Sculpting an Indian Elephant for 28mm scale (47mm height)

It's a figure to be used for vulcanized molds and metal casting kits.

I've used maybe don't the best method, but it's the better for me to get separated pieces. Another way to sculpt this elephant had been to do it complete and then to cut the parts and to remodel the union's zones.

Then with 0,5mm plastic-card sheets I made the lateral and the superior profile of the elephant torax and then I sculpted with an epoxy putty (available in Argentina and similar to Milliput) what would be the "soul" of the torax:

The bolt that is seen in the lower part is an iron-clip, to be inserted into a old paintbrush to work more easily. The notchs in the upper and lower part of the soul of the tórax are necessary for the future guides.

Then I painted the soul with cream-vaseline and I've covered with Green Stuff as layer or sheet. I distributed it evenly on the right half (seen forward) of the soul including the union guides:

The photos shows sanded Green Stuff to let adhering new putty sheet, the final sheet textured.

Thus remained the first half of the elephant torax:

Two little holes (1mm diameter), were done to fix the skeleton-wires for right legs (front and rear) of elephant:

Then I've placed the right half torax over the soul-torax and again I've painted the free zone of soul-torax and the union surface already sculpted and dried.

So I sculpted the another half torax, the left, and began to make the rude legs helped with 4 putty-disks of 5mm diameter, considering that the finished legs diameter  would be of 7 or 8 mm:

Aside, I began to sketch the head making the profile with a lead sheet where after I've glued an iron wire to sculpt the elephant nose:

The bolt in the back of head will be the guide to assembly and glue the head with the body. For next pass I've placed two putty bols for futures humps of the head. Then I've added more putty on head to sculpt the face and the nose including the eyeteeth holes, witch were done separated. Finally I've fixed the ears skeleton with two copper wire:

After I've sculpted the ears and have retouched the nose and face with final textured.

For skin texture I've used a "natural model" and then I've made a mold with rapid dry silicon rubber (used for dental prosthesis):

For next pass I've sculpted the eyeteeths using two curver iron wires as skeletons:

At the end of work I've sculpted the legs and tail and adding putty to finish the torax including holes for guide-bolts:

This is the Indian elephant finished and assembly:

I hope this be useful for you.

Leonardo Madeo

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