Before I was told that minimees were creepy to many BJD collectors, I thought about making "Wilfred" set. Covering a Jason Gann head doll with a full dog suit would be awesome, I thought ...But Jason Gann is not really a handsome dude; his head would be too obscure....so decided to sculpt Ryan - Elijah Wood head instead. I don't know anything about BJD so without thinking much, I started with a ball of wax. Figured the head would be 8-9cm in height. View attachment 273 It was kinda hard for me to sculpt a head without hair and eyebrows so I kinda put brows to figure out where I was at time to time. I know many head sculptors print out pictures of the person's head in the scale, use them as guides but I am too lazy, too cheap, so printed out small pictures of him and eye balled them as I sculpted. View attachment 274 progress on the head. Elijah does the slight frown quite bit so I put that on the face. View attachment 275 Put old school sculpted iris for photo. I got a few more places I would like to change/improve on this head. Eventually, I have to chop the head and hollow it out if I were to cast it but I have no plan of doing that right meow. Thanks for looking. I am gonna try Cillian Murphy next
Holy crap, that is an amazing sculpt! Really really great, totally recognizable as him! And to heck with people who think minimees are creepy - I love sculpts that look like real people, for their realism's sake. I don't think I'd ever buy one to dress up as that person, but changing around their colouring a bit and making it into a unique original character that bears a resemblance to the person it was sculpted after, heck yeah I'd do that. Only thing that strikes me as slightly off is something in the nostril area - not enough flow to the bottom part of the nose into the face, I think? Too "encapsulated" nostrils, if that makes sense at all. But that's not looking at a picture of Elijah alongside so perhaps his really are like that.
Thanks for the compliment, HystericalParoxysm. I appreciate it. I have never owned a doll and even have slight pediophobia so I did not know anything about BJD world; had no idea people have negative feelings toward head sculpts that carry likeness. I kinda understand why. I appreciate the advice, too. As I see the pictures of the head, I noticed that I need to alter his nose bit. It is funny you don't see the flaws till you see it on a flat surface.
That's a really great likeness! Lots of people like minimees. I think the minimee haters are just more outspoken.
I really like this! I shy away from doing real things, but this makes me want to try. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comment and kind words Alewife and Sabs I am enjoying sculpting this head. I should finish it and hollow it out soon...
Really great sculpt! Recognized him straight off. Hmm, if you don't know anything about BJDs a place to start might be Learning to be a Doll Artist by Martha Armstrong-Hand.
Holy cow, he is AMAZING!!! Even in the little thumbnail I could see it's him. I have to say I'd buy one if you got him cast. How big did the head end up to be?
Thanks for the kind words, The Elf Piper!! It is about 8.3cm in height and 5.3cm in width. Should shrink bit when it cast in resin, though...I have no idea how big are other 1/3 scale doll heads are...It you are really serious about buying it, I can make the head compatible to your existing doll before the cast. The head itself goes to probably a 3.8cm(1.5inches) diameter neck as is. Thanks for the encouragement!
Really great sculpt! Very recognizable! The neck is only 3.8 cm? Most SD males have a neck diameter of at least 9cm. Can you measure around his head, from high on the forehead to the base of the neck, about where a wig would sit? The diameter of the average SD head is about 20-25cm.
Hi!! thanks for the kind comment, Miss_Pygmalion. I appreciate it. I think you are mistaken diameter with circumference. Yes the neck hole's diameter is about 3.8cm. That is equivalent to 12cm in circumference. The circumference of the head is 22.5cm, which is about 9 inches. Hope that helps. I have no freaking idea about wigs sorry.
That is okay Miss_Pygmalion!! I am not a much of math person, either. If I were not into motorcycle wrenching, I would be in the same boat....
I went ahead hollow this head out in order to recover some wax. Ah did the same treatment as my nuther head. Oh, since I have Soom 65cm body to play with, I reduced the neck hole to 10.5cm circumfarence to fit to the bod. With 10mm doll eyes. Yeah i know they are small but the size of iris seemed right Thanks for looking, folks.
