While it is baking, there are some things we should think about, i.e., what head do we want to create? Male heads are easier to sculpt than females, because they have easy, identifiable lines. And though this is a gross oversimplification, almost all heads can be broken down into simple geometric shapes.
(See fig. F). Notice how Nick Fury (whom we'll be sculpting), has what I call a "toaster head," because it is very box shaped, with a hard nose. The Punisher would be similar. But Daredevil has a more slender, rounded head. To the right of both images, we see what types of rudiments we would attempt to create in clay. So... pick a character, do some control art, and think about breaking the head down into corresponding geometry. Tape these pictures up around your work area for constant reference.
Okay, your neck plug should be baked by now. While it cools, let's talk some simple head geometry (fig. G). The head, and for that matter, the whole body is comprised of corresponding measurements. The aorta is approx. the width of your thumb, your heart is the size of your fist. The face is no exception. Draw and imaginary line down the center of symmetry, and the level of the eyes would be in about, or slightly above, the middle of the head. The distance between there and the chin, would find the tip of the nose about half-way down, and inside that distance, would be the mouth. The extent of the lips at rest line up with the pupils of the eyes, while the bottom of the ears lines up the bottom of the nose, and the top of the ears, with the eyebrows. Study pictures in a magazine to get this right, as well as other Mego heads.
Okay, so your neck plug is cooled. Take a lump of clay of appropriate size and impale it on the spike of the stump. Form it into the general shape of the head (similar top the shape of a light bulb) (fig. H). Smooth this over using your finger while holding onto the areas of the neck you've already baked. Smooth the seam where the new clay meets the old clay with your roller and finger (fig. I). Now it would serve you well to buy a small table top vice for exactly this sort of thing, for it can hold your head so you have two free hands to sculpt. They come attached with a small c-clamp so it can be clipped to a work table. They are about $10 at the hardware store. Sorry I didn't mention that before. (fig. J).
Take a small rope of clay and lay it on as shown in (fig. K) for the chin. Roll this smooth with your roller and finger. Also define the under edge of the jaw using the small end of your 2-part smoother (tool G) and your finger. Smooth over any fingerprints. A microspatula works well for this too. Use your finger and apply light pressure on top of the head to flatten it a little (fig. L).
