The Joker "TwE" - Prepwork IV: Finishing the Face

For the first time, I am all-but-convinced that the end is truly in sight. This evening, I concluded work on three areas that were less than I had envisioned: the eyebrows; the cheekbones, and the left masseter muscle. The corrections were less anatomical in nature than artistic: the face, in my eyes, was simply off-balance/asymmetrical. 

There is still the final finishing to be done, but hopefully the putty-work is done--or nearly so. . . 

Stay tuned!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Painting: Priming

Before addressing the matter at hand, I would just like to say that I have revised the title of this project. Having said that, in the interest of continuity, I will retain the now-'working title'. The new title will be the subject of the concluding post in this arc.

Now. . . the torso is now primed (Tamiya Fine surface Primer-White), and in the oven curing. I am still in the process of final finishing of the head, addressing minor tweaks and points of de- tail. 

UPDATE 25.07.2018. . . The head/face is DONE!!! The head will be primed sometime over the weekend. . . 27.07.2018 DONE

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Prepwork III

After a long-overdue get-together with a dear colleague and friend, and a Joker-highlights viewing of Suicide Squad, it was time to return to the in-progress bust of Mista J. . . 

The face is now all-but-done. While it would be premature of me to deem the conversion a fait accompli, it is very, very close. I'll have a better idea of when I might be priming in the next 2-3 days. . . 

Stay tuned!

UPDATE 05.09.2017. . . I expect to have this primed by this time next week. 
 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Prepwork II

The reworked roughed-in face was essentially completed after last night's posting. This amounted to little more than mirroring the work done on the left onto the right.

Today, I roughed-in the neck, as well as enhanced the rather sparse hair. I also reduced the over- all length of the torso by removing about a 1/4in. from the distal end, as a prelude to tapping a hole for the support rod: the bust can now "stand alone". 

Once I get the neck the way I want it, I can begin working on the face in earnest. Stay tuned!
 
FOLLOW-UP. . . Though still very much a work ip, the neck is now over 80% done. And it is fit- ted! I also adjusted the "angle of presentation" of the overall bust, and it looks. . . AWESOME! 

UPDATE 24.06.2017. . . The one drawback to sculpting a turned head en suite with the torso is that the neck/collar is usually unflatteringly skewed. In most instances this is hardly noticeable, especially once painted; but if the head is removed, the truth is immediately apparent. And thus, with the neck all-but-done, I devoted myself to rebuilding the left side of the collar. And then fol- lowed-up with launching the finishing phase of the torso. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Prepwork

The project has begun!

The first thing I did was carefully cut-off the head, which is molded en suite. This is not hard to do, especially given the durometer of the resin; but it is not something to rush into. Decide how best to cut to minimize the work that will follow. 

Next, I hollowed the neck opening. This will accommodate the neck that will be sculpted after the conversion of the face is all-but-done.

So much for the torso. Time to embark on the journey that will be the face/head. I am all-but-certain that the face/head can be converted from the stock head. My first step was to roughly sketch the salient features to get an idea of where to begin cutting. I decided to begin by reduc- ing the lower lip in its entirety; and then augmenting the left cheekbone and enhancing the chin and the mandibular insertion of the masseter muscle with MS.  The additions were intended more as roughing-in structure and volume than any formal resculpting.

So far, it's unfolding quite nicely. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The 2017 Project, pt. 2

The bust arrived today, which underscores why Steve is one of the most reliable, trustworthy fig- ure retailers/manufacturers across The Pond! Thank you, good sir!!

Regrettably this is a "good news, bad news" scenario. The good. This is a late production version of the bust: rather than the terracotta-coloured resin, it is cast in the light blue-grey resin. The casting quality is superb! I do believe this is a pared-down-version of the bust; i.e., if memory serves, the original offering included a top hat; this one does not. No biggie, as it would have gone straight into the spare parts bin. 

The bad. This is supposedly a 1/9th scale (200mm) bust. If that is the case, then Harley is a 1/8th scale (250mm bust)! Which means she would significantly dwarf Mr. J. . . Which means, in turn, that the joke's on me, and the diptych project is no more. . . 

BUT. . . that does not mean that I cannot proceed with creating a most formal, 'white tie' Joker based on Alex Ross's masterful renditions!

Stay tuned!!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The 2017 Project

The bust of Harley, a more mature, realistic portrayal of the Joker's Princess, got me thinking. . . What if I could create a diptych inspired by Alex Ross's Tango with Evil? 

Once the seed was planted, I was off to the races! Seriously. First turn: track down Castle Minia- tures' "Top Drawer" bust. This bust, sculpted by Yury Serebryakov, was released in 2012, if me- mory serves, and while not particularly difficult to find, it is getting somewhat scarce--especially as it appears it is no longer being produced. I ordered mine from SK Miniatures in the UK, and they are now OS.

I should have it in-hand hopefully within the fortnight. In the meantime, there is much to be done.

My tentative plan is to convert the stock head of the "A-list" Victorian to that of Mister J himself. 
I will resculpt it if the stock head doesn't work to my satisfaction, but I don't believe that will be necessary. That should be the extent of the "hard work"--though based on my experience with "Le Petit Héros", to say nothing of the images I have seen, there will be quite a bit of surface finishing to be done.

The greatest challenge will be in the staging of the two busts. The fact that "Top Drawer" is back- less will be quite helpful, though my perception of the diptych in its final form will be like nothing I have seen--or done!--before.

More to follow upon arrival of the bust!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003