Creating a "vintage head vase" effect.

[crumpasaurus]

Hello Everyone - I've used these forums for a while and gathered a lot of help and information from the archives but this will be my first actual post. Woohoo!

I am working on a project where we are creating a "vintage head vase" (like these http://www.antiqueheadvases.com/shop.php?cat=1) look for our portraits. We're pretty happy with the effect so far but are having trouble creating the lip at the bottom - we'd like it to look more like the curved gradual lip you see at the bottom of the actual vases. I've tried shading a few different ways but we haven't been happy with the effect yet.. I think I may try a bit of liquifying along with shading next to create a more physical change to it but thought I'd pose to challenge to this talented bunch in case you have some "out of the box" solutions I haven't yet thought of. Thanks!

[mistermonday]

Create a Displacement Map from a headvase that has a shape similar to what you like and then save that displacement map and apply it to your 2D headshots. You may also have some assitance from application of a Bevel/Emboss Layer style.
Regards, Murray

[Panpan]

Select the shoulders and cleavage, but not the head (you don't want the effect on the bottom of the hair). Transform the selection into a layer mask.

Add an "Inner Shadow" layer effect. I set the light to -90 degrees, opacity to 40% and distance to 3 pixels. Adjust to taste.

The model and portrait both look nice, but I don't think the hair can be done in pottery.

Edit: mistermonday's suggestion of "Inner Bevel" is better than "Inner Shadow".