MAKING LITTLE
PEOPLE
Here is an excellent idea by
Robert Plevier from Australia about how to make your own model people with some stunning results.
"Figures for model railroads
are relatively inexpensive so you might think I’m a little mad for
trying to make my own but nevertheless…. I find it satisfying to have
purely original models on my layout and I’ve even made models of my
friends and family which they are always pleased to point out to any
visitors they happen to bring along. And best of all I can make them
while watching TV so my spouse doesn’t feel like such a widow."
Many thanks goes to Robert Plevier for this
excellent article. If you've got any ideas of your own why not email them to us or if you have a go at making some people of your own we'd like to see a
picture of the results.
Click the links below to email us.
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STEP 1 - Shopping
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I use 0.3 mm bronze wire for the "skeleton"
because it’s easy to bend and solder but stiff enough to retain its shape
while working.
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The body is made of FIMO or SCULPEY
III modelling compound (made by Polyform Products Co,
USA), this is a kind of plastic/clay that hardens in the oven. It’s available
in a wide variety of colours, I tend to use flesh, white or transparent but
its painted afterwards anyway. You can buy it in most craft type shops (Spotlight
stocks it in Australia).
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I use oil based hobby paints because I find
them easier to use in fine detail than acrylic.
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You’ll also need a soldering iron, some fine
pliers and a scalpel. Some xtra hands clamps and a pin vice are highly
recommended as well.
STEP 2 - The Skeleton
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Cut a length of wire approx 70mm in length and
bend it hard in the middle to fold in two. The point of the fold will be the
head.
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Estimate how far down the overall length the
hips will be and bend the ends outward at almost right angles.
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Estimate again how wide the hips will be and
bend the legs downward so they are parallel.
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Grabs the ends of both legs in your pliers and
bend again for the feet.
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Cut ONE foot to foot length. BEND the end of
the other foot down at the same place, this bit will be clamped in the pin
vice while you sculpt the body. (note: for some poses you might find it easier
to hold it by an arm)
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Cut another length approx 30 mm for the arms.
(you arms’ span is almost the same as your height )
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Put a slight bend in the middle and solder
this across the body at shoulder height. (I’ve tried using super glue & baking
powder for this but it isn’t strong enough.)
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Bend the arms at the shoulders, elbows and
wrists and the legs at the hips, knees and heels to set the figure in the
required pose and cut off the excess lengths as required.
STEP 3 - The Body
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Use a scalpel to carve appropriate amounts of
compound from the block and apply to the skeleton.
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Work it around, smoothing
and carving strategically until it looks like a person. To
make the clothing I usually make a
nude person then add thin carved sheets of compound. Although
pants are ok, they're just fatter legs really. I get some worried looks
from my girlfriend, though. My railroad is set in the 50s so I make the
fashion to suit. You can add hats, bags,
umbrellas etc but not after its cooked.
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When you’ve finished enough the compound can
be smoothed out using a soft brush dipped in paint thinner, not too much
though or it all turns to goop.
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Cook the final product in the oven for about
10 min at 150C (275F, it’s on the packet!) and its ready to paint. Be careful
not to over-cook and don’t put it in the oven while there’s food in
there, it’s toxic!
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To stand the
figure on my layout I cut off the leg-pin and (carefully) flatten the feet
using a Dremmel with a grinding wheel before super-gluing to a square of clear
plastic but it should also be possible to simply insert the pin into a hole.
The Results
Below are some pictures of the finished articles. The guy in blue is a
model of my girlfriend’s son Tom.
On such a small scale it’s all about body language. The wire frame in the picture in step 2 became the nude lady sitting on the block
of sculpey. The half finished figure in step 3 became the guy checking his watch behind Tom.
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