Photo Study #41: "Man"ning Up

I've always had great service from Realflesh Masks.

There was a period of time when (allegedly) there were lapses in communications, slow delivery or no delivery, but in all my years of working with Ian Marier, I have never had a problem.

Over the years, Ian has constantly improved his cores and paint jobs - he's particularly adept at bald heads - perhaps because he has one himself. His stipple stubble paintjobs are beautiful, and even the non-stubbled paintjobs have a pigmentation and patterning that is 100-percent natural.

Realflesh Mask's earlier masks tended to be built on a larger core; smaller than SPFX and slightly larger than CFX. His later works have shrunk a bit in a good way and fit snugly without being tight.

I recently purchased "The Man" and I am extremely happy with this mask. "The Man" I believe is based on a slightly older (probably late 30s) character, with a strong brow, defined features and a well-muscled neck. The mask also has Realflesh's signature sculpted bib, which allows you to leave at least three buttons open on your shirt. The features are a tad bit softer than the "Hero".

I had seen some handsome latino pics that had the same facial structure and dimensions of the mask, so I decided to have the mask haired that way as well. 

I also did some searching to find a skintone which would look great. Ian did a blend of the pics I sent and did a spectacular job - I also checked and my "Latino" gloves I received from CFX will also be a great match!

Skintone reference pics for "The Man" mask

Ian promised me between 6-8 weeks for completion and he was good as his word; he also did an amazing job on the paintjob, particularly the shaved head. There is a dimensionality to the paintjob that is really unique.

Eye fitment is very good, but you do need a little bit of makeup around the eyes to achieve a seamless illusion. Lip fitment is a solid 9.25 on the Silva scale; the lips cup well, and there is no issues speaking or even smiling a bit.

My recommendation? "The Man" is a definite buy. Go for it!

And with a wig... I've been told that this does seem to give it an 80's George Michael vibe...

Photo Study #40: CreaFX - Encore

Several years ago, I had purchased a CreaFX "Frank" mask. CreaFX is a high-end mask, makeup and prosthetic company located in Florence, Italy. 

While the mask was interesting and well-fitting, the eyeholes were too large and I sold it. As you know, that is the thing that absolutely kills a mask for me.

I had contacted Danilo (the owner) recently and explained the situation. "Would it be possible to get a new Frank, but reduce the eyeholes?"

And the answer was "Yes!"

I sent Danilo pics of where the previous eyeholes were too large for me and I received a new version of a "Frank" that I am truly happy with.

With that said, there are a few caveats:

The mask is THIN

CreaFX tends to make masks that are about half the thickness of a Studio135 Chiseled mask and about about 40% the thickness of a CFX, Realflesh or Metamorphose mask. While this is great for the face, there is a higher tendency for the neck to wrinkle. The mask comes in an "standard" version and an "applied" version (even thinner to be worn with prosthetic adhesive). Also, you need to be a bit more gentle with the mask as it is thinner than US- or Canadian-based masks.

It has a small bib

This is definitely NOT the mask to wear with a wide open shirt. The bib is small and unsculpted, so you are limited to leaving the collar and perhaps one other button open.

The ears are (still) the weakest part of the sculpt

The design of the ears on the mask are not as well defined as other makers, although I DO see improvements from the original Frank mask I had purchased.

With that said, the mask is beautifully made; the flashing is perfect, so no seams are visible and the paintjob is top-notch, with subtle gradations and little imperfections that make it perfectly realistic.

The mask is cut on the smaller side, but because of the thinness of the mask, it provides a superior fit. 

Eyeholes (reduced) are now perfect. Danilo and I jokingly refer to this as the "Americano mod"

Lip fitment is excellent, with a strong 8.75 on the Silva scale.

Hair punching was done by CreaFX. I know from the experience of punchers like Jerry Almond or Anne-Marie Scott that punching a very thin mask is difficult. I felt that it was worth the additional cost to have it done by the manufacturer - this way, if anything did go wrong, it could be fixed (or a new mask cast) right there. I sent Danilo some reference pics, and he did a beautiful job of adapting this to the mask.

So I can definitely recommend the CreaFX "Frank" with the americano mod for anyone looking for a thinner, good looking young guy mask.