Custom Han Solo head painting and kitbash (updated November 8)

Part I


For Part II see HERE.

I painted up the great Han head sculpt commissioned by Mark (HERE) with probably less patience than was advisable, but I'm ok with how it turned out, so here it is. A better painter would surely be able to get even more out of it. I do think the resemblance to Harrison Ford is unmistakable and quite accurate. I also think it worked pretty well with my kitbashed Empire Strikes Back Han (using Sideshow clothing).























As always, what do you think?

Thank again, Mark!

For Part II see HERE.

#starwars #hansolo #harrisonford #custom #head #male #scifi #kitbash #paint

Looks pretty good. If I have one nitpick it would be to dull down the whites of the eyes and add a bit of gloss coat. Glad you still like him.

He looks great! I agree with Mark, and I keep thinking maybe a wash of darker ink for the hair, remembering the good old miniature painting techniques, but I'm not even sure. You did a great job!

Another thing that may help for the eyes is to make the irises just a smidge bigger — he,ps to eliminate the “deer in the headlights” look. If eyes are problematic for anyone I recommend getting the decals for the irises — it’s what most companies use for theirs.

Han turned out really well. It seems you are getting better with every head that you paint, Ian.
I wish I could paint eyes as good as you.

Ha, you always have that great patience when it comes to 'making of' pictures and tutorials! Something I always forget doing or don't have the patience for.

It is a great sculpt and you did a good job. Very interesting that you made his head dark first, but makes sense. Going from dark to light colors.

I think he looks especially good on the face profile from the side on most pics. Minor nitpick would be that he seems to have this "wtf just happened stare" on some angles/lightings like the second to last pic. He looks a bit shocked or "what did I just do?"
But I think this is an expression you can take advantage of. Like in stories.

Great work my friend.

Stryker2011 wrote:Looks pretty good. If I have one nitpick it would be to dull down the whites of the eyes and add a bit of gloss coat. Glad you still like him.

Thank you, Mark. The eyes are glossed, but apparently the camera didn't quite catch it. I mixed white and ivory, and I didn't want to go too beige, because they looked quite white in the reference photos I used.

Diana wrote:He looks great! I agree with Mark, and I keep thinking maybe a wash of darker ink for the hair, remembering the good old miniature painting techniques, but I'm not even sure. You did a great job!

Thank you very much! The hair is the color of the primer I mixed (the original primer is just black -- maybe I made it too light?), with warmer/lighter brown highlights. It's hard to find a good balance. The individual clumps of hair are very nicely and precisely sculpted, but the stranding of individual hairs is not all that fine, which is why some of these techniques (wash, dry brush) are likely to be more difficult.

Stryker2011 wrote:Another thing that may help for the eyes is to make the irises just a smidge bigger — he,ps to eliminate the “deer in the headlights” look. If eyes are problematic for anyone I recommend getting the decals for the irises — it’s what most companies use for theirs.

Yes, painting eyes is definitely problematic for me. I wish there was some magic super fine brush-like tool (but not an actual brush) for applying acrylics more precisely. I also had to mix a reasonably accurate bluish hazel color. In my reference photos, his pupils were rather dilated (too much partying?), hence the big pupils and small irises (apart from paint limitations). I have yet to learn to apply decals -- not here, but in most other heads I've needed them, the eyes are somewhat squinting and there is very little space.

Randam Hajile wrote:Han turned out really well. It seems you are getting better with every head that you paint, Ian.  
I wish I could paint eyes as good as you.  

Thank you very much, Ralf, you are too kind, but I'm delighted you like it (and them eyes).

Valiarde wrote:Ha, you always have that great patience when it comes to 'making of' pictures and tutorials! Something I always forget doing or don't have the patience for.

It is a great sculpt and you did a good job. Very interesting that you made his head dark first, but makes sense. Going from dark to light colors.

I think he looks especially good on the face profile from the side on most pics. Minor nitpick would be that he seems to have this "wtf just happened stare" on some angles/lightings like the second to last pic. He looks a bit shocked or "what did I just do?"
But I think this is an expression you can take advantage of. Like in stories.  

Great work my friend.

Thank you very much, Simon, I'm glad you liked it. The look was supposed to be intense, whatever emotion went with it. The eyes are sculpted wide open, which is good news for trying to paint them (relatively), but can definitely look shocked.

Your skintones are always really well done, I think! That is indeed a very good likeness of him, and it's great to see him 'in action'.

Regarding the eye decals, I have yet to attempt any myself, but I remember watching some tutorials and the person had to trim the eye decal down so it fit the shape of the partially closed eyes on the sculpt. It's very precise work though, but at least it does seem somewhat forgiving, in that you have time to adjust the placement before it dries.

skywalkersaga wrote:Your skintones are always really well done, I think! That is indeed a very good likeness of him, and it's great to see him 'in action'.

Regarding the eye decals, I have yet to attempt any myself, but I remember watching some tutorials and the person had to trim the eye decal down so it fit the shape of the partially closed eyes on the sculpt. It's very precise work though, but at least it does seem somewhat forgiving, in that you have time to adjust the placement before it dries.

Thank you very much!

I'm just not comfortable with the eye decals. I have two sets here in my desk that I took out to consider, but not ready for that next step. Yes, I realize we have to trim as needed.
 
So I messed with it some more, in response to some of the comments, and although at one point I was well on my way to ruin the eyes, I think there is now a slight improvement in a few areas. Have yet to take photos. But, at any rate, I am not a professional sixth-scale painter.

I have been mulling over the possibility of adding a few strands of loose hairs over the forehead.

Part of the trick with decals and size issues is to use a really sharp X-acto blade (scalpel sharp) to cut the overlap of decal on the eyelids off, leaving only the part that should be on the eyeball. That way you get a more realistic iris that looks like it’s slightly “under” the lids.

Stryker2011 wrote:Part of the trick with decals and size issues is to use a really sharp X-acto blade (scalpel sharp) to cut the overlap of decal on the eyelids off, leaving only the part that should be on the eyeball. That way you get a more realistic iris that looks like it’s slightly “under” the lids.

Yes, that seems like the technique I saw as well. Otherwise, trying to fit the entire circular shape of the decal in the space of the closed lids would end up with the irises looking really tiny and undersized (not to mention very weird and unnatural expression).

Excellent job on Han , Ian . He looks really good , I would struggle to achieve anything close to that I think . Have you air brushed , or used brushes ?

Diana wrote:He looks great! I agree with Mark, and I keep thinking maybe a wash of darker ink for the hair, remembering the good old miniature painting techniques, but I'm not even sure. You did a great job!

This does look great! My first reaction was Han giving Lando a look of "Really? Why I should..." I would suggest also, after a wash with some darker color on the hair, to go over lightly with a dry brush in a slightly lighter brown. That will be a quick and easy way to add highlights and make it pop more. You'll have great shadows, mid tones, and highlights that way.

Stryker2011 wrote:If eyes are problematic for anyone I recommend getting the decals for the irises — it’s what most companies use for theirs.

I HATE painting eyes. I can do it, and I will if needed, but I will not like it. So, that begs the question: Where might one find said decals? I have looked before, but have come up very empty.

I’ve gotten them off eBay, but haven’t searched for awhile.

Stryker2011 wrote:Part of the trick with decals and size issues is to use a really sharp X-acto blade (scalpel sharp) to cut the overlap of decal on the eyelids off, leaving only the part that should be on the eyeball. That way you get a more realistic iris that looks like it’s slightly “under” the lids.

skywalkersaga wrote:Yes, that seems like the technique I saw as well. Otherwise, trying to fit the entire circular shape of the decal in the space of the closed lids would end up with the irises looking really tiny and undersized (not to mention very weird and unnatural expression).

Naturally, got to crop out the part that would be covered by the lid.

Chip wrote:Excellent job on Han , Ian . He looks really good , I would struggle to achieve anything close to that I think . Have you air brushed , or used brushes ?

Thank you very much, Mark, I'm glad you liked it. No air brushing (my only experience has been with pressurized cans and even that was bad), just Vallejo acrylics with conventional (and mini) brushes. The trick is, as I understand it, to go with multiple thin layers from dark to light where one is painting flesh. Also, to use matte medium (I use Liquitex ultra matte) so it is not shiny at the top layer. Gloss varnish on the eyes. Matte varnish (which is still somewhat glossy) on the lips. A combination on the hair (it was too shiny at one point).

MeMyself&I wrote:This does look great! My first reaction was Han giving Lando a look of "Really? Why I should..." I would suggest also, after a wash with some darker color on the hair, to go over lightly with a dry brush in a slightly lighter brown. That will be a quick and easy way to add highlights and make it pop more. You'll have great shadows, mid tones, and highlights that way.

I HATE painting eyes. I can do it, and I will if needed, but I will not like it. So, that begs the question: Where might one find said decals? I have looked before, but have come up very empty.

You are describing exactly what I did with the hair in the first place (I have since darkened it a bit, following Diana's suggestion, no photo yet); I also realize that the camera was not able to capture the difference between the darker base and highlights well. But also note that the hair isn't supposed to be too dark, although that is how it exists in our collective memory. Look at this:



Anyway, while I might still revisit the hair, I'm done messing with the eyes, which have improved a little bit (in some of the photos in the first posts, from certain angles they looked almost wonky); no photos yet.

Eye decals, for example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144796274742

I wasn't suggesting the inking for darkening but for contrast. But I see what you mean in regards to the individual strands not being very fine. Dry brushing over those would NOT achieve the look I was thinking of, due to the sculpt. But I agree that the base color of the hair could actually be a little lighter.

But what do we know? It may all be due to lighting, so I'm looking forward to your new photos!

Part II

Mini update, finally got some shots of the slightly updated head. Hopefully this time the gloss catches the light.



Diana, yes, I would like more contrast in the hair, but it seems to me that in most instances the finely sculpted clumps do catch enough light to register. Right now it is a little darker than before, I might bring back some more highlights later on.

Looks pretty good and fits perfectly into your collection and storys.

Sorry, I missed this earlier. I think he does look less 'wide eyed' now. Though it's still hard to see the shine, but that's probably just due to the angle of the lighting.

Holy Cow ! This Paintjob is amazing. Eyes must be very hard to paint. To much for my skills. I sculpt some Heads but the eyes i buyed and glued them in. The Wookie is so Great. Looks like the thinks : Oh, see them together. What a nice couple.
Dam. Everyone has a wookie here. I want one too.

Valiarde wrote:Looks pretty good and fits perfectly into your collection and storys.

Thank you very much for the kind words. I think he does fit in overall, especially when one does not zoom in too close.

skywalkersaga wrote:Sorry, I missed this earlier. I think he does look less 'wide eyed' now. Though it's still hard to see the shine, but that's probably just due to the angle of the lighting.

Thank you very much, I'm glad you agree. Yes, the shine is there but hard to capture. Actually, I remembered something you were discussing, and both for that reason and practical reasons, I sorta followed it: building up more gloss surface specifically over the iris and pupils of the eyes.

Ephiane wrote:Holy Cow ! This Paintjob is amazing. Eyes must be very hard to paint. To much for my skills. I sculpt some Heads but the eyes i buyed and glued them in. The Wookie is so Great. Looks like the thinks : Oh, see them together. What a nice couple.
Dam. Everyone has a wookie here. I want one too.

Thank you so much for the kind words. Oh yes, eyes are probably the most difficult thing, especially if you are going to show them close up (I'm resisting that urge...). There are decals, but they are not always the right color and I'm just not comfortable with them yet (though I mean to try them), so I still paint mine.
The Wookie (just learned that the name Chewbacca is derived from sobaka, Russian for "dog"!) is indeed thinking "What a nice couple!" This one is from Hot Toys' The Force Awakens version -- for some reason I thought their version from A New Hope was too dark brown (well, this one might be too orange).
Did Sideshow ever do a Wookie? Might be cheaper these days.

Very good. I definitely see Harrison Ford.
His lower eyelid is slightly over done, resulting in a slight eyeliner look. I know how difficult it is to paint at 1/6th scale.

Nice work Ian!

ukshaun wrote:Very good. I definitely see Harrison Ford.
His lower eyelid is slightly over done, resulting in a slight eyeliner look. I know how difficult it is to paint at 1/6th scale.

Thank you very much. Of course, I cannot claim any credit for the sculpt -- that is all Mark's sculptor, who did a phenomenal job. I agree about the lower eyelid, and I tried to minimize this effect in the update. Painting (male) eyelashes is a daunting task even with a 4/0 brush, and yet one needs that line at the bottom of the eye for it to look right in most cases, including this one. Instead of trying to paint it, nowadays I just leave some of the dark first layer of paint uncovered by the subsequent 2-3 layers of fleshtone, covering up as much as is needed and safe to do. I think it is better than the first go, although there is surely plenty of room for improvement.

BAMComix wrote:Nice work Ian!

Thank you very much, Dal, I'm glad you liked it. Seems I'm stuck in Star Wars customs these days.

GubernatorFan wrote:Thank you very much, Dal, I'm glad you liked it. Seems I'm stuck in Star Wars customs these days.

Nothing wrong with that!