The journey of bringing Black Cat to life was anything but smooth, much like the sleek curves of her design. She’s one of those characters that demand finesse in every little detail, and boy, did she push me to my limits.
The first issue was the sheer weight of the model. It was heavy, with parts that were far too smooth for traditional printing. The only choice was to go full resin—a decision I don’t regret but one that brought its own challenges. Then there was her hair. Those incredibly curled locks had to snap-fit into her head. It sounded simple on paper, but in practice, the delicate pieces broke off two or three times during assembly. To make things even more chaotic, the model came with two separate head sculpts, adding twice the stress to an already tricky process.
Feline Femme Fatale
Post-processing for layer lines? Not an issue this time, thanks to resin printing. But filling in all those small gaps and polishing the model took a lot of time and patience. I wanted to do justice to her skin-tight latex suit, so I chose glossy spray paints for the base and finished it off with a glossy clear coat. That shine was a game-changer—it really brought out her iconic look.
The real adventure began when I decided to try something new: real hair for one of the head sculpts. This wasn’t just a whimsical choice; I wanted to elevate the model. But it meant removing her sculpted hair entirely, grafting hair extensions, curling them, and then using a hair setter to lock everything in place. It was an intricate process and probably one of the most challenging aspects of the project.
A big shoutout to Shraddha, who came to my rescue with her makeup supplies. These tools proved invaluable, especially during the hair work. Sometimes, you realize that expertise from unexpected places can truly enhance your craft.
The model was initially meant to be part of a personal collection of characters I was working on, but it ended up on a friend’s shelf—a fitting home for such a striking piece. Despite the hurdles, this project took me around 5–6 weeks, and I loved every bit of it. Looking at her now, all polished and shining, with her real hair styled perfectly, I think back on the challenges and feel proud. Every break, every misstep, every fix was worth it. Black Cat is not just a model; she’s a story of persistence, creativity, and a little help from friends.
