Did anyone else pick up a mannequin / dummy when BHS shut down?

MidnightUK · 21 Nov 2016

Spent yesterday evening renovating the 2 half body mannequins that I got when BHS had their closing down sale. Not an artist so trying to colour match a few paint chips was interesting but overall I am pleased. They were cheap as legs etc were missing, but faces and upper bodies were fine overall. They are like the clay model ones from this company, so have good facial details, mine are not 'coloured in' but just off white with hair shaped in, not wigs..
http://www.eurodisplay.de/en/mannequins/

I had been looking for some for a couple of years for lighting practice but they either had no facial detail or were way too expensive. It was interesting talking to the staff selling them in the close down as alsorts of people were buying them and for very varied purposes. One chap bought some to stand in the garden of his weekend caravan apparently, another to use as an artwork in his living room.

Just found an image of someone doing the clay model for one of the heads
http://www.eurodisplay.de/en/news/top-stories/customized-by-eurodisplay/

sk66 · 21 Nov 2016

I would suggest wig, eyelashes, and "glass" eyes as a better choice. Something like this. I have one I use for lessons/tutorials... I drilled a hole in the base and stick it on a junk light stand.

MidnightUK · 22 Nov 2016

sk66 said:
I would suggest wig, eyelashes, and "glass" eyes as a better choice

You may be right, but they were very cheap (woman and a bloke) and had features. So many shop dummies just have blobs for heads - I had not noticed that until I started looking for a photographic model. I guess if it does not work out, I could stick a wig on the top and some false eyelashes. i will just have to live without the reflective eyes, so will just have to guess the catchlight effect, unlike yours gives. I suppose a plus side is they have shoulders.

I must say, yours is rather nice and a more natural colour. I may respray mine in the spring, when I can do it outdoors. Not sure yet. Right at the moment I am less interested in the colour than where the shadows fall.

Thanks for the link. Wish I had asked you last year when I started looking, would have saved me a long hunt.

sk66 · 22 Nov 2016

Well, for the basics of overall shadows/contrast/falloff your's should be fine. You could always paint over the eyes with a high gloss clear coat... that should give some catchlights at least.

HoppyUK · 22 Nov 2016

sk66 said:
I would suggest wig, eyelashes, and "glass" eyes as a better choice. Something like this. I have one I use for lessons/tutorials... I drilled a hole in the base and stick it on a junk light stand.

Is this the exact one you use Steven? Hope so - I just bought her. Thanks

sk66 · 22 Nov 2016

HoppyUK said:
Is this the exact one you use Steven? Hope so - I just bought her. Thanks

I think so... I've had mine a few years and don't recall exactly who I bought it from on e-bay. Mine didn't come with a wig (that one doesn't either) and the wig I bought is kind of crappy/stringy... I kind of wish I had spent a bit more on a more realistic one.

EDIT: the hole I drilled isn't exactly in the base... the base is junk. It allows the light stand to go up into the mannequin's neck... the head can be posed/tilted separately.

I highly recommend these for anyone wanting to learn lighting w/o torturing friends/family.

HoppyUK · 22 Nov 2016

sk66 said:
I think so... I've had mine a few years and don't recall exactly who I bought it from on e-bay. Mine didn't come with a wig (that one doesn't either) and the wig I bought is kind of crappy/stringy... I kind of wish I had spent a bit more on a more realistic one.

EDIT: the hole I drilled isn't exactly in the base... the base is junk. It allows the light stand to go up into the mannequin's neck... the head can be posed/tilted separately.

I highly recommend these for anyone wanting to learn lighting w/o torturing friends/family.

Yes, perfect for portrait lighting. Human subjects never position their heads in exactly the same position every time and that one looks more realistic than most. Size is right, hope the eyes are nice and shiny.

My missus and daughter have a few party wigs, and there's the one I wear at weekends of course. Now then - Mandy Manikin, Titless Tatyana (wife's suggestion) or Kerstina?

sk66 · 22 Nov 2016

HoppyUK said:
Size is right, hope the eyes are nice and shiny.

They are... the "skin" also has a bit more sheen kind of like slightly oily skin, and the lips are "glossy," but overall it's a very good solution.

HoppyUK said:
or Kerstina?

I think Kerstina... my last name is Kersting...
My wife finds her "creepy," and it sometimes spooks her when she's forgotten that the mannequin is there.

sep9001 · 22 Nov 2016

HoppyUK said:
Is this the exact one you use Steven? Hope so - I just bought her. Thanks

Richard,

I would be grateful if you could post your though on the mannequin head when it arrives, I would like to get one to practice head shots on as the kids give up after a while.

Thank you

Kev

HoppyUK · 22 Nov 2016

sep9001 said:
Richard,

I would be grateful if you could post your though on the mannequin head when it arrives, I would like to get one to practice head shots on as the kids give up after a while.

Thank you

Kev

Sure. Maybe Steven has some pictures he could link to? Or anything else that people use, and with a buying link would be helpful.

sk66 · 22 Nov 2016

Here's one article w/ images.
http://photographic-academy.com/lighting/86-lighting/153-size-vs-distance

MidnightUK · 23 Nov 2016

sk66 said:
Here's one article w/ images.
http://photographic-academy.com/lighting/86-lighting/153-size-vs-distance

Interesting link, thaks.

HoppyUK · 28 Nov 2016

sep9001 said:
Richard,

I would be grateful if you could post your though on the mannequin head when it arrives, I would like to get one to practice head shots on as the kids give up after a while.

Thank you

Kev

Mandy-Manikin has arrived and I'm very pleased, perfect for lighting purposes - this one, £20 on Amazon/ebay https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mannequin-...80334525&sr=1-1&keywords=Mannequin+head+dummy I can't add much more to Steven's pictures, or those in the ads.

She's very life-like and attractive IMHO, and I think that's actually more important than you might imagine. So much better than what you find in the House of Horrors that comes up in a typical google search. Reminds me of a young Britney.

The eyes are excellent. Not painted on but 3-dimensional, shiny clear plastic with a life-like iris set behind. Eyelashes are generous and positioned a fraction of a mm low on one side with mine*, so I'll maybe fix that with a speck of superglue - looks easy enough, but not essential. Eye make-up is modest, just right for this I'd say. Lips have a soft gloss. Skin has a matt finish, like a face with make-up, but is quite easy to mark - and there are no wrinkles! Glasses sit well on her ears. Not sure she needs a wig for basic lighting purposes, we'll see.

The stand is adequate, if not very robust. Easy to adjust and position the head angle.

Recommended. Cheers Steven

Edit: better pics on this link http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Top-Quality-Female-Mannequin-Head-Dummy-Wig-Display-Stand-Retail-Shop-Hat-Cap-WW/111379942491?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=38661&meid=67e09dd2528d4d14b5da5bde6ab83194&pid=100033&rk=2&rkt=4&sd=371797138609

*Double-edit: the thing with the eyelashes is not that one is a bit too low, but that they should have a different curl left and right. In fact, she has two left eyelashes - and you can see that in the ads. I'll get the missus to apply some curling tongs - think she may have something like that, as you do

sep9001 · 28 Nov 2016

HoppyUK said:
Many Manikin has arrived and I'm very pleased, perfect for lighting purposes - this one, £20 on Amazon/ebay https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mannequin-...80334525&sr=1-1&keywords=Mannequin+head+dummy I can't add much more to Steven's pictures, or those in the ads.

She's very attractive IMHO, and I think that's actually more important than you might imagine. Reminds me of a young Britney.

The eyes are excellent. Not painted on but 3-dimensional, shiny clear plastic with a life-like iris set behind. Eyelashes are generous and positioned a fraction of a mm low on one side with mine, so I'll maybe fix that with a speck of superglue - looks easy enough, but not essential. Eye make-up is modest, just right for this I'd say. Lips have a soft gloss. Skin has a matt finish, like a face with make-up, but is quite easy to mark. Glasses sit well on her ears. Not sure she needs a wig for basic lighting purposes, we'll see.

The stand is adequate, if not very robust. Easy to adjust and position the head angle.

Recommended. Cheers Steven

Richard,

Thank you posting the above.

MidnightUK · 28 Nov 2016

HoppyUK said:
The eyes are excellent. Not painted on but 3-dimensional, shiny clear plastic with a life-like iris set behind. Eyelashes are generous and positioned a fraction of a mm low on one side with mine*

Very helpful review, thanks.

Garry Edwards · 28 Nov 2016

HoppyUK said:
Mandy-Manikin has arrived and I'm very pleased, perfect for lighting purposes - this one, £20 on Amazon/ebay https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mannequin-...80334525&sr=1-1&keywords=Mannequin+head+dummy I can't add much more to Steven's pictures, or those in the ads.

She's very life-like and attractive IMHO, and I think that's actually more important than you might imagine. So much better than what you find in the House of Horrors that comes up in a typical google search. Reminds me of a young Britney.

The eyes are excellent. Not painted on but 3-dimensional, shiny clear plastic with a life-like iris set behind. Eyelashes are generous and positioned a fraction of a mm low on one side with mine*, so I'll maybe fix that with a speck of superglue - looks easy enough, but not essential. Eye make-up is modest, just right for this I'd say. Lips have a soft gloss. Skin has a matt finish, like a face with make-up, but is quite easy to mark - and there are no wrinkles! Glasses sit well on her ears. Not sure she needs a wig for basic lighting purposes, we'll see.

The stand is adequate, if not very robust. Easy to adjust and position the head angle.

Recommended. Cheers Steven

Edit: better pics on this link http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Top-Quality-Female-Mannequin-Head-Dummy-Wig-Display-Stand-Retail-Shop-Hat-Cap-WW/111379942491?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=38661&meid=67e09dd2528d4d14b5da5bde6ab83194&pid=100033&rk=2&rkt=4&sd=371797138609

*Double-edit: the thing with the eyelashes is not that one is a bit too low, but that they should have a different curl left and right. In fact, she has two left eyelashes - and you can see that in the ads. I'll get the missus to apply some curling tongs - think she may have something like that, as you do

That's excellent - a bit like the French Foreign Legion and their camels - always make sure that you get a pretty one

paul williams · 28 Nov 2016

This is the same one that I been using for a few years now, the only criticisms I have are that the head is actually a bit 'small' and the neck is way too long, but otherwise very good value - mine didn't come with eyelashes, so the seller refunded me a few ££'s to cover the cost of some falsies'.

Paul

HoppyUK · 28 Nov 2016

paul williams said:
This is the same one that I been using for a few years now, the only criticisms I have are that the head is actually a bit 'small' and the neck is way too long, but otherwise very good value - mine didn't come with eyelashes, so the seller refunded me a few ££'s to cover the cost of some falsies'.

Paul

Very long neck for sure, and I thought she was a bit small at first, but the head circumference is right, the eyes the correct distance apart and in good relationship to nose and mouth etc. She'll do

Edit: top of her head is a little low, needs a wig I guess, and her jaw-line and chin are quite slender.