Custom Clone replacement heads

[Ramatuelle]

...So then this happened.

I have nothing planned right now, but when I saw this I immediately started thinking about a Skirata kitbash and how it might be relatively easy to do. And it would look pretty cool.

I bought it while I could still find one, he's on ice for now. I will probably pull the hairline forward some, to be more in line with some of the Skirata fanart I've seen.

I feel I should clarify that none of these are actually my sculpts, Kal here was found on ebay and the clones are the work of a guy I buy from on Etsy.

 

[MyenShi]

...So then this happened.

I have nothing planned right now, but when I saw this I immediately started thinking about a Skirata kitbash and how it might be relatively easy to do. And it would look pretty cool.

I bought it while I could still find one, he's on ice for now. I will probably pull the hairline forward some, to be more in line with some of the Skirata fanart I've seen.

View attachment 613154

I feel I should clarify that none of these are actually my sculpts, Kal here was found on ebay and the clones are the work of a guy I buy from on Etsy.

I thought about doing a Kal as well. Jango + gold paint. Not sure I'll be able to get around to it but hope you do.

That's a solid sculpt for him, hair aside. He does look like Peter Weller in some of the art.

 

[Ramatuelle]

Ok, I am angsty about not being able to comfortably afford SSC Wolffe. [With tax and shipping, current aftermarket pricing would put him at over $700 usd.] This is more than I want to pay for a figure this old, so I did what any sane person would do - haha - and bought just his head. Makes sense, right? Sure it does.

Not.

So! Shipper shipped like lightning and this is a rather interesting guy. Compared to the clone heads we have access to now, this guy is rather blunt-featured and his nose is just way too big. His eyebrows are mostly gone [? why] and his eyes need work. OR DO THEY.

Because on closer inspection, he appears to have inset glass eyes. And these eyes are actually different from each other. WHO KNEW?!

This head is much heavier than HT heads and honestly, it seems to be more of a quality build. Its cooler than these pix show and has more of an upscale feel, if that makes sense. This head bears only a passing resemblance to Tem Morrison but I dont think I'm going to kick it to the curb. I think I will fix his eyebrows and pretty much leave him alone. I like his haircut. This head is much more benign than I imagine Wolffe being, but it is what it is.

Finishing up on Tattoo Clone replacement head, and starting on Tup. I guess I have an OC clone character now [tattoo clone]. I wasnt planning one, but here he is. Every name I thought up for him, all the cool ones were already used. So infuriating! I was really set on Tyr, NOPE - IN USE. This went on for like 15 names till I finally found one I liked that was not already attached to a canon clone.

 

[Username]

Ok, I am angsty about not being able to comfortably afford SSC Wolffe. [With tax and shipping, current aftermarket pricing would put him at over $700 usd.] This is more than I want to pay for a figure this old, so I did what any sane person would do - haha - and bought just his head. Makes sense, right? Sure it does.

Not.

View attachment 630694

So! Shipper shipped like lightning and this is a rather interesting guy. Compared to the clone heads we have access to now, this guy is rather blunt-featured and his nose is just way too big. His eyebrows are mostly gone [? why] and his eyes need work. OR DO THEY.

Because on closer inspection, he appears to have inset glass eyes. And these eyes are actually different from each other. WHO KNEW?!

View attachment 630695

This head is much heavier than HT heads and honestly, it seems to be more of a quality build. Its cooler than these pix show and has more of an upscale feel, if that makes sense. This head bears only a passing resemblance to Tem Morrison but I dont think I'm going to kick it to the curb. I think I will fix his eyebrows and pretty much leave him alone. I like his haircut. This head is much more benign than I imagine Wolffe being, but it is what it is.

Finishing up on Tattoo Clone replacement head, and starting on Tup. I guess I have an OC clone character now [tattoo clone]. I wasnt planning one, but here he is. Every name I thought up for him, all the cool ones were already used. So infuriating! I was really set on Tyr, NOPE - IN USE. This went on for like 15 names till I finally found one I liked that was not already attached to a canon clone.

The eyes on this figure, amongst a few others of that era(A mostly failed experiment by SS), are a separate plastic insert that has the eye decals attached then the eyes are inserted.
The primary problem they faced was that the eye plug always distorted the shape of the face and as far as I am aware, that engineering was done after the sculpt was finalised, so it was always a compromise. Some looked okay, others failed miserably.
There was a time when Wolfe heads were available on eBay for about $20 apiece. They may still be around if you search.
If you warm up the head in boiling water, you can use pliers to remove the neck plug, and replace the eyes with 6mm white BBs.
If you get 1/6 eye decals on eBay, this means you can have a poor man’s PERs on these heads. I did this on the SS superman figure heads, even lighting some up with LEDS for his heat vision.

 

[Ramatuelle]

INTERESTING

I think if I did that I would just use actual glass eyes!! I'm way too cowardly try any such thing though.

That heat vision Supes looks way cool.

Wolffe is way more expensive now. I paid about $30 for that head pictured above, shipped. The paint seems to be seriously degraded, so that seems about fair. Most of them are selling for $90+ The "angry" head is especially expensive.

You know what's depressing is the knowledge that these guys sold for about $150 and included TWO face sculpts and TWO helmets, umpteen hands and those flexed feet that allow the figure to be posed kneeling.

 

[MyenShi]

Ok, I am angsty about not being able to comfortably afford SSC Wolffe. [With tax and shipping, current aftermarket pricing would put him at over $700 usd.] This is more than I want to pay for a figure this old, so I did what any sane person would do - haha - and bought just his head. Makes sense, right? Sure it does.

Not.

View attachment 630694

So! Shipper shipped like lightning and this is a rather interesting guy. Compared to the clone heads we have access to now, this guy is rather blunt-featured and his nose is just way too big. His eyebrows are mostly gone [? why] and his eyes need work. OR DO THEY.

Because on closer inspection, he appears to have inset glass eyes. And these eyes are actually different from each other. WHO KNEW?!

View attachment 630695

This head is much heavier than HT heads and honestly, it seems to be more of a quality build. Its cooler than these pix show and has more of an upscale feel, if that makes sense. This head bears only a passing resemblance to Tem Morrison but I dont think I'm going to kick it to the curb. I think I will fix his eyebrows and pretty much leave him alone. I like his haircut. This head is much more benign than I imagine Wolffe being, but it is what it is.

Finishing up on Tattoo Clone replacement head, and starting on Tup. I guess I have an OC clone character now [tattoo clone]. I wasnt planning one, but here he is. Every name I thought up for him, all the cool ones were already used. So infuriating! I was really set on Tyr, NOPE - IN USE. This went on for like 15 names till I finally found one I liked that was not already attached to a canon clone.

I still have Sideshow Wolffe and while it is a fantastic figure, it'd be difficult to justify paying $700+ for it.

The sculpt looks off though. Was worried it's a knockoff at first but you did mention paint issues. What did the seller do to that sculpt? Some paint seems to be missing and the skin tone looks odd. Almost like it's caked with a layer of foundation or something.

Looking at it again, did they try to repaint it? Is there a layer of paint over the face? The rub mark on the chin looks closer to the sculpt's actual skin tone and there seems to be some flesh tone paint on his hair.

Just wanted to make sure you're okay with the condition and the issues were disclosed because it doesn't look much like how the sculpt is supposed to look.

 

[Ramatuelle]

Is this a recast? Good question. [If so, its a detailed one - forgive my crap camera.] And it may well have been repainted. I dont really appreciate the painting over of his left eye. I got this very cheap, so not going to raise any quibbles. But let's do a little experimentation.

[five minutes later] HOL UP HOL UP HOLD ALL THE WAY UP.

This isnt paint. Its probably pastels. And it came right on off. Good lord he is wearing more makeup than Kim Kardashian. I'd like to know what genius did that! I ought to post a picture of this moist paper towel with pastels all over it. Wow.

It's now off! And what I'll do is replace his eyebrows and recolor his scar, see how he looks then. Maybe lip color. I end up so afraid I will make these guys look like they're wearing lipstick.

He has been through the wars, but he's with me now. I keep thinking about buying him a body and getting some printed armor to paint up for him. That is probably the best way I can think of to actually manifest HT Wolffe, lol. Cody has two pistols he could have, he'll need a kama and a jetpack... hmmm

I dont need another project, save me from myself

 

[Ramatuelle]

p.s. ty for the nice close up pic, very helpful.

 

[MyenShi]

Is this a recast? Good question. [If so, its a detailed one - forgive my crap camera.] And it may well have been repainted. I dont really appreciate the painting over of his left eye. I got this very cheap, so not going to raise any quibbles. But let's do a little experimentation.

[five minutes later] HOL UP HOL UP HOLD ALL THE WAY UP.

This isnt paint. Its probably pastels. And it came right on off. Good lord he is wearing more makeup than Kim Kardashian. I'd like to know what genius did that! I ought to post a picture of this moist paper towel with pastels all over it. Wow.

It's now off! And what I'll do is replace his eyebrows and recolor his scar, see how he looks then. Maybe lip color. I end up so afraid I will make these guys look like they're wearing lipstick.

He has been through the wars, but he's with me now. I keep thinking about buying him a body and getting some printed armor to paint up for him. That is probably the best way I can think of to actually manifest HT Wolffe, lol. Cody has two pistols he could have, he'll need a kama and a jetpack... hmmm

I dont need another project, save me from myself

No problem!

Knew something was off but I’m really amused my foundation comment hit so close to the mark. He really did look like he was caked with makeup; a Kardashian like you said.

Glad it was easy to get off at least. What was the plan there? Very odd thing for them to do. Maybe they wanted an early war Wolffe or a more generic looking Clone I guess.

A custom Wolffe would be a good project. Though as soon as you start all that, Hot Toys will probably announce Wolffe.

Might be more cost effective to pick up a Vaughn. You could sell the helmet to recoup some of the cost. Then you’d have the armor, body, jetpack, and undersuit that’ll be to Hot Toys standard. Just add the kama and holsters. Helmet could be Hot Toys Phase 1 or a custom.

Wolffe technically has standard shoulder bells with an antenna instead of Cody bells like Vaughn but not the biggest deal.

 

[Ramatuelle]

OMG I could never cut up a Vaughn!!! Thinking about this though:

This is preeeetttyyyy close. I just need a helmet and a jetpack, worry about those later. Kama later, no big deal. Modify one pauldron: this is why God created Apoxie Sculpt.

LIKE I NEED ANOTHER PROJECT

 

[MyenShi]

OMG I could never cut up a Vaughn!!! Thinking about this though:

View attachment 631006

This is preeeetttyyyy close. I just need a helmet and a jetpack, worry about those later. Kama later, no big deal. Modify one pauldron: this is why God created Apoxie Sculpt.

LIKE I NEED ANOTHER PROJECT

Don’t think about the figure as Vaughn… just a template. No real cutting required either. Just pop off the rank badge.

I’ve seen those custom parts. They look decent but can’t know for certain if you’ll be satisfied with them next to your Hot Toys figures.

Say you get the kit for $100 plus tax. Add another $30-40 for a body that hopefully works. You’d still need an undersuit and a jetpack which would increase the cost. And you’d only have two pairs of hands.

If you buy Vaughn (hopefully at a discount), you could sell the helmet for like $40+. You’d then have a fully armored Clone body with an antenna complete with undersuit, jetpack, hands, weapons and stand with armor in plastic cast in the correct color. All ready to go; just strip and paint.

Instead of having to sand, fit, prep, prime, base coat, get a magnet for a jetpack, straps for the bells, modify pegs for the feet and hands, etc. Starting with a Vaughn would be a lot less work and probably near the same cost. And more importantly they’d be the same quality Hot Toys parts.

 

[Ramatuelle]

Soooooo of course curiosity gripped me and I was really curious as to what an undamaged Wolffe head would look like. I needed to know, y'know, so that I could all the better help the one I currently have... Right? Right.

*big sigh*

First noting that imo the iphone camera is somehow slanted to portray everything in its worst possible light. Objects, people, everything. Its pretty annoying.

With that said, I dont know WHAT. THE. ****. the original owner of the sculpt on the left actually did!!! to that head. WHAT. Disgraceful.

Head on the right is the new head, with its original finishing and eyes intact. In hand he's much nicer than he looks here.

If HT does not want to step up with further named clone offerings, I would be down with SSC updating the bodies they use and rereleasing their clones.

p.s. if you need to buy a body blank for a project, GET WORLDBOX. They are more expensive and they are worth it. They have a really nice heft to them. The joints are

 

[Username]

There’s a world of difference between those two.
On the subject of clone sculpts, have you picked up a Jesse head yet? The HT Jesse is an absolute chef’s kiss to Temuera Morrison.
I just snagged four of them. I’m going to paint the tattoo away. It’s an incredible sculpt. And no inaccurate hairline of the Rex head.

 

[Ramatuelle]

No other SSC heads yet. They seem really expensive. Will have to be looking for Jesse. I know they want a fortune for Fives, especially the snarling version.

 

[Username]

No other SSC heads yet. They seem really expensive. Will have to be looking for Jesse. I know they want a fortune for Fives, especially the snarling version.

At this stage, I’ll be staying away from the SS sculpts. None of them can hold a candle to the HT ones for clones.
I have to walk into a store that sells makeup and, with a straight face, ask someone for foundation to match the new HT clone head, lol.

 

[MyenShi]

Soooooo of course curiosity gripped me and I was really curious as to what an undamaged Wolffe head would look like. I needed to know, y'know, so that I could all the better help the one I currently have... Right? Right.

*big sigh*

First noting that imo the iphone camera is somehow slanted to portray everything in its worst possible light. Objects, people, everything. Its pretty annoying.

With that said, I dont know WHAT. THE. ****. the original owner of the sculpt on the left actually did!!! to that head. WHAT. Disgraceful.

View attachment 637612

Head on the right is the new head, with its original finishing and eyes intact. In hand he's much nicer than he looks here.

If HT does not want to step up with further named clone offerings, I would be down with SSC updating the bodies they use and rereleasing their clones.

p.s. if you need to buy a body blank for a project, GET WORLDBOX. They are more expensive and they are worth it. They have a really nice heft to them. The joints are

Glad you were able to pick up another one.

Really like the Wolffe sculpts and what that other seller did was appalling.

 

[Ramatuelle]

At this stage, I’ll be staying away from the SS sculpts. None of them can hold a candle to the HT ones for clones.
I have to walk into a store that sells makeup and, with a straight face, ask someone for foundation to match the new HT clone head, lol.

Oh, are we talking about the HT head based off of the Cody sculpt? No question, that is the preeminent sculpt. I regret not buying two Codys, just to have another one of those heads. I was just curious about the Wolffe sculpt in particular since I found a really cheap one - cheap for a reason, it turned out - and then sort of a rabbit hole developed.

HT is worlds better, but SSC Wolffe has an undeniable charm imo. He's on a Worldbox body right now, wearing a OneSixthClones clone armor bodycon and thigh/knee armor on top of that - because I was curious if the armor I had would fit that body. [Whew, it does]

 

[Username]

Oh, are we talking about the HT head based off of the Cody sculpt? No question, that is the preeminent sculpt. I regret not buying two Codys, just to have another one of those heads. I was just curious about the Wolffe sculpt in particular since I found a really cheap one - cheap for a reason, it turned out - and then sort of a rabbit hole developed.

HT is worlds better, but SSC Wolffe has an undeniable charm imo. He's on a Worldbox body right now, wearing a OneSixthClones clone armor bodycon and thigh/knee armor on top of that - because I was curious if the armor I had would fit that body.

I was glad HT went the photo-real route, but i feel SS went half animated. Perhaps it's just that their sculpts are soft. Or their moulding and painting techniques are.
For me, the one that most reminded me of Temuera Morrison was Ganch. At one point i had several of those sculpts. But the more i looked at them the more they didn't seem as good as i first thought, and i sold them off.
I have 12 Rex heads, 2 Cody, and 6 Echo in my collection, with four more Jesse heads on the way. If i can get the paintwork right on the Jesse sculpt, that might be my new fave. But when i realised the headpiece came off Echo, i had a new appreciation for that one too.

 

[Ramatuelle]

....so, I was Today years old when I went out to feeBay and bought the "angry" Wolffe sculpt too. It is undamaged and pretty reasonable, although more expensive of course.

*more annoyed sighing*

You know what would be cool? Is these people on feebay realizing that their in-box SSC Wolffes at $700-ish are.... not selling. No, not at all. Perhaps if they mitigated the price some, they would sell! But nooooooo.

Its all good, I have vacation time in late June and that is when I will hit this project like a ton of bricks. Meanwhile I gather what I will need. Time to go rewatch that vid of someone building trooper Kix from scratch. Several times. [I wont be doing the 3d printing part, thank all the gods.]

 

[Username]

Okay. I got four Jesse heads in the mail today and mixed up some paint to try and match the skin tone as best I could. It was slightly lighter than stock, which was closer to Cody and Rex than Jesse is. I never realised he has three small scars just above his left cheek. It’s there on all my sculpts but with the tattoo you don’t see it as much.
This first attempt has me excited that it’s an easy way to cover up the tattoo. And also, like I said before, that this is the best Temuera Morrison likeness yet.