☕ Work In Progress: 'Who Are You?!" A Paper Mache Tom Waits Face Plaque by Hannabal Marie! ☕

 Hello ladies and gentlefish.

Sorry I have been away, I've been in a sorta runt...

so I just needed a reason to keep myself from thinkin' and this is the reason I bring before you. 

I got into the paper mache again and I designed a Tom Waits wall plaque to put on my wall. Complete with removable ciggy that can, when inserted into Mr. Waits mouth, have a incense stick stuck inside to give it that extra PAH-ZOOM!

(I actually have Coffee scented incense sticks! So it fits perfectly with my theme! ;D HA!)

For those of you who don't know who he is, shame on you...shammmme.
he is the main inspiration behind loads of things...even some stuff I am sure you admire and love yourself. From music that other composers covered, The cookie monster himself...and the inspiration behind Heath Ledger's Joker! 
(to name a few!)

I just really love this man, to itty bitty box-filled pieces!

 

 This was the first beginnings of something beautiful. 

No eyes, no ciggy, no hand yet. Took like a few hours. 

Stuck a toothpick in his mouth to keep it from closing. 

Little hound-dog is starting to come alive.

 just showing off the size of his face, to my hand.

I had a few photo references. Like the cartoonish Waits on the side there. 

I wanted to keep him as realistic as possible 

all the while adding that added toon look I like in my own drawings.

I was soooo happy, thinking I was done. HAH. 

I was all cleaned up and about to call it quits until I tried discussing train engines and car mufflers with him. 

He wouldn't speak. He just gave me that glare and kept quiet. It spooked me. 

It's so unlike Tom...until I seen he didn't have any damn ears to hear. Silly me. 

So I got all the stuff back out and made him some radio listeners.

What was I thinking? Hannabal, Come on!

and instead of boring you all with endless pics of the same image, I went ahead and smashed them all in one. 

A collage for all the cool kids. wooo. 

Here he is, after a few layers, detailing with a knife and more layers and detailing. 

 I'm personally really happy about the hands. I hate doing hands, I am extremely bad with hands...and feet...and stuff...so I am happy with how the hand turned out looking like. Why one hand? I dunno. what's with all these questions, officer? HA! jk 
I dunno..really..I felt like he needed hands. at least ONE hand. because come on...all his personality is in those damn hands. I wanted to do two but for some odd reason one hand looked better. More artsy. I. Dun. No. I mean, come on...he already is a bodyless head...I doubt the single hand is what people would be concerned about. I think they'll be more concerned with the reason why I have heads all over my damn wall like some aspiring serial killer in the making. Heh.

He needed that one hand. He just needs 'em. To hold his fedora. Or a ciggy. Or a shot of scotch. hmm.

I also didn't have a hat made yet when I thought I was *done* but thought Tom wouldn't be Tom if he didn't have his old man's hat...so I went ahead and mache-ed one for him. 

The ciggy, as I stated before, can be removed and inserted as pleased. ALSO I can put a coffee incense stick inside for that extra effect, so yeah...it would be like he really is alive. really. heh. 

...oh man, I will never leave my room now. heh. 

but yeah, he needs a bit more time to take shape, then it's off to be painted with 'em. 

Also I need to seal him, because Paper Mache is really touchy and breaky...like my heart. HEH. 

But I am happy so far...so good. 

 These few images are about a couple days older than what has been posted above.
I let him set for a while, taking shape and getting hard. (giggity)
so yeah, here is the outcome of waiting on waits to wait.

 I cut off all the access stuff around his gills. 
He isn't completely dry, he is a little moist, but a lot firmer than before. 
I can actually handle him...with tender love...and care. Heh.

 No newspaper surroundings. Just wanted to showcase him in all his pastey glory.

I used a firm card stock for the brim of his hat. Pretty damn happy with the end results of it. The Mache made it really feel like a real brim. 

 Just look at the details. All the mounts and sunken in places. I am reaaaaaaaaaally happy with him. Really.

 Here I just wanted you all to see him in the dark. 
Even without painting, he looks so real. :3

what I plan to do with him is none of your concern. Ha. jk.
I actually want to have him painted and sealed and equipped with "actual" hair. 

Not real hair, no, but that fake hair you get by the pound. 

I have bags and bags of it. 

For makeup looks and costumes that I never seem to use. 

Hmm. 

I could make use of it now.
 I will update with a new post on his progression. 

until then, hats off to ya! 

xoxo

~The second stages can be found HERE!