On his Facebook page, Troy McDevitt describes his business, The McDevitt Studio, as “a magical place. For the past several years, I’ve laid a lump of clay out on my workbench before going to bed at night and in the morning, someone has used it to sculpt a brand new statue! This is where all my cake toppers and other sculpts have come from.

“Once, my wife and I hid in the closet and we saw that it was, in fact, two adorable little elves that sneak in and create these wonderful little sculpts for us as we sleep. She suggested that, as a way of repaying them, we should make them some little pants and shirts and shoes, since they were barefoot and the clothes they wore were all dirty and tattered. It was getting very, very cold outside and she felt this was the least we could do for all that they’ve done for us.

Troy McDevitt's sculpture of the electrifying lady in "Charge!" is based on a painting by artist Aly Fell. Click for a larger view.

“I told her to keep her stupid suggestions to herself and that the cold air would help keep them awake. Call for pricing!”

Plainly, Troy approaches his work with a sense of humor and his work reflects it. Just look at one of his latest pieces, “Charge!”, a licensed 1/6 scale reproduction of a painting from British artist Aly Fell. Commissioned by Marc Havican of Space City Resin, “Charge!” is a perfect translation of the artwork into three dimensions, a wonderful sculpture that’s both sexy and funny.

The McDevitt family.

Troy, 38, lives in Concord, N.C., with his wife, Stephanie; daughter, Lexi, 8; and son Tanner, 5. Running The McDevitt Studio is his full-time job. “This is all I’ve got,” he says, “and if I can’t make it work, I’m screwed because I have no other skills.”

Most of his work until recently has been garage kits and one-of-a-kind pieces, but he has gradually been doing more prepaint statues for different companies. “I look at it as a sign that my work has improved and I’m finally able to produce the kind of work that some of the larger companies require.”

So far, Troy has worked with Bowen Designs, ARH Studios, Reel Art Studios, Resin Pimps, Dark Carnival, and several independent kit producers and private collectors.

“My primary focus is, of course, the sculpting, but I think you have to be able to do it all to survive and even prosper in this hobby,” he says. “You need to be able to mold and cast your own work and at least be a little more than proficient at painting, for one-of-a-kind pieces and paint masters for prepaint statues. Honestly though, I enjoy the end results of painting, but I wish I was able to spend 100 percent of my time sculpting. It’s what I’m passionate about and it’s the thing that pays the bills (most of the time).”

Q&A WITH TROY McDEVITT

Resin the Barbarian: You sculpt, you paint, you make molds, you make castings. What’s the history here? What came first, what led to what?

Genghis Khan, done for ARH Studios.

Troy: I played around with Super Sculpey for a few years (nothing worth showing), but professionally, I started off doing one-of-a-kind custom wedding cake toppers from 2003 to 2007. On the side I was doing my own little sculpts based on things that interested me (superheroes, sci-fi, fantasy), and I wanted to be able to make copies, so I started finding out as much as I could about molding and casting. A big portion of that came from the forums, some from misc. sources online, and the rest from Smooth-On.

RtB: You did a terrific mold-making tutorial that’s “stickied” at the Clubhouse. What’s your history as a maker of molds and castings? How did you learn it, and who have you taught?

Troy: Well, I’m pretty much self-taught, in that, I didn’t actually have someone on hand to show what to do and not to do. Advice from pros is great, but ultimately you just gotta get the equipment and jump in. The downside to this, is that you’re gonna make a LOT of mistakes, but really, that’s how you learn and continue to evolve. My early attempts were pretty horrendous, but after a lot of trial and error, I finally got the hang of it. I can’t say that I’ve specifically taught anyone, but i’ve given a lot of tips and tricks along the way, just as early on, others helped me.

RtB: You have more than 350 Facebook friends. How many have you actually met in real life?

Troy: Out of 350? Maybe one-fourth. I gotta say though, that’s no longer that important to me (meeting someone in person, I mean). I’ve made some real, honest friendships online with people I’ve only talked to on the phone or corresponded with through e-mail, and I feel just as connected with them as some of my friends that I regularly hang out with. There are things, like sculpting, that I can ONLY talk with my online friends about, and I think that’s pretty cool.

RtB: Who’s your hero?

Troy's 2008 Christmas gift to his daughter, based on the artwork of Tony Diterlizzi, illustrator for "The Spiderwick Chronicles".

Troy: Yeesh! Okay, it’s hard to name just one individual, so I’ll list the main ones: My dad for starters. We’ve got a few differences, but overall, we’re so alike it’s eerie. He’s just an awesome, fun guy and he’s really my first big artistic influence.

Frazetta opened my eyes in a way that, artistically, I don’t think think anyone else has since. When they were in cowboy gear, John Wayne and Clint Eastwood were the most badass, macho guys on the planet and I wanted so bad to be just like them (still do).

This is going to sound funny but, Arnold Schwarzenegger is up there as well, but not for the reason you might think. My admiration solely stems from his attitude, perseverance and determination. You look at where he came from, and then look at what he did over the next 50 years. I think he’s a great example of goal-setting and hard work.

There are also tons of sculptors out there that I’m in absolute awe of, but I don’t want to list a bunch of names for fear of leaving out someone important. The one single person I will name though is Tony Cipriano. It’s been my great pleasure to get to know Tony fairly well over the past few years and I think they broke the mold with that guy. He’s a hell of a nice guy, honest, extremely generous with tips and advice and as far as I’m concerned, one of the best sculptors in the biz, hands down.

RtB: You’re a father, correct? I’m going by the photos of the superheroic boy on your Facebook page. Does fatherhood affect your approach to sculpting? Do you pick any projects because you figure your kid might be impressed, or reject any?

Troy: It’s so corny to say, but my kids are the greatest thing that ever happened to me. They’re absolutely awesome and they continually surprise me with their intelligence, humor and creativity. I basically made half of my studio their workspace, and the three of us work together quite a lot. I can’t say that I’ve rejected any projects because of them, but I’m definitely more keen to take on a particular subject if it happens to be something that one of them is really into.

RtB: What can you tell me about your cake toppers?

One of Troy's custom wedding cake toppers.

Troy: They were fun for a while, but gradually, couples got further away from fun, creative concepts like the karate couple where the bride is flipping the groom over her shoulder, and more into standard tux and bridal gown pieces in dull, old-hat poses. It became almost cookie-cutter after awhile, and to be honest, it was never really my interest. I did the toppers because, (A) there was plenty of business, (B) I knew it would help me become a better sculptor, and (C) I just wasn’t a good enough sculptor to do anything else at that point. Looking back, it was one of the best things, career-wise, I ever did for myself. It taught me how to work fast, hit deadlines and work with customers. That being said, the only other wedding cake toppers I plan on making will be for both of my kids’ weddings.

RtB: Not being a sculptor myself, I’m just becoming aware of the hubbub surrounding Zbrush, 3d printing and that kind of thing. How do you feel about the digital influence on sculpting? Is it something you’ve done yourself, or do you intend to? Why or why not?

Troy: Boy, this is THE question out there isn’t it? Me and my buds discuss this quite a lot, with very different opinions. Here’s my take on it. I don’t have any problem with digital sculpting and I’m attempting to learn it myself. I really look at it as a tool, and it’s all about the person wielding that tool. I’ve seen lots of digital sculptors who have the tools, and the skill to pull off a well-executed statue, but lack the creativity to do something dynamic and worthy of $100 or more.

That being said, it’s not something I’m looking forward to doing a lot of, if I can help it. Most of my life, I’ve been a graphic designer, and one of the reasons i got out of that was because I was tired of sitting in front of a keyboard all day. There’s something about having the clay in your hands and physically pushing and pulling the sculpt that you just can’t replicate with a computer. Obviously the advantages of computer sculpting are huge and I won’t go into all of them here. It’s definitely the future of sculpting, but I don’t think it’s going to completely eliminate traditional sculpting. Sure, some companies may make the switch completely, but there are lots of talented sculptors out there, and lots of people and companies who want statues and don’t really care how they’re done. If you’re good, you’ll find work for many years to come.

Actor Jorge Garcia, rear, with Troy McDevitt's sculpture of Hurley from "Lost".

RtB: The “Lost” caricatures you did for Titan Find seem to have gone over well. Are you a fan of the show? I confess I’ve never seen it.

Oh yeah, I love “Lost” (despite the fact that it’s over now). It’s a subjective thing, so not everybody is into it, but isn’t that the case with everything? I just found the characters so unique and compelling, I felt the overwhelming urge to sculpt them. I started off with Hurley and Sawyer and I’m trying to finish up Locke now. John, the owner of Titan Find, and I are hoping that, even though the show is over, once Locke comes out, there will still be enough interest to continue the line. Guess we’ll have to wait and see though!

RtB: You’ve done some unabashed caricatures and comical pieces, some hard-chiseled comic-style characters, and lots more. It’s rare that I can look at someone’s work and take note of such diverse things. For example, your Genghis Khan is just all kinds of bad. Tons of details, weapons, armor … a jaw dropper for fans like me. The Frazetta Dracula meets the Wolfman looks like the painting come to life, as does the “Charge!” Bride you recently completed. Then there’s the Clint Eastwood figure … I recognized him immediately, but I had to stare at the photo a while to appreciate how stylized the proportions are. The Hackman Lex Luthor … dunno what it is about that one, but I grin every time I look at it.

Ummm … was there a question there? Yeah, yeah, I was going to ask which of your sculptures reflects YOUR taste. What would you spend most of your time doing if you were working purely to please yourself?

By the way, I think my favorite of your pieces is the Wolverine vs. the ninjas. That giant idol base is just too cool for words.

Troy: Wow ……… what would I spend most of my time doing? To be honest, it’s all about how much the sculpt excites me, and what kind of challenge it is. Sculpting one particular type of subject, no matter what it is, sounds incredibly boring to me. For me, it’s all about improving, and as long as the sculpt I’m working on leads to that, it’s enjoyable. I’m a big fan of expressive faces, so that’s always something I try to capture. A bad face will always ruin an otherwise great sculpt in my opinion. Other than that, the things that excite me are those subjects that I haven’t really explored enough, or at all. I want to add a lot more women to my portfolio, as well as some monsters (classic and original), dinosaurs, and a lot more portraits just in general.

One of the key things I’m focusing on now is getting away from the more cartoony aspect that so many of my past sculpts have had, and working towards more realistic pieces. It’s been difficult, because I always find myself wanting to slide back into that habit, but I think the Genghis Khan piece I did for ARH Studios and the Wolfman vs. Dracula piece for ReelArt Studios was the first indication that I was heading in the right direction. I think you’ll see a lot more of that in all of my future work.

Like I said before though, I really do love superheroes, sci-fi, fantasy, monsters …….. just weird and nerdy stuff in general, so that will probably continue to dominate most of my portfolio for years to come. Thanks also for the kind words regarding the Wolverine vs. ninjas piece. It was another one of those challenges that I put before myself, and in the end, i was pretty happy with how it came out. It wasn’t by any means the greatest Wolverine statue out there, but at the very least, I felt that it was unique in the Wolverine garage kit universe.

RtB: What degree of artistic freedom are you used to when you work on projects? I presume it varies depending on the client, but can you tell me how widely it can vary? Are you used to clients providing you with detailed illustrations and instructions? Do you get people saying “I just want a cool werewolf”?

Troy: The greatest clients in the world are the ones who are fans of your work, and are happy with whatever you come up with. They’re hard to come by, but when you find those clients, there’s nothing better and more often than not, you end up becoming friends.

The next best clients are the ones that let you know what kind of look they like, and give you a general idea of what they’re looking for, but ultimately, let you conceptualize the piece. The worst clients are the one’s that THINK they’re giving you a lot of creative freedom, but end up micro-managing the entire project throughout, which ultimately makes the sculptor lose all interest in the project and results in an inferior piece. I always us the example of hiring a famous chef for your restaurant, and then coming in the kitchen and telling him, throughout each step, how he should make his Chicken Parmesan. If you’re looking for someone to recreate a picture EXACTLY as it is, that’s totally fine, just make that clear up front. If you’re coming to me saying that you want a cool Batman statue, giving me creative freedom, and then continue to tweak it throughout the process, you’re doing yourself, and the sculptor, a big disservice.

This isn’t to say that the client shouldn’t be able to offer their opinion, or make some suggestions along the way, but in the end, let the sculptor do what he or she does best. I’ve seen many, many sculpts that started off as amazing, and, with the help of constant tweaking, ended up as complete duds.

Bowen Designs' Man-Ape, a Marvel Comics character in a crazy costume. Is that redundant?

Presumably, if you’ve hired a sculptor to do something for you, you’ve looked at his previous work. If that’s the case, you need to have some faith that he (or she) is going to do their best to create something equally as good for you, but you can only do that by stepping back and letting them work. Up-front communication, between both the sculptor and the client, is ABSOLUTELY key with any commission. I’ve had one or two control freaks along the way, but by far, the vast majority of my clients have provided me with almost total creative freedom. It’s for those people that I give 100 percent and will do everything in my power to make sure they’re satisfied in the end.

RtB: Do you ever get a commission and struggle to keep a straight face while you work on it? I ask this while looking at your photo of what I presume is a Marvel Comics character, a very angry-looking, muscular fellow wearing some kind of white ape costume. I don’t know who that is, but hoo! what an outfit!

Troy: Ha! See, that’s one of the funny things in this hobby that I love so much! I think each of us has this sacred cow mentality in terms of certain subjects that other people look at as something completely ridiculous. The piece you’re referring to is Man-Ape, a villain from Marvel Comics. Of course, he’s ludicrous, but I was first introduced to him and a universe of equally silly characters when I was a kid, and at the time, they didn’t seem ridiculous whatsoever. To a preteen, these guys make total sense, especially in the right story, but seeing them for the very first time as an adult, usually induces quite a different reaction. Look at all the monster guys who love the drive-in movie creatures from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. The vast majority of them are absolutely preposterous, but it doesn’t diminish our nostalgic love of the character. We’re still seeing it through our 10-year-old eyes.

I guess one of the other things i feel pretty strongly about as well, is the ability to take a silly, or ridiculous subject and somehow make it cool and dynamic. It’s never difficult to make a Hulk sculpt look cool ….. ’cause he’s the Hulk. Now lets see you take Ronald McDonald and make something worthwhile. That’s the real challenge! As long as the client allows me to really run with the concept and do something unique and exciting, there are very few subjects that I work on while rolling my eyes.

RtB: Would you like to add anything else?

Troy: I’d just like to thank you for this opportunity Todd, it really means a lot to me. There are so many guys out there, new and old, that absolutely blow my socks off, and being asked to do an interview is a real honor. I love this hobby, and the people in it, and there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. I’ve been very, very lucky these past few years and the future continues to look pretty bright. You’re going to see a lot more variety from me over the next year and I appreciate all the support and encouragement I continue to get from friends and fans alike. For all the new guys looking to break in, all I can say is, make some goals, stay focused, be your own worst critic, lose the ego, and work, work, work!

Check out these happy faces shaped by Robert Blair: Jack the Ripper, Crookneck, Alice and the Demon of the Harvest.

Robert Blair's version of the little wooden liar.

Look at the faces on some of these characters. Demon of the Harvest. Crookneck. Jack the Ripper. Even little Alice, concealing silverware as she awaits Humpty Dumpty’s fall. The characters look so happy, and they’re all obviously so nasty.

Welcome to the worlds of Robert Blair, a sculptor who knows our childhood fantasies are only a breath away from our childhood nightmares.

The Cheshire Cat.

A craftsman shapes wood into a boy, and that creation magically comes to life. Would this child be the sweet but musically mischievous rascal Walt Disney envisioned, or would he be Robert Blair’s creaky, splintery, grasping monster? I liked the cartoon version when I was younger, but now I get a bigger kick out of the chiller Robert calls Gepetto’s Nightmare.

Robert’s work is so familiar, yet so different. His Garden Gnome has the beard, tall hat and outfit you expect, but this little guy is dangerous. His Nosferatu shares the bald pate, long nails and robe of all Max Schrek figures, but it creaks with extra age, malice, and long, weird arms. You wish his Cheshire Cat would turn invisible so you wouldn’t have to look at that nasty, wrinkled thing.

Robert Blair, 53, lives in Aylmer, Quebec, a small town just outside Ottawa. He worked as a hairstylist for 32 years, but retired from that. In addition to sculpting, he molds and casts, and produces his works, available to fans through his website, blairsculpture.ca. He has also painted most of his own pieces.

To date, Robert has primarily sculpted horror and comic kits. “I can proudly say most of my works are original concepts or my own takes on comic book characters,” he says.

His wife created and maintains his website.

Q&A WITH ROBERT BLAIR

Resin the Barbarian: Are you as fascinated with the macabre and the humorous as your work suggests? If so, could you say how this came about?

Robert: Well, I suppose you could say I have a certain fondness for the dark side. I’ve always found it a lot more interesting. I particularly enjoy sculpting pieces like Gepetto’s Nightmare or the Alice figures because I suppose I get a certain sick pleasure in taking children’s fairy tale characters and twisting them into murderous psychopaths.

Robert Blair and his wife plan to travel from their home near Ottawa to Louisville, Ky., for this year's WonderFest.

RtB: Many of your creations strike me as thoroughly evil yet very happy characters. Demon of the Harvest and Crookneck are good examples, as are the Demons of Dance I wrote about in 2006. I get the idea that these are folks who enjoy a good joke. Is this something you do intentionally?

Robert: Yes. I feel there is nothing creepier than a creature with a sinister smile. You just know there is evil lurking behind that smile.

RtB: The sculptures that capture my eye are usually very stylized. Even if the character is familiar, the execution isn’t what I conventionally expect, which is part of why I admire it so. Would you say that this is helpful or a hindrance to your efforts to expand your career as a sculptor?

Robert: Well in one way it is a hindrance as far as making a living at it. I am very well aware that “original” concepts do not sell as well as movie figures or comic characters. On the flipside it is very helpful to me because I can create my own characters or sculpt well-known comic and movie characters with my own twist to them. I find it far more gratifying to sculpt what interests me. I work much better that way, and I am a lot happier for it. In the past, when I tried to sculpt figures that other people wanted, but that I was not really interested in doing, it wasn’t fun anymore. It was more like a job, and if I’m going to sculpt, I have to have creative freedom in order to enjoy it, or what’s the point?

RtB: I know little of sculpting and even less about styling hair, so please forgive me if this is particularly ignorant. To me, the image of a salon (correct term?) is bright and chatty, while sculpting is solitary and, your work often suggests, fairly dark. Is this a fair characterization? Are any similar skills required to succeed at both?

Robert: Well, I suppose you could say that they are both artistic, so they both employ the same side of the brain. Both involve working with your hands and your eyes. But yes, a salon is a much more sociable work environment. However, while my sculpting may be dark, I feel there’s also a lot of humour in my sculptures, and I don’t take things too seriously.

Robert Blair's Mr. Hyde.

RtB: Am I correct in seeing a hint of Fredric March in your Mr. Hyde sculpture? Or is that just something I brought to it myself?

Jack the Ripper, painted by Jim Capone.

Robert: To be honest with you I have never seen the Fredric March Hyde movie. My Hyde is something I came up with on my own.

RtB: Did anyone serve as the “model” for your Jack the Ripper?

Robert: No, I just referenced some old late 1800s photos for him.

RtB: When you decide to do an original creation, what creative impulse would you say is the one that drives you most? What do you hope you’ll end up with, and what impression do you hope it gives others?

Robert: That depends on the piece. With Gepetto’s Nightmare what I wanted was something exactly the opposite of the popular Disney version. I believe the original story was actually a lot darker. But instead of Pinocchio the good little wooden boy created by Gepetto, I wanted this Pinocchio-gone-wrong. Here Gepetto is whittling away creating a wooden boy out of a small log, but the Pinocchio is totally twisted and very sinister, not only in his appearance but his body language as well. I like to give my pieces a dark sinister appeal with a twist of humour thrown in.

With knife and fork concealed behind her back, Robert Blair's version of Alice seems to have more sinister motives than Lewis Carroll depicted in "Through the Looking Glass".

RtB: You seem to enjoy creating your own versions of very familiar characters. In addition to Hyde and the Ripper, you’ve done the Blairstein, Pinocchio and a fun depiction of Humpty Dumpty and Alice in Wonderland. Could you say what Robert Blair’s version of Dracula would look like? Or perhaps Robert Blair’s Fairy Godmother?

A Symphony of Horror, Robert Blair's Nosferatu.

Robert: I have never given either of those characters any thought, to tell you the truth. I really couldn’t tell you right now.

RtB: Do you have any other major occupations or interests?

Robert: Well I like hockey, NFL football and I fish as much as I can. I love old movies, especially the old Charlie Chan, Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce), Mr Moto, Mr Wong and The Thin Man series.

RtB: Who would you say is your biggest fan, and why?

Robert: Well, I’d like to say my mother…but she’s dead. My dog, maybe?

RtB: WonderFest approaches. Do you attend that or other shows?

Robert: As a matter of fact my wife and I are going to WonderFest this year for the first time. We are really looking forward to meeting fellow sculptors and people in the industry, as well as the three or four fans I’ve acquired over the decade. Thanks guys — you ROCK!

RtB: Anything you want to add?

Robert: Nope. Just thanks for the interview and your interest in my work.

George Lindsey, right, was very surprised when Bobby Horne gave him a customized "Goober" Mego.

For a lot of us, the concept of setting aside childish things just because we’ve grown up is alien. We want that child inside us to be there forever. For others, those “childish things” are naturally woven into the adults we become. I think Bobby Horne is one of those guys.

Bobby is almost 43 years old, all grown up and lives in mid-Tennessee. He has been married for 21 years to the “beautiful and understanding” Jennifer. Their three kids are Kirstie, 17, William, 12, and Endora, 6.

Bobby Horne, center, gives Bob Burns, left, a customized Mego while Dr. Gangrene watches.

He works as a graphic designer, “anything from sign work, computer graphics to woodworking. Years ago, I worked in a cabinet shop and never got the sawdust outta my blood.” Sort of like resin model kits, he said. “Once you start, you never really stop.”

Bobby is about two years younger than I, so I think we grew up enjoying some of the same stuff: G.I. Joe, Big Jim, that kind of thing. Maybe he read some of the same comics I did, and was just as thrilled when the Mego figures of comic characters (both Marvel and DC!) were introduced.

Today, through his Academy Art & Design, Bobby offers customized Megos, decals and plenty more. E-mail him at aadesign@nctc.com.

Q&A WITH BOBBY HORNE

Resin the Barbarian: What’s your own personal “toy story”? Megos seem to be your particular interest. Do you remember when you became a fan, and what figure first got your attention?

Bobby: My toy story goes as this: I can remember back when I was 5 years old and getting my first Mego figure. It was a removable mask Batman. This was the greatest thing I had ever saw. This ended up being a truly loved toy. It didn’t survive over the years; only parts of it.

Here’s a link for people that don’t know what Megos are: www.Megomuseum.com/

RtB: How did your interest in Megos, Big Jims, etc., translate from childhood into adulthood? Do you still have the toys you collected way back when, or did you go in search of it all again?

Bobby: A lot of my toys (Megos, Big Jim, Micronauts and comics) remain in my collection to this day. I guess I never really grew up. But when I discovered eBay in the ’90s, like many others, I began to add to my collection.

I always looked at the custom Mego stuff. These were the figures that Mego never made. Back then, there were only a few really good customizers that could get big money. I noticed a lot of extremely poor customs sold really well. I thought to myself ” I know I can do better”.

So, I started building a few custom Megos and they sold pretty good. But I wanted to add something more to my custom work. At this point in time, I had just got out of college and entered the sign business with a Fast Signs in Nashville, Tenn. I wanted to combine my work with my hobby. So, I started producing small decal sets. These were cut in vinyl. Instead of a waterslide or paper decal, now I could offer to the public something a little better.

The vinyl I use is six-year exterior grade. So, I knew this would hold up for hobbyists like me. I spent about three years perfecting my custom work. Everything including the artwork, box designs, molding and casting heads/parts, the right kinds of paper and glues.

There was some information on the net at that time, but a lot of trial and error was done. But that’s how you learn a craft or trade. It takes time. Fast-forward about 10 years or so. I noticed A LOT of people building and selling custom Megos. So, I  decided to branch out into other toy lines. Like Big Jim, G.I. Joe, Six Million Dollar Man, Evel Knievel and few others. This allowed me to reach thousands of other toy collectors. They ALL needed replacement decals for their collections. I was happy to help them out.

RtB: Have you figured out how to keep Megos together? Every one I ever owned fell apart within a few weeks. String holding on the arms and legs? Silly. My dad always did his best to put them back together with rubber bands or wire, but they never moved as well as they should have.

Bobby: Megos are pretty easy to restring. Of course, I say that AFTER I’ve restrung several hundred. When I was a kid, I didn’t have a clue either. Check the above link and browse around.

RtB: When did you start doing decals? What was your inspiration, what came first?

Bobby: I started in the mid-’90s. My first set was 1/25 Batmobile decals and some  Mego custom sets. They both came about the same time.

RtB: What tools do you use to create the decals? I’m curious about specific information here. What software do you use to do the decals? Are they scans or illustrations or what? Do you print them all at home or have them done elsewhere? Do you do the cards? Wrap them up in plastic yourself? Are they done on demand, or do you have a supply on hand?

Bobby: I design everything in the computer with CorelDraw. It’s the only program I use. I have different printers that I use. Mostly higher end, wide format.  I use these for the better print quality and the fact that when I print a box, it’s in one piece. I don’t use an off-the-shelf, cheap printer that only prints 8.5 inches wide. Those are OK, but you have to cut and paste the box parts together by hand. That takes time and the quality is lower, IMHO.

I have two plotters that I use. A small one to do one-color cuts. Like cutting the star for Captain America in white. The other one is a big VersaCam. These print with UV inks and die-cut the vinyl. Machines like this start at 10 grand and go up from there.

I use these types of plotters and printers to provide the very best product that I can. I want people to get quality for their hard-earned cash. But also I keep my pricing pretty low. I’ve been doing this for so long now, I know how to price accordingly.

I do keep a supply of decals cut, ready to ship. That’s because it’s cheaper to run a couple sets that to run one set.

RtB: What decals do you now have available, and how much do they cost?

Bobby: I have the following: custom Mego/superheroes, Big Jim, G.I. Joe/Action Man, Six Million Dollar Man, Evel Knievel, Polar Lights Batboat/Batcycle and a few others. Ninety percent of my sets start at $7. I don’t have a website, but anyone can e-mail me for details.

RtB: How about the customized Megos, such as the ones your pictures show of Dr. Gangrene and Bob Burns? Do you do all that work yourself?

I’m pretty ignorant here. Do you sculpt new heads for the figures or customize existing ones? What are they made of? Do you sew costumes, build the boxes, all that? Molding and casting?

Bobby: I do a lot of the work with my custom Megos. I do all of the box art, printing and building. The outfits are usually purchased from Doc Mego and

I rework them as needed. This could include a simple restich to tighten the suits or just using a lab coat to dress a figure. I’m not the greatest sculptor, so I find a head that’s pretty close to what I’m shooting for and rework it. The Dr. Gangrene head started out as a resin cast of the Mego Dr. McCoy.

Bobby Horne's custom Megos of Bob Burns and Tracy the Gorilla, the character Burns portrayed in the 1975 Saturday morning children's show "The Ghost Busters".

Now the Bob Burns and Tracy figures were a little different. I reworked some parts to make Bob. But Tracy is a 100 percent build. I sculpted the head, made a resin cast and built the body and suit. Bob was very pleased and that’s reward enough for me.

RtB: Do you have a particular interest in any specific Mego character or line of characters, or do you view them all as potential customizing material?

Bobby: I’ve always thought it was “open season” on all of the Mego characters. Several years ago, a customer asked me to build him some Spider-Man villains and secondary characters. When it was all said and done I sold him over 75 different customs with boxes. I also built him several Spider-Man villain resin kits. He was a VERY good customer.

RtB: You shared pictures of banners and signs made for CultTVMan and Resin Realities. Is that something you do a lot?

Bobby: Yeah, I still do a lot of sign work. Whatever the customer wants, I try to take care of him.

Steve/CultTVMan has been a real good customer over the years. Bless him. John/Resin Realites is like a brother. I’ve made A LOT of good friends over the years in the garage kit world. Some of the best people I’ve ever met and 99 percent of the time we only get to see each other once a year at WonderFest.

People like Dave Fisher, Terry Webb, Paul Schiola (another brother), John Tucky, Saul Alvarez, The Brothers in Resin, George Stephenson, Jesse/ResinPimps, Scott & Jane, Bob Burns, Tom Parker, the list goes on and on. If I’ve left anyone out, please don’t hate me.

RtB: I was at WonderFest in 2005 and saw part of your presentation to Bob Burns. Do you do that kind of thing often? Can you tell me more about what happened that day, and any other such events?

Bobby: I was contacted by Dr. Gangrene to see if I could produce something for Bob’s birthday. I had been working with Dr. Gangrene, producing his Mego figures, for a while. That got the ball rolling.

If I can do this sort of thing, I will. It’s a lot of work, but when I see the shock in someone’s eyes and hear the grateful tone of their “thank yous”, it’s more than worth it to me. I have to thank Dr. Gangrene for allowing me to be part of his act. It allowed me to get a little closer to Bob Burns, whom I’ve admired for a long time.

I produced a custom figure of George Lindsey as Goober from “The Andy Griffth Show”. I gave it to him at a small show a couple years ago. He stated,” Oh my God. Where did you buy this?” After I told him that I produce these type of figures and it was a gift to him as a sorta thank you for all of the years of enjoyment he had given my family, he just about broke down. In the pic, he let me wear his hat. Just too cool! George is a class act.

RtB: Have you seen Dr. Gangrene’s video with the Mego you gave him?

Bobby: Yeah, he sent me a link a while back. Fun STUFF. The Doc and his Nurse are good people. I love them both. His show at WonderFest really captures the “feel” of the old-time horror hosts. It’s really the same as when we were kids, except we’re all grown-up and have money to spend.

RtB: You produced a neat resin blank kit. Is that still available? Also, have you produced other model kits? I see a Den kit on eBay right now produced by Academy Art & Design, looks like your logo on the box.

Bobby: I still produce the MR. Blank kit. It was sculpted by Mikey B. A true master of of the male form. The Den kit is mine too. I sculpted the base, loincloth and added a MR. Blank kit. Pretty simple, but it works.

It’s not a model kit, but I did produce a bust add-on for female Mego bodies. It was sculpted by Chris Elizardo/ScultorForHire. He did a great job for me.

RtB: What are you working on now?

Bob Horne produces this MR. Blank resin model, sculpted by Mikey B.

Bobby: Wow. I have so many things that I want to produce. I’ve been working on a new resin-cast Mego body. Something that is a step above the standard body. A LOT more heroic looking. This is something that I will sell to other customizers.

I’m currently doing a lot of G.I. Joe/Action Man decals. I hope to add a CNC router to my shop the first of the year. My plan is to offer custom wood working to home builders. Something different, unique and affordable.

RtB: Anything else you’d like to add?

Bobby: It’s strange when I read back over everything. I’ve produced a lot of stuff over the years. It’s mostly been to help pay my bills. But I can look back at a few items that I worked on just for myself or close friends. Some of my custom Megos in my personal collection are based on Golden Age comics.

One year for Christmas I built the GEOmetric Mummy bust for my wife. The Universal Mummy is her favorite monster. I’ve built several custom Megos/kits for one of my best friends. But in the end, it’s about your family and friends. It don’t get any better than that.

A little unknown fact about me: I do most of the cooking and baking around the house. I can whip up a mean supper any night of the week. But my wife makes the best pies in the world.

The gray-vinyl kit at left is the later issue of the Michael Keaton Batman from "Batman Returns".

Darkened and contrasted this photo to help show the details.

Horizon Original’s Michael Keaton Batman from “Batman Returns” may be my favorite superhero kit. Sculpted by Steve Wang, it is a wonderfully dynamic portrayal of the Dark Knight produced by a great company. Plus, it’s vinyl, and despite my “Resin” blog name, vinyl is generally my preferred medium for garage kits.

This kit was made available twice, first in a nice large box, plenty of room for the kit, with some neat images from the movie (and by the way, despite my fondness for the costume, I didn’t think much of “Batman Returns”). The second issue was in a much smaller box and the parts are stuffed in.

I heard some time back that the second issue of the kit had a somewhat better likeness of Keaton, possibly because someone, somewhere, decided to soften some of Mr. Wang’s detail before releasing the kit first time around. I glanced at them to see if I could figure out what was different, but never really examined them until today.

Here’s my conclusion: It’s true, the second version of the kit does look better. It’s hard to tell because the first one is cast in a creamy vinyl that makes it difficult to see some of the detail, while the second is in a nice primer-colored gray. But the first one does look a little softer. There’s more of a sneer to the second one, possibly because the lips are a bit more full. Some details to the jowls are more defined as well.

The curve to the bat-ears, by the way, is not a difference between the two versions. It just reflects how much the second kit was stuffed into its box. I’ll have to heat those and straighten them up when I finally get around to building the kit.

Both versions are terrific, but the second looks a little better. Given the change in parts breakdown, though, I think it will also be harder to build.

Because they’re terrific figures. Really, possibly the best comic model kits ever made in styrene. They have all the terrific energy of the old Toy Biz Marvel Comics kits, but without the intimidation of poor-fitting parts. Plus, the Moebius kits are bigger. I spent a little while this evening poking through the boxes, test-assembling some parts, and was pleased.

These latest releases from Moebius Models, hot on the heels of the Universal Studios Karloff Mummy figure, help establish the company as one of the top producers of fantasy figure kits ever. Amazing. Thanks in large part to Moebius, hobbyists have available to them a steady flow of new kits of this kind, whereas only a few years ago it seemed that plastic fantasy figure kits were a thing of the past.

For the most part, I’m going to let my admittedly substandard photography do the talking here, because I think these kits speak for themselves. Without further ado:

The Green Goblin is available from Resin the Barbarian for $23.50 plus shipping. The case of Spider-Man kits was slightly mistreated; the kits should be fine but the boxes are bent up a bit. That one sells for $22 plus shipping. If you’re interested in either or both, please e-mail todd.powell@resinbarbarian.com. Make sure to include your shipping address.

Two faces by Mike Hill: Oliver Reed in "Curse of the Werewolf" (Mike's favorite sculpting subject) and Boris Karloff as Ardeth Bay in "The Mummy". Photos courtesy of Mike Hill.

Rick Baker, from left, American Werewolf, Mike Hill and John Landis. Photo from mikehillart.com.

Elsa Lanchester as "The Bride of Frankenstein". Can't you just picture this head jerking around, birdlike, before seeing the Monster for the first time? Photo courtesy of Mike Hill.

Anyone with more than a passing familiarity with garage kits knows the work of Mike Hill. His hands have shaped some of the hobby’s most respected figure kits, including the characters in my personal all-time favorite, Janus’s incredible Dracula and Bride deluxe combo.

Read any “grail” list in an online forum and you’ll find Mike’s works cited repeatedly. If not the Janus kit, then perhaps one of his wonderful “Curse of the Werewolf” pieces, or a Universal Frankenstein Monster, or a Spider-Man, or … well, the list goes on.

The Janus Dracula. Photo from mikehillart.com.

The kits — Mike guesses there are more than four dozen of them — have been offered by a range of producers including Killer Kits, Janus, Forbidden Zone, 5th Sense, GEOmetric Design, G-Force, Creatures Unlimited, Jayco, Zotz and, of course, his own company, Shapeshifters, which he ran from about 1992 until 2000.

Then there are his other works. To quote his biography from Mike’s website, mikehillart.com, “his career to date has included figure kit sculpting, wax figures, creature designing, prosthetic makeup, and creating hyper-real character statues.”

Mike has done amazing life-size sculptures, including full-size versions of painter Alex Ross’s Superman and Batman for Ross himself. He’s done wax figures for Madame Tussaud’s and recently visited online forums to share photos of an astounding life-size sculpture of Boris Karloff being made up as the Monster.

He has also worked in movies, including the current “Wolfman” remake with makeup legend Rick Baker.

“I am in the process of developing my own movie projects with my own production company, Pure at Heart,” Mike wrote in an e-mail interview.

Rick Baker, Alex Ross, Hugh Hefner and more own pieces of Mike’s work.

Maleva the gypsy, left, work in progress by Mike Hill (note the clay eyebrows!). Maria Ouspenskaya played Maleva, featured in "The Wolfman" and "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman". In the middle is Bela Lugosi as Dracula from the 1931 movie. At right is one of Mike's favorites of his own work, Boris Karloff in the makeup chair for "Frankenstein". Photos courtesy of Mike Hill.

Mike Hill was born in Cheshire, England, and now resides in Los Angeles. He recently celebrated his 40th birthday with his wife, Jessica, and his two sons, Colum and Connah.

A young Mike Hill as Peter Parker. "I would ask myself and others crazy questions," he says in the biography at mikehillart.com. "What did King Kong do all day, when he’s not fighting dinosaurs and wouldn't he be scarred from head to toe, with all those prehistoric creatures he had to battle? And really puzzling details like, how come we can’t see Spider-Man’s web shooters beneath his costume, or his ears … or his underwear? Or stuff that still bugs me to this day, when a werewolf turns back to a man where does all the fur go? Does he lose his teeth fillings? People looked at me as if to say, 'Son, you've really got problems.'"

He goes by “mickkk1969” in various online forums, a moniker he says originated with a difficulty he had selecting a username. “I was having problems with my log-ins so I typed something real fast. ‘mick1969’ … didn’t work. ‘mickk1969’ … didn’t work. ‘mickkk1969’ did. Groan —  stupid answer I know. I really need to change it.”

His lifelong love of fantastic subjects, nicely illustrated on his website, helped inspire him to become a sculptor. “I messed with clay as a kid, I used to dig it up from the riverbank and sculpt various renditions of Kong and his dinosaurs, but I guess I took it more serious around 17.”

MIKE HILL’S WORK WEEK AND TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Resin the Barbarian: What kind of work do you do most? And, what kind of work do you most enjoy doing?

Mike: At the moment I seem to be doing life-size heads more than anything. But it can change daily. I’m hoping to get an exhibition in the near future which may also be an auction. My wife is really my biggest fan and champion … she seems to think I’m worth a lot more than I do! Seriously, it’s about time I busted my ass and put together a collection.

RtB: Is the bulk of your work done on your own, or with others around?

Mike: Usually by myself. But I’ll often get guys in to help out on a deadline, etc.

RtB: What hours of the day do you work? And how many days a week?

Christopher Lee as the Mummy, 1/4 scale. Originally produced by Shapeshifters, Mike Hill's own company. Photo from mikehillart.com.

Mike: Ha, ha! This is like a grilling! Usually after 10 in the morning, sometimes into the evening, depends on the project and my level of enthusiasm for it. And of course deadlines.

RtB: What balance of your work is done on commission/for hire as opposed to personal projects?

Mike: Prob 75 percent to 25 percent in personal projects’ favor.

RtB: What material(s) do you sculpt with?

Mike: Smaller, Super Sculpey. Larger, WED clay. WED is great for larger stuff but dries out if you are not careful.

RtB: What’s your single favorite sculpting tool?

Mike: Probably a small steel dental blade. Sharp at one end, kinda spoon-shaped at the other. I lose them all the time so I buy four at once.

RtB: You’re also terrific at finishing figures, not just painting them, but clothing them, applying hair … everything it takes to make them look like real, living people. Any tricks of the trade you can share?

Mike: Thank you. I’m not sure if there are any tricks to it. If anyone reading this has specific questions I’ll be glad to answer. My stuff is far from perfect, and every aspect needs improvement.

GEOmetric Design's 1/4-scale Ghost of Frankenstein bust, featuring Lon Chaney Jr. as the Monster. Photo from mikehillart.com.

RtB: I read online that you are putting together an instructional DVD. How is that progressing?

Mike: Y’know it’s almost complete … but it seems every time I get back to it, someone brings out a conflicting one. It’s also been a constant strain to not make it a “look what I can do” thing.

SHAMELESS FANBOY QUESTIONS

RtB: What projects currently occupy your attention? Any chance that anything you’re doing will someday end up as a figure kit?

Mike: Actually, I’m working on a kit right now. Classic characters, of course. Let’s just say one of the characters is hairy. It’s a piece I’ve wanted to do in real bronze for the longest time, but I will do a resin version for the folks who like my stuff but can’t afford a bronze.

Mike Hill's Bride of Frankenstein.

RtB: You have done a range of figures that appeal to hobbyists, including superheroes, King Kong and other monsters, various other heroes and villains. I’d guess you’re particularly well known for your werewolves, especially the Wolfman and Curse of the Werewolf; Alex Ross-style comic characters; and other monsters from Universal and Hammer movies. Do you enjoy sculpting these subjects as much as ever? Would you label any of them your very favorites?

Mike: Oh yes, I love the classic monsters and the superheroes, I never get bored, I guess it’s a nostalgia thing.

I really like making these things real “in the flesh”, so to speak. I recently finished a Bride of Frankenstein, actually she’s watching me type right now(!) and it’s an odd but cool feeling to see her, this iconic character looking at me like she’s real. I’m very proud of her.

COTW is my favorite character, always will be. I can’t shake my admiration for the character’s image. I recently spent some time in Ireland with Oliver Reed’s family, which meant a lot to me. I know dear Ollie was watching down on us with a beer in his hand.

Mike Hill recently completed this life-size piece of Boris Karloff being made up as the Frankenstein Monster. Mike says it may be his favorite of his own works, "Though I’m working on a life-size Oliver Reed now that I’m hoping will satisfy my longing to have one … famous last words." Photo courtesy of Mike Hill.

RtB: Of all you’ve sculpted, what particularly pleases you? I don’t mean only figure kits, but any work you’ve done. If you had to call one specific sculpture your “masterpiece”, which would it be?

Mike: I feel the question is hard to answer without sounded conceited … but I really like my recent life-size Karloff in the makeup chair. Though I’m working on a life-size Oliver Reed now that I’m hoping will satisfy my longing to have one … famous last words. Oh, and I really like the new Bride piece.

RtB: My own sculpting skills are unimpressive, my training nonexistent. Can you tell someone like me how you create a likeness in clay? How do you make an assortment of features shared by all human beings look like, say, Boris Karloff? Or Bela Lugosi? Oliver Reed?

Does this make sense? I wouldn’t even know where to start. Does anything in particular leap out at you as the place to begin, or do you wait until you have a chunk of work done and then start shaping things more specifically?

Mike: Very hard question to answer in print, far easier by demonstration. Knowing your character is one of the most overlooked aspects. Their subtle expressions and quirks.

I usually start with the eyes and work from there, concentrating on the face. There is just so much, the folds, the rounds, the profile, the soul even … it’s not easy to get a likeness but you give it your best shot.

Biggest tip: Keep looking at the piece in the mirror!

RtB: Here’s a question most of the sculptors I contact prefer not to answer, but I’m always curious so I ask: Let’s say I would like to commission a 1/6 scale sculpture from you. Perhaps Max Schreck as Graf Orlok, standing on a small flagstone base. If such a project appealed to you, how much would it cost me?

Mike: Your first-born child. Seriously, it’s subject to a lot of factors. Time, material, detail are just a few elements you have to consider.

No, that's not really Superman standing between Mike Hill, left, and painter Alex Ross. It's a life-size statue of the Man of Steel that Mike created, and based on Alex's artwork. Photo from mikehillart.com.

RtB: On your website, you describe Alex Ross as a friend. I presume you met him through work and mutual interests. I see you’ve also met Rick Baker and John Landis. Anyone else who would be of particular interest to fanboys like me?

The Batman statue Mike Hill made for Alex Ross. On his website, Mike calls Alex one of his "greatest inspirations." Photo from mikehillart.com.

Mike: Well Alex Ross is definitely a good friend and also one of my biggest inspirations. I still to this day get lost in his work. I pick up his book “Mythology” and I just absorb it. On top of that, Alex has been a good client for me and a good reason my name got known outside the garage field. I owe him.

Rick Baker is also my good friend, and HUGE inspiration. I’m just one of hundreds of artists he has inspired. I went to lunch with Rick a few weeks ago and took along my son, Connah, to meet him. My son wore a T-shirt with “An American Werewolf in London” image on it. My son said, “Do you think this is OK, not too fanboy-ish?” Only to find Rick was wearing the exact same shirt!

I worked for Rick recently on “The Wolfman” remake, that was two dreams in one. Thing is, the first day I was real nervous, but almost right away  he made me feel at ease, he was very complimentary and fantastic to work with. I kept telling him this wasn’t work, it was like a paid dream come true. Not sure he believed me. We hang out occasionally and talk Universal Monsters a lot!

Rick Baker, left, and Mike Hill's son Connah, right, recently showed up for lunch wearing the same "An American Werewolf in London" T-shirt. Photo courtesy of Mike Hill.

Also on “Wolfman” I worked with Steve Wang, who besides his incredible talent is extremely humble and just a riot to be around! He loved my impression of Harryhausen’s Cylcops. Actually, I do a hell of a Steve Wang impression also…

And last but not least David Fisher (of Amazing Figure Modeler), my favorite painter and one of my most trusted friends.

All of the above above artists have what I refer to as “The Eye”, they can see what others can’t. I’m proud to have worked alongside all of them.

RtB: Do you enjoy seeing the various things painters of different skill levels do with your figure kits? Would you say anyone in particular, besides yourself, is gifted at painting your works?

Mike: Of course it’s fun to see others’ interpretations … sometimes they are not always flattering technique-wise, but these kits are for fun, regardless of your skill level.

As for the second part of the question, the immediate answer is David Fisher. I’ve never seen him paint anything that I haven’t marveled at.

RtB: I know recasters have been particularly vexing for you. Would you like to say anything about that? And, is recasting an aggravation you encounter only with figure kits, and not with other works?

Mike: So far just with kits, I really don’t want to go into it, they don’t deserve either of our time.

More monsters by Mike Hill, from left: Oliver Reed in a Shapeshifters Curse of the Werewolf bust; GEOmetric Design's Mr. Hyde; Christopher Lee in a Shapeshifters Dracula; a Dynamic Forces Hulk; and Mike's own take on a battle-scarred King Kong for Shapeshifters. Photos from mikehillart.com.

Mike Hill molded the hands of a local DJ for his Alex Ross Superman sculpture. Photo from mikehillart.com.

RtB: You are the sculptor of many treasured figure kits. Some are out of production, including the Janus Dracula and Bride (your figures) and a Shapeshifters Curse of the Werewolf. Do you know what, if any, future those figures have?

Mike: I’m hoping they will be remembered. That’s all an artist can ask.

RtB: Would you like to add anything else?

A self-portrait of Mike Hill, which is among the photos in the gallery at mikehillart.com.

Mike: Just a thank you to anyone who is interested or ever collected any of my work. I owe each and every one of you.

Being in the garage kit trade actually opened my horizons, not just in the work area but in all other aspects. I now live in L.A., I have friends now in Texas, New York, New Jersey, Japan … New York cops, judges, Academy Award-winning artists … all because of garage kits. Not bad for a little hobby.

Oh, and Todd, thanks for asking to interview me, it means a lot.

Best.

MH