Cannabilizing A Creature!

When I started this Blog in 2006, I showed some of the beginning steps of my Ascaras puppet. Now that I'm back, I feel like I can post some more images on just how Ascaras was made. I used a combination of different clays over a resin base from a former sculpture called Syferous (first Image). I used Syferous' torso as the base, and then created Ascaras' chest and head in supersculpy, because I had a specific design in mind. I made his arms and thorax in Magic Sculpt. Epoxy clay is great for free form designs. Magic sculpt gives you a time limit, so I had to work fast when I took on some of the larger areas.

I used an oil-based clay for his claws; I was in a hurry to finish him at this point. Also, notice the resin pieces parts I cast and used for mechanical details. I'm always on the lookout for interesting parts to jam into my sculptures.

As for the legs, I decided to make 4 instead of 6 on the character (easier to animate). To also make things easier, I just made one leg sculpture out of Magic Sculpt, plastic/resin parts, and some neat bones I found on the beach.

Then the leg was molded in a two-piece silicone mold. Here I am finishing up the clay wall that my buddy Jason King started for me.

Molding the body of Ascaras was a much harder undertaking, which took me about a week. I'll get into that on my next post.

I AM BACK!

Well, it’s been a while since my last blog...so, here I am with some long awaited news. I did a comic to extend the story STASIS, which reveals 3 new characters including SYFEROUS. I decided to try and maintain the same feel and look of the original STASIS stop-motion animated short by using photographs of the actual puppets and sets. Of course Photoshop had a big hand in the creation as well. The first 32 page issue is now available on my revamped hitestudios.com website for $4.50, including free shipping along with some of the puppets and props from the film and brand new book.

It was a long road and a lot happened in between the making of this comic. I started it at the end of January 2006, and about 3 weeks into the project my bother was in a terrible car accident. I sat in the hospital watching, hoping, and praying for my brother to hang on. After 2 months in a coma and 3 major surgeries, he made it out alive enough to start a full year of rehabilitation. I think I could write a book about what my family went through that year. I don't think I actually got back to the book until 5 or 6 months later, but I had a new perspective on life.

My bro is now almost fully recovered, with his wife, and newborn daughter; life is a miracle! After getting back, completing the story, and showing it at Comic-Con 2006, I decided that the book wasn't done, so I revamped the entire comic and released it for Comic-Con 2007. The response has been great! We sold about 150 issues at the Con and the continuation is going to be another animated short, which I am tentatively calling A.R.K. I'm very excited about this new project and will start getting into the habit of posting more so please visit again!! -J.Hite

BEGINNING THE SCULPTURE

I started this sculpture by cannibalizing another sculpture. Ascars is a soldier created to serve Syferous. I took a bad casting of Syferous and made some adjustments with my ban saw and dremel; then I mounted the remains onto a steel pipe about 8-inches off a 1 foot circular base. In this photo, the white parts are what I took from Syferous. The brown clay is a mixture of Super Sculpy and Fimo clay. This was only the beginning!

The creation of Ascaras

I've always loved the look and movement of insects, spiders, and crustaceans. They are so alien to us 2-legged Homo sapiens. These creatures are the true biological machines of our planet, and I guess that is what inspired me to make Ascaras. About 6-months ago I sketched this four-legged Biomechanical creature. Most of the sculptures I do are sketched out several different times. Although, sometimes I don't sketch at all, because I can already see it in my head. This particular sketch was more like a study of a multi-limbed being. I tried to keep it simple so I could elaborate as I sculpted. I wanted to make sure I had clear direction on the head, which would be underneath a helmet that split down the center; so I sketched it separately, with a little more detail after seeing some creepy pictures of Lamp Rays. Overall this sketch gave me just enough detail to work from, so I started the sculpture.

THE BECOMING

Well, here goes my very first post. I'm starting this blog to show some of my work and techniques in sculpting, design, and film.