SHAKARA!

Shakara is, i'm guessing, the best new character in 2000AD in the last ten years.
Been itching to have a go at making him, but he's a lanky so-and-so equipped with some very distinctive weapons.
Which put me off. Till i thought that if i do a bust then those hurdles could be avoided.
Thing is though, most of the strip is B&W except for his bright red eyes. So, if i was going to do it, they'd have to be lit up, yes?
It was easy enough to cut out two holes in Plasticard for the eyes just the right size with a wood drill and glue them together the right distance apart.
For the red eyes i'd already decided on coloured acetate and the local craft shop provided that no problem.
But what to use for the light source?
I first tried the same torches i used for my WOTW Martin but they didn't work, being not bright enough and far too directional, being LED's.
Next thought was to use a VERY bright light source in the bottom of a box affair i'd build behind the eyes, paint the box silver and hopefully the light'd pour out.
So, had a look around for an LED torch. I knew i couldn't use a conventional one as the bulb would get too hot in such an enclosed space.
My local Wilkenson's do this LED torch which has the double appeal of not only being super bright but the handle i won't be using is a lovely curved shape that i could use later as a SF craft.
There was another bonus when i realised the two LED's in the lens matched EXACTLY the eyeholes i'd made. Meaning, if i stuck them over the torch lens, they'd work just right.
Other things i've bought in preparation is a whole bunch of chain and a bag of clout nails for the head spikes.
Next step is to attach the eye holes to the lens, solder wires to the back of the latter and run then through a tube i'll glue to the bottom of it.
That'll give me a blob on a stick with two eyes which i can then sculpt on top of.