1. The best beginning is with a sketch or small printout of the figure you wish to sculpt. If you can find a way to make the image large or actual size, all the better. You can then use the large image for detail reference, and use the smaller one as a scale card.

2. The next step is to bend a wire armature into the correct pose. It is always best to rehearse a dramatic posture when sculpting the smaller scale figures. A modest stance and average gesture will result in a very boring model (unless boring is what you intend). For heroic figures and dramatic action poses, I recommend that you give the torso an extra twist and to break the plane of the shoulders at every opportunity. Move the feet apart with a single knee bent if possible, and always pay attention to the relationship of the head to the rest of the body. Most of this is decided in the drawing phase, but should always be reconsidered when doing the actual posing.

3. Once you have the armature in the desired pose, begin applying the putty to the wire in small amounts. The greatest challenges in applying the first layer for many beginning sculptors is in getting it to stick to the wire. You can overcome this difficulty by gently abrading the surface of the wire with steel wool or sandpaper, washing it off with degreasing fluid, and working with the putty in small sticky globs. When using the putty, be sure to use extra fresh and equally mixed catalyst and carrier to make it as sticky as possible. Experiment in minute amounts until you feel it is right. Its important that the lubrication of the application tool during this phase be both consistent and conservative. Do not apply so much putty that there is no room for the next layer. Your result should be of a very skinny putty covered armature, nothing more.

Set this to cure for a few minutes while contemplating your next layer. In your next phase, you may choose to go directly to fleshing out the model in segments (such as legs, followed by the torso, and then the head and arms) or you could opt to resolve the underlying anatomy of the figure without attempting the clothing or equipment at all. Many professional sculptors who lack the academic training prefer the first choice With practice and attention to detail this will yield good results. I prefer to resolve the anatomy first, believing that the action of the overlaying clothes and equipment will look more real when draped over a finished body.

Much of the rest of the figure's sculpting is a matter of layers and deciding which details will go over which. Second to posing the armature, this is one of the best reasons for having a sketch to refer to. When you finish a certain layer, such as a shirt, you can then quickly cure it and apply the next detail, such as a vest or bandoleer, over it. The masters of miniature sculpting will often work on several segments of the figure before finally curing it and going over it again. However, beginners should allow themselves to work in as small segments at a time as is possible. Inexperienced sculptors can find themselves unnecessarily frustrated with accidental changes to segments they would have otherwise considered finished and out of the way. In the art of miniature sculpting, the phrase 'Less is more.' is a valuable adage to stand by.

In your final detailing phase, you should be working in very minute amounts. Most of the techniques involved at this stage are very unique to each sculptor. There will be preferred tools of both found and manufactured varieties and personal procedures learned through trial and error. I do have these basic tips and suggestions, however:

Use plenty of light. If possible, hold off the final detail phase until you can work beside a window during full daylight. Though directional lamp light is important, nothing is better than ambient daylight for revealing imperfections and detail anomalies to be corrected.

Find a position that will keep your hands steady. Bracing your elbows on your workbench and your wrists against each other may work well. But be sure that you are comfortable.

Practice breathing exercises. For those who've professionally trained in the use of firearms, there will be a correlation between the breathing techniques used in firing long range weapons and their application to sculpting fine details. In short; take turns sculpting your details during the natural pause or 'calm' after you've exhaled. Do not delay your breathing or prolong your exhale. This method may help to steady your approach to the last bits of detail that will give your figure life.

BASIC TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

1. ENVIRONMENT The first thing you should do is create a comfortable and practical working environment. Look for an area where you can work focused and undisturbed for hours to work. If there is a family in your home, the dining room or coffee tables would probably not do.

2. SURFACE Provide yourself with a suitable workbench with plenty of spaces to store your small tools and supplies when not in use. A level surface is best, and if it is at all possible. A medium- sized mirror within a glance from your seated position can be surprisingly indispensable as well.

3. LIGHT A workbench and comfortable environment will do very little good without the inclusion of superior lighting. Multiple swing arm lamps should be mounted toward both sides of the table as well as in the middle and above. Though some florescent lighting will do, at least a couple of angles should be lit with bright incandescent and even halogen lamps (though the halogen lamps could cause some extra heat and must be positioned at a distance). You should ultimately have between three to five direct and ambient sources of light positioned to illuminate as many facets of your work as possible.

4. CHAIR The last element for a productive studio setting is proper seating. A chair that will be used for hours on end must be well cushioned and supportive. Some sculptors use reclined seats such as dentists chairs. For the extra investment, there are special chairs available to order, that are specifically designed for such work. They are typically swivel based, often with wheels, and often have no back or arm rests. They're designed to redistribute the weight of your body off of your lower spine. A more important factor than this however, is the relaxed position of the arms and head in relationship to the surface of the table to be worked on. Poor body position while working can result in discomfort and even physical damage. This can make elevation adjustability the most important factor in choosing your seat Consult your chiropractor or physician for medical advice on this subject. I've had my best results by positioning my seat so my table edge is a couple inches above my elbow level.

5. ARMATURES There are many different methods for supporting the figure sculpture. The most common in mediums is the wire armature. In miniature sculpture, there are also support elements commonly referred to as Dollies and Matrices (or Matrix, singular). There are even other less commonly used terms such as Skellies. In every case, correct proportioning through constant measurement comparisons is always required.

6. WIRE Wire armatures can be made of any bendable wire, but some are better suited for certain scales of sculpture than others. Larger kit figure sculptors, who prepare nine to twelve inch tall figures, will often use strong and readily accessible 'coat hanger' wire. For most miniature work of the 25mm to 70mm range, softer narrower gauge wire is recommended. Many have a preference for stripped electrical copper wire, but others will use brass, aluminum, and steel, depending on the strength and adjustability they need. Whenever you're adjusting the armature's pose, be mindful of each type of metal's unique tolerance to manipulation. Steel wire is very strong, but multiple bends in a single area can cause it to snap. Copper wire can be bent much more often without fear of breaking, but is soft and can alter its shape easily.

7. DOLLY A Dolly is a complete anatomy cast in the appropriate scale and positioned in an appropriate pose, but is often incomplete in terms of specific details such as a face, clothing, super anatomy, and sometimes arms. . These are often used by historical range sculptors when trying to complete a series of soldiers without having to rebuild the same body type over and over again.

8. MATRIX A Matrix is much like a Dolly and is used in much the same way, but is often complete with more specific detail relating to a particular design license. Some sculptors may inaccurately refer to a Dolly or a Skelly as a Matrix.

9. SKELLY A Skelly is a pre-made copy of a proportionate skeleton prepared for posing and modeling upon in much the same way as a wire armature, but with the added points of reference to aid in proper anatomical building of the figure. Dollies, Matrices, and Skellies, can all be made at home through the drop cast method, or supplied to you through a professional caster.

10. MOUNT The handling of a miniature figure during it's development can be rough and awkward if it is not attached to a proper pillar or rig. Each sculptor makes their own. Most are made of wood or cork and may feature clamp action nut & bolt combinations or attached alligator clips. The five most important qualities of any pillar or rig attachment is its ability to withstand prolonged warm temperatures, its lightness in the working hand, its handling surface, its ability to remain upright when set down, and its firm hold onto the model. The most basic and fundamental example is of a wire armature, with the 'feet' extended into the end of a bottle cork.

11. EPOXY The material that I use most commonly is of the two part epoxy variety. These are usually supplied in ribbon form, but some others are packaged as two separate batches. These are all soft to work with, and harden over a period of time through a catalytic process that is begun when the two parts are thoroughly mixed together. Different brands have subtle variations in their properties, making some recommendable for certain tasks and less so for others. Experimentation and personal preference is the only way to go when deciding which ones to work with. Specific brands used in my studio are: Kneadatite 'Green', 'Blue' and 'Brown', Milliput Superfine and Standard, and Gapoxio Superfine.

12. TOOLS There is no hard and fast selection of tools that you must use to sculpt miniature figures. Some professional sculptors work with little more than a single sanded exacto knife, while others own an extensive collection of dental tools of every conceivable shape. There are those whose tool selection look like nothing more than a jumble of broken pencils, twists of wire, and used toothpicks. My personal tool recommendations include: assorted wire loops with handles, assorted needles, assorted ball burnishers, a sanded No. 11 Exacto Blade, and some dental tools including the popular and coveted Wax 5.