wookster
Very foolish words man!
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2007
- Messages
- 5,824
- Reaction score
- 12
Modern Life- VH01-GR 1/6th scale limited edition head sculpt.
I have to admit I very rarely delve into the world of custom or extremely low edition ‘art’ figures; I’m usually strictly into mass-produced or manufactured ‘designer’ toys. However, lately I have been increasingly impressed by the astonishing quality of many of the low run hand crafted releases, and the work of artists like Rainman, Kim Serang, Elvis1974 and Denny Kim is generally of such high quality that it is truly deserving to be designated as ‘art’… but lets not forget that the likes of KoJun and YJ Park were also part of this illustrious and select crew just a few short years ago, and they are now catering for the discerning mainstream.
Of course it is also worthy of note that these high standards and incredibly low, often hand numbered edition sizes also add up to some prohibitively expensive price tags for your average Joe, and it almost goes without saying that you will need some serious green to be able to consider yourself a serious collector in this particular arena. That said, its also not lost on us that you need a very healthy dispensable income just to be able to stay in the general collecting game, with prices of mass, or semi-mass produced figures from the likes of Hot Toys, Sideshow, Enterbay etc. demanding prices that are regularly well north of the $200 mark… we live in increasingly costly times, and what ever level of exclusivity you crave, it comes with a price-tag to match!
This means many long-term collectors are finding themselves pushed out of the market or sidelined into adapting their passion to fit their funds. This can often manifest itself in people kit-bashing figures from scratch, using available parts from other figures. I’m sure most readers are aware that many military or base standard figures often come with an ‘accidental’ celebrity likeness, which can help no end in creating that elusive figure you have coveted for years. Alternatively you can try buying a standalone head-sculpt from any of the myriad of small companies out there, these are sometimes offered in painted and unpainted versions, and the level of finish and quality is usually reflected in the price. Then there is also a healthy though illegal trade in re-casts on the grey markets… which is basically artistic theft, so best avoided… if not reported!
The most important and indeed recognisable part of your kit-bashed figure will always be the head, so this is an area its worth pushing the boat out and striving to get the very best you can afford, which leads us nicely onto the subject matter here. This is the first head sculpt release from Modern Life, a company that started up in 2006 specialising in bespoke finely tailored 1/6th clothing. The equivalent of visiting a scaled down atelier de 1/6 vêtements in a cool little Parisian boutique. And by no fluke of coincidence Paris is in fact the home for this company, whose work has been so well regarded it came to the attention of a few of the big boy manufactures, meaning the tailoring of head designer Toria Casarro has been used on some production figures from the likes of Sideshow.
So being a young company with an eye for detail and quality I was intrigued when I found out they were releasing an original sculpted head. At the moment the only option is to purchase it unpainted, and as I haven’t attempted to paint a figure since I was about 12, I concluded I should take a look at this in its raw state, just the way you will receive it from Modern Life.
So, the three categories I can realistically score this release in are packaging, sculpting and value. I shall be using the Crawford Scale to critique this item, an internationally recoginised gauge of excellence… well, I’m in the UK and I use it regularly enough so why not! ☺
Packaging **
It's a head sculpt in a box, but to be fair I didn't expect them to produce a box, so it's a bonus. Its a relatively simple affair, predominantly red, with the product designation and company logo (quite a nice little bit of typography). The head comes bagged inside with shredded paper to protect it. Nothing greound breaking, but at least it ensures the product will arrive undamaged!
Sculpting ****
The colour/finish of the material used is like a fine alabaster, giving it a classical renaissance feel in its unpainted form. The thing that struck me upon opening it up (apart from the likeness) was the deep crisp casting. The fine quality of the molding is superb, with no burrs or rough patches that will need cutting back or fine sanding. Instead we get an expertly rendered cast that manages to capture some convincing texture on the skin, and some deep detailing on things like the way the hair is formed, sweeping back with naturalistic curves and the convincing shadows cast by the nostrils, a small detail admittedly, but its an outstanding one!
Lets face it, all the detail in the world don’t amount to a hill of beans without a good likeness… and this is a very good likeness. However this is not advertised as being any particular character/actor, and the fact of the matter is this is a head-sculpt that could be utilized on any number of bashes, and as a generic representation of an adult males head it looks natural and is beautifully crafted. That said, you’d be hard pressed to think this was anyone other than Henry Cavill, the British actor who earlier this year managed to fill the very large boots that Christopher Reeve (and rather more forgettably Brandon Routh) had left vacant. From any angle this is undoubtedly the guy that has become Superman to a whole new generation. And as is befitting that status in the year 2013, as an actor his physique is more ripped and his features more chiseled than any donning the infamous red cape before him… this was a hero for the new millennium we could possibly believe in!
So, I really shouldn’t be reviewing this as a likeness to Cavill, and as a generic sculpt it would garner a four star mark easily… but lets face it I have to take that likeness into account, but even then I just have to reward it the same full score! However I must add that the one thing I am dying to see is this head receive the paint application it deserves, as in the right hands I think this could really sing!
Value ***
This is a tough one for me, as I’m not usually in the market for loose head-sculpts, especially unpainted ones, so I had to do a little online research. I found unsurprisingly that there is a big disparity in price between the mainstream releases available readily from online retailers and eBay through to the low edition casts, often made to order or commissioned by small co-operatives of individual collectors.
It would seem that a mainstream head will cost you anything from a few dollars up to just over a hundred bucks (if its considered rare and desirable enough) and a low edition piece made by a named sculptor can likewise demand incredible amounts, with many desirable pieces that are ‘decommissioned’ fetching huge sums on the grey aftermarket.
I think the asking price of $54 seems to be in the right ballpark for a small independent company on a such a low production run piece, who lets face it need to make a return so they can finance future productions. The biggest challenge to this sculpt will come when Hot Toys finally release their official Man of Steel figure… but even then, this could make a great swap out head if you want to either paint it with glowing red laser eyes, or perhaps even drill the eyes out and fit some LED’s (which I’m assured is perfectly doable… but not by a electronically challenged klutz like me).
The official price also reflects the fact that this has been made in such a very low edition size, with a mere 100 being made available to the public. However it might be worth a re-release with some stubble/beard growth to represent Clark in his wilderness years, it would be a relatively easy bash that could stand well alongside the Hot Toys releases.
So, ultimately the price here is as I said fair, though not exactly a bargain, but if you are looking to put together a Clark Kent figure, or even attempt to build your own Supes from the ground up on a budget, this could just answer your prayers.
I hope the quality displayed here can move forward onto a great many other releases in the future… and I kind of hope they go more leftfield or cult classic… as a Rick Deckard, Dr Peter Venkman, classic 1988 John McLane or a100% nailed Raiders Indy would be a big money spinner!
Where to buy-
You can order this direct from Modern Life https://www.modernlife-ml.com/ for $54 + $6 shipping or try Direct Collectables https://www.directcollectables.co.u...inted-modern-life-visage-collection-1-6-scale in the UK who are also stocking it for £34.99. My old ‘supplier’ from back in the day Kidult Toyshop https://www.kidulttoyshop.com/ are also stocking it for the Asian markets (but will ship world wide) and for North American buyers your best bet is to buy direct from Modern Life or try eBay where its available from their ‘official’ eBay trader Festina730 https://www.ebay.com/usr/festina730
I have to admit I very rarely delve into the world of custom or extremely low edition ‘art’ figures; I’m usually strictly into mass-produced or manufactured ‘designer’ toys. However, lately I have been increasingly impressed by the astonishing quality of many of the low run hand crafted releases, and the work of artists like Rainman, Kim Serang, Elvis1974 and Denny Kim is generally of such high quality that it is truly deserving to be designated as ‘art’… but lets not forget that the likes of KoJun and YJ Park were also part of this illustrious and select crew just a few short years ago, and they are now catering for the discerning mainstream.
Of course it is also worthy of note that these high standards and incredibly low, often hand numbered edition sizes also add up to some prohibitively expensive price tags for your average Joe, and it almost goes without saying that you will need some serious green to be able to consider yourself a serious collector in this particular arena. That said, its also not lost on us that you need a very healthy dispensable income just to be able to stay in the general collecting game, with prices of mass, or semi-mass produced figures from the likes of Hot Toys, Sideshow, Enterbay etc. demanding prices that are regularly well north of the $200 mark… we live in increasingly costly times, and what ever level of exclusivity you crave, it comes with a price-tag to match!
This means many long-term collectors are finding themselves pushed out of the market or sidelined into adapting their passion to fit their funds. This can often manifest itself in people kit-bashing figures from scratch, using available parts from other figures. I’m sure most readers are aware that many military or base standard figures often come with an ‘accidental’ celebrity likeness, which can help no end in creating that elusive figure you have coveted for years. Alternatively you can try buying a standalone head-sculpt from any of the myriad of small companies out there, these are sometimes offered in painted and unpainted versions, and the level of finish and quality is usually reflected in the price. Then there is also a healthy though illegal trade in re-casts on the grey markets… which is basically artistic theft, so best avoided… if not reported!
The most important and indeed recognisable part of your kit-bashed figure will always be the head, so this is an area its worth pushing the boat out and striving to get the very best you can afford, which leads us nicely onto the subject matter here. This is the first head sculpt release from Modern Life, a company that started up in 2006 specialising in bespoke finely tailored 1/6th clothing. The equivalent of visiting a scaled down atelier de 1/6 vêtements in a cool little Parisian boutique. And by no fluke of coincidence Paris is in fact the home for this company, whose work has been so well regarded it came to the attention of a few of the big boy manufactures, meaning the tailoring of head designer Toria Casarro has been used on some production figures from the likes of Sideshow.
So being a young company with an eye for detail and quality I was intrigued when I found out they were releasing an original sculpted head. At the moment the only option is to purchase it unpainted, and as I haven’t attempted to paint a figure since I was about 12, I concluded I should take a look at this in its raw state, just the way you will receive it from Modern Life.
So, the three categories I can realistically score this release in are packaging, sculpting and value. I shall be using the Crawford Scale to critique this item, an internationally recoginised gauge of excellence… well, I’m in the UK and I use it regularly enough so why not! ☺
Packaging **
It's a head sculpt in a box, but to be fair I didn't expect them to produce a box, so it's a bonus. Its a relatively simple affair, predominantly red, with the product designation and company logo (quite a nice little bit of typography). The head comes bagged inside with shredded paper to protect it. Nothing greound breaking, but at least it ensures the product will arrive undamaged!
Sculpting ****
The colour/finish of the material used is like a fine alabaster, giving it a classical renaissance feel in its unpainted form. The thing that struck me upon opening it up (apart from the likeness) was the deep crisp casting. The fine quality of the molding is superb, with no burrs or rough patches that will need cutting back or fine sanding. Instead we get an expertly rendered cast that manages to capture some convincing texture on the skin, and some deep detailing on things like the way the hair is formed, sweeping back with naturalistic curves and the convincing shadows cast by the nostrils, a small detail admittedly, but its an outstanding one!
Lets face it, all the detail in the world don’t amount to a hill of beans without a good likeness… and this is a very good likeness. However this is not advertised as being any particular character/actor, and the fact of the matter is this is a head-sculpt that could be utilized on any number of bashes, and as a generic representation of an adult males head it looks natural and is beautifully crafted. That said, you’d be hard pressed to think this was anyone other than Henry Cavill, the British actor who earlier this year managed to fill the very large boots that Christopher Reeve (and rather more forgettably Brandon Routh) had left vacant. From any angle this is undoubtedly the guy that has become Superman to a whole new generation. And as is befitting that status in the year 2013, as an actor his physique is more ripped and his features more chiseled than any donning the infamous red cape before him… this was a hero for the new millennium we could possibly believe in!
So, I really shouldn’t be reviewing this as a likeness to Cavill, and as a generic sculpt it would garner a four star mark easily… but lets face it I have to take that likeness into account, but even then I just have to reward it the same full score! However I must add that the one thing I am dying to see is this head receive the paint application it deserves, as in the right hands I think this could really sing!
Value ***
This is a tough one for me, as I’m not usually in the market for loose head-sculpts, especially unpainted ones, so I had to do a little online research. I found unsurprisingly that there is a big disparity in price between the mainstream releases available readily from online retailers and eBay through to the low edition casts, often made to order or commissioned by small co-operatives of individual collectors.
It would seem that a mainstream head will cost you anything from a few dollars up to just over a hundred bucks (if its considered rare and desirable enough) and a low edition piece made by a named sculptor can likewise demand incredible amounts, with many desirable pieces that are ‘decommissioned’ fetching huge sums on the grey aftermarket.
I think the asking price of $54 seems to be in the right ballpark for a small independent company on a such a low production run piece, who lets face it need to make a return so they can finance future productions. The biggest challenge to this sculpt will come when Hot Toys finally release their official Man of Steel figure… but even then, this could make a great swap out head if you want to either paint it with glowing red laser eyes, or perhaps even drill the eyes out and fit some LED’s (which I’m assured is perfectly doable… but not by a electronically challenged klutz like me).
The official price also reflects the fact that this has been made in such a very low edition size, with a mere 100 being made available to the public. However it might be worth a re-release with some stubble/beard growth to represent Clark in his wilderness years, it would be a relatively easy bash that could stand well alongside the Hot Toys releases.
So, ultimately the price here is as I said fair, though not exactly a bargain, but if you are looking to put together a Clark Kent figure, or even attempt to build your own Supes from the ground up on a budget, this could just answer your prayers.
I hope the quality displayed here can move forward onto a great many other releases in the future… and I kind of hope they go more leftfield or cult classic… as a Rick Deckard, Dr Peter Venkman, classic 1988 John McLane or a100% nailed Raiders Indy would be a big money spinner!
Where to buy-
You can order this direct from Modern Life https://www.modernlife-ml.com/ for $54 + $6 shipping or try Direct Collectables https://www.directcollectables.co.u...inted-modern-life-visage-collection-1-6-scale in the UK who are also stocking it for £34.99. My old ‘supplier’ from back in the day Kidult Toyshop https://www.kidulttoyshop.com/ are also stocking it for the Asian markets (but will ship world wide) and for North American buyers your best bet is to buy direct from Modern Life or try eBay where its available from their ‘official’ eBay trader Festina730 https://www.ebay.com/usr/festina730
