Modify tips for Hot Toys 1/4 Dark Knight Figure

[Maglor]

Got another question for you Tony:

Current Modification
- paint matte black around the Eye lid
- custom cape to create the curve from the neck to shoulder
- modify the cape insert hole to be more movie accurate, also allow the cape to install with better direction
- custom straps from the fist
- height adjustment

Did you pop the eyes out to do this? I plan to use a needle nose pliers to pop them out (I used a tweezers to do that on the DX12 - not easy).

 

[Maglor]

Okay, one more question:

- paint matte black around the Eye lid
- custom cape to create the curve from the neck to shoulder
- modify the cape insert hole to be more movie accurate, also allow the cape to install with better direction
- custom straps from the fist
- height adjustment

How does the backpack look/install after doing this?


I plan to do it, but don't want the backpack to look really weird.


Okay, now I'm off to bed.

 

[Tourist]

Did you pop the eyes out to do this? I plan to use a needle nose pliers to pop them out (I used a tweezers to do that on the DX12 - not easy).

Yes he did, it is illustrated a few pages back IIRC.
Quite a useless mod in my opinion, particularly since Tony painted the eyelid's slits black which looks really off in this scale.

 

[Maglor]

Yes he did, it is illustrated a few pages back IIRC.

Not seeing it.

Quite a useless mod in my opinion, particularly since Tony painted the eyelid's slits black which looks really off in this scale.

I don't think I agree. The pink is better in QS than it was at 1/6, but still far too prominent. It's noticeable from several feet away, and gives him the googly eyed look.

I've yet to see a 1/1 picture of Bale where you can make out the pink on the edge of his eyelids.

 

[Frank Jaeger]

Great mods guys

That picture above really illustrates how back the traps/shoulders are on the 1/4

 

[TonyMeis]

Got another question for you Tony:

Did you pop the eyes out to do this? I plan to use a needle nose pliers to pop them out (I used a tweezers to do that on the DX12 - not easy).

Okay, one more question:

How does the backpack look/install after doing this?

I plan to do it, but don't want the backpack to look really weird.

Okay, now I'm off to bed.

Not seeing it.

I don't think I agree. The pink is better in QS than it was at 1/6, but still far too prominent. It's noticeable from several feet away, and gives him the googly eyed look.

I've yet to see a 1/1 picture of Bale where you can make out the pink on the edge of his eyelids.

Here you go

Also I'm gonna do another set of gloves strap mod in a bit, I'll take more pictures soon. Works has been busy..... LOL

The backpack does get effected, but the cape mod isn't necessary, more of a personal preference. I'm nit satisfy with the mod myself, would like to re-do it better again

 

[Double J]

Is it hard to take the head apart? And do u have a close up of the head back together Tony?

 

[TonyMeis]

Is it hard to take the head apart? And do u have a close up of the head back together Tony?

this is the inside view..... as for the head back together, what do you mean?

 

[Tourist]

I don't think I agree. The pink is better in QS than it was at 1/6, but still far too prominent. It's noticeable from several feet away, and gives him the googly eyed look.

I've yet to see a 1/1 picture of Bale where you can make out the pink on the edge of his eyelids.

I'm talking about the slit between the eyelids as well as the caruncle, they shouldn't be painted but it looks like they are on Tony's pictures.

 

[TonyMeis]

I'm talking about the slit between the eyelids as well as the caruncle, they shouldn't be painted but it looks like they are on Tony's pictures.

agree they are not suppost to be painted, but when the eyes are squinting, the caruncle arent shown anyways. look at the picture above that Maglor posted, you couldnt see the caruncle.....

I do agree and see the HT putting effort painting these little detail, but some of it really take the mean expression of Batman. just my opinion besides, the eye ball already has all the read around it, I'll use those red as my caruncle instead of it on the eye piece instead

 

[Double J]

this is the inside view..... as for the head back together, what do you mean?

Like after u put the eyes back in. How do they look back in the cowl from the front?

 

[TonyMeis]

Like after u put the eyes back in. How do they look back in the cowl from the front?

here you go

 

[Maglor]

Here you go

Also I'm gonna do another set of gloves strap mod in a bit, I'll take more pictures soon. Works has been busy..... LOL

The backpack does get effected, but the cape mod isn't necessary, more of a personal preference. I'm nit satisfy with the mod myself, would like to re-do it better again

Thanks for the reply!

Wow, you took it completely apart. I was just planning on taking the eyes out and that's it. That's what I did with the DX12 and it worked just fine. I don't see why it's necessary to totally dismantle it like that. Some people were able to paint the lids on the DX12 without even removing the eyes.


Looking forward to seeing more pics of the glove mod.

I just realized today that it would only be necisarily to have one good set of straps that can be used along with all the gloves, so maybe I'll start experimenting with them on my own.

I'm talking about the slit between the eyelids as well as the caruncle, they shouldn't be painted but it looks like they are on Tony's pictures.

So am I.

It's not a question of 'should or shouldn't'. It's a question of what looks better on the shelf. The pink line is far too prominent on the figure, and I think the eyes look better in the pics above. You don't?

 

[Double J]

Ok thanks for the pics tony. I'm not sure if I'll take the whole head apart tho. If I paint them. I might just do it with the eyes intact. Like I did on the dx12. Sometimes I have a pretty steady hand. Just need to lay off the coffee before I do it.

 

[TonyMeis]

gloves strap mod

Key, when cutting the strap off the glove, be sure to enter the exacto knife in with an angle. (the goal is to leave a round part of the glove when the strap is gone
also be sure to leave the little loop alone, try not to cut it while cutting the strap away. looks better when putting the strap back on later on.


Once the strap is off, I trim it couple more time until the strap is thin enough to look like a strap. Be sure not to cut it too thin.... you do not want it to snap. The material is rubber like plastic, it stretches with heat, so its very easy to work with.

It's really all about the angle and cutting technique. Be very careful not to cut your fingers away.



Once the strap is trimmed, just stretch it over the gloves, you got yourself a nice modified Straps on the glove. you really just need to make one pair of nice straps and it can be used for all the other hands and fist (of course you'll need to cut the straps off all the other optional hands, but at least you don't have to deal with straps trimming anymore)

 

[i3link786]

That's an incredibly well thought-out mod. I may need to do it if I can get a spare set of hands.

 

[Tourist]

It's not a question of 'should or shouldn't'. It's a question of what looks better on the shelf. The pink line is far too prominent on the figure, and I think the eyes look better in the pics above. You don't?

No.
I understand one may want to repaint around the eyes with a darker fuller black in order to eliminate "pinkish" zones but the caruncle and eyelid slits should remain as they are so when the light hits at the right angle you see a bit of pink.
It's one of these details that adds realism on a 1/4 figure.
By painting right up to the slits you'll get the best results; darker eyes and realism.

 

[Tourist]

Once the strap is trimmed, just stretch it over the gloves, you got yourself a nice modified Straps on the glove. you really just need to make one pair of nice straps and it can be used for all the other hands and fist (of course you'll need to cut the straps off all the other optional hands, but at least you don't have to deal with straps trimming anymore)[/B]

Terrific mod!

 

[Maglor]

No.
I understand one may want to repaint around the eyes with a darker fuller black in order to eliminate "pinkish" zones but the caruncle and eyelid slits should remain as they are so when the light hits at the right angle you see a bit of pink.
It's one of these details that adds realism on a 1/4 figure.
By painting right up to the slits you'll get the best results; darker eyes and realism.

This picture confirms for me the need to do the mod.

The camera is right up against his face in daylight and all you can see is a hint of pink at the caruncle. If you cover that spot you see no pink along the edge of the eye, just black. Any other screen capture, and you won't be able to see even the caruncle. With the figure you can see the pink from several feet away in any light.

When I do the mod, I will try and leave just the tiniest bit of pink rather than just painting it all black, but I'm definitely doing the mod.

Again, the pink areas around the eyes are way too prominent and out of scale making the eyes look bigger than they are.

 

[Maglor]

gloves strap mod

Thanks so much for posting Tony. I guess I wasn't missing a step.

Interesting that just making the straps thinner almost completely eliminates the flare.

I'm doing it tomorrow.