Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry - Hatbox Ghost

Sinned · Sep 26, 2015

I was pretty worried I wouldn't get anything done in time again, so been holding off on this. But, looks like I may be able to wrap up in time, so throwing my hat in.

My youngest wants to go as the Hatbox Ghost for Halloween this year, so as part of the costume, I need a mask. Enter this sculpt...

This won't be a full bust of the Hatbox Ghost, just a partial mask. Using Chavant NSP Medium, and sculpting on top of a lifecast I made of my daughter, a couple of years ago.

I also have to give a huge thanks to @ChickenHaunt for sharing some amazing reference photos.

Entry Shot

Testing eye sizes

Things started a little rough, to put it kindly. haha!

I started a few weeks ago, but had to put things down to work on other stuff, but picked things back up again the other day. I started out trying to hold the lifecast, but that was quickly becoming impractical. So, I used some epoxy to secure a coupling to the back, and mounted it on my stand.

A few hours later, it has some recognizable form, but still a long ways off

A little more, and it's looking better, but head got lopsided somehow

Several more hours today, and it's actually starting to look like something

And, that's where I'm currently at. Still a long ways to go, but hoping to wrap up before the deadline. I need to have this molded/cast/painted before the 10th of October, so going to have to rush, either way.

Mr Mold Maker · Sep 27, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Very cool!

What are you planning to cast it in? Latex?

ChickenHaunt · Sep 27, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Coming along nicely!
I saw you had a reference picture of a brown clay sculpture in one of the shots, and I was like "whoa, hold on, how have I never seen that picture before!" ...and then I figured it out, hahaha.

Sinned · Sep 27, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Mr Mold Maker said:
What are you planning to cast it in? Latex?

I should, but have never done that before. The current plan is to cast 2 of them in resin. First one will be for wearing, and will be loaded up with Glow Worm. The second will be for inside the hatbox, and will have Cryptolyte UV in it, so it will only glow when UV light is shined on it.

ChickenHaunt said:
Coming along nicely!
I saw you had a reference picture of a brown clay sculpture in one of the shots, and I was like "whoa, hold on, how have I never seen that picture before!" ...and then I figured it out, hahaha.

Thanks! Haha, yeah, the pictures you shared have been invaluable! I'm still not going to be very exact with this thing, but it'll be close enough for an 8-year-old.

Michael Bergeron · Sep 28, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Good luck!

Sinned · Sep 28, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Slowly working my way down his face.

Cadeus · Sep 29, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

that is really cool. Good luck!

Sinned · Sep 29, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Thank you, Cadeus. I sure hope things are looking up at home.

Sinned · Sep 29, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Progress update from yesterday. I think I'll get wrapped up tonight. One thing I've decided... it looks nothing like the original sculpture, but looks quite a bit like the original sculpture, painted. So, weird as that is, we'll see how this comes out when I paint the castings.

A little more form, and defining the teeth

Decided the chin was a little too long, so marked a spot to round back to. Looks a bit like a puppet this way, haha!

It's far enough along to have a little fun. Yeah, the wig is totally wrong, just there to give an idea. (actually reminds me of Slash)

And, where I left off last night. Did a lot more cleaning up, and adding material back to the lower teeth, which I'd taken down too far, in previous pictures.
Calling it done, except for final detail, and smoothing. I need to touch the lower teeth a little more, but otherwise, I'll take it.

Mr Mold Maker · Sep 29, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Looks fantastic! I think it looks pretty spot on to the sculpture.

The only thing I notice, and this is a small small nitpick, the right proper (left from our view) looks set a bit too far back.

Other than that it is spot on. Can't wait to see it painted.

Sinned · Sep 29, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Thank you! It's mostly the mouth and cheeks that are off from the original, I think. Those are some surprisingly difficult forms, and really hard to properly grasp from 2D.

Mr Mold Maker said:
The only thing I notice, and this is a small small nitpick, the right proper (left from our view) looks set a bit too far back.

Do you mean the right eye? Looking at it, I think you may be right. I'll have to see if I can pull that out some. Might be too disruptive at this point though.

Mr Mold Maker · Sep 29, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Yes I do mean the right eye... Sorry, I don't words good when I tired. :lol

Like I said, just a miniscule nitpick. It looks perfectly fine as is. When its painted it seems like something you wouldn't even notice.

Sinned · Sep 30, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Mr Mold Maker, decided to leave the eye alone.

Final-ish pictures. I may take a few more tonight, as these aren't ideal, but we'll see. Sculpture is done, either way.

I smoothed it down some with turpenoid, and then 99% alcohol, but purposefully didn't take it to perfection. I can't give it a skin texture, but wanted to leave some inconsistencies on there, just so it didn't look "smooth". The upper lip looks a bit choppier than it really is; I couldn't get the lighting just how I wanted it. I did go over it again though, after looking at the pictures, just in case. Since most of this is going to either glow, or be painted black, I'm not too worried about final texture.

And, since my phone apparently takes better pictures than my DSLR and lightbox...

Sinned · Oct 2, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Anxious to run a casting, but it'll have to wait a little bit. Meanwhile, the mold itself looks really cool. Completely accidental how the tinted layers came together.

TK-Fett · Oct 2, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

Would you consider selling a cast when youre finished? Looks great. I have a cast of the hitchhiking ghost that uses the same face if youre interested in more pictures, but its probably a little late in the process for that information now.

Sinned · Oct 2, 2015

Re: Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry

TK-Fett said:
Would you consider selling a cast when youre finished? Looks great. I have a cast of the hitchhiking ghost that uses the same face if youre interested in more pictures, but its probably a little late in the process for that information now.

Thanks, TK-Fett! Appreciate the picture offer, but yes, I'm all done now.

ChickenHaunt has some excellent photos in his restoration thread (and associated blog posts), and were more than plenty to help with visuals: http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=245401

Certainly willing to make an extra cast or two, though my schedule is pretty crammed for the next two weeks. Just note that it's intended as a child-size mask, but could also be used for a display piece, if the fact that there are no ears, or back of the head, is covered up.

I'll be making several this weekend, testing out different additives (glowworm green, glowworm blue, cryptolyte UV glow, and possibly ignite fluorescent green and ignite fluorescent blue). Feel free to ping me if you want to talk about it.

Sinned · Oct 3, 2015

Casting went quite well. I tried 5 different additives, to see which all I liked the best. More details about the trials will be over on my full costume thread: http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=246547

Posting a few pics here, just for completeness sake.

(normal light, UV light, no light)

Mr Mold Maker · Oct 3, 2015

Looks very cool man! I love the blue glow.

Sinned · Oct 9, 2015

Final pictures, to complete the circle.

My airbrush is driving me insane, to put it lightly, but I was able to get the paint decent enough. The hair is a little long, but works okay. Doesn't look exactly like him (a little too much skull, and not enough smile), but good enough, for some dude working in his kitchen.

There are two versions here: one with eyes, that will go in the hatbox itself, and the other with eyes/nose/mouth cut out, to wear as a mask. Two different colors, on purpose. Actually have some grander plans on coloring, but they'll have to wait a bit.

Sinned's 2015 Aug-Sep Sculpture Contest Entry - Hatbox Ghost

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