The centerpiece of any one sixth scale figure is of course the headsculpt. It captures the subject being represented, and it displays an immense amount of talent both from the sculptor of the piece, as well as the painters involved. That being said, we felt it would be interesting to reflect on some of our favorite headsculpts that we’ve seen in recent years with looking at Ten of the Best Headsculpts of All time. This also allows us to give credits to some of the artists involved in their creation. That all being said, this is by no means a definitive list, these are just some among the hundreds of amazing pieces that are created.

Hot Toys Battle Damaged RoboCop

  • Sculpted by: Yulli Choi, Jung Hyuk Im & K.A. Kim
  • Painted by: JC. Hong & Lee Woong Young

Some sculpts are so different and unique that there is nothing to compare them to, and the Battle Damaged Version of Robocop is no exception. Peter Weller’s makeup application was extensive, and this 1/6 scale figure captures it perfectly. The skin stretches to cover the edges of the helmet, and the protruding veins around the sculpt are just as eerie to look at on the figure as they were on the actor. The paintwork as well gives the head a level of detail that is nearly unmatched. This headsculpt on the figure is a true representation of Robocop as he appeared in the 1987 film, and he is just as unsettling as he is badass.

Hot Toys Joker DX11 – Laughing Sculpt

  • Sculpted By: Yulli Choi
  • Painted By: Jc.Hong

An instant classic, Heath Ledger’s performance in The Dark Knight is one for the ages. That being said, Hot Toy’s second take on the character was the DX11, which came with two sculpts; the neutral sculpt that has the PERS (Parallel Eyeball Rolling System) in it, and then the sculpt that really steals the show; the laughing sculpt. The sculptural quality of the head is superb; capturing natural wrinkles that occur when someone closes their eyes and laughs. His teeth and interior mouth also shine through the sculpt. The signature scars that adorn his face are also sculpted in while still maintaining the Heath Ledger likeness underneath the prosthetics applied for the film.

Also expertly applied is the paintwork on the sculpt. The skin-tone shines from underneath the running and patchy clown makeup in a way that is quite realistic. This Hot Toys DX11 sculpt is a masterpiece in its own right, and certainly deserves its spot on our list of ten of the best head sculpts of all time.

Rainman Bill the Butcher V2

  • Sculpted & Painted By: Rainman

One of the most famous custom sculpts around is Rainman’s sculpt of Daniel Day Lewis as Bill The Butcher from Gangs of New York. The first release was from Bill’s battle outfit, wherein he had a leather cap covering his hair. Rainman’s second sculpt was without the cap revealing Bill’s unique hairstyle. With a face that is instantly recognizable and a signature facial expression, you are looking at a truly special headsculpt. Daniel Day Lewis’ likeness shines through from every angle. The paintwork done by Rainman also captures Bill’s fake eye expertly.

Hot Toys Chirrut Imwe

  • Sculpted By: So-Young & E-Lee
  • Painted By: E-Lee

Donnie Yen is an extremely prolific actor, and while there have been sculpts of him before, there has not been one as realistic as Hot Toys’ take at his character from Star Wars: Rogue One. The headsculpt on Chirrut’s body has extremely detailed skin texture sculpted into it, showcasing pores and imperfections on the skin. His stoic expression shines through as well. Finally, just like the pores on the skin, the paintwork also showcases the imperfections that skin carries, elevating the element of realism on the figure. His blind eyes also provide a unique look for a figure, and the glossy nature of the eyes is truly highlighted by the paintwork.

Batman Returns Battle Damaged Catwoman

  • Sculpted By: Sean Dabbs
  • Painted By: Jacob Rahmier

When there is a character that many collectors are clamoring for, it is not uncommon that many will end up turning their attention to custom offerings. One of these cases is Michelle Pfeiffer’s Selina Kyle from Batman returns as sculpted by Sean Dabbs. Sean specifically sculpted Catwoman with her battledamaged cowl and a snarl across her lips. The cowl has a leather texture applied as well as sculpted stitches adorning it, taking it’s realism to new heights. Paintwork and hair application was done by the very talented Jacob Rahmier, capturing her smudged makeup and disheveled hair. This sculpt is a prime example that when a mainstream company cannot tackle a character, you can expect custom artists to knock it out of the park.

Boardwalk Empire Nucky Thompson

  • Sculpted By: Inigo Gil
  • Painted By: Den Kazakov

One of the most uniquely faced actors in Hollywood; Steve Buscemi is certainly an interesting looking man. Inigo Gil captured his look absolutely perfectly in creating a 1/6 scale sculpt of Buscemi’s portrayal of bootlegger Nucky Thompson from Boardwalk Empire. As exemplified by Den Kazakov’s fantastic paintjob, the sculpt of Nucky Thompson looks like it just came out of prohibition era New Jersey.

Hell Boy Head Sculpt

  • Sculpted By: Mina Yu

Ron Perlman has an exceedingly recognizable face, and this is even more the case when he was adorned with the Hell Boy makeup for the making of those films. Mina Yu has taken his appearance in those films and created an astounding likeness of Hell Boy with a cigar hanging from his lips. From his unique facial hair to the texture of his sawn off horns, Hell Boy has come to life in a very small way. Needless to say we can only begin to imagine the amazing paint work his brother Jacob will do for this sculpt. Although it has not been confirmed that Jacob Rahmier will be responsible for the paint application, it is safe to assume he will be.

Hot Toys Ant-Man

  • Sculpted By: Kojun
  • Head Painted By: J.C Hong

When the Hot Toys Ant-Man figure was first announced it was unclear what the headsculpt underneath the helmet would be like. Many collectors lamented that even if they did not like the sculpt of Paul Rudd, they could just display the mask covering the face. That being said, many were extremely pleased when the final sculpt was revealed with many stating that Hot Toy’s sculpt of Paul Rudd is one of Hot Toy’s finest. Seated within the Ant-Man helmet, Paul Rudd’s unique face and signature smile is perfectly captured in the sculpt.

Blitzway Fight Club – Tyler Durden

  • Sculpted & Painted By: K.A. Kim

Blitzway has always been known for their realistic sculpts, but K.A Kim’s take on Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden from Fight Club was truly a next level job. Tyler Durden has been attempted by a variety of artists over the years and none come quite as close to being real to live as the Blitzway version does. Showcasing a mirk and scars, the sculpt screams Brad Pitt.

Nightcrawler Lou Bloom

  • Sculpted By: Vimal Kerketta
  • Painted By: Jacob Rahmier

One of the most important parts of a sculpt is capturing the character that it is representing, and this sculpt of Jake Gyllenhaal’s Lou Bloom is a great example. His bugged-out eyes from Nightcrawler are front and center, creating an unsettling likeness. The paintwork on the sculpt also expands upon this, giving Lou’s eyes that next-level creepiness.

We at One Sixth Society recognize that there are tons of sculptors and painters creating more headsculpts every day, and that there have been absolutely stunning pieces since the beginning of the hobby, so we invite you to join the discussion! Tell us some of your favorite headsculpts in the comment section below or wherever you may find this article posted!