The Phantom of the Opera

Another different thing for a change (again)! Organ music, please!

[Daaaaa Da-da-da-da-daaaaaa...]

I had thought for a long time about doing this, and I finally got the chance. As the title suggests (ehm, maybe more than 'suggest'...), I am aiming for this guy:

 

I look angry because there is no mini of me all over the market

 

I needed to use a proxy, and I finally found it in the wonderful Andrea ranges. I would use this 54mm. Dracula:

 

No, I'm not going to sing

 

The kit looks his way:

 

I won't be using the bats nor the candelabrum

I was not specifically aiming at the Gerald Butler lookings, but that Bela Lugosi face was not exactly the aspect I was expecting for the Phantom of the Opera. Fortunately the mask would help me much indeed:

 

I also repositioned the hand

Here you can see the mask

I chose to paint and model on the go, in different steps. I had to paint the inner cloak as I would not reach it later. Onece glued, I could keep on converting the mini. As you can see, I softened a little the cheek marks to make him look a little younger. He had to be middle-aged, but not old.

 

I also wanted a gentleman's cloak, not a vampire's one

Some colour!

The scenic base also needed some attention. I tried to give it a damp aspect, being the underground tunnels of the Opera:

 

I tried to be a little bit atmospherical. I was listening the musical while painting

I then realized there was one thing about the Phantom that I didn't like. I had not been able to identify it. The 'old man' issue was still there, but I didn't know what was it. It finally appeared to be the shape of the head. The hair so stuck to the skull gave the man quite an older aspect. I added some volume:

 

Phase one. You are beginning to hear the music softly in your head

Phase two. In dreams he sang to meee, in sleep he came...

 
The rest was just a matter of painting the brocade on the vest and some other details:

 

That voice which calls for meeee, and speaks my naaaameee

And do I dreeeam agaaain, for now I fiiind...

The Phaaaaaaaan-tomoftheOpera is theeere, inside my miiind

 

I have enjoyed a lot (indeed) converting and painting this one. The pics somehow burn the colours, but there are different tones of black (the suit, the inner cloak and the outer cloak).

If only I could find a 54mm. girl properly dressed, I'd just love to do a diorama of the Phantom and Christine. Boat scene maybe or something like that. If you know any suitable mini, I'm open to all ideas :).

Finally, if for any chance you are not that fond of organ music, I'll leave you with this other version ;)

Hope you like it all!