So after creating this fantastic failure in my college days, I decided that sculpture simply just wasn't for me. His name is Justin and for a time, he was my favorite original character. However, when I brought him into the world as a terrible monster comprised of elongated black epoxy feet, no chin or lips, and wtf are those arms doing, some of that love died.
I didn't sculpt for several years, but the left over Super Sculpey from "The Justin Failure" sat on my desk and stared at me, begging to be used for good! I picked it up from time to time, making perfect little blocks and circles, occasionally the small creature, but none of these twenty second creations ever made it into the oven. I decided to keep the Sculpey for costume props-- not to mention the stuff is pretty expensive.
Then, fairly recently, a friend of mine showed me a bust she was working on and I went, "Oo! Good idea! I can make a sculpture of one of my characters, too!" I don't know what I was thinking. The whole time, "The Justin Failure" was fluttering in the back of my mind, groaning and asking for fingers. Part of me, however, was still clinging to the fact that he was "good" and decided to go ahead with it.
At first, I didn't think that I was going to take it seriously, that I would sculpt a head, laugh at my failures and toss it away. However, an hour or so later I looked at what I had in my hand and saw this staring up at me with its vacant, eyeless expression.
WHAT!? That looked nothing LIKE the Justin Failure! In fact, that looked like it had potential! I'd short-cut it though. I wouldn't add much detail. I'd paint the eyes on! Maybe he'd just be a bust-- yeah, that's it! I can't sculpt, what was I doing?? Another hour, however and I had this looking at me, asking me if I was going to finish this thing or not?
Needless to say, I was a little shocked. Sure, he wasn't perfect, but he was miles away from looking as bad as Justin. That's when I decided that this was going to happen. I was going to create a whole new sculpture of my character Pthen, and he was going to KICK JUSTIN'S ASS!
