12" Zizzle Jack Sparrow custom progress

[figuremaster_les]

Yeah that looks awesome! Makes me really regret passing on the Zizzle Jack in the store. But since they still had some last I checked I'll definitely go back and pick one up.
So other then the head and hat, what else is from the Zizzle figure on your custom?
Also does the head need any modifications to transplant the head to a BBI body? what about the hands?

Zizzle parts: Head, hat, clothing, gun, belts.
Other parts: hair bits, sword and scabbard, BBI regular body, BBI 3.5 neck, ? brand hands (I liked the wrist rotary posts and made them fit the BBI wrist)

What I did/am doing:

In this case it was a matter of what body was gonna be best for what I wanted in a Jack figure. I am partial to Sideshow bodies (obvious but true plug for the site here ), but, in this case they wouldn't work as they are too tall for one thing, and I needed to adapt that Zizzle head. Once removed it has a strange, single, hollow plug that only allows for rotary movement, demanding a good base rotary neck joint. You can take apart the Zizzle body, remove the neck, and trim it down and glue it to a standard single rotary neck post like Sideshow or Dragon etc., have...
But, I wanted that weird neck thing Depp does, where his body leans and his head can sort of look like he's a tad drunk looking, ie. His character! That reverse pivot thing. Looks funnier.

So, the only neck I thought might work was on a BBI regular body, but using a BBI bodybuilder neck with the alternate ballmount top post also.

Sizewise, the standard BBI body is not that big, and a larger BBI or other brand might not work. So I went with a standard one.
Plus, the standard BBI has the forearms with the tighter muscles, and the tattoo looks a bit more real on them.

So, I trimmed down the upper BBI neckpost flare (sorry, no in progress pics...didn't occur to me...) so it would fit snugly up into the Zizzle Jack head, allowing some rotary positioning, while the bottom of the neck swivels too, and viola! Jack's wild neck.

All that just to explain the neck...

The rest is the clothing from the Zizzle repainted. The white shirt is crudely dyed with tan to dirty it some. The buckles are all repainted as are the belts. Repainted the gun and added a sword scabbard from a Dragon Jean figure with accompanying dirtied up sword (which all fits in the Zizzle sword belt to a T!).
Much better.

I may replace the pants with darker ones, or dye them, and am making the boots from scratch leather bits, so they have the folded down Pirate boots look.
That's about it so far. Need to take the Zizzle coat and dirty it so it isn't so dark black.

Oh, added real hair bits to the top of the head and tips of the beard, and will add a few more up underneath existing hair to look like more dreads and some more real hair to fill out that gap between the head and shoulders some...

And repainted the hat.

I think that's all...

Takes a lot of time, that's for sure! Not a simple repaint.
And no, I would probably only repaint a Medicom. I think. Although...without one in hand, I can't know for sure. It has nice boots though!

 

[Customikey]

It's fantastic work!! This is what I love about this hobby. The cobbling and the repainting and the discovery of new things to add....

It's like watching magic on slow motion.

 

[screamingmetal]

No progress shots needed, that explains quite a bit. Thanks!
I'm surprised that much of the Zizzle figure still remains. The belt buckles looked like they were made from a soft plastic in the package, did they take paint very well?

 

[figuremaster_les]

All the parts paint up really easily. I am glad. The belt buckles change up fast with a good coat of Burnt Umber then whatever color needed, be it Gold or Brass or Copper or Silver or whatever. I make my own Copper by the way with red and gold.
I usually add some black or Burnt Umber to the metallic paints first, paint that on fairly liberally, then come back and drybrush the pure colors on that for a metallic sheen. Works great! And do not overcoat metallics! They have a sheen all their own without a glosscoat.

Plus, I have noted that any waterbased metallic works like a dream on a Burnt Umber base. Even if the metallic is not completely opaque but a bit seethough. Layers. It's all just creative layering. Try it!

BTW, someone fussed at me for giving away all my "trade secrets"....what secrets?! These are simple parlor tricks guys. Smoke and mirrors! Anyone can do this stuff. Practice on some spare parts and stuff. Just have a good bottle of Burnt Umber handy. It is my base color of choice. Alone it looks like old Dirty brass. Amazing color to work with. Wash it on black plastic parts and immediately they look aged. Hair, belts, anything. Then come back and drybrush your other colors on it.

 

[sunohc]

wow, that's incredible with what you've done with it.
makes me wanna change my zizzle jack sparrow
and turner

 

[figuremaster_les]

Working on Turner as we speak!
Jack's almost done. Got his boots done last night. Totally leather. Even fold down. Got to finish his pants then get the shots without the coat on, then I'll put all that on (I prefer him in the coat...) and get shots of that.
Close!

And thanks for all the kind words so far guys.

 

[sunohc]

did you make the boots yourself of get the boots from newline miniatures.
I remember there was a discussion like this on OSW and there was an exact boot you could get.. Hm....

 

[drbrad1975]

That's the best looking Jack Sparrow that I have been besides the cinemaquette!!! Holy snikees!!! Great work as usual. I love you Conan that you did a while back. Did that figure come up on eBay? For some reason I recall one going up on eBay like yours but my memory can't recall exactly the correct details. What paints do you use? Acrylic? What brand and where to you get them?

Cheers,

Brad

 

[AZN_Collector]

 

[drbrad1975]

Wow!!

I forgot about that Kojun. I have not seen the movie, which outfit is more accurate? They are almost completely different from one another. Kojun's is fantastic but I still like Les' figure. Is Kojun's a complete sculpt from scratch? Does anyone have any other pictures of his work?

Cheers,

Brad

 

[AZN_Collector]

https://blog.naver.com/kojun0422

 

[figuremaster_les]

That Kojun's an inspiration for any customizer to be sure!

His is the first movie version of Jack. Note the pants color is more bluish, less brown, black swordbelt with solid buckle, less dreads in the hair (AMAZING hair and beadwork!!!), and the bandana dips down over his eyebrows more. That moves around a lot in both films, but it was this way more often in #1.
It also looks like a reworked Medicom base figure to me. May be off in some places, but a lot of that is Medicom parts and clothes???
Terrific figure overall!

Mine is very much a movie #2 version, due to the Zizzle source figure.
I have made my boots from scratch. I got some 1/6 leather boots that were very close shapewise, and trimmed off any inaccurate details, then made the fold down tops out of soft pleather, and they really fold up or down, and painted all that to match the screen shots I have seen.
The rest is all reworked Zizzle costume and parts. No reason to change that except for the sword (God that Zizzle sword sucks!), scabbard and Boots. The rest is very good base stuff actually, repainted. Oh, and hair. Haven't done as much hair and beads as the Kojun one for sure, but I have added some to this one so he looks better than he did at least.

Oh, I do stand by my repaint of the face and arms though. I do have a lot of facial detail on mine. Insane details there. Why? I don't know....because they are there?

Pics to come of that VERY soon! Almost done! Within a day for sure!

 

[Gruff Old Bear]

What paints do you use? Acrylic? What brand and where to you get them?

It seems Les is busy setting up shots or finishing Will Turner (and I guess it's late in Georgia), but in his very first post on this board he mentioned that he only uses Model Master Acrylics.

Click on his username, click find all posts by, and you'll find a wealth of information awaiting.

Les, when you read this...just know that you're a genius and with this figure you're not only the best thing that's happened to Zizzle but the worst thing that's happened to Medicom...

 

[figuremaster_les]

OK, at long last, I am pretty much done.
If there are any comments that I need to address after this I still can (I may dirty up his coat a bit more and might still add some longer dreads),
but this Jack's pretty much done. I have reworked every single segment of the figure. From his body, to his head and neck, to every accessory and piece of costuming. Everything got repainted and/or reworked. Tiring custom. I really hope I am finished with it!

So, anyway, first up...

The parts used so far...

You can see everything in this figure here.

Here is the head mount I came up with... That spindle piece pivots as does the neck base...

Here is one of the boots I made from a leather boot and a pleather top flap...it is very soft and pliable, both upper and lower parts of the boot...

So, here are my first FINISHED shots...

Hope he holds up to scrutiny.
Forgive some of the shots. For now, I do not have the best camera for good closeups, but that is changing soon.

Otherwise....Enjoy!

Oh, and I use Model Master Acrylic Enamels only!

 

[Brent72]

HOLY CRAP! That last one looks like Depp posing for a promo pic.

 

[pjam]

Les, when you read this...just know that you're a genius and with this figure you're not only the best thing that's happened to Zizzle but the worst thing that's happened to Medicom...

Not for me Gruff, although the Medicom Jack will need a repaint, especially around the eyes. I'll keep him because his outfit (including jacket) and weaponry is the best out there so the rest will take care of itself.

I've read on Adam's site, Dark Shadows Collectibles, that the Medicom Jack was developed in conjuction with Master Replicas...

BEAUTIFUL, LES! CONGRATS, HE LOOKS GREAT!

 

[Gruff Old Bear]

Not for me Gruff, although the Medicom Jack will need a repaint, especially around the eyes. I'll keep him because his outfit (including jacket) and weaponry is the best out there so the rest will take care of itself.

I'll be keeping him too, and without regret. (Which is good because I don't think I can cancel!) But man, that repaint Les did sure is something!

 

[pjam]

I'll be keeping him too, and without regret. (Which is good because I don't think I can cancel!) But man, that repaint Les did sure is something!

Yes, absolutely gorgeous and not easy to do with such artistry, why I am such a diehard Les fan and now friend. I'm hoping for similar results with my Med Jack at some point, hopefully...

 

[figuremaster_les]

Please stop posting those eight pics of the wonderful Kojun custom here, because for one, I do not like to compete with other artists, nor wish to, and his figure has a thread, "POTC 12" Jack Sparrow" and the way those pictures have been repeatedly put here, makes it unclear what comments folks are saying about mine.

Please address my Zizzle custom here if you would be so kind.
I could actually use the constructive criticisms from you guys.
I'd love to get Kojun's too for that matter! I too think his work is amazing and have said so in his thread.

Thanks,
Les

Oh, and thanks Pjam and Gruff! I appreciate it guys!

 

[pjam]

Hey Les, I just wanted to say I especially dig the shot with Jack holding the bottle, so much character illustrated there and that pose captures it so well.

Also that closeup shot of the boots repaint blew me away because the way you have textured them makes it them appear so much like real natural leather I could almost smell that soft leather from here!

Thanks so much for sharing and posting progress updates, I love these kind of custom in progress threads, so cool...