Alright, settle in folks, let me tell you about a little project I got myself into the other week. I decided, out of the blue, that I absolutely needed a David Puddy bobblehead. You know, from Seinfeld? “Yeah, that’s right.” The man’s an icon, and my desk felt a bit bland. So, I figured, why not make one myself?
Getting Started: The Plan (or lack thereof)
First thing I did was rummage through my craft supplies. Found a block of polymer clay I bought ages ago. You know how it is, you buy stuff thinking you’ll become some kind of sculpting god, and then it sits in a drawer. Well, its time had come. I also grabbed my acrylic paints – a motley collection, but good enough. The main thing I was worried about was the spring mechanism. That seemed like it could be tricky.
I spent a bit of time just looking up pictures of Puddy. Gotta get that face right, you know? The Devils jersey, the 8-ball jacket – so many classic looks. I decided to go for the Devils jersey. “Gotta support the team!”
Shaping the Man: Head and Body
So, I started with the head. This was tougher than I thought. Getting that distinctive Puddy jawline and his… well, his Puddy-ness. My first attempt looked more like a generic tough guy. Scrapped it. Second attempt was a bit better, but the nose was all wrong. Third time’s the charm, right? Or maybe it was the fourth. I kind of lost count. I just kept mushing the clay around until I had something that vaguely resembled him. I used my small sculpting tools, mostly just poking and smoothing.
Then I moved onto the body. This was a bit easier. Made a torso, stuck some arms on. I tried to get that slightly bulky look he has, especially in that jersey. I wasn’t going for super-detailed anatomy, just the general shape. The important part was making a little indent in the neck area for the spring later, and a flat base so he could stand up.
Once I was happy, or happy enough, with the clay parts, I baked them in the oven according to the clay package. Had the windows open, just in case. Didn’t want the whole place smelling like baked plastic.
The Bobble Conundrum and Paint Job
While the clay was cooling, I tackled the spring. I actually had an old pen lying around that had a decent spring in it. Took the pen apart – felt like I was defusing a tiny, inky bomb. Cleaned the spring up a bit. Finding the right spring is key, I reckon. Too stiff and he won’t bobble, too loose and his head will just loll about.
Painting time! This is where he really started to come to life.
- Mixed up a skin tone. Took a few tries to get it not too pink, not too orange.
- Painted on his dark hair, trying to get that slightly slicked-back look.
- The Devils jersey was fun. Red, black, and white. Carefully did the logo. It’s not perfect, mind you, but you can tell what it’s supposed to be.
- And those eyes. Gave him that intense, slightly unblinking stare.
Patience is your friend when painting small details, let me tell you. My hand isn’t as steady as it used to be, so I had to take a few breaks.
Assembly and the Grand Reveal
Alright, final step: putting it all together. I used some super glue. Carefully glued one end of the spring into the neck hole of the body. Let that dry. Then, the tricky bit – gluing the other end of the spring into the head. Had to make sure it was centered and that he wasn’t looking permanently surprised or staring at his shoes.
Held it in place for what felt like an eternity. Then, I let it sit for a good while longer, just to be sure the glue was fully set. And then… the moment of truth. I gave his head a little tap.
He bobbled! Not too much, not too little. Just that perfect, agreeable Puddy nod. “High five!”
So yeah, that’s how I made my David Puddy bobblehead. It wasn’t exactly a masterpiece of fine art, but it was a fun little project. He sits on my monitor now, silently judging my emails. Every now and then I give him a little tap. Still makes me chuckle. Sometimes it’s the simple projects that bring the most satisfaction, you know?
