Here's a full breakdown of the custom.
BASE BODY:
Phicen/TB League Seamless Female Body (S12D Large Bust, Suntan, removable feet).
Spare hands (painted by me with gloss black acrylic paint (standard small black/white acrylic tube set from UK store WHSmiths)):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-6-Scal...ure-Phicen-Body-/372161192875?var=&hash=item0
HEADS:
Black Widow 5.0 third party headsculpt:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-6-Cust...dy-H-Suntan-/282237327498?hash=item41b6a7d88a
I rinsed, conditioned and wet-combed the hair as straight as I could get it, left for a day then rinsed and wet-combed again. Then I worked a bit of L'Oreal Pixie Cream Wax into the hair and used damp fingers to separate the hair into nice thick swatches for the bangs, the sides and the top/back of the head.
Then I made a working hairband with a hangman's knot, using 3mm Black elastic tape:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N21B179/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The top hair was then combed straight over the back of the head, with the two side pieces joined over the back and made into a ponytail using the hairband.
By tightening/loosening the hairband and poking the top/back hair around, I got as close as I could to a 'Bardot Bump' on top. Then I cut the excess length off the hairband and matted the whole back of the hair and ponytail down as best I could with more Wax.
I found that a teaspoon is a good tool for manipulating the hair without generating flyaways. I also found that if you start chasing and cutting flyaways...you'll just make more flyaways!
I also have a HT WS Black Widow MMS 239 head. Had to gouge the inside out so it would sit on the Phicen neck, then had to use a bit of Plasticene inside the head to hold it steady. Looks a bit giraffe-necked in some poses but I just love it for non-action poses. The 'cataract eyes' really pop from across the room!
SUIT:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-6-Blac...dy-Hot-Toys-/371743650703?hash=item568da5f38f
When this thing arrived, it was about the size of a postage stamp and I thought 'no way this is going on that body'. But it did. Used a lot of baby powder on the body (works wonders) and just took it very slow, first working it up the legs, then the hips and body, then (the really scary part) over the shoulders and arms.
The Phicen shoulders help - you can pinch them in to the body and up just like you would if you were getting your own arms into a wetsuit. Then a lot of gentle pulling and futzing to get it all sitting righty tighty.
Then, and only then, think about getting the zipper done up! You should be able to get the zipper done up all the way to the top...if you want
BOOTS:
From SO Toys SO-T06 Catwoman Kit (Jumpsuit, Boots, Belt, Gauntlets, Eye Mask, Pistol, 3 Pairs Gloved Hands, White One-Piece Underwear, Selina Kyle Head):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOTOYS-1...Assessories-/173539701541?hash=item2867c5b325
Painted the silver heels with gloss black acrylic. These boots have a female ankle socket which fits the Phicen body's male ankle joint. However, it's incredibly tight getting them on and you'll want to heat the boots up before trying.
Also before putting them on, you want to stuff a couple of little balls of Plasticene down into the female sockets so the ankles are nice and stiff (I used a philips screwdriver to get them down there).
The whole process is a bit nerve-wracking but I've done it a dozen times with no breakage so far.
BRACELETS:
From SO Toys SO-T03 Black Widow Clothes Set (Suit, Boots, Open Hands, Closed Hands, Fists, Trigger Hands, Belt with Thigh Holsters, 2 x Pistol, 2 x Bracelets, 2 x Fighting Stick, Communicator):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-6-Scal...TOYS-SO-T03-/283287661122?hash=item41f542aa42
Painted the bracelets gold using WHSmith gold, silver and black acrylic. Couple of gold base coats, then a blackwash and wipe down, then touching up with gold and some dry-brushed silver highlights.
THIGH HOLSTERS:
From SO-T03 Kit. I cut the inside thigh band on these, opened about a 3mm gap then bridged the gap by gluing a length of the 3mm elastic tape on the inside. This 'elasticised' the thigh bands so they can fit further up the legs but will still stay in place further down.
RIOT STICKS:
From the SO-T03 kit. You can work these down into the holsters, which I like the look of.
The hole in the bottom of the holsters is very tight and you'll have to work/screw them in there. Careful not to snap the handles off the riot sticks when doing this!
BELT:
8mm Black elastic tape for belt:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01NCUSMND/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Belt studs:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CTA1VXO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Black Widow belt buckle from HT Avengers BW MMS 178 (could probably get a similar result with the smaller buckle from the SO-T03 Kit).
I just cut a length of the 8mm elastic tape and Superglued the studs along the belt, leaving about 4mm clear at each end of the belt. Then I glued the belt ends together and glued the BW buckle over the joint.
The elastic lets you have the belt tight around the hips, loose around the waist or however you want. You can also turn it around if you want the 'no BW buckle' look.
PISTOLS:
From the HT WS Black Widow MMS 239 - they have spring-loaded slides and are super cool. The SO-T03 Kit also comes with 2 pistols.
STAND:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-6-Scal...ure-Display-/202303374744?hash=item2f1a388598
More photos next weekend
, so thank you!
- but a wash seemed to help the face even. (PS. the prongs of a stand make an excellent sculpt hair drying rack)
