Okay, so I wanted to get that “Stone Cold” Steve Austin look, but with a bit of a Harley Race twist. You know, tough, no-nonsense, but with a bit of that old-school grit. Here’s how I went about it.
First, I studied a bunch of pictures and videos. Lots of them. I mean, I really dove in. I needed to see how those two legends carried themselves, their expressions, everything.
The Hair (Or Lack Thereof)
- Stone Cold’s bald head was the starting point. I’m not naturally bald, so I used a bald cap. Took a few tries to get it right, making sure it looked natural and not, you know, like a plastic helmet. I followed some online tutorials.
- Harley Race had that thinning hair, kind of slicked back. To simulate that with the bald cap, I applied some hair-like fibers designed specifically for bald caps. very lightly. Just a dusting, really, to give it that texture.
- Then came the tricky part, used special effects makeup to create a slight receding hairline. A little bit of shading and blending did the trick.
The Beard
- Stone Cold’s goatee is iconic. I already have a bit of facial hair, so I trimmed and shaped it to match his. I focused on keeping it neat, but not too perfect.
- Harley, on the other hand, often had a fuller, more rugged beard. To add a touch of that, I used some beard filler. Not too much, just enough to give it a bit more volume and a slightly unkempt look. Like I’d been wrestling bears or something.
The Expression
This was the real key. Both Stone Cold and Harley Race had that intense stare. I practiced in the mirror for like, an hour.
- For Stone Cold, it was all about the furrowed brow, the slightly squinted eyes, and that “don’t mess with me” smirk. I tried to channel that energy, thinking about all the times someone cut me off in traffic.
- Harley’s look was a bit different. More of a weathered, seen-it-all kind of intensity. I imagined I’d been through countless brawls, survived countless piledrivers. It was all about conveying that history in my face.
The Gear (Optional, but Fun)
- I found a black vest, similar to what Stone Cold wore. Nothing fancy, just a plain black one.
- I considered knee braces, but decided against it. I wanted that Harley Race rawness to shine through, so I kept it simple.
The whole process took longer than I thought, but it was a blast. The makeup was a bit of a learning curve, but eventually, I looked in the mirror and saw it, Stone Cold Harley Race.
