Okay folks, buckle up because picking a good bust statue turned out to be way trickier than I figured. Seriously, I walked into this thinking it was just find a face you like, right? WRONG. My first attempt was… not great. Let me walk you through my disaster journey.
My First Buy Was Total Junk
Honestly, I just got excited. Saw this bust online of a famous philosopher guy – looked cool in the tiny picture. Price seemed okay, clicked buy before really thinking. Big mistake. When it showed up?
- Felt like cheap plastic. Seriously, lighter than my coffee mug.
- Paint job was awful. Globby, shiny, just looked cheap.
- Details? What details? The nose was basically a blob, eyes looked crossed. Zero personality.
- Arrived with a chip on the ear. Like, of course it did.
I stuck it on a shelf for like a week. Every time I walked past it, I swear it mocked me. UGLY UGLY UGLY. Finally shoved it in a closet. Learned lesson one: Don’t buy the first thing you see.
Time to Actually Figure This Out
Right. Needed a plan. I started digging around, talking to some folks who collected decorative pieces, even pestered a guy at a proper art store. Here’s what I pieced together for my second try:
- Material Matters FIRST. Forget the face for a sec. Is it resin? Plaster? Bronze? My first junker was resin, but the cheap, thin kind. Good resin feels substantial, smooth, has weight. Plaster feels colder, can be fragile. Bronze? Heavy, expensive, but damn, feels real. Decided to hunt for good quality resin – a balance.
- Size Isn’t Just the Number. My junk bust was like 10 inches. So I thought, maybe bigger is better? Nah. Looked at where I wanted it – my bookshelf. Measured the space. You want it to fit the spot, not overwhelm it or get lost. That’s key. Actually measure the damn spot and bring the tape measure shopping.
- Details Make the Face. Now look close. The eyebrows, the lips, the texture of the skin. Does it look alive? Or flat? Cheap ones have shallow details, no depth. You want sharp lines, subtle textures – you should feel the character. Hold it, look at it from different angles. Does it look weird from the side? Probably bad.
- Paint? Or Natural? Mine was painted badly. Learned some materials look better left natural – like a nice bronze or even good resin. If it is painted, look for smooth transitions, no globs, realistic skin tones. Avoid anything overly shiny or garish colours unless that’s specifically your jam (and hey, no judgement!).
- Where You Buy Is Half the Battle. Random online seller? Risky. Went to actual physical stores this time: a decent home decor place, an art gallery shop, even a fancy bookstore. You gotta SEE it, TOUCH it before handing over cash. Online? Only trusted sellers with lots of detailed photos and real reviews mentioning quality, not just “it arrived”.
- Shut Up and Listen to Your Gut. Looking at one bust, technically it was fine… but something about the expression creeped me out a little? NOPE. Didn’t buy it. You have to live with this thing staring at you. Don’t get something you feel ‘meh’ about just because it ticks boxes.
The Hunt & The Win
Took me weeks. Seriously. Went back to that art store three times. Kept looking online but only at places with crazy-good return policies. Held about fifteen different busts. Used my crappy tape measure every time. Poked at details under the store lights like a weirdo.
Finally found her. A resin bust of some old poet lady. About 12 inches tall, perfect for my shelf. Heavy enough to feel solid, not cheap. The material was smooth, slightly textured. The details – the deep-set eyes, the lines around the mouth, the flow of the hair carved in – had actual depth. Unpainted, just a nice matte grey resin. Simple. Classy. And the expression… thoughtful, not grumpy or vacant. It felt real. Yeah, cost more than the first junker, but honestly? Not as much as I feared. Paid for quality.
Got her home. Plopped her on the shelf. Doesn’t mock me. Makes the corner look legit. Feels like a win. So yeah, picking a good bust ain’t brain surgery, but do your homework, touch the stuff, care about what it’s made of, and don’t settle for the first ugly mug you see!
