Happy Thanksgiving

Slightly less scary? (maybe not)

My new 2T cheeky boy sculpt has progressed a bit since we last spoke. After grinding the eye sockets to open them up more, I hot-glued a couple of 1.25" wood knobs inside the head. They'll act as a backstop when I PaperClay over them. 

My main goal was to shape the upper lip, though I added to the right and left cheeks. Everything isn't quite left-to-right even yet, but by moving this far along and letting the PaperClay dry, I can balance the two sides more easily next time out.

Back to the future

These two scary photos represent projects I set aside quite awhile ago. Others became more urgent, so the feet and new 2T Cheeky Boy sculpts ended up in a box in the workshop. Now I've re-started them.

I already showed you my first "rough" of the left foot. Now here's a peek at the first "rough" of the right foot. I prefer to sculpt the general shape of the foot. After the PaperClay dries overnight, I'll compare the work to photos of a real foot, then add or subtract shape and detail. It's a multi-stage process that requires patience.

The head started from a 2T Braylu blank. The only part I like so far is the nose. I was unhappy with my original eye socket work, so I Dremel-grinded the sockets overly wide to re-start that work. I also over widened the mouth to accommodate a jaw frame that now freely swings open and closed.

I have a long way to go with both projects, but it'll be worth the time and effort in the long run.

Pittsburgh cougar

Auntie Pearl has found herself a man. She may have hit the jackpot. I think her new partner is even a doctor. She's on her way to Steeltown to entertain Steeler, Penguin and Pirate fans. No doubt her wandering eye will lead to comedic arguments with her new companion.

Puttin' my foot down

I picked up a project I started a few months back. I intend to sculpt a pair of feet suitable for a 2T-4T figure. To review, I'm using a pair of feet from Braylu Creations. The Braylu-supplied feet are small enough to function as a good armature for my new feet. I realize I'm going to have to do this in steps, adding a little more detail after each step dries. (I'm using PaperClay).

Dummies of New Jersey

It took a while, but I'm pleased to say Jackie has found a home clear across the country in New Jersey. He was the first one I built from this head design. However after I built him, I learned several new mechanical and painting techniques, so I made a "New and Improved" model. I also gave him a really nice new wig I found at my favorite wig store...Goodwill.

Keep your shirt on

Because my elf figure was purchased without a costume, I decided to put a shirt on the little munchkin for a few beauty shots. I've added this character to my website and named him "Quigley the Elf" for reference.  He was actually made with one blue eye and one green eye. But through the magic of Photoshop, I've turned both eyes blue for the photo session.

Santa's helper

This year a Canadian Santa will have the assistance of the little fellow you see here. He was made using my Otis head. Add some pointed ears, some buck teeth, half-masted eyelids and a small white beard and you've got a Christmas elf. I just need to do some paint touch up and he'll be ready to greet the naughty and nice.

Another goof ball

My goofy Christmas elf has progressed since we last spoke. His one-blue-and-one-green eye combo have been installed. His jaw is in and his eyebrows are working (though unpainted). After the Magic-Sculpt dries, I'll prepare and install his headstick. I'm going back to the rod-and-tube eye mechanics rather than the rocker-style side-to-side eye set-up. He should be ready to ship to Santa by the end of next week.

Keeping tabs

Sometimes I use eye hooks as cord guides in my dummy eye mechanics. And sometimes the space inside the head is too small to get a drill in there to bore a hole for the eye hook. And sometimes the spot where I need the cord guide won't be covered by the wig if I drill the hole from the outside.

To avoid patching, I use "tabs" from Braylu Creations. I drill the hole in the tab, put a drop of Zap glue on the eye hook stem and screw it into the tab.  Then I mark the spot inside the head where I want the eye hook. I squirt some hot glue on that spot and press the tab into the hot glue. After the initial squirt of hot glue dries, I squirt more hot glue to surround the tab for good measure. The result is a very secure cord guide.

Braylu is very good at coming up with clever solutions like this when I whine about problems I'm having. If you browse the Braylu website, you won't find these tabs for sale, but if you ask, they'll toss some in for free with your order.