MY WORK/DISPLAY SPACE
My collection and modelmaking workspace are in a converted double garage that's been used for a number of different purposes including a hangout space for offspring, a 'den' where I worked on many different projects, including modelmaking and storage for astronomy gear. In recent days I have developed it as a space dedicated to modelmaking. Due to vision issues after an accident, I have moved out of astronomy and decided to concentrate on model building and collecting. As a consequence, I have just revised my space again, moving stuff out and buying new furniture so there is room to display new builds including a number of dioramas that I am working towards.
Pic 1. Cabinet 1: Robots, Aliens and Alien franchise.
Pic 2. Cabinet 2: Mainly spaceships, submarines, aircraft and more spaceships.
Pic 3. Bookcases: Mixed kits.
Pic 4. Central table intended for displaying larger dioramas I'm planning. The computer (with much extra storage) can stream via Wi-Fi 5 approximately 2000 MKV movies and a similar number of music albums including many film soundtracks recorded as FLAC files throughout the house. That said, if I feel the need a duplicate hard drive connected to our home hi-fi can deliver the media direct.
Pic 5. A mixed media case of legacy fantastic film DVD/Blu-ray, source and tie-in novels and some CD soundtracks. All physical media has been digitized to MKV movies and FLAC music files.
Pic 1: L-R: Drawing/Drafting desks + Cabinet 3. Tolkien, Vehicles and Time Machines, Various beasties, more various beasties + Cabinet 4. Harryhausen, Harryhausen, Harryhausen, Predator and various; far right rack: Legacy soundtrack CDs and storage.
Pic 2: Modeling and art desks.
Pic 3: In the library, film and graphic arts books overwhelmingly related to fantastic cinema.
Pics 4-6: Sample book shelves.
CABINET 1
SHELF 1: ROBOTS
Selected contents
Left to right: T-800, 'The Terminator' franchise (Plastic, Unknown) | Maria, 'Metropolis' (Vinyl, Masudaya) | Robby the Robot, 'Forbidden Planet' (Vacform, Mixed Media, Comet Miniatures) | Robby the Robot, 'Forbidden Planet' (Plastic, X-Plus) | 16in. Robby (Vinyl, Masudaya) | 24' Robby (Vinyl, Masudaya)
Middle row: Gort, 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' (Resin, Lunar Models) | Robby, 'Forbidden Planet' (Styrene, Polar Lights) and Altaira (Resin, Jimmy Flintstone) | Robby (Resin, Lunar Models) | Forbidden Planet Handblaster (Resin, Unknown)
Front row: Mogera, 'The Mysterians' (Plastic, Revoltech) | Gort, 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' (Resin, Geometric) | Robby, 'Forbidden Planet' (Metal, Masudaya) | Robby, 'Forbidden Planet' (Plastic, Part of 'Forbidden Planet' 50th DVD edition) | Robby, 'Forbidden Planet' (Diecast) with Landcar (Plastic, X-Plus)
The models here are in mirror-backed cabinets that do not photograph well so I thought I would have to remove everything to my photo table to snap them. Fortunately, that nightmare was avoided and they photographed fine as a group. A CH member commented he preferred displays to look less crowded. My response was that "I've embraced volumetric density as a curatorial necessity" which was my way of saying "I am out of space."
A panoply of Robbys | Polar Lights' Robby with Jimmy Flintstone's Altaira on a Fimo base | Masudaya 16" Robby refurbished
Robby by Lunar Models | Refurbishing the 24" Masudaya Robby | 24" Masudaya Robby after refurbishment
The Lunar Models' Robby is considered the best rendering of it ever produced. I took a chance on this less expensive copy despite the fact some pieces were missing like a dome ring and a hand. The replacement ring was a plumbing part, and the hand was fashioned from modeling clay. Likewise, the 24" Masudaya Robby was a long-converted grail that came up affordable but required me to fabricate many smaller bits including speech tubes, which I have since improved further. The dome was also slightly yellowed which I remedied by exposure to our intense Australian summer UV.
SHELF 2: ALIENS
Attacking Martian, 'Mars Attacks' (Vinyl, Screamin') | Bat-Rat-Spider-Crab, 'Angry Red Planet' (Resin, Alchemy Works) | Dalek, 'Dr. Who' (Styrene, Comet Miniatures) | Mondoshawan, 'The Fifth Element' (Resin, Toi Ogunyoku) | Nyah, 'Devil Girl from Mars' (Resin) | Rancor, 'Return of the Jedi' (Vinyl, AMT/ERTL)
This rendering of the Bat Rat Spider Crab by Alchemy Works is a pulp culture triumph but a challenging build. Once painted, it took me some time to figure out how to get the creature to stand, have all the legs touching the base to support it and not have the front claws/pincers cause the model to tip forward. I eventually sorted it by putting the body on its back supported by a cardboard ring and then glued the legs in place so the 'knee joints' touched the desk. I just kept raising the ring supporting the body until legs were at the right angle. Because all legs are configured/angled similarly this put the claw tips at much the same level. Because of the fragility of the build I applied glue 3 times over as many days to ensure a secure bond. I then made the decision to Dremel out groves in the base into which the claw tips were glued very securely and the grooves then filled and painted. In the film the toe claws didn't penetrate the surface at all, but this was not a design decision but a function of the fact that its representation was a light-as-air marionette. Besides, liking the kit not the movie, I felt no requirement to faithfulness.
The original Metaluna Mutant was designed in part by Millicent Patrick and featured in 'This Island Earth' after being passed over to play the Xenomorph in 'It Came From Outer Space'. This 1994 Tony McVey kit riffs on the original design but in a good way. An excellent build with very little cleanup, excellent detail and great part fit. The casting is by Randy of LilMonster.
L-R, Back row: Martian, 'The War of the Worlds' (Resin, Pegasus Hobbies) | Alien, 'Laserblast' (Vinyl, Billiken)
Front row: Ming the Merciless Mini Bust, 'Flash Gordon' (Resin, Bowen Designs) | Superman (Plastic, unknown) | Flash Gordon Mini Bust, 'Flash Gordon' (Resin, Bowen Designs) | Water Tentacle, 'The Abyss' (Plastic, Unknown) | CJ (Christopher Johnson), 'District 9', (Plastic, Weta Collectables)
The 'Laserblast' Aliens, like 'Angry Red Planet' Bat Rat, is the most successful element of this potboiler. Skipping everything other than the Dave Allen's animation sequences in 'Laserblast' is all you need from that turkey.
A FEW STAR WARS PIECES
I've never really been a Star Wars guy.
STAR WARS: 3 mini head busts: Boba Fett, Darth Vader, Stormtrooper (Plastic, Unknown) | Stormtrooper on Dewback (Resin, Applause)
SHELF 3 - ALIEN UNIVERSE: VEHICLES
L-R, Back row: USCSS Nostromo, (Vinyl, Halcyon) | Narcissus (Plastic, Konami) | Narcissus (Styrene, Unknown) | USS Sulaco, (Styrene, Halcyon) | Powerloader, (Plastic, Konami)
Front row: USCSS Nostromo, (Plastic, Konami) | UD-4 "Cheyenne" Dropship, (Plastic, Konami) | USS Sulaco (Plastic, Konami) | M577 Armored Personnel Carrier (Diecast, Unknown) | M577 Armored Personnel Carrier (Plastic, Konami)
Prices for the Halcyon 'Alien' kits are now well out of my price range. I'm I glad I got them when I did.
SHELF 3 - ALIEN UNIVERSE: ORGANISMS
L-R, Back row: Alien Queen, (Vinyl, Halcyon) | "Big Chap" Alien Vinyl Bust Bank (Plastic, Diamond Select) | Dog Burster (PVC, Halcyon)
L-R, Front row: Ripley (Plastic, Weta Workshop) | Nostromo astronaut (Plastic, Unknown) | Alien warrior bust (Plastic, Unknown) | Facehugger (Plastic, Weta Workshop)
Alien Queen (Plastic, McFarlane)
Being of a slightly darker disposition meant that in the late 70's and early 80's I gravitated more towards the 'Alien' universe rather than 'Star Wars.'
CABINET 2
SHELF 1: SPACESHIPS 1
L-R: 3-Stage Ferry Rocket (Styrene, Glencoe) | Lunar Lander (Styrene, Glencoe) | United Planets Cruiser C-57D, 'Forbidden Planet' (Resin, Skyhook Models) | Cosmostrator, 'The Silent Planet (First Spaceship on Venus' (Resin, Lunar Models)
Given my love of 'Forbidden Planet' it's kind of surprising this relatively humble C-57 is my only model of it. I do have the very large Moebius version and got as far as creating the bottom hull but basically, I just couldn't work out where I was going to display such a beast. Since then, I bought the aging but much more manageable Lunar Models kit with a separate accessories pack of blaster batteries, Id monster and tractor etc. which I am really looking forward to getting on with. I've always liked the cathedral-like Cosmostrator from the Iron Curtain's 'The Silent Planet' about an expedition to Venus despite is aerodynamic unlikeliness.
L-R: Cylon Base Star, 'Battlestar Galactica' (Styrene, Monogram) | Battlestar Galactica, 'Battlestar Galactica' (Styrene, Monogram)
Spaceship Yamato Mechanic File, 'Spaceship Yamato' (Plastic, Bandai)
SHELF 2: SUBMARINES
FANTASY SUB SHELF
Atlantean Submarine | Refurbished Masters Replicas' Nautilus | Polar Lights' Seaview | Lunar Models' Seaview | Comet Miniatures' Nautilus | Corgi's Stingray
Top: Nautilus, '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' (Mixed media, Master Replicas) | Bottom: Nautilus, '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' (Mixed Media, Comet Miniatures)
There are few fantastic film machines as distinctive and loved as the Disney Nautilus designed by Harper Goff. Pretty much every Nautilus that follows owes at least something to this wonderfully rococo sub. This Master Replicas' version is among the most sought-after. My copy of it came at with a much friendlier price tag than usual because it had sustained significant damage. The ram was missing and barbs on the strake were chipped. The skiff was also missing though I manage to source a replacement. Most significantly however the tail drooped due to a nasty mobile fracture where it met the body. This required careful clamping, gluing, filling and matching of paint.
Top: Seaview, 'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea' (Vacform + Resin, Lunar Models) | Seaview, 'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea' (Styrene, Polar Lights)
Unsurprisingly all my versions of the Seaview I did as a kid with Lego didn't help me a jot with this early vac-form challenge. With its winged bow and Chrysler stern it's a hydrodynamic disaster but loved all the same. I've always preferred the 8-window movie version of Seaview. I didn't like the change in shape Seaview's bow underwent in order to accommodate the Flying Sub, an addition that didn't really appeal anyway. But it did give Irwin Allen another toy to market.
THE ATLANTEAN SUBMARINE
Atlantean Submarine, 'Atlantis, The Lost Continent' | Stingray, 'Stingray' (Diecast, Product Enterprise) | Thunderbird 2, 'Thunderbirds' (Diecast, Corgi) | Aero Kayak, 'Howl's Moving Castle' (Mixed Media, Cominica)
For the Atlantean Submarine I wanted a rich, intense scheme that looked suitably ancient and considered bronze but finally settled on brass with hints of gold.
I watched 'Thunderbirds' but it didn't really do it for me like 'Stingray'. Still, I have kept a Corgi diecast of TB2 from the time, my favorite T-bird.
SHELF 3: SPACESHIPS 2
L-R, Back row: Metaluna Spaceship, 'This Island Earth' (Vacform, Unknown) | Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise XCV, 'Star Trek' franchise (Die-cast + ABS, Eaglemoss) | Scout Ship, 'Predator' (Die-cast + Plastic, Neca Cinemachines)
Middle row: Retriever Rocket (Styrene, Glencoe) | Fireball XL5, 'Fireball XL5' (Diecast, Product Enterprise)
Front row: SID, 'UFO' (Plastic, Konami) | Fireball XL5, 'Fireball XL5' (Plastic, Konami)
A SPACE ARK
A Space Ark at an alternate launch site, 'When Worlds Collide' (Resin, Lunar Models and scratch-built diorama)
I like the film but what really appeals to me is The Space Ark. I find the construction of this vast ship fascinating. I constructed it as an alternate launch site to that in 'When Worlds Collide' (1951) and is built around the Lunar Models' Space Ark kit with ramp. I connected a plastisheet construction/launch platform to the ramp and used various parts like the cranes and buildings from a small-scale shipyard kit. The trucks are those tiny lead ones. The "mountain" has a cardboard and foam core covered with plaster with lots of cork for walls and many, many cork boulders and rocks. There are 1/1000th scale "people" some of which can be glimpsed on a platform by the engines in the top view (bottom middle). But the scale is a bit all over the place.
Anyhow a lot of fun not meant to be taken too seriously.VINTAGE CRAFT
Right: Cabal's plane, 'Things to Come' (Wood, Unknown) | Left: Everytown Gyrocopter, 'Things to Come' (Mixed media, Heeb Deeks) | Center: Flash Gordon's Rocketship, 'Flash Gordon' (Resin, Fantastic Plastic)
I really like the 'future-past' retro look of these vehicles -- I wish there were more of them around. H.G. Wells' 'Things to Come' is pretty preachy and clunky to the modern viewer but it is still a fascinating vision of a future that never was. When Stanley Kubrick was preparing to make 2001 he arranged with Arthur C. Clarke to watch 'Things to Come.' Kubrick's response was that he would "never watch another film Clarke recommended." That said, in documenting a future history TTC is in some ways a 1930's '2001.' The predictions of neither film were particularly accurate, though at least Well's foresaw World War II.
THE JULES VERNE TIME TRAINfrom 'Back to the Future III'
I was always really taken by the Jules Verne Time Train that appeared at the end of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy. Some years ago Randy Cooper offered a gorgeous kit of it but that was out of my price range at the time. Recently Bandai produced an sound, lights and moving parts prebuilt model of it but it is equally very expensive. This similarly scaled and beautifully finished 3D printed model is from Australian producer SIUMAI3D. Though it is not as detailed or accurate it captures the spirit of the train to my satisfaction and leaves me with hobby dollars to spend elsewhere. Beside my wife and I have a shared bank account.
CABINET 3
SHELF 1: TOLKIEN
All from Weta Workshop, L-R: Bilbo Baggins at His Desk | The Smial of Samwise Gamgee | The Witch-King of Angmar (Figures of Fandom) |
Ringwraith miniature statue | Kira the Gelfling (The Dark Crystal) | Radagast | Treebeard the Ent | Gandalf the Grey Mini Epic
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy are among my favorite films. I think that they exist at all is a bit of a miracle. Weta figures are very well done. They are expensive but I never pay full price. I either wait for them to be on sale or when they're reduced as "End of the Line" stock. Anyhow, I woke one morning to find Bilbo's desk had fallen apart after less than a year. I contacted Weta support in NZ and was told "You have two choices." You can either repair it yourself or send us a photo of the figure after you've taken a hammer to it, plus the amount you saved buying it on sale and we'll replace it. Needless to say, I repaired it.
SHELF 2: MIXED
Delorian, 'Back to the Future' (Diecast, Hot Wheels) | The Batmobile, 'Batman' [1989] (Diecast, Hot Wheels) | Stenz, 'Ghostbusters' (Vinyl, Unknown)
The Slimer, 'Ghostbusters' (Resin, Unknown) | The Time Machine (Resin, Comet Miniatures) | Kaneda's Bike, 'Akira' (Plastic, McFarlane)
The Time Machine, 'The Time Machine' (Resin, Lunar Models) | The Time Machine by Lunar Models
Along with Robby and the Disney Nautilus, The Time Machine from the 1960 film of the same name is a favorite film machine. Wells' book is deliberately obscure about his machine's appearance, but MGM art director William Ferrari's design is a faux-Edwardian triumph. Like Goff's Nautilus just about every subsequent depiction of Wells' machine owes something to this creation. I have three models of it. The early Comet Miniature's effort lacked a lot of detail though at the time I was grateful to have it. The Lunar Models offering was much, much better. Both are about 1/10 scale. I have an unbuild Alchemy Work's 1/8 version too for the "super diorama" with George, Weena and two Morlocks on a base. I'm going to go much further with this however and create a forced perspective diorama by placing behind this tableau smaller Morlocks from Black Heart coming down a hill and beyond that at the summit will be the Sphinx (Infinity Engine) with 50mm Morlocks streaming out of its door.
Mockup of a future 'The Time Machine' forced-perspective diorama, front to back: Time Machine Super Diorama, Alchemy Works | Morlock Vent to the Underworld, Infinity Engine | Attacking Morlock Trio, Black Heart | 50mm Morlocks, Miniaturesbegone | Morlock Sphinx, Infinity Engine
CABINET 4
SHELF 1: HARRYHAUSEN
Various X-Plus resin Sinbad mini-figures including the 8" Dragon from the 7th Voyage | Cyclops, 7th Voyage of Sinbad (Vinyl, X-Plus) | Cyclops bust (Super Sculpey) | Cyclops, 7th Voyage of Sinbad (Resin, Mad Labs) | 14" Dragon, 7th Voyage of Sinbad (Vinyl, X-Plus) against an autographed picture of Ray Harryhausen
For many that are interested in fantastic film Ray is a towering figure. A quietly spoken and humble man, he is credited by many of the great and the good in the fantastic film industry as an enormous influence and inspiration. It is suggested that there would be a very different fantastic film industry today if there were no Ray. And so it is for us every day modelers. I was mesmerised by his films and creatures well before I knew of him and the art of stop motion. His creations did not just move, they gave performances. Though not his best film, 1959's Cyclops from the '7th Voyage of Sinbad' is probably his most memorable creation. Built on the cannibalised armature of the Ymir, its unique appearance has impressed everyone that has seen it in action.
Left: The dragon from the '7th Voyage of Sinbad' sculpted by Yukimune Atari for the X-Plus Ray Harryhausen Film Library series. It was released in 2002 and is made of soft vinyl. It stands 5.75” (14.605 cm) tall at its highest point and measures a whopping 22.5” (57.15 cm) in length.
Middle: A very nice figure and pedestal from Star Ace/X-Plus that stands more than 24".
Right: I'm not a huge collectable figures collector. I'd rather my hobby dollar go to kits. That said, I do have a few from Weta Workshop. They are usually, but not always, high quality and highly accurate with a price to match. Gandalf is my favorite character from Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' Trilogy and this 1:6 scale polystone statue sculpted by Steven Saunders is superb.
SHELF 2: HARRYHAUSEN
Once again various X-Plus figures from 'Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger' and 'Jason and the Argonauts' | Medusa, 'Clash of Titans' (Vinyl, Geometric) | Talos, 'Jason and the Argonauts' (Vinyl, X-Plus | Skeleton Warriors, 'Jason and the Argonauts' (Plastic, Revoltech) | Triton, 'Jason and the Argonauts' (Resin, Rick Catizone)
Triton, 'Jason and the Argonauts' (Resin, Rick Catizone)
Preproduction sketch by Ray Harryhausen.
Despite being a fan of stop motion I always liked this live action scene from 'Jason and the Argonauts.' There are those that criticized Ray for it not being a stop motion sequence. These critics obviously don't understand that given the presence of water there is no way stop motion could be used. This is a good quality kit by Rick Catizone and offers Harryhausen modelers something different from the usual stop motion subjects.
SHELF 3:HARRYHAUSEN
Various X-Plus mini figures | At the back: R-L: Cavorite Sphere, 'First Men in the Moon' (Resin, Comet Miniatures) | Saucerman, 'Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers' (Polyurethane, Hop Toys) | King Kong, 'King Kong' (Cold Cast Porcelain, Dark Horse)
Middle: Flying Saucer, 'Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers' (Resin, Skyhook Models)
Though Ray was disappointed with them, as a Harryhausen junky I loved what both 'Saucers' and 'First Men' offer in terms of aliens and craft. 'First Men' is among my favorite HH. I love the steampunky Cavorite Sphere, the three castes of Selenite and their underground civilization. I recently picked up these three Selenite creatures from Mooncrest Models in the UK and I'm assured that later a Cavorite Sphere will also appear.
Battle with Kali, 'The Golden Voyage of Sinbad', Kali (Vinyl, X-Plus) + Sinbad (Styrene, Monarch Models) + Margiana, 'Golden Girl' (Resin, Red Planet) + scratch-built base with various elements.
It always frustrated me that no kit ever appeared of the fight between Sinbad and his men and the animated statue Kali. Monarch's Sinbad kit was meant to be the Sinbad of the movie but there was no Kali of the right scale to stand against him, or so I thought. When Red Planet brought out its 'Golden Girl' (Margiana) resin kit I thought I needed to give this a go. As it turned out the X-Plus Kali seemed to work pretty well. I was pleased with the result as this scene is my favourite in the film and one of my favorite Harryhausen scenes overall.
BOOKCASE 1
SHELF 1
R-L: The Mummy, 'The Mummy' (Vinyl, Geometric) and base (Resin, Crinion) | Klaatu and Gort, 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' (Dimensional Designs, Resin) | The Mummy, 'The Mummy' (Resin, Trick or Treat Studios) | At the Lever, 'Bride of Frankenstein' (Cold Cast Porcelain)
An older kit by Dimensional Designs, Klaatu and Gort was a kit that got the better of me. Gort's legs-to-body intersections were very rough. I lost patience filing and sanding, so I position Klaatu in front of Gort to cover my shoddy work. I tell myself I will revisit it and clean up but in reality, it's not going to happen.
SHELF 2
Back R-L: Styracosaurus (X-Plus) | Allosaurus (Supersculpty with metal rod armature)
Front R-L: Velociraptor skull (Polyurethane, unknown) | Triceratops skull (Resin, unknown) | T-rex (Dino Arts, Resin) | Concavenator (Resin, X-Plus after Paleocraft)
SHELF 3
R-L: ED-209, 'Robocop' (Vinyl, Horizon) | Martian War Machine, 'The War of the Worlds' (Resin, unknown) | Martian, 'The War of the Worlds' (Fimo with wire armature) | Frank R. Paul's Tripod, 'The War of the Worlds' (being refurbished, Resin, Lunar Models) with Martian figures and scratch-built farmhouse
SHELF 4
R-L: Classic's Illustrated 'The War of the Worlds' Tripod and landed cylinder (below) (Resin, Lunar Models) with Martian figures (being refurbished) | Martian Handling Machine, 'The War of the Worlds' (Mixed media, Comet Miniatures) | ED-209, Robocop (Die-cast, Hot Toys)
BOOKCASE 2
SHELF 1
R-L: King Kong (Vinyl, Dark Horse) | Ferrucutus Skull (Resin, Weta Collectables) | Godzilla (Styrene, Polar Lights)
SHELF 2
L-R: Stuck on You (Resin, Tony McVey) | Creature Bust, 'The Creature from the Black Lagoon' (Cold Cast Resin) | The Rhedosaurus, 'The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms' (Resin, Monsters in Motion)
Stuck on You (Resin, Tony McVey) | Brachiosaurus (Vinyl, Horizon)
One of my favorite animation sequences from a Harryhausen film is when the young allosaurus invade the shell people's camp in 'One Million Years B.C.' It's a great sequence with more-than-usual 'contact' between the creature and the real world as well as some nifty tracking shots. Tumak eventually kills the Allosaur by impaling it on a pole as he is attacked. 'Stuck on You' by Tony McVey was the kit that came closest to this scene. Kit hero Tony McVey is designer of the delicious Salacious Crumb and sculptor of Sy Snootles, the Rancor and Gamorrean Guards for 'Return of the Jedi'. Mr. McVey returned to bring Jar Jar (forgive him), Geonosians, and Yoda to three dimensions for the prequels, and then once more to 'The Mandalorian.'
This 1/19th scale Brachiosaurus was released by Horizon in 1993 and was sculpted directly from a casting of the original production maquette used in Steven Spielberg’s 'Jurassic Park'. Due to its origins as a maquette to be scanned for a computer model it is rather stiff in pose but at nearly 2 feet long it is imposing.
MIXED BEASTIES 1
L-R, Back row: The Creature, 'The Creature from the Black Lagoon' (Vinyl, Horizon) Godzilla (Vinyl, Diamond Select)
Front row: The Creature, Frankenstein and The Wolfman Monster Bust Coin Banks (Vinyl, Diamond Select)
MIXED BEASTIES 2
L-R, Back row: Hellboy, 'Hellboy' (Plastic, Neca) | The Mummy, 'The Mummy' (Styrene, Polar Lights) + Base (Resin, Geometric) | Pumpinhead, Pumpinhead franchise (Plastic, McFarlane)
Front row: Hellboy Bust, 'Hellboy' (Resin) | Bart'n'stein (Resin, Mad Labs)
Vermithrax, 'Dragonslayer' (Resin + Styrene, Pegasus Hobbies)
This was a surprisingly good resin kit from Pegasus of cinema's most impressive dragon. I studied the movie carefully to get Galen's clothing right. The shield is the same color as the dragon because the shield was fashioned from his shed scales. The base is modeled on Welsh slate where the location footage was shot. I used artistic license on Vermithrax because I wanted his coloring to be in greater contrast to the rocky base. Despite its shortcomings I have a big soft spot for this movie not only because of its go-motion dragon but also its convincingly medieval aesthetic. Oh, and Ralph Richardson as a wizard.
MIXED MACHINES
L-R, Back row: AT-AT (Styrene, MPC) | Armoured Personnel Unit (APU) with Captain Mifune, 'The Matrix Revolutions' (Plastic, McFarlane) | M11 Marauder, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (Plastic, Ultimate Star Ship Troopers Collector's Set)
Front row: Hunter Killer Tank, The Terminator (Resin, Hollywood Collectables), Starship Troopers 3: Marauder | VType-66 Maser Cannon, Godzilla universe (Styrene, Aoshima)
The APU is a very ambitious action figure from McFarlane. Every detail, pipe, piston and pulley is faithfully reproduced. But as an action figure it's disastrously fragile. Simply handling it can break at the 'pelvis' and smaller bits will come away with anything other than kid-glove handling. Still, it's very nice as a static display. | The Harvester comes from the best scene in 'Terminator Salvation', and is employed by Skynet to "harvest" pesky homo sapiens. This is a 16" nicely detailed figure from Playmates.
CURRENT PROJECTS
ATLANTEAN DEATH RAY
This is from 1961's 'Atlantis, The Lost Continent' directed by George Pal. Like the Atlantean Submarine (viewtopic.php?p=1475595) this is 3D printed kit sold by David W Roesler and patterned by Shawn Nagel. I've always like the Death Ray and the submarine from this movie but I never thought I would see them as kits. All hail 3D printing.
Above: The Atlantean Death ray in action | 3D file front and rear
This, the Atlantean Sub and another kit were in a package left by a courier in the sun on a 100 degree-plus day. By the time I unpacked them they were exuding a sticky grease and smelling bad. They all took a lot of cleaning with isopropyl alcohol. Even after priming and the first coats on the fork the paint is a bit patchy. I'm confident though that the final matt coat will take out any of this patchiness.
I won't be following the film's paintjob for the death ray which strikes me as a bit strange:
The wagon and fork of my build will be a rich wooden color with metal straps as will the control table. The blue panels that decorate the fork will be like the ray dish: richly metallic; possibly brass (like the submarine) or copper. These I think will contrast nicely with the 'crystal' facets of the mechanism. The kit makes provision for the dish to be lit. so I'm looking around for a slowly pulsing lighting kit.
SELENITE FROM 'FIRST MEN IN THE MOON'
I began recording this project here: viewtopic.php?p=1473377#p1473377
My research warned against undercoating and applying iridescent paint over certain temperatures. It's been ferociously hot here, especially in the garage where I spray and so my work on the Selenite has not proceeded as planned. That said, it has now been primed, and several coats of black have been airbrushed on. Iridescent paint works best on the glossiest of black finishes, so I used Vallejo Acrylic Gloss Varnish, a new product to me, which came up a treat. It smells, though I'm sure it's not, quite benign.
THE RHEDOSAURUS
Many would be very familiar with this kit and its source: The Rhedosaurus from Ray Harryhausen's 'The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms.' I've not done much in the way of styrene in recent years but was pleased by the level of detail and the fit of this kit from X-Plus. Tired of wrangling Milliput, particularly for small seams, I tried this:
It's water soluble and very easy to work with and is now my go-to small seam filler.
I'm going to treat this kit as the basis of a more extensive diorama. This will include a lighthouse light and foghorn from Evans Design:
The diorama will be extended into the tray with ocean and rocky outcrops. Here I will use cork for rocks and a combination of diorama textures from Vallejo and AK to create the sea and to detail the island:
UNBUILT KITS
Clicking on a picture will open a larger named image.
