Originally published June 27, 2017. This article preserves One Sixth Society’s original reporting and images; product availability, pricing, and opinions reflect the original publication period.
A good head sculpt needs more than a recognizable face. Expression, eye paint, makeup and hair all affect the likeness. These five portraits were my favorites in 2017, each for a different reason.
Sideshow Harley Quinn (Smirk Sculpt)
Taking a look at this headsculpt presents a bit of a conundrum. The sculpt is essentially just a face, and the paint is heavy clown makeup, so why does this sculpt earn a spot? For me the expression is absolute perfection. Harley Quinn is such a cartoon character and the half pout-half smirk is lovely. Her eyes are sculpted in accordance with the facial expression, with only one eye open. The eye paint is bright and the blue stands out against the white and red of the character, and her cheeks show a bit of blush from under the makeup. She remains one of my all-time favorite sculpts!
Hot Toys Princess Leia
Princess Leia will always be iconic, from her white outfit to her hair buns, and Hot Toys’ tribute to her reflects her perfectly through its sculpt. The sculpt of Leia is wonderful, capturing a young Carrie Fisher perfectly. Her facial features, especially around the eye are sculpted with great detail. Her hairstyle is also translated well via the sculpt. Most impressive for me is the paint application. Her red lips and eye makeup are present, and her eyes really shine with a lifelike quality attached.
Hot Toys Selina Kyle
Anne Hathaway’s Selina Kyle remains recognizable even with the mask over her eyes. The strong eye makeup and red lips are important parts of that likeness. I find the sculpt and paint convincing both masked and unmasked.
Hot Toys Civil War Black Widow
Hot Toys had revisited Black Widow several times by 2017, beginning with Iron Man 2. The Civil War version stands out to me for its long, curly rooted hair, which gives the portrait a different finish from a fully sculpted hairstyle.
Virtual Toys Chainsaw Girl
Virtual Toys’ Chainsaw Girl resembles Juliet Starling from Lollipop Chainsaw. The sculpt keeps the exaggerated proportions of the game design, while the paint adds depth to the face. Her smirk is what makes this one memorable to me.
These are personal favorites, and other collectors will have different picks. Which portraits would you add to the list?
These selections reflect the 2017 article. For the wider craft discussion, compare sculpted and rooted hair and read our K.A. Kim sculpting interview.
Judging Likeness Without Losing the Character
Harley’s smirk and Chainsaw Girl’s exaggerated face should not be judged by exactly the same standard as a realistic Carrie Fisher portrait. The first question is whether the sculpt captures the intended character design. After that, compare the eye direction, mouth shape and way the hair surrounds the face. A technically neat paint application can still feel wrong if the expression does not suit the character.
Photographing a portrait from slightly above or below can change the apparent shape of the jaw and eyes. Look for a straight-on view as well as the dramatic promotional angle. With rooted hair, separate the quality of the face from the way the hair has been arranged for that particular photograph. Civil War Black Widow illustrates why both deserve attention: the portrait and the long curls contribute to the result, but they are different parts of the work.
