Chris Howes' Sculptural Creations

[**16k**]

The trouble with Ada's version is that it doesn't look like the photo at all. The nose is completely different! If you want to see THE actual version, go to her site and check the painted version, you'll see what I mean! There, he looks more Oscar Goldman than Steve Austin!

 

[Ironman1188]

Hmmm, I must've gotten the early version then. Mine looks like the photo.

 

[abake]

Interesting... what's Ada's site?

 

[**16k**]

there you go...

https://www.wantedactionfigure.com/

 

[abake]

Cool, thanks!

 

[abake]

No offense to whoever paints those, but they're not doing Ada's sculpts any favors...

Anyway, sorry to be hijacking Howes' thread.

 

[Darklord Dave]

I agree. I have been collecting celebrity sculpts for such a long time now and the Howes' Majors, had it not said who it was, I never would have guessed. As I've said before I really thought it was a bad Roger Moore rather than a bad Lee Majors. The paint apps are horrible in that pic and I think the hair is maybe a bit too "poofy" in the front.
Die, I know you are the big 6MDM fan in these parts, do you have any pics of the Howes' version unpainted?
I also have the Ada sculpt and, despite some of her problems, found it to be one of her early, easily recognizable sculpts. I don't have a pic of it painted because its still unfinished. Here are two pics of my Majors, the first is Ada's:

All likenesses are a bit subjective. I think the Howes Majors is far superior to Ada's. I recognized it right away.

 

[Darren Carnall]

All likenesses are a bit subjective. I think the Howes Majors is far superior to Ada's. I recognized it right away.

have to admit, i think Howes' Lee Majors is way better than Ada's too. I'm surprised people aren't seeing the likeness. Hell, I can tell who it is from the eyebrows alone.

But then we can't all like the same thing I guess

 

[toyadventurer]

I know you are the big 6MDM fan in these parts, do you have any pics of the Howes' version unpainted?

I found these back on page 5

[/QUOTE]

 

[abake]

Did a quick PS, turning the image to grayscale (and brightened it a bit):

Yeah, I think the paint apps are hurting the sculpt... it looks much closer to Majors this way.

EDIT: Must've posted almost at the same time!

 

[The Drizzle]

The features are just a tad soft, and the hair is lacking in texture, but it's not bad at all.

 

[die]

I agree. I have been collecting celebrity sculpts for such a long time now and the Howes' Majors, had it not said who it was, I never would have guessed. As I've said before I really thought it was a bad Roger Moore rather than a bad Lee Majors. The paint apps are horrible in that pic and I think the hair is maybe a bit too "poofy" in the front.
Die, I know you are the big 6MDM fan in these parts, do you have any pics of the Howes' version unpainted?
I also have the Ada sculpt and, despite some of her problems, found it to be one of her early, easily recognizable sculpts. I don't have a pic of it painted because its still unfinished. Here are two pics of my Majors, the first is Ada's:

I've got one of Ada's Steve sculpts right here, unpainted and unused because it is so off & undersized. It looks more like Roger Moore to me than Roger Moore does

Pretty much the whole thing is off. The ears are placed very oddly on the head & they look unfinished. The lips, nose & chin are all deal breakers...they look nothing like Lee Majors! Maybe if I ever try to make a Mego Steve Austin, I'll paint the head.

Again, the Howes Steve Austin sculpt isn't perfect, but it's a nice sculpt. I don't see how anybody could think Ada's is better. Both of those sculpts (Ada's and Howes) were commissioned by bionic-joe but I think bionic-joe's original sculpt is best.

 

[greyrabbit]

I quite like the Steve sculpt from Chris, I just think it needs the right paint apps to really bring through the character. Albeit, I did have to go through bionic-joe on ebay to get it. Lucky for me, no probs in the recasting he did of it.

I'm just waiting on the leisure suit through edojoe, anyhow happy with how Chris sculpted this one. The only thing for me was the eye sockets were both wide open, as Chris went with a more neutral expression. Steve in a lot of pics tends to have a trade mark squint, one eye focusing (the bionic eye), and other eye more squinted, ..so it was hard to paint in accurate eye balls and have that expression come through. ..but perhaps that is more to do with my painting ability.

I also have the Ada sculpt (actually 2 - 1 painted by her, one unpainted), and would not recommend them to anyone. As pointed out, too small for the scale and features are way off. If you want Roger Moore - get her version!

Here are some pics of my C. Howes Steve painted up ..bit dark in the pics and just on a mock up body (arnie)

I've done some extra work by highlighting the hair since those pics were taken, as the hair looks really fake (like a plastic wig!) in those photos ..but I'll save from posting my revisions until I have the outfit/whole figure together. Anyway, just to share my impression of Chris's Steve sculpt, it is very nice and I haven't come across a more realistic likeness of the character so far.

 

[die]

grey, that looks great! You did a nice paint-up on it!

 

[Ironman1188]

I found these back on page 5

[/QUOTE]

Then it was the paint apps in the original pics. That does look more like Majors. It actually reminds me of Austin from the old Carlton(?) mags. I do think the hair is too "poofy" though. As I said, I don't have that one.
The Ada version I have does not seem undersized though. Wonder if she changed it at one point?
The bionic joe ones are easily recognizeable but almost overdone on the facial characteristics.

 

[greyrabbit]

Thanks Die! It looks a bit better in normal light, without all that shodowing and blurryness from the last pics ..but I am sure it could be done better by the pro's! Always wanted to make a SMDM from being a fan much like yourself I originally wanted to alter my unpainted Ada's sculpt, but found it hard to work on.

Ironman, yeah the other bionic-joe Austin heads are more like caricatures. As for Ada's, maybe there was some change. I remember from when I got the sculpts from her, she had advertised they were the last few castings she had left. Maybe different batch of castings, or something to do with the amount of pressure applied to her moulds in the casting process.

For your point about the Howe's sculpt and the Carlton Mag likeness ..it might be due to the lower part of the face being more thinner/defined ..wheras, Major's seemed to have a chubbier face at that time of the SMDM. I think there are some aspects of his sculpt that bare resemblance to Major's from when he was younger (Big Valley period) at some angles.

 

[galactiboy]

Great paint job! Looks really nice

 

[Saya]

thats a great paint up Grey! awesome anyone have any new updates on shipments of chris's hs? would love to have some news.

 

[captdan]

thats a great paint up Grey! awesome anyone have any new updates on shipments of chris's hs? would love to have some news.

The big update was supposed to happen by today and things were supposedly being shipped for the past 2 weeks. I have only seen one person post that he has received anything......

 

[KingGrayskull]

The big update was supposed to happen by today

Where did you get that from?