Easier than it looks

I know it looks easy but there's a lot that goes into this little mask. Actually I spent 1 week molding this - preparing all the steps, making the wall, sealing the mold building the mother mold etc. The sad part is the purchase price actually don't reflect the amount of quality back breaking labor that goes into this. The casting, constantly pouring the small batches of resin and soaking it into the fiberglass and pushing into the mold with the brush is a pain in the butt's neck.

So don't let looks deceive you. I didn't even talk about airbrushing and color scheme. I need to go into photoshop and do concept paint ups. So also take huge amounts of time and creativity.

I was filmed for ICS - International Channel Shanghai for the entire week doing what I do best: breaking my back and raising my blood pressure and losing 1 kg of weight while they film me making the molds etc. Luckily it was just little bits, but the rest of the hard work they didn't even capture on camera. But trust me: anyone dumb enough to think they can copy what I do will find out why there isn't too many people willing to sculpt, mold and cast everything by themselves in their tiny apartment. Oh did I mention most of the resin and plaster alone are cancer causing and lung damaging substances?

So beware don't be fooled. Its not as easy as it looks. And for those who constantly think: "oh he must be making tons of money otherwise he wouldn't be making it" I have to let you in on a secret. I make shit money. I am almost break even but in reality if I was a company I'd be bankrupt and asking Uncle Sam to bail me out. The supplies I've bought, excluding the labor as if I were to be paid by hourly wages, alone cost a lot more. The oil clay most of the time gets dirty in the demolding process and gets thrown out or left for other uses- but most of the time its a pain in the ass to clean so it gets "stored."

It's a tiring job alright - very little glory and Fame? Well we will see how I fare after the Show on ICS. But for now thanks for watching and listening. Humble Lohly artist here signing out.

Peace
Mike