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Post by Figuremaster Les on Apr 25, 2005 10:28:18 GMT -5
In case any of you are not aware, and if you are not, the Custom work of Henry Anakin is sublimely awesome. Here is an Ebay item number for his last sale, the best custom '89 Batman I personally have ever seen, it's #5968085466. Go and look. It should be up for a little while yet.
I'm sure many of you are already aware of him. You may even own one of his pieces. He's located in Hong Kong. Fantastic workmanship if you ask me.
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Post by Figuremaster Les on May 8, 2005 22:27:51 GMT -5
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Post by radioscooter on May 8, 2005 22:47:51 GMT -5
New posting on Ebay of Henry's Keaton Batman: Comments? Critiques? I think he does very interesting work. I would like to get one of those Anakin's versions but they are too pricey for what they are (this from the guy who got $700 for a George Reeves Superman, but still...) If I am going to be critical of it here are the points: 1. The Keaton face is a little cartoony. The hair is just strange. 2. As with most dolls that feature that much removable costuming - it ends up looking too bulky when completely dressed. 3. I don't know what it is with these people who make that belt gold. It was never gold. It looks stupid gold. It sucks in gold. It was glossy yellow. There wasn't even a gold 'alternate belt' in that film. It's just a sore spot with me. I had to get Shawn (dreamtigers) to make my belt yellow because even he offers it with a gold belt! Here's the thing guys - if you make an '89 Keaton Batman -make the belt yellow like it is supposed to be or don't bother! Otherwise - that doll (anakin's) is amazing looking. Lots of quality craftsmanship there. I made 2 Keaton Batmans of my own. Neither of which will ever be shown here or on the web, so that's how 'good' they turned out. BUT the first one I did was the first custom I ever made that was in a doll-size scale. I did it in 1989 when it was clear that they would never put out a good looking "real" version. After being a Takara importer for a year and realizing that was as good as they were going to get - I made my own. I still have it too! I own one of Dreamntiger's (Shawn's) keaton Batmans and I love it. Of all the ones that are cast from the Billiken armor - It can't be beat for the price and it's a great base to start with if you want to do extra work to it (like removable cowl etc.) These guys that cast in rubber have a whole skillset up on me that I can't get my head around yet. -s
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Post by Figuremaster Les on May 8, 2005 22:57:42 GMT -5
I've looked at that Keaton Batman since 1989. Plus, I saw the actual costume on display in Atlanta, Georgia in 1990 UP CLOSE. I looked AT THE BELT. From behind glass, from about 10 inches away. OK. I admit, it may not BE gold, but it sure does LOOK gold. It isn't JUST yellow. It's a very hard to get yellow-gold color. I can't seem to mix it just right with the paints I use. My custom on my website has a yellow/gold belt that I added a bronze quality to, as it has that element to it also. Go here my friend to see and comment: figuremasterles.tripod.com/id31.htmlI welcome any. No ego to bruise here. And, I have to admit, it isn't "just" gold. And I agree with your take on Henry's figures. VERY pricey, but nice. And yes, a tad bulky. Good eye for detail you have there. I would like to see your attempts at a Keaton. None are without merit. :)
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Post by radioscooter on May 9, 2005 0:15:15 GMT -5
I've looked at that Keaton Batman since 1989. Plus, I saw the actual costume on display in Atlanta, Georgia in 1990 UP CLOSE. I looked AT THE BELT. From behind glass, from about 10 inches away. OK. I admit, it may not BE gold, but it sure does LOOK gold. It isn't JUST yellow. It's a very hard to get yellow-gold color. I can't seem to mix it just right with the paints I use. My custom on my website has a yellow/gold belt that I added a bronze quality to, as it has that element to it also. Go here my friend to see and comment: figuremasterles.tripod.com/id31.htmlI welcome any. No ego to bruise here. And, I have to admit, it isn't "just" gold. And I agree with your take on Henry's figures. VERY pricey, but nice. And yes, a tad bulky. Good eye for detail you have there. I would like to see your attempts at a Keaton. None are without merit. Okay, this is an issue close to my heart for some reason so I will step up again. This is all just my impassioned opinion. I've actually held one of the on-camera belts as well and it is gloss candy-yellow. It is a medium yellow, to be sure. And no, you're right it's not JUST yellow at all. It has a dirty goldish-bronze and brown wash in it to bring out the details - yes. And - close up there are a few other tones in it that don't come across much at all on camera. For example the areas right above and below the buckle inner design is a flatter, browner color. But overall -the base of it is a straight up, gloss candy YELLOW. HOWEVER - I have seen plenty of photos where the belt looks completely metallic gold, as I'm sure you must have too. In talking to a few people who I know that worked on the later sequels, it seems that there were multiple belts for on screen work, as you would expect. So different paintjobs on the belts showed up in different scenes is a good guess. HOWEVER again - most of the times when I see the metallic gold looking belts it is in pre-film publicity shots -not in the film. The film belt looks really yellow a lot of the time. My take is that they add the goldish/brown wash to it to make it look worn, and sometimes the light catches it in ways that focus on the overtones but that it is a yellow belt made to match the background in the chest emblem. And there's plenty of referential evidence to support that: Now as to your custom '89 doll Les, - it is outstanding. I didn't see the price tag but it looks every bit as nice as Dreamntigers. I would need to know what your cape is made from but from the photo I like it better than his or Alex's. If we're being critical and not letting egos in the way - I will say these things: 1. It may just be the photograph, but it looks like you may have used gloss or semigloss or sealed black paint on some of the vinyl parts. The cool thing about that is that it does a nice thing separating textures among an all black outfit. The downside is - it gives it that look from the publicity stills. A little too clean and perfect. When I built my first Billiken Batman I realized that the black vinyl that it is cast in is dead on perfect to the movie armor AS IS. So I added texture the opposite way - I used a flat black on the presumably spandex sections of the costume to deaden those and left the majority of the "armor" unpainted. I think it gives it an "in situ" look for the figure. Just a different way to go. 2. I gather from your description that if you used an original kit for your parts, you must have dremeled a bunch of vinyl to get it thin enough to sit over a spandex suit and no seem bulky. Kudos to that effort for sure! Both Alex and Shawn do castings in rubber of the Billiken armor. The downside to their way is that the rubber gets a little "balled up" here and there and can also look TOO flat. Using the original Billiken vinyl like you did gives it a perfect texture. 3. Unless I miss my guess - you did the "cut out the mask and use the solid head underneath" option from the Billiken model. I used to import Takara, Tsukuda and Billiken and I built many of these back in the day for customers. That is NOT an easy thing to get the fit right and looking that good. Yours is EXCELLENT. I've never seen one done that way and look that good. Seriously great work. Fleshtone is maybe a bit too shiny for my taste though. Again - could be the flash. 4. Here's why you will probably not see any of my Keaton dolls. The ones I made were way back when I started customizing - at the time I was loathe to take apart a Billiken model to make a doll (though I'd be less that way now) and there were no Dragon base dolls to do it on. The one I did make actually started life on a Marx Golden Knight figure of all things! And it is funny to look at now so maybe I will share it someday. The next one I made was a few years later, a few more skills learned. It did not turn out well and I would probably never admit to doing it if confronted with it. I sculpted the eyes and hair etc. onto one of the extra Billiken head 'bucks' I had and made a removable cowl...great ambition. Horrible results. Not just being modest here. It sucked. Anyway - it later was always in my mind to figure out a way to do a nice version of one from the Billiken sculpts, out of rubber on top of a better doll wearing a spandex outfit. But a few guys beat me to it and do such a nice job that I decided if I couldn't improve on it - why bother? Yours is great, Alex's is great, Shawn's is great. I'm sure more people do them and are great. So that's one less custom I have to do! However - if Shawn would not have done the belt in yellow for me - I would have had to do that myself when I got it! One thing that surprises people sometimes is that I avidly collect other people's customs and have for years. Even if it's stuff I make too - I have been selling off vintage Batman items just to buy custom work. To me - I'd rather have something unique from a fellow artist than stuff "off the rack" any day. My first bought custom by someone else was the #9 Year One Batman by Charlee Flatt. So - the Keaton Batman is probably one I will not bother with because you and others have it covered! -s
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Post by radioscooter on May 9, 2005 0:55:28 GMT -5
By the way, while we're mentioning it - various reactions to your site -
- Loved your Vader, and Chris Reeves Superman. What was the method of blending the Jim Maddox head with the neck/body? It worked very well.
- Dr. Watson's hat - maybe try an "Oddjob" hat? From the vinyl kit or dolls.
- What is the base figure on the Ned Land custom?
- BEAUTIFUL Nautili!
-s
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Post by faithfulbutler on May 9, 2005 1:08:42 GMT -5
You know the right shade of Brown wash with a Buff colour dry brush works really well on Yellows.Another really nice Gold-ish blend i found was get some of Tamiya's Clear Yellow and put that over a Silver base.That creates a really nice kind of Gold blend to work with. I do agree that the Movie Belt should lean a lot more towards Yellow,too many people go off those publicity shots and that's obviously where the mindset comes from. I must admit Anakin's work is impressive,i'm with you those guys that work in Rubber for their Customs have my utmost respect!
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Post by Figuremaster Les on May 9, 2005 8:47:41 GMT -5
Wow. I am honored. I had no idea of the wealth of info that would incur, but I am glad it did. I may be able to rework the belt somewhat, but I am not in a hurry to for the moment. The armor is unpainted. It's the vinyl. And yes, it's the flash. Makes EVERYTHING a bit shiney. Not a big photog here nor do I have the budget to hire one. So, that's the best of my photos til I learn more. But thanks. Oddjob hat. Yeah. You read that quick. I cannot find a good bowler. If I could get an oddjob, I'd have to find a way to recast the hat. I want an oddjob. But then, we'll see. All in all, very cool insights. I can't recall the belt I saw in Atlanta as being so yellow. but I accept your take. I know what I saw. But then, yes, you are right, there are multiple belts and for whatever scenes, etc. Anyway, thanks for all the info. Hope Will doesn't pound me/us for going off topic. I do appreciate the comments, as I am sure do others. VERY informative. And interesting. And I do want to see those customs of your's regardless. And someone who likes my Mattox head blend! Man! That was a toughie. I have actually gotten a lot of criticism for that one. I am planning on some accurizing. But, it's where it's gonna be for a while. Thanks for all the comments on the site also. I tried to get a nice site up, despite my camera.
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Post by Wild Willy on May 9, 2005 11:32:15 GMT -5
I think your Keaton Batman looks fenominal! It has a great looking Keaton likeness and overall a smooth super clean looking custom, Looks Perfect! I would love to use that Keaton batman of yours for additional images around the site here if that's ok?
Henry's Batman is quite stunning as well, Having the removeable mask puts it in a seperate catagory for me, but both his & yours are top notch, I'd be proud to display either in my collection.
Will
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Post by radioscooter on May 9, 2005 12:35:51 GMT -5
Les - your site looks great. And I thought it might be the flash that was making that black so shiny. So how much trimming did it take on the back of all that vinyl to make that figure fit over the body? Cause it looks great.
I'll keep an eye out for an Oddjob and cast you up a bowler if I can get my hands on one. No problem there.
Why criticism on the Reeves? Or are you talking about because it is a recast head? Because Jim is very sensitive to that I know.
Will - I may have missed something - I thought the one on ebay was Henry's not Les'? Or is there another one that I'm missing? -s
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Post by Wild Willy on May 9, 2005 12:52:56 GMT -5
Pardon me Scot, im a krak head. I got all confused there, I mistook looking at Les's gallery as an ebay link. I have edited my last post. Will
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Post by Figuremaster Les on May 9, 2005 18:22:21 GMT -5
Let's simplify all mates! To see MY original Custom Batman, GO HERE: figuremasterles.tripod.com/id31.htmlIt's the first figure up on the page. The Superman discussed is on the bottom. Refer to any pics accordingly. Regarding the Mattox recast query, the Reeve head I used is not a recast. Nope. It hurt like the dickens to cut up too! No, I paid my $60 fee to Jim himself and then reworked that original. I can't recast. Don't have the means. And yes, it was not fun doing that to his fine work. I hope he can forgive me, but I wanted my Superman posable figure more. It's why I bought the head bust. I credit his original sculpt on my website though. ABSOLUTELY! I do not rip off anyone's work. Ever! Not that you were saying that Scooter. I just felt I needed to say it here. I've recently been ripped off regarding a piece of my original work, so that hit a current and tender spot. No biggie. All's good. But thanks for your comments Scooter and the bowler/oddjob lead!!!! Consider me in your debt for it.
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Post by Wild Willy on May 9, 2005 18:55:27 GMT -5
Les I'm certain Scot was refering to the talentless freeloaders who deliberately and unethically recast peoples works of art for the sole purpose of selling for profit. I am confident that all of the members here thus far have the intergity and decency to respect the works of others. Your explanation regarding your Superman head was not nessassary but appreciated nonetheless.
Your Batman custom rocks dude!
Will
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Post by Figuremaster Les on May 9, 2005 19:25:53 GMT -5
I appreciate that Will. No, I just felt the need to say that to anyone who reads this and, in a way, to Jim Mattox, even if indirectly. I know all to well the pain of indiscriminate ripoff. And you said it; "talentless freeloaders" I call them Jerks! Moving right along... ;D
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Post by Wild Willy on May 9, 2005 21:33:47 GMT -5
Hey guys I took the liberty of inviting Henry to come & join the boards I'm sure Henry would make a great addition and contribution to the world of customs. Will
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