1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust (with skintone painting tutorial) - FINISHED 17/2/13

Howlrunner

Sr Member
I've had this fibreglass lifecast hanging on my wall for years and I always intended to add eyes and paint it up, so I finally got round to starting it. I've never seen a lifesize bust of Ash (except for the head on the lifesize head to toe statue from Oxmox and a pretty bland silicon bust on eBay) and I need one to put with my lifesize Evil Ash bust, so I thought I'd get cracking.

This is the lifecast I started with - it's a cast of Bruce Campbell taken during production of the first Evil Dead movie. Unlike the one shown here, mine was hollow fibreglass (and not solid plaster):

Ash0.jpg


From here, I used my dremel to cut out the closed eyes, inserted some acrylic eyes and "sculpted" back in the eyelids. I was then going to paint it as this was originally intended to be a quick, cheap project. I decided to extend it further though (not a big fan of wall mounted half-heads). So, I then tweaked the eyelids a bit more (I made originally scored lines in for the creases and it looked terrible) and added Ash's iconic scars that he gets at the end of the ED2:

Ash1.jpg


Then base coat:

Ash2.jpg


Now, two things - 1) As this was origanlly going to be a VERY low budget build I used plastic dolls eyes. The irises therefore look too large compared with if I had gone with expensive custom eyes. Unfortunately they're really well secured in there, so there's no changing them now. And 2) I am not a great sculptor and am having to work with Milliput which air dries in about 5-10 minutes - sadly I just can't figure out how to get the top eyelids to incorporate the crease needed to make them look more accurate. Again, it's going to have to be a "good-enough" job. I'll see if I can make up for it with the painting and eyebrows.

I was going to just paint and be finished with it at this point. But the lack of ears was annoying me. And if I'm going to add ears, I'm going to have to add a bit more head, so I might as well do the whole head...

As I said, I'm working on a very small budget, so I didn't want to buy clay, silicon and resin just to do the back half of a head (which will be mostly covered by a wig). I toyed with using a cut-up polystyrene head (measurements showed they were too small), and with using a cast of the back of my head (but Ash's head is slimmer than mine so wouldn't line up properly), but in the end I came up with a decent budget option.

Having measured the head, I bought 6 floral foam blocks and hot glued them together to give a workable size piece:

Ash3.jpg


Then press the lifecast down into the foam block about 1cm and remove:

Ash4.jpg


Use the outline to cut out the correct size:

Ash5.jpg


Then, as it's floral foam, simply use a sharp knife to carve the block to shape (easy as slicing through butter):

Ash6.jpg


Floral foam is obviously not strong enough (heck, you can press your fingers right into it), so remove:

Ash7.jpg


And then cover with mud-roc bandages (bandages pre-treated with plaster - just cut to size, dip in water, then slap on and smooth out):

Ash8.jpg


Ash9.jpg


Now he needs some ears!

I've searched online to see if I could buy any resin human ears, but everything available I found is either latex, rubber or only one ear (not a pair). So I dug out some old alginate powder and am going to have a go at lifecasting my own ears to add to the bust. Stay tuned....
 
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Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

I've been wanting to do the same thing to some of my closed eye life casts. Thanks for sharing.
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

Ash is cool. And great idea doing the back of the head that way.

Are you done with the modding of the eyelids or are you interested in some suggestions? I know you said you used milliput, but it's probably still possible to tweak things.
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

Too Much Garlic, sure, fire away. Can't promise I'll actually be able to implement what you suggest, but I'm open to listening. :) As it is, I've tweaked the eyes a little since the last pics (as you can see in my new ones) - I've added the inner caruncle (had to google what that bit was! http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=217540.0;attach=107247;image) and added a fold on the upper eyelids (in the 1st movie Ash has surprisingly wrinkle free upper and lower eyelids).

OK, so he needed some ears - I had alginate, Mud-Roc bandages and plaster on hand, so (with the help of my wife) I did a life cast of my own ears. This was our first ever life-casting session, so it wasn't flawless - the molds came out great, but unfortunately I mixed the plaster a bit too thick, so I didn't get the eartips cast properly. Still, after a bit more filling and sculpting with Milliput, I got them done:

Ash10.jpg


After I had these done, I placed them on the side of Ash's head and drew around where they would need to be sunken into the head. I them used the dremel to cut around this section and expose the floral foam underneath:

Ash11.jpg


As I used floral foam, I could them just push the ears in to the correct depth then hot glue them in place. Once that was done I filled all seams/gaps with more Milliput (and added eyelid crease):

Ash12.jpg


Ash12b.jpg


Once dry, I then sanded everything smooth and painted the base colour over everything (apart from the section that will be covered with a wig).

Ash13b.jpg


Ash13.jpg


BTW, my base paint is "Kislev Flesh" from Citadel (available at Games Workshop stores). I apply it by stippling it on with an old (now splayed) brush. Stippling means that you avoid brush strokes and it also gives a good skin texture when dried (great for when you paint over a section that's been sanded smooth).
 
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Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

Hey, it's your bust, you don't have to do anything I suggest. These are just suggestions that you can implement or ignore without any issues. Completely up to you.

I've seen that many begin to add filler to the eye lids and build them up on top of the cast, which just isn't needed. Building up on top of the upper eye socket fold will only give a bug-eyed effect and the eye will stick out further at the top than it should, giving the whole eye a downward angle look. Any eyelid that should be made should tuck in under the already present skin fold above the eye.

I don't know whether you want to remedy that or just leave it and attempt to rebuild that skin fold on top of your new work, or whether you'd a complete rebuild with basically grinding off all the milliput you added. Let me know and I can adjust my suggestions to whatever you decide.

One thing though. The caruncula should be lowered. For some reason it was impossible to quickly find a straight on shot of Bruce Campbell that wasn't some insane expression, but I did my best to approximate the eye shape. Making this fix will greatly help the likeness, even if you don't decide to do a complete eyelid rebuild.

Also, I'd also suggest raising the ears by a great deal. I know the face is photographed at chin angle, but his ears sit higher and should be more level with his eyes when looking at him straight on.

I don't know what expression you are after, but the signature look with the slightly squinting left eye and wider right eye with the arched right eyebrow seems to fit the expression of the face cast, so I drew in those eyebrows too.

Ash12b.jpg
 
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Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

You know, you're right. :cry:facepalm

I was trying to line up the bottom of the ears with the bottom section of ear that appeared on the original lifecast. Looking at it and comparing to pics of Bruce, the ears do appear far too low. I guess they weren't really parts of his ears on the original cast. Maybe some anomoly from the casting process. Guess I'm gonna have to try to cut them off and move them.....

I had already decided I didn't like the built up fold on the upper eyelid before reading your post and have dremelled it off. Need to try to get it to fold "under" the original piece now though....

I'll see about correcting the caruncula. Not sure if I can without scratching the plastic eye though.
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

To me the bulge at the back of the jaw looks more like a skull cap or something he put on to cover hair and ears.

Any way you can pop the eyes out or are they in there for good? You can tape up the surrounding area, then dremel away gently and stopping before going all the way down to the eye, then use small files for the rest, working slowly and carefully.

Looking forward to seeing your progress. A good idea is to find as many pictures of his eyes as you can, so you have something to look at while working.
 
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Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

OK, so the biggest thing bugging me (since it was pointed out) was the ears. With a heavy heart, I set to him with the dremel and cut around the ears, then cut out the new position from the side of the head. Hotglued the ear in place and filled in part of the left over void with a piece of sheet styrene and hot glue.

Ash14b.jpg


Ash14.jpg


I then used more Milliput to fill the gap in. After that I added a little bit to the skin just above the eyelids (not ON the eyelids like last time) in order to create a crease where the eyelid folds back on itself.

The eyes are stuck fast - the Milliput has bonded with the plastic eyes. That said, I looked at your guide line, drew it on and VERY carefully dremelled down the eyelids as close to the eye as possible without touching them and then used a blunted blade to scrape down to the plastic eye. Both eyes have been opened up a bit more closer to the nose on the bottom lid, and new, lower caruncula have been added. I think I'm done with the eyes now. Doing this slightly scratched the surface of the eyes a little so I'm loathed to alter them any more.

Ash15b.jpg


Ash15a.jpg


Now, hopefully I'm ready to paint. What do you think?
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

OK, I decided that after all the back and forth work on Ash there was just one thing that I still wasn't happy about. The eyes would have to go....

Unfortunately, as they were well and truely bonded in there, there was just one solution - bust out the dremel and destroy those suckers!

Ash16a-Kislevbase.jpg


Ash16b.jpg


I had to VERY carefully rotary sand the plastic eyes without touching any of the Milliput eyelids. To help, I cut a large hole in the back of the head and inserted the dremel to clear out the leftover eye pieces so new ones could inserted. Took a bit of doing, but I'm MUCH happier now that those huge ones are gone.


So, the next question is: what size of eyes should I buy? I'll need 28mm eyes and am planning on getting ones from Tech Optics, but what iris size to get?

In the past I've used 11mm diameter irises (as recommended by a member here). But I'm not sure if I should use those or the more standard 13mm iris. Looking in the mirror with a ruler up against them, my own iris is definitely 13mm, rather than 11mm, but 11mm has looked better in past busts (depends on the eye opening size I guess).

I had these blue plastic eyes on hand (which I have Photoshopped to being brown). These are 13mm iris. So does this look good, or should they be a bit smaller (11mm)?

Ash16c.jpg

Ash16d.jpg
Reference.jpg

This is the expression I'll probably go with (as it suits the open mouth).
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

And while the decision on eyes in being made, I'm getting on with the paint job.

A few people asked for a tutorial on how I did my skintone on my Arnie paintup, so I will try to make this paintup a step by step.

I don't use airbrushes, I only use brushes and fingers. So here's my process:

As I've stated before, I started with a base coat of Kislev Flesh (from Citadel) which I stippled on for texture (this is what you see in all previous pictures).

Next step, a wash of Elf Flesh (from Citadel) - this is a very light shade. I put a little paint on my brush, then dip the end in a pot of water so that it just breaks the surface, then wipe on the side of the pot to get rid of excess and mix the paint and water. Watered down wash applied:

Ash17-ElfFleshwash.jpg


Next I applied a wash of Tan Light Ochre (also from Citadel), being sure to thin this out quite a lot as it's quite a strong colour:

Ash18-TanLightOchrewash.jpg


As this is still quite an orangey tone I then took the Elf Flesh and used this to tone back down again. I put a little on a brush (without mixing it with water) and dab it on the skin. Then I use my finger to smear it out and spread it, or pat my finger up and down over the paint to stipple it and blend it that way:

Ash19-ElfFleshmottle.jpg


Next layer will be Dwarf Flesh (a pinky tone)...
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

He's one of my favorite characters, I really need to take some classes this stuff really interests me.
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP

OK, further work on the paintup...

I applied a (thick-ish) wash of Dwarf Flesh (Citadel paint), rubbing it in with a fingertip - this is where Ash looks like he's been in the sun way too long:

Ash20-DwarfFleshwash.jpg


From there, I then applied some Elf Flesh (Citadel paint) by mottling it on - dab some on with an old splayed brush, then pat it out/down with a fingertip (looks like he's frozen now!):

Ash21-ElfFleshMottle.jpg


Still looking too blotchy, so I applied a wash of Elf Flesh (this was thinned down a lot with water) with a very soft brush:

Ash22-ElfFleshbrushwash.jpg


Then, as that looks a little too pale, I applied more Dwarf Flesh by mottling it on with a small brush and patting/blending it down with a fingertip. I then used the Dwarf Flesh to paint in the lips and scars, making sure to blend out the edges.

Ash23-DwarfFleshsmallbrushmottleanddetail.jpg


Then I started adding more fine detail - here I added the stubble, shading on either side of the bridge of the nose, and shading around the eyes with Humbrol matt "Steel Grey" #87, thinned down with paint thinner and applied with a soft brush:

Ash24-Matt87thinnedstubbleeyesnosedetails.jpg


I then added a little more bruising around the scars (mainly around the large C-shaped scar on his right - as you look at him - cheek) with Humbrol gloss "Crimson" #20 thinned down. I also used "Scab Red" (from Citadel) watered down to add detail to the lips and inside the eyes, and watered down Lilac (forgot to note the brand) on the bags under the eyes. Finally, I added Humbrol matt black #33 inside the mouth and blended out the edges, giving more shape to the bottom lip:

Ash25-Gloss20scardetailsScabRedeyelipdetailsLilaceyedetailsBlackinnermouth.jpg


At this point, the only paint that I will add is red blood on the scars (will probably use Scab Red mixed with clear epoxy) . Can't do that though until I add the eyebrows, as the blood overlaps them. And can't add the eyebrows until I have a wig (as I use trimming from the wig to glue on as eyebrows).

So, next steps, order eyes and a wig.

Question is though, what size iris? 13mm (as shown above), or 11mm?
And what wig?
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP (with skintone painting tutorial)

Faved and saved!

Much appreciated and Invaluable step by step tutorial,cant wait to try and put it into practice.

The colours are so natural and realistic,top notch!
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP (with skintone painting tutorial)

That is turning out really nice.
Have you thought of adding in a little more neck/chest so that you can display your bust on a mannequin in the future.

There is not many Bruce Campbell busts out there & the lifecast modification is the way to go.
With most lifecasts being so cheap & readily available you can definitely put together a really nice display for a reasonable price.
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP (with skintone painting tutorial)

That is turning out really nice.
Have you thought of adding in a little more neck/chest so that you can display your bust on a mannequin in the future.

It's a good idea. I probably won't though. If I can get away with putting the head on some shoulders and adding a shirt, done up high enough to hide the bottom of the neck, I might.

I've got a wig ordered for the bust. Going through a great pile of them, I thought this looked the closest:

$(KGrHqEOKpoE6WTZOiKPBOr(4pN8FQ~~60_12.JPG


It will of course need styled a bit more and have wet-look gel added. Hopefully the colour will be darker than it appears in the pic (most wigs I've ordered online turn out to be darker than they're shown), otherwise I may have to darken it myself a little.

Still not sure on the eye size though. I'm going to order some 11mm irirs eyes for my Arnie bust (to replace his weird huge-iris eyes) and see how they look in Ash. If the size is right, I'll order another pair in dark brown. Otherwise I'll get them in 13mm in dark brown.

Now if only I could get a Kandarian dagger to go with him....
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP (with skintone painting tutorial)

When inserting eyes again, don't make them sit in a position where the eyelids cut off the same amount of the iris top and bottom. It will make the piece have a tired, careless expression. Place them so the bottom clips less of the iris than the top - like you can see in the wig picture you posted.

Nice paint application so far.
 
Re: 1:1 Evil Dead II Ash bust WIP (with skintone painting tutorial)

Great work!!!! Thanks very much for the tutorial. I never thought about using anything other the an airbrush to paint a bust. The skin tones on your busts are incredible. Next bust I am painting will be using your method.
 
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