With Bryan Silva exiting the masking community, Yves Gravelle of Metamorphose Masks is definitely one of the top contenders to take the realistic mask crown.
Yves' latest creation is the "Troy" half mask, and once again, he's made a wonderfully realistic mask with many features to speak for it. Approximate "age" of the mask in my opinion is thirty-something.
Sizing
The "Troy" is Yves' first foray into half masks. This mask was built on a slightly larger core than his full masks, and it is a little loose on me both on the head and around the neck (for reference, I have a 22.5" diameter head and about a 15" neck). This is easily remedied by using my handy-dandy 1/4" foam inserts at the back of the head and around the neck. For those that have felt the previous masks were a slightly tight, the "Troy" will be a welcome addition to your collection. The mask is also thicker than some of his later designs, like the Secret Agent or the Black Model.
Paintjob and Hairing
A beautiful job - Yves' paintjobs are always consistent in their texturing and coloration, and this mask is no exception. He pays particular attention to the small details such as veins or arteries, slight imperfections and random dark spots that amp the realism factor. Like Bryan, Yves excels at painted stippled stubble; I had him do that on the head. Yves also does an excellent job at hair punching - I had requested eyebrows and a light stubble on the face.
Fitment
Eye and nose fitment is excellent; the use of a metal nosepiece allows the greatest flexibility in conforming to your face and assuring the best fitment around your eyes and across your cheekbones. Mouth fitment is very good, but perhaps not as good as the full masks that are offered by Metamorphose. I'll be the first one to admit that I am spoiled rotten by Bryan's lip fitment - that was so good, you always felt like you were being kissed and it allowed you a very wide range of expression, including pouting and smiling.
Neck Wrinkle and "Pop"
Nonexistent. Because this is a half mask without a mini-bib, there is no neck pop or wrinkling when you turn your head from side to side.
Neck Length
I would classify this as a "medium" half mask. I think that some of Immortal's masks (e.g. Craterface) may have been a little longer in the neck as coverage using a dress shirt was complete with just the collar button open. The "Troy" shows a little bit of exposure on a dress shirt. You can see the length of the neck by seeing it on a polo shirt, t-shirt, dress shirt, and zip-up shirt
Overall Rating
I would rate this mask a 9.8 overall. The weak part here is the mouth fitment, but this comes from both experiencing Yves' full mask mouth fitment and Bryan Silva's gold standard. To recap:
| Design and Detailing | 10/10 |
| Paint job | 10/10 |
| Hairing | 10/10 |
| Eye Fitment | 10/10 |
| Mouth Fitment | 9.5/10 |
| Neck wrinkle and "pop" | 10/10 |
Below is a video review of the mask as well, so you can see how it moves and actual lip and eye fitment....
