For years, I had been wanting what I called a “silhouette” Batman, meaning a Bats figure enveloped by his cape, usually seen only in shadows. I had actually made one years ago with a removable cloth cape. There’s a reason it’s not to be seen. Now that vinyl had made itself known to me, a better option was available.

The basic idea here is to wrap the vinyl around the figure so the vinyl can hang straight. The widest point along the chest is usually the best place. Even then, I had to slice off the lower arms to accommodate the look I wanted. I used paper to make a pattern before I cut the vinyl. Once I had the shape I wanted, I had to paint one side of the cape before I could attach it to the body. Thus I primed and painted one side, masking off the top edge that would bond with the glue. Before I could attach the cape, I also had to prime and paint all of the body that would be “inside” the cape. Once that was painted, I used super-glue to affix the cape to the body.

The edge of the vinyl now created a “seam” across the figures chest and back. I used Kneadatite to fill along that seam and smooth it out. When it was dry, I further attempted to create a smooth surface by covering the seam with a small amount of Alumilite. The effect isn’t perfect, but it works fairly well. (Be careful when sanding, as vinyl can’t be sanded.)

From this point, I used paper to mask off the “inside” of the figure, and then primed and painted the outside and head. When all is said and done, I feel the the figure creates a very dramatic presence.

Created Summer 2001