Down on his luck crappy sculptor needs ideas or advice - about to become homeless...

Handsy · 02-05-2018, 11:15 AM

This is embarrassing to talk about but desperate times call for desperate measures...

I am someone who has wanted to start sculpting but has never had the money to do it. I am middle aged - 45 - just officially diagnosed with aspergers syndrome and ADHD... my mom has been "supporting me" for many years. But she has NPD.. and is very abusive. She is 71 and literally has no one else in life who even talks to her on a regular basis. I am all she has and she has gotten a stranglehold on my life and won't do anything to help me get out of it. My work history is so bad and I am so limited in what I can do for mental and physical reasons and bad job history that my options are nil. I don't even have my own bank account and my paypal is tied to hers and I think she just shut it down because she is out of money.

The only thing I have ever shown ability at is sculpting.. but because of lack of funds I haven't been able to develop this much either. And I don't have commercial tastes at all in sculpting so it has been difficult for me to figure out how to adapt to what people want. Either it's been done or it's stuff I don't like.. or that people would probably find boring or not worth buying.

So what I am wondering is if anyone has any ideas on stuff I might be able to sculpt to just start making some money. I need ideas that are sure fire ways just to make some money and maybe I can start growing a business from there.

I also worry about sculpting known characters because of copyright issues. Is this a problem now? I have been out of the sculpting loop for awhile.

TLDR - I'm screwed, middle aged and about to be homeless looking for ideas on surefire ways to make money at home sculpting.

HARD · 02-06-2018, 03:34 PM

Get a job, drop sculpting.

Handsy · 02-06-2018, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HARD

Get a job, drop sculpting.

I am at a point now though where I don't even have the money to get a job. It's kind of like I am homeless even though I am in a home. When you are in this situation you can see why it's so difficult to get out of homelessness.

You have to also understand what it is like living with an abusive person. My mother left me homeless when I was a senior in high school for the same reason... I had no real warning. If she sees me making independent strides then she will screw me somehow. So it's got to be done low key. This probably makes no sense if you have never dealt with a person like this.

PermaGrin · 02-06-2018, 05:27 PM

Gotta do what you gotta do.

Even if it means the smallest job. Try to stock shelves at night. Sweep the floors, etc. Anything to start.

Slowly work on your craft at home.

Sculpt in whatever you can for practice. Mud, concrete. Carve some soap.

Hopefully over time you can save more to buy more "adequate" materials to keep evolving. Post on sculpting forums, get feedback.

Unsure on the power of you computer (if you have one) and the ability to "find" Zbrush. To practice digitally.

Save a bit, start you own account, try to grow it over time.

Gotta start some where...

kaza5555 · 02-06-2018, 05:37 PM

Just get any job that pays, even if it's small. Staying afloat is your current priority. Once you're on more stable position, then you can think about sculpting. Sorry to say it, but you need to put sculpting on hold.

Handsy · 02-06-2018, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PermaGrin

Hopefully over time you can save more to buy more "adequate" materials to keep evolving. Post on sculpting forums, get feedback.

I have some decent skill though.. my issue is that I need to know things people will buy and need to figure out the details of starting business. I had some pics of my sculpts online but don't have them available now. I could get some quick shots up in a bit.

Handsy · 02-06-2018, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaza5555

Just get any job that pays, even if it's small. Staying afloat is your current priority. Once you're on more stable position, then you can think about sculpting. Sorry to say it, but you need to put sculpting on hold.

The thing is though.. if I do that it is just delaying what I want to do eventually anyway.

My issue isn't so much the sculpting part.. it's the business part.. that's what I need help figuring out if anyone has any tips.

Just looking for ideas of SMALL ways people make money sculpting. I can't compete with the big dogs at this point I realize that.. but is there a way to make some smaller money? Just to get my foot in the door and then build off that.

I actually think I could compete with the big dogs in terms of sculpting ability. It might take me a lot more time than them but I can do it.. the tough part for me is the molding process... that is where all the money and hard to get knowledge comes in.. so maybe I could do one off sculpts...

Handsy · 02-06-2018, 06:04 PM

Here are some different versions of the same design I was working on - Wolverine bust

http://www.byrnerobotics.com/forum/f....asp?TID=10934

candyrocket786 · 02-06-2018, 07:08 PM

Folks on FB are always looking for switch-out options on their 1/4 scale pieces (heads, bases, weapons, etc). Right now Thanos heads seem to be all the rage.

Handsy · 02-06-2018, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by candyrocket786

Folks on FB are always looking for switch-out options on their 1/4 scale pieces (heads, bases, weapons, etc). Right now Thanos heads seem to be all the rage.

Thanks! That's the kind of stuff I am looking for!