How Are Wax Figures Made Today?
Behind the Scenes at Madame Tussauds Sydney
Making wax figures is a labour of love. Over 800 hours of painstaking moulding, measuring, painting and sculpting goes into making each figure.
We have a small army of highly trained wax sculptors who can replicate a Hollywood A-Lister or world leader so exactly that you’ll believe that you are face to face with a real person. You’ll find yourself saying sorry to someone for nearly bumping into them, before realising it’s a wax figure of Beyoncé or Chris Hemsworth. That’s the skill of our sculptors. The big question though, is how do they do it?
Check out the video and the information below to see how the magic of a Madame Tussauds wax figure comes together.
The Sitting
Firstly, the celebrity is invited in for a sitting where detailed measurements and photos are taken. Sittings are super important because we actually get to meet the celebrity!
This is not only about taking the measurements and matching hair samples, but also about getting to know them and eventually capturing a part of their personality and bringing it to the final sculpt. Whether they are funny or serious, cheeky or shy, if we can incorporate their personality into the sculpture the wax figure is more likely to come alive.
If the personality is unable to come in person, or is a historical figure like Albert Einstein, the sculptor has to work from existing photos. It’s a precise job - more than 250 precise measurements and 60 - 300 photos are needed before work on the figure can begin.
Moulding
The sculptors use the measurements and photos to make a clay model of the head. Next, they make a metal skeleton of the body to which they add clay in the shape of the body. Because wax shrinks, all figures are made 2% larger than the actual celebrities they are portraying.
Moulds are then made of the head and body – the head and body are made separately. A hot wax mixture is poured into the moulds then left to cool and harden.
Each head take approximately 18kg of clay and one head takes 5 weeks to complete.
Hair
Each hair is individually inserted into the head. There can be over 10,000 hairs on the head and it takes up to 6 weeks to insert a full head of hair.
The wax head is heated slowly with a warm lamp and to make the insertion easier and neater. Each strand of hair is inserted in the direction of hair growth, strand by strand, and using a specially developed fine needle.
The hair is then shampooed, conditioned, cut and styled to replicate the celebrity's chosen style.
Eyelashes are then inserted into the eye lid with a hot metal tool. The lashes are cut back and thinned to match the reference. We have a wide selection of lashes, of different lengths and thicknesses to choose from.
Colouring
At the sitting, colouring artists match skin colour on the face and body, in order to accurately paint the head and hands and any other exposed areas of the figure.
The colourist studies the photographs from the sitting and identifies the many colours that go together to make up the skin tone. It takes approximately five days to colour a head and two days to colour the hands.
Teeth and eyes are then added. The eyes are one of the most important parts of the figure making process, as it brings the celebrity to life.
Costume
Styling can be anything from recreating an outfit for our celebrity has worn, to working with film studios on superhero costumes, and world-famous designers sometimes specifically create pieces just for the wax figure to wear.
We even have donated items of clothing from our celebrity's personal wardrobe that they have previously worn to an event or just sometimes an item they love.
Our costume department have worked with some of the world's most sought-after designers and stylists to ensure we're getting the figure 100% right and that the fans will love it.
Side-By-Side Launch
Finally, the celebrity comes face to face with their wax figure for the first time!
Robert Irwin met his wax double in the Wild Australia zone in November of 2024. Alongside Robert's wax figure, guests are invited to engage with Australia's rich natural heritage, as they snap selfies and learn about celebrate the unique flora and fauna that make Australia so special.
See Our Figures For Yourself!
General Admission
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Ticket Type Weekdays Weekends, School Holidays & Public Holidays On the day Advanced Adult $49.00 $39.00 $49.00 Child $36.00 $26.00 $36.00 Concession $39.00 $29.00 $39.00 Child (0-1 yrs) FREE Please note: Our ticket pricing is subject to available capacity and prices may fluctuate during periods of high demand.
- Children under 15 years of age must be accompanied by an adult (18+)
- Guarantee entry by booking online
2 Attraction Pass
- Choose from: SEA LIFE Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo or Sydney Tower Eye
- Visit your second attraction within 30 days after you have visited Madame Tussauds
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Savings percentages are based on the maximum cost of purchasing individual entry tickets for each attraction when compared to purchasing a combo pass for the same date type (e.g. peak/off-peak, advance/on-the-day purchase).
3 Attraction Pass
- Discover a world of FUN in the heart of Darling Harbour
- Choose from: SEA LIFE Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo or Sydney Tower Eye
- Visit your second attraction within 60 days after you have visited Madame Tussauds –
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Savings percentages are based on the maximum cost of purchasing individual entry tickets for each attraction when compared to purchasing a combo pass for the same date type (e.g. peak/off-peak, advance/on-the-day purchase).
4 Attraction Pass
- One visit to SEA LIFE Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and The Sydney Tower Eye
- Visit your second attraction within 60 days after you have visited Madame Tussauds
-
Savings percentages are based on the maximum cost of purchasing individual entry tickets for each attraction when compared to purchasing a combo pass for the same date type (e.g. peak/off-peak, advance/on-the-day purchase).
