2023 Buildups: The Mondoshawan

[Tim Fortuna]

All of these are excellent, really love this thread.

[Squidy53]

Here's the 1/8th scale Mondoshawan from Gung Ho and sculpted by Toi Ogunyoku Jr, a kit I had had for quite some time. They appeared in Luc Besson's 1997 The Fifth Element.

According to the 'Alien Species Wiki' The Mondoshawan are a peaceful and ancient sapient race from planet Mondoshedda which appear to be similar in anatomical structure to grounded avians. They wear metal suits and that inside them they stand at roughly 7 ft tall (~ 2.13 meters). Although these suits appear bulletproof (at least from small arms fire) it may hinder them somewhat as when they move about they can only amble slowly.

They act as guardians of the universe, protecting the Fifth Element from those who would destroy it for five thousand years. They await the arrival of "Evil" (an apparently sentient and sapient living planetoid that is conventionally indestructible, which seeks to destroy all life starting with Earth's), to this end they seek to destroy this evil stating that "time is not important, only life is important".

[bucketfoot-al]

Oh now you are up my alley for REAL!! This is like my favorite Sci Fi film of ALL time!! Beautiful build up and paint up!!!

[barad_dur]

Excellent !

[tay666]

Wow!
That came out great! Love the variation in colors.
Did you do some nice subtle shading at the joints and undersides of things, or is that result of the lighting?
How big is this piece?

[Squidy53]

Thanks Vlad and Joe for sharing your appreciation. I really appreciate your consistent interest.

Did you do some nice subtle shading at the joints and undersides of things, or is that result of the lighting?
How big is this piece?

Trevor, I took considerable time over the painting using the original prop/suits are a guide. After priming I applied a base coat of flat black and then dry brushed the rich copper base color followed by increasingly subtle layers of copper and aluminum until I had the shade I wanted. I then highlighted with light copper and buff metal, shaded a little with pastels and finished with a satin seal coat. It stands about 8 1/2 inches.

The figure came with an alternative bent arm holding the Element Key.

[tay666]

Well, all that work paid off. The shading and blending is beautifully done.
The satin is the thing I couldn't put my finger on. I knew it was metallic, but the shine was subdued so you could easily make out the details.

[Squidy53]

Well, all that work paid off. The shading and blending is beautifully done.
The satin is the thing I couldn't put my finger on. I knew it was metallic, but the shine was subdued so you could easily make out the details.

Thank you Trevor, very kind of you to say.

[Squidy53]

All of these are excellent, really love this thread.

Thanks Tim. I'm glad you like my efforts.

[android]

This is really beautiful.
I have one in storage (between houses right now)
I got hung up on drilling and trying to light it with LEDs and got frustrated.
Maybe some day I can dig it out again.

[Squidy53]

This is really beautiful.
I have one in storage (between houses right now)
I got hung up on drilling and trying to light it with LEDs and got frustrated.
Maybe some day I can dig it out again.

Thanks so much Android.
It's a lovely kit and I had left unbuilt for way too long.
While I'm sure it would be great lit, I'm glad I'm not into lighting. I have enough that gets between me and finishing a kit.

[bucketfoot-al]

This is really beautiful.
I have one in storage (between houses right now)
I got hung up on drilling and trying to light it with LEDs and got frustrated.
Maybe some day I can dig it out again.

Thanks so much Android.
It's a lovely kit and I had left unbuilt for way too long.
While I'm sure it would be great lit, I'm glad I'm not into lighting. I have enough that gets between me and finishing a kit.

I can empathise with that sentiment, Squiddy. Firstly, there's work, which has been pleasantly busy for January, and then I've lost 2 weeks of modeling on my Kong "Up Top 3.0" bash because of a week of freezing weather and a week of rain (still ongoing). I've reached the point where I need to primer and then spray-paint it in chrome color - and I can only do that outside ...

[tay666]

While I'm sure it would be great lit, I'm glad I'm not into lighting. I have enough that gets between me and finishing a kit.

I feel that.
I have a few kits I want to light eventually, but I feel I need to make more progress on my pile of shame, before I clog up the production line learning how to do the electrical part.

[kevtk135]

Here's the 1/8th scale Mondoshawan from Gung Ho and sculpted by Toi Ogunyoku Jr, a kit I had had for quite some time. They appeared in Luc Besson's 1997 The Fifth Element.

According to the 'Alien Species Wiki' The Mondoshawan are a peaceful and ancient sapient race from planet Mondoshedda which appear to be similar in anatomical structure to grounded avians. They wear metal suits and that inside them they stand at roughly 7 ft tall (~ 2.13 meters). Although these suits appear bulletproof (at least from small arms fire) it may hinder them somewhat as when they move about they can only amble slowly.

They act as guardians of the universe, protecting the Fifth Element from those who would destroy it for five thousand years. They await the arrival of "Evil" (an apparently sentient and sapient living planetoid that is conventionally indestructible, which seeks to destroy all life starting with Earth's), to this end they seek to destroy this evil stating that "time is not important, only life is important".