How to make a Madame Tussauds wax figure

June’s best exhibitions
Museums
Edited by Darryn King
timeout.com/sydney/museums
Deep Oceans Jun 16-Oct 14
Australian Museum
Museums
Take a plunge into the darkest
depths of the sea and meet its
strange inhabitants: the vampire
squid, the sea mouse,
bioluminescent fish and many more.
6 College St, Sydney 2010.
02 9320 6000. australianmuseum.
net.au. Daily 9.30am-5pm. $12-$17.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The
Exhibition Until Aug 26
Powerhouse Museum
Aslan is on the move... and at the
Powerhouse. Step into the wardrobe and
experience the magic – and science – of
the ongoing film series and the beloved
CS Lewis stories that inspired it. See Kids
(p62) for more. 500 Harris St, Ultimo 2007.
132 849. www.powerhousemuseum.com.
10am-5pm. $12-$45.
How to make a Madame
Tussauds wax figure
Wanna make yourself a star? Darryn King waxes lyrical on the art of
wax figure-making at the Tussauds celebrity safari
Each figure in Madame Tussauds is
the result of months of exacting
work. Having consulted Sydney
studio manager Zoe Walton, we at
Time Out reckon we know it’s done.
Step 1 One-to-three-hour sitting
session with subject. Hair and eye
samples consulted, dental putty
bitten into and approximately 200
measurements taken on everything
from nostril width to crotch size.
Step 2 Based on collected information, the body of the figure is
sculpted out of ordinary modelling
clay onto a metal armature in
appropriate and approved pose.
Step 3 Head sculpted separately out
of clay onto a wire frame. Instances
of “you’d better quit while you’re a
head” jokes increase exponentially in
the studio.
from clay head. Hot beeswax poured
into the plaster mould to form a
complete hollow wax head. (Clay
heads disposed of, presumably in
festive head-smashing ceremony.
Head moulds are kept and reused for
future wax figures or to make jelly.)
Step 5 Facial features refined and
holes made for eyes. Head looking
pretty terrifying at this point.
Step 6 Teeth and eyeballs fitted
into place using sticky wax. Around
10,000 human hairs inserted into
head individually. (Moon dust and
starlight sourced for generous
sprinkling in the hair and eyes of
the Cate Blanchett figure.)
Step 4 Plaster mould fashioned
Step 7 Skin tone built up through
gradual colour stippling and
layering. Eyes, teeth and lips
cleaned and glossed. (Angelina Jolie
lip-buffing process typically takes
several extra months.)
Step 8 Head fitted to body –
typically on neck.
Step 9 Figure is styled and dressed,
and is now eligible to vote and
required to pay full adult fare when
using public transport.
Madame Tussauds 1-5 Wheat
Rd, Darling Harbour 2000.
www.madametussauds.com.
Daily 9am-8pm. $20-$35.
Online gallery exclusive
Yana Novak visits Madame Tussauds
Check timeout.com/sydney for pics of Serbian
model-actress (and guest Time Out contributor)
Yana Novak meeting the likes of Ned Kelly, Barack
Obama, Einstein and the bloke from Neighbours.
Culture Jammers Until Jun 11
Museum of Sydney
Meet the men who tagged the Sydney
Opera House and more – your last
chance to check out the art, politics and
daredevilry of ‘subvertising’ and guerrilla
semiotics. 37 Phillip St, Sydney 2000.
02 9251 5988. www.hht.net.au.
9.30am-5pm. $5-$10.
Home Front: Wartime Sydney 1939-45
Until Sep 9
Museum of Sydney
A collection of pictures, film, objects
and personal memorabilia documenting
complex times in Australia during World
War II. 37 Phillip St, Sydney 2000.
02 9251 5988. www.hht.net.au. Daily
9.30am-5pm. $5-$10.
Remembering Titanic: 100 Years
Until Nov 11
Australian National Maritime Museum
The disaster that continues to haunt the
world’s imagination (and its screens) told
through replica objects, models, memorabilia, newspaper clippings and a century’s
worth of pop culture: including costumes
from the James Cameron film. 2 Murray
St, Darling Harbour 2000. 02 9298 3777.
www.anmm.gov.au. $3.50-$7.
World Press Photo Exhibition
Jun 30-Jul 22
State Library of NSW
Japan. Libya. Egypt. Shining a light on the
dark corners of the planet in the past year,
the 55th annual exhibition of the world’s
best photojournalism returns to the State
Library. Macquarie St, Sydney 2000.
02 9273 1414. www.sl.nsw.gov.au. Free.
Want more?
For more Sydney museum
events head to timeout.
com/sydney/museums
64 Time Out Sydney June 2012
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