MY LATEST 1/6 HEADS SCULPTS

Stryker2011 wrote:Looks pretty good. Perhaps some of the details in Padme's hair seems to have been lost in the printing, or is that just the lighting?

I'll take some more photos :-)

Thank you everybody!

Stryker2011 wrote:Looks pretty good. Perhaps some of the details in Padme's hair seems to have been lost in the printing, or is that just the lighting?

It's not bad. Maybe it was the lighting?

Yeah. Looks great there.

Oh ok, well, hopefully there will be enough interest for the bald Padme head. I am not sure which hairstyle I’d use it for yet, I have quite a few already in-progress Padme figures, so I’d just have to see which it fit better. While I prefer ‘real’ hair, I’d consider the one with sculpted hair if it were the only one available.

The sculpts look really good. Congratulations!

As someone who does not really appreciate the SW prequel triology, I would also think that a bald Padme-head would be nice, because the headsculpt would be more versatile to bash other characters. That said, I have to admit that I would likely not go for it at a price point of 150 Dollar.

Randam Hajile wrote:The sculpts look really good. Congratulations!

As someone who does not really appreciate the SW prequel triology, I would also think that a bald Padme-head would be nice, because the headsculpt would be more versatile to bash other characters. That said, I have to admit that I would likely not go for it at a price point of 150 Dollar.

Thanks for your feedback. Above all on the price as you are not a fan of prequels :-) so I can explain it.
Making a cast for a head mold has a price and if you don't do it yourself also every head casted has a price. Usually a 1/6 head (if you don't consider poor recasts from Etsy, Aliexpress, eBay, made by recasters without the consent of the artist) goes from a minimum of about 80 dollars (if they consider making many runs) to...I don't know...I see even 250$ for a single head in small runs.
So I consider $150 a fair price for a good sculpt as I consider mine is.
That said, yes you need to be a lover of the character and aiming to have something unique or very rare.
Anyway I really like this Forum and above all the way you are so friendly and gave me many advices, so I really could make a discount (not for a single piece but if I consider it as a preorder of at least 5 pieces of the same head from you guys as a group).
Also where do you guys live? Shipping would be split if for example some of you lived close. I guess is not so likely, is it?
So let me know in case how many pieces are you guys interested in in total and I'd give you a quote.
If interested :-)

In the next few weeks I'll try painting a head sculpt and if I can see myself doing a good enough job then I might be interested in a bald Natalie head for the purpose of creating the V character.

But $150 is also too much for me. I don't question that it is worth it. The level of detail is amazing! But my resources are limited and I have to set priorities and Natalie isn't one. I really would only be getting it because I've witnessed the process and have a lot of appreciation for your work. ^^

Depending on how good my first face ups go I might also be interested in two of them in the hopes of selling one painted, to balance the cost a little.

I'll know within a few weeks. My 1-month-holiday starts TOMORROW!!

I'm in Germany, so shipping shouldn't be too bad.

Diana wrote:In the next few weeks I'll try painting a head sculpt and if I can see myself doing a good enough job then I might be interested in a bald Natalie head for the purpose of creating the V character.

But $150 is also too much for me. I don't question that it is worth it. The level of detail is amazing! But my resources are limited and I have to set priorities and Natalie isn't one. I really would only be getting it because I've witnessed the process and have a lot of appreciation for your work. ^^

Depending on how good my first face ups go I might also be interested in two of them in the hopes of selling one painted, to balance the cost a little.

I'll know within a few weeks. My 1-month-holiday starts TOMORROW!!  

I'm in Germany, so shipping shouldn't be too bad.

Yeyhh! Have a lovely holiday time! Yes Germany is definitely not a problem for shipping!
Which colors will you use for the painting? Vallejo?

Lupo.sculpts wrote:Yeyhh! Have a lovely holiday time! Yes Germany is definitely not a problem for shipping!
Which colors will you use for the painting? Vallejo?

Yes, I have a whole bunch of Vallejos (still sealed and waiting for this holiday) and am very excited to get started!

While $150 is probably a fair price for a great custom piece, I think sometimes the creators need to find the sweet spot. 

What I mean? Imagine selling twenty for $80 or five at $150? (Numbers just as an example) That is, if you want to maximize profit it might make sense to offer them for a lower price. If you want it as a rare exclusive item, then yeah a higher price that only sells a few pieces is the way to go.  Both are options in this hobby.

One way or the other, great heads and awesome work! Was a nice journey in this thread

Valiarde wrote:While $150 is probably a fair price for a great custom piece, I think sometimes the creators need to find the sweet spot. 

What I mean? Imagine selling twenty for $80 or five at $150? (Numbers just as an example) That is, if you want to maximize profit it might make sense to offer them for a lower price. If you want it as a rare exclusive item, then yeah a higher price that only sells a few pieces is the way to go.  Both are options in this hobby.

One way or the other, great heads and awesome work! Was a nice journey in this thread

I agree completely. I don't know how one would determine the "sweet spot" (i.e., what is the lowest justifiable price for the artist but also the highest price the casual collector would be willing to pay), but a single head sculpt over $100 seems to be likely to draw only the most devoted fans of a particular actor or franchise. That is why they tend to be in the realm of private commissions and custom work. I think Lou's renditions of Anakin and Padme are absolutely excellent, but between how I feel about the Prequel Trilogy, the actors portrayed, and the price, I am not likely to look buy either for $150. If it were (say) $60 or $70 (keeping in mind there are very good mass-produced sculpts for a third of that price), I likely would have jumped on both, simply because they are such excellent representations -- whether or not I needed them or particularly liked what they portray.

I hope Lou goes one to make many more, and of many different actors. I realize it would be a gamble straying from the most popular ones, but it is the others that, objectively speaking, badly need more and better representation -- I mean even more so. How about the leads from Stargate (film and series)? More from Firefly? Farscape? Conan? Classic actors like Sophia Loren? Not so classic ones like Tanya Roberts? Of course, there the "sweet spot" would be harder to figure out or higher in price, as such names and characters are becoming more remote from younger audiences and there may well be less expected demand. But they are not obsolete, as various mainstream and "third party" sixth-scale releases from recent years have demonstrated. For example, they just released version of Flash Gordon's Sam Jones and Ming, and another version of Sam Jones is apparently also being made.

The problem with this hobby is it’s virtually impossible to get a commitment for a specific number of sculpts. I’ve seen custom unpainted sculpts go for as high as $250 (now, that’s probably a good profit margin tacked on). For all of the sculpts that I’ve sold in the past I’ve never come even remotely close to making even half of my cost back for what they cost to have made. And aside from paying for materials, you’re paying the artist for their time. I have no patience to sit down and learn how to use 3D software, or buy a quality 3D printer, so if that means I have to fork over a decent chunk of change for a “one-off”, I’m willing to do so as long as I have the means. Most of the custom group projects, that don’t start until they get a committed number of people, still charge very high amounts of money for them.

I'm sorry that my comment triggered the price discussion in this thread (we really should move the general discussion elsewhere!).

I think that the quality of Lou's sculpts definitively justifies the price tag of $150. My dilemma is that I think that the sculpts derserve/need a professional paintjob to really shine, but my own head painting skills are pretty crappy ... well... not nearly suitable. On the other hand, I cannot really justify to invest another $250+ to sent it off to a professional painter in asia, if I don't care that much about the particular character/actor (sorry SW fans!). While I like Natalie Portman, I cannot think of a single character she played that I really wish to base a custom character on. Thus, I might not go for this sculpt, but - of course - I wish that the project is successful and that the fans get access to these wonderful sculpts.

Randam Hajile wrote:I'm sorry that my comment triggered the price discussion in this thread (we really should move the general discussion elsewhere!).

I think that the quality of Lou's sculpts definitively justifies the price tag of $150. My dilemma is that I think that the sculpts derserve/need a professional paintjob to really shine, but my own head painting skills are pretty crappy ... well... not nearly suitable. On the other hand, I cannot really justify to invest another $250+ to sent it off to a professional painter in asia, if I don't care that much about the particular character/actor (sorry SW fans!). While I like Natalie Portman, I cannot think of a single character she played that I really wish to base a custom character on. Thus, I might not go for this sculpt, but - of course - I wish that the project is successful and that the fans get access to these wonderful sculpts.  

You did right actually :-)
The price is a very important matter eheh

Yes, all of you are right.
I have no idea how many will really commit to buy the heads.
Currently I have a few people from another Forum that, after knowing the price of $150, are interested.
When you sculpt something that is not very common (as Anakin in ep 2) your fear is in particular 1:
You don't know who you are selling to.
Might be even someone that is not worried about paying 200$ for a good head as the first thing he will do is make a recast and then sell a lot of them for 50$
So I need to protect my project making one of the two things selling a lot for a lower price (and also the possibility of people that will recast the piece is higher) or selling less pieces and selling them for a higher price (then at least I will feel my project, my time, etc have been repayed).
I really appreciate this Forum and I believe that inside here there are no such people as recasters.
But even with discount I cannot reach a price of 80 $ a head. Sorry guys.
Wouldn't even be fair for the other people to whom I already made a much higher price.
Let me know If among you, there are at least 5 heads of 1 sculpture that You are interested to buy and I can make you a good discount.
If not no worries and I will continue keeping you updated on the customs.
I ordered another body and the leather for Padme's belt and I am figuring out how to print the boots  

That is going to be tricky!

By the way, I asked my partner, which is an amazing painter to paint Padme and Anakin.
Saying that he is amazing at painting I am referring to oil on canvas, pastels and digital painting.
He's still not a real expert in 1/6 heads but not bad at all.
I'll show you once he's done.

Looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

That sounds very promising. If the boots, belt, gun, etc., for Geonosis Padme can be done, I’d be interested.

Stryker2011 wrote:That sounds very promising. If the boots, belt, gun, etc., for Geonosis Padme can be done, I’d be interested.

Yes, the boots are the most difficult part as it would be better if they were produced in some "gummy" material.
There are new resins on the market now that might do the job.

Check out some of the two piece boots made by LIM Toys or even Hot Toys has done it. They are separated at the ankle and it makes posing them much easier, and gives that rotation necessary. Also, have you thought about casting in soft vinyl like most head and hand sculpts?

Stryker2011 wrote:Check out some of the two piece boots made by LIM Toys or even Hot Toys has done it. They are separated at the ankle and it makes posing them much easier, and gives that rotation necessary. Also, have you thought about casting in soft vinyl like most head and hand sculpts?

Yes, That's what I am doing, splitting the boot in two parts :-)

Hey guys! we test painted Anakin...but my partner, although is good, is definitely not yet one of those Asian painters that paint skin like it was real!
How do they do?
Do anyone of you know their tricks???

Anyway, this helps me to spot any flaws left to correct :-)

I like Padmé skin better. she will be next.
What do you reckon?

Padme is excellent. The painted Anakin head is actually very good, I think. No need to change partners yet! The only thing that doesn't work in my book is the neck, but you know why.

There are quite a few tutorials on YouTube that show how different artists do it.

Here’s a small handful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or9Z6OY8sgE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-S5fQB1-aU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXNrWmLWl-0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JW96NaPNCk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKyAdgLZjSY

I agree with Ian, Ani doesn’t look that bad. And that Padme sculpt looks excellent.

Those are both looking beautiful!

GubernatorFan wrote:Padme is excellent. The painted Anakin head is actually very good, I think. No need to change partners yet! The only thing that doesn't work in my book is the neck, but you know why.

Yes, I know about the neck!
And the painter that I call partner is my partner in life (but I am old to say boyfriend )

ahahahah

I wont change him yet but he needs to improve