Hey guys, I just wanted to share some stuff I've been working on. I hesitate to post these here because I know I don't have a huge post count or whatever, but I spend so much time on here lurking & reading the back posts & soaking up as much information as possible, it almost feels weird not to at least throw these up and say "hey I did these." Hope you like them.

So anyhow, I do a comic called the Secret Voice, and decided that for my first resin casting project, I'd make a troll from my comic. I made up a body & multiple heads & arms so I could make a bunch of varieties of Troll, and started casting them.

Easter Trolls! by zacksoto, on Flickr

I tend to jump feet first into stuff & it was probably a bigger project than I should have started with! I realized that after I saw just how much silicone making these molds was taking. I also got a little stumped about exactly how to finish them once I was getting my first pulls. So I went off for a bit and made a mini sized sculpt that would be easy to wrap my head around:

In Progressin by zacksoto, on Flickr

STAGE 2: paint layer 1 by zacksoto, on Flickr

These little guys were fun to make and have their own back story which you can read a comic version of here. I've got some designs for more mini figures I want to make too.

After I'd made some of those Ghost Grunts, I went back and finished off my first Troll. I'm pretty happy with how everything came out. Painted with Montana Matte spray & Cel-Vinyl paints. The head and one arm are articulated with magnets. He's 6" tall & about 5.5" wide.

TROLL 01 by zacksoto, on Flickr

TROLL 01 - chopper by zacksoto, on Flickr

I definitely learned a lot from making these and obviously I'm still learning. Excited about my next sculpts but also trying to take a bit more time before committing to a mold. I've also got some Homebrew paints coming so I'll be trying out my airbrush on the next few.

Great job! For your first time they look awesome. I like all of them, but i really like the troll. I like the crazy big arms. How are the arms and head connected to the body?

Thanks! The head & arm are secured w/ rare earth magnets, and the big cyber arm is affixed with epoxy.

Pretty cool stuff. Always interesting to see how someones 2D art translates over to an actual sculpt.

Any plans for making a "spit golem"? I could see myself trying to snag one of those if it matches the art.

yeah, these looking really good for your first castings.

i'm wondering what pigments you are dying the resin with, since the colors don't look at all like standard pigments...?

nice work!

Those trolls are awesome!
I'm looking forward to checking out your comic, too. It looks to be right up my alley.

These look really neat man. reminds me of something... not sure what. Love your artwork too, killer style!

Thanks all for the kind words.


I picked up a sample pack of IGNITE pigments and think they're pretty cool. I don't use a whole lot in each pull, b/c I sort of like more translucent colors. With some of them I was also trying to mimic some swirly stuff like Healey Made does to much better effect. I still haven't gotten that down right yet. The milky purple-y body and heads turned out that way because I didn't properly mix the resin, I think? Filed under "happy accidents."


Good idea, I didn't even think of that! My next full sized figure I'm working on is a Dr. Galapagos to go with the Trolls, and I have another mini figure I'm working on (this guy) that goes with the storyline of the Ghost Grunts, and then I might try my hand at a Spit Golem.. hm!

anyways, thanks again for all the rad vibez, I'll post more when I have more.

here's some new guys:

Ghost Grunts round 2 by zacksoto, on Flickr

Ghost Grunts round 2 by zacksoto, on Flickr

Elemental Trolls by zacksoto, on Flickr

Slime Troll by zacksoto, on Flickr
All of them have some Homebrew paint on them but I covered up a lot of it with Cel-Vinyl, so..
many more in that Flickr set, from different angles, etc.

Ghost Grunts #spx2013 releases by zacksoto, on Flickr
If you're going to the Small Press Expo in Bethesda this weekend, I will be there with all these guys and a ton of comics & art. Come say hi.

They are COOL man!

some new Trolls & Ghost Grunts up on the site. Lots more photos on the flickr.

Mean Green/Annihilus Troll by zacksoto, on Flickr

Southwestern Cyber Troll by zacksoto, on Flickr

Ghost Grunt NYCC Group Shot 2/2 by zacksoto, on Flickr

Not exactly my cup of tea, but that gif is awesome!