great number of inaccurate ones.
Another significant factor is the influence of gravity, which is constantly affecting all clothing, causing it to always try and hang down in as straight a line as possible. All other supports, belts, fastenings, etc are working against gravity and this must be taken into account when working out the folds of any garment.
Now the basic figure has been modelled, including the face and hands, and it has been suitably clothed. All that remains is for the final detailing to be added, such as buttons, belts, buckles, etc, and for the figure to be painted. All these tasks are exactly the same for a scratchbuilt figure as with any kit or conversion, and the techniques have been well described in many modelling books and magazines.
There are many other methods of building figures than those described in these articles, but the techniques given are those which have been used by the author for some time and are known to work. However, that is not to say that they are either the best or simplest methods. While not attempting to lay down rules for figure building, it has been the aim of these articles to show that there is no mystery to scratchbuilding, and to encourage other modellers to try their hand at this fascinating aspect of the hobby so that they can have the satisfaction of producing a model that is without doubt truly "all their own work".
This article was originally published in the British Model Soldier Society Bulletin, the quarterly journal of the Society. The Bulletin, Bulletin Extra and BMSS Handbook sheets are sent regularly to members. For details of subscriptions see How to Join
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