You may have already seen this over at Opportunity LOL but I'd like to have a copy of it here as well. This is the process I used when customizing the JAWS commission I did last fall.

Here's the
initial concept proposed to the client. At this point I've no idea
what to do with the shark helmet. To be honest, I think the shark is
dumb. It's enormous and over powers the noop sculpt. The client has
faith when I say I'll think of something.

No
pussy-footing around, time to chop off the foot!

As you can
see there's a plastic peg within the leg and it's filled with a soft
powdery resin. I removed the resin but leave the sole slightly
on.

Here I'm
carving away the shorts to accommodate the new design. Here you
can see lots of the old resin. I'll leave most of it there and
just cover up with the new harder Magic Sculpt resin.

Now that
I've carved away everything I need for the moment it's time to fix
the fit. I fill in the empty sneaks with my magic sculpt and
use the sneaks as molds. Essentially I'm creating feet with the
negative space.

With the
shoe filled with Magic sculpt I place it back on the peg and wait for
the resin to harden.

Once enough
time has passed I cut away the sneaker top exposing the new resin. I
leave the sneaker sole. This will eventually become the sandal
of the character.

Here the
new foot has been revealed. In this stage it is just blocked
out but it's now a more appropriate size in relation to the sneaker.
It's the size the coarse noop's foot would be if he took off
his sneaker.

Here I've
removed more vinyl and sculpted the new pants on one side.

Filling the
other sneak with resin

Both
sneakers blocked out and new pants sculpted.

And here
I've sculpted the socks, sandals and begun the shin guard on one
side.

At
this point I've completed both feet and suneate (shin guards) and I'm
adding the straps.

Here
I'm starting to add the right side haidate(thigh guard). I suppose
it not entirely necessary to make the complete guard and the pants
beneath as it will be mostly covered up in the end but I like to as
it helps me visualize the character and make sure that in the end all
angles have been accouted for. In other words, it's a big waste of
time and another reason why I'm slower than molasses in completing a
piece.

I've
now got the legs done with completed feet, hakama (pants) and thigh
guard. Now I begin making the kusazuri (tassets). I want these to be
rigid and stand off the body as much as possible so I use some vinyl
card I had and glue them in place to the sculpt. You can also see
that I have cut away the arm wrap and the hips to level out the
vinyl.

Here
I've finished sculpting the first of 7 tassets.

I
now add the leather base of the kote (sleeve armor) along with straps
to the left arm. I'm just adding enough clay to create the edge and
then blending it in to the arm.

Above
the leather layer I now add the chain mail armor. I use the end of
an old sculpting tool and press a repeat oval pattern into the clay
as it hardens. I've also added just a touch of clay to represent the
hitatare(robe) sleeve under the leather.

Here
I have added the do (cuirass). I've sculpted a gouge in the armor to
represent somewhat where the old noop bandage used to be. You can
see the plug right above my chest plate. I've also sculpted the
watagami (shoulder straps).

I've
now added the back of the cuirass.

Adding
straps that will attached the front of the cuirass to the shoulder
straps.

And
metal rings to complete the straps.

Now
the back straps.

Here
I've added the colar of the robe. You can see I've also completed
both forearms and added the upper arm guards.

Here
I'm adding the back of the cloth belt.

I
now add the vinyl card to represent what will be the sode (shoulder
armor).


Here
is the left shoulder arm completed and in the back you can see what
was suppose to be a katana blade.

Beginning
to add clay to the right shoulder. There's that katana again.I
decided to removed the katana for two reasons. One it was too
fragile on the back. I feared it would not survive shipping and two,
Fplus has done a similar sword on the back and it just didn't feel
right doing the same.

Right
shoulder completed.

Here's
the front of the cloth belt and I've inserted what will be the
wakisashi (side arm).

Here's
the front of the cloth belt and I've inserted what will be the
wakisashi (side arm).

Adding
the hilt, cloth wrap on the grip, and a scabbard.

Roughing
out the head band.

On
to the shark head??? At this point I honestly have no idea what I'm
going to do. Might as well sleep on it.

Slept
on it and have vague idea. Time to work it out. Ok, nose has got to
go. What's this?? Interesting. Hot glue and steal ball bearing
balancing the shark helmet out.

Cutting
about an inch off the nose at least. Plus I didn't like his smile so
I knocked a few teeth out.

I
still didn't know exactly what I was going to do or if it was going
to work, just sort of winging it but here the vision starts to come
to me with the big ole dragon nose. Once the nose is there I start
adding japanese style dragon hair. And you can see I've repositioned
two of the old teeth.

Here
I've furthered the hair on the snout and eyebrows and blocked in the
two large front teeth. I've also added armature for two large horns.
And last but not least, I've nervously cut away most of the back fin
to create what will hopefully be a more dragon-ish tail. Just sorta
winging this.

Finished
the hair and sanded down the two front teeth. Also took the steal
ball bearing from the nose and attached it to the top.

Filled
in the hollow tail and added a segmented reptilian underside.

Beginning
to block in the horns.


Jumping
ahead a bit I've begun to cover the entire head with a thin layer and
divided it up into armored plates. I've also made very uneven poorly
planned markers for the rivets I'll place in. I'm just now drilling
holes for the first plate and plugged 4 of them with glass beads.

Here
you'll see all I did was place a small amount of magic sculpt in the
hole and then pushed the bead into the hole. I then scrapped the
extra resin away.

More
drilling and more beads.

Adding
two more teeth underneath using the old vinyl teeth and wire.

Here's
a cool shot of the helmet looking like some cartoon swiss cheese.
I've just added a bunch of resin that I've need to smooth down and
make into armored plates.

Sculpt
is all done and I've moved on to the paint job. I start with what
will be the bottom most layer. I block in the flesh of the face.

Next
add the base coat of the robe.

Now
I've added a pattern in a lighter tint of the blue.

Next
I paint the leather.

And
then the armor.

Here
I've already added the sandles, belt and have just finished the
armor.

Base
coat of the helmet.

All
done.


That's
it. I hope you enjoyed an inside look at what goes into making one
of my customs.