Crafty Creator ‘Dead Ed’ Makes Amazingly Detailed Rock + Metal Figurines
A creator who works under the handle "Dead Ed" makes an impressive array of highly detailed, period-specific figurines of rockers from acts such as Slipknot, Mudvayne, Behemoth, Nirvana and more. And when we say highly detailed, we do mean exactingly detailed.
He shares his work on social media as Deaded Hobbies, and, driven by the almighty algorithm, Dead Ed's creations have been drawing considerable notice among rock and metal fans online.
Take a look at some of Ed's intricate rock dolls down toward the bottom of this page.
Although, they're more than just dolls — maybe specialized action figures — but the terminology isn't important. What they are for sure are painstaking tributes to heavy music icons, including those no longer with us, such as Slipknot's Joey Jordison and Paul Gray, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain and others.
Of course, rock's living legends get the Deaded Hobbies treatment, too — several other Slipknot members, including lead singer Corey Taylor, plus performers from the likes of System of a Down, Static-X and beyond, all fall under Ed's talented purview.
Paul Gray, Slipknot
Still, Ed tells Loudwire he's "just a regular Joe" who has fun creating when he has the time. He's allowed us to share images of his work for Loudwire readers.
"I first got into this hobby back in 2017 when I purchased my first 3D printer," he explains. "I have always loved action figures and music. So when I had the opportunity to make my figures, I put my two favorite things together and went for it. I had to learn a few skills to get what I wanted, but it was worth it."
Those skills are constantly evolving in an ongoing quest to master his craft, including Ed's recent upgrading of 3D printing materials from plastic to a kind of resin. He digital sculpts the figures before cutting the pieces, and the creations are custom from top to bottom.
"I used to buy blank bodies and add my custom heads," Ed says, "but now I'm printing everything from head to toe so the process is quite a bit longer. My techniques change and vary on what I'm working on, but I'm always finding a way to make the next figure 10 times better."
He estimates he's now got it down to only 2 to 3 days total to make each figurine, "keeping in mind I work a full-time job and also take care of my family," Ed adds. (Each piece can take anywhere from 3 to 7 hours to print.) He makes every figure meticulously, always starting with its body before moving to the head, then sewing the outfits and applying the paint for each one.
Kurt Cobain, Nirvana
Indeed, it's much more than affixing a new head to any old doll. "When I did my first Joey Jordison figure, I wanted his height to be accurate, but the bodies I was getting online were all standard and all the same height," Ed recalls. "Making [them all custom] gave me the freedom to give the characters their appropriate height, like the last picture of Joey with wings I posted, he is small compared to other figures I've made."
As if it's any wonder, Ed's a big music fan who confirms that Slipknot, Mudvayne and Behemoth are his favorites. "My first attempt at making a figure was [lead singer] Chad Gray from Mudvayne. From there, it was the start of something new and exciting. I created an Instagram page to show my artwork and share my ideas, but I never expected to reach a large audience."
No matter, that audience arrived anyway — in part thanks to an assist from Behemoth bandleader Nergal in the form of promoting Ed's work online. Now, the one thing on everyone's mind — and ours as well — is if he's ever planning on selling any of these amazing figures.
"I frequently get asked if I sell my work," Ed says, "but, unfortunately, I do not. The small amount of time I have would not allow me to. But all of the support I have received since I started posting my art is unbelievable."
Check out Deaded Hobbies on Instagram and Facebook, and see more of Ed's creations below.