Creating Steve Largent in Real Time

[Reginald Rutledge]

It's about 6:09 pm and I am still playing "Santy Clause" to people around the world. I've got people in Australia, Turkey, Iraq, Italy, Germany and the US wanting their Christmas gifts. I thought I would have some time off to just enjoy the holiday but duty calls.

I've got orders for custom players such as Eric Dickerson, Jackie Slater, Steve Largent, Gayle Sayers, Dick Butkus, Art Donovan, just to name a few. In all, I've got about 200 custom players to create and paint by week's end. Not to mention, I've got to paint the Dolphins (72) and the 68 Jets. All in a days work!

But I've got this impending player to paint and was looking for the proper look for him. I Googled and did not find great images of him so I went to the NFL website and found an image of Max McGee catching a TD pass.

For this HOFer, Steve Largent, this was a picture complementary of his skill level.

Here goes:

1. Locate the picture of interest

[Reginald Rutledge]

2. Next, I look at stock poses most closely resembling this player. It's between the Speed Demon pose and the Freak pose. The Freak is arguably the most versatile display pose I have.

I decided on the Freak pose because his right leg is naturally extending up. the only changes I may have to make is the hands and the twisting of the uper torso and the look-back of his head.

[Reginald Rutledge]

The plastic is not hard so using this box cutter with a little pressure makes the cuts easy.

What I find that may work better for this particular figure is to cut all extremeties and re-position the player. I may have to use arms from another player because Largent's shoulders were not broad.

[Reginald Rutledge]

I will use this accelerator and glue. This can be found at your local Hobby Lobby or Michaels.

[Reginald Rutledge]

to raise the receiver higher in the air. Then apply the glue and accelerator. You will next apply the upper torso but turn it slightly for the look-back position.

[Reginald Rutledge]

Is applied with the aid of the glue. This is really simple!