Gamera

Phoenix: If you're having issues with the skin tone is there any reason he has to be human? I really liked how the skin tones came out on the bartender. Could you go with say Andorian blue or Nebari grey for him?

 

Apologies if I made it sound like I was getting frustrated with painting the companion to the bartender.  Was trying to share some of why it has been slow going.  I'm not very skilled at painting earthlings and it's been a rewarding challenge learning how to paint this guy.  In the process I've learned several ways of how not to do it. 

Here's a sneak peak of how things are going.

I almost have the wine bottle finished and will be then be able to focus my entire efforts on that poor incomplete human bean(being).

Shoot!  Didn't realize this wraps up in 4 days - not going to make it as I haven't even started the kit other than reviewing all the parts and instructions.  Sorry Dodgy - maybe the next GB.

Phoenix: If you're having issues with the skin tone is there any reason he has to be human? I really liked how the skin tones came out on the bartender. Could you go with say Andorian blue or Nebari grey for him?

Holy frijoles, it's been a while since I posted.

If all goes well I should have a completed bartender to post some pictures of in the near future.

His partner, not so much.  I've taken him back to plastic three or four times.  I think I'm expecting too much from my current level of skill.  The decision has been made to make this the final attempt and take it come what may.

Dodgy, the words from your last post must have stuck with me because my recent attempt is exactly the method you outlined, but in acrylics.

Dodgy

My approach is to undercoat the flesh areas in a dark redish brown enamel. I let that dry and then start working up the various tones. I work in oils and blend the various shades as I go

 This gives me hope.

Dodgy

What photo Gamera? I was thinking either the last, or 2nd last one?????

 

Hey Dodgy- I think I'd go with second to last if it's okay by you. 

And thanks! Great GB!!! 

What photo Gamera? I was thinking either the last, or 2nd last one?????

Thanks Dodgy!!! I thought I'd do a little more work on her but I think she's close enough to done to post if you want to. 

I like the idea of a shadow box. Thanks for the suggestion! I'm going to have to ruminate over it though, not sure how I'd do it. 

G'day fellas, sorry to hear that some of you have been crook. It's a fair bugger when you want to do stuff but can't find the motivation because you've been laid low by a bug. I have been away for a couple of weeks on some voluntary work that I do for our veteran community, so I haven't been able to check in.

Phoenix painting skin is the hardest thing to do when modelling figures, so don't be discouraged. I have been doing it for years and I'm still trying to get it right. My approach is to undercoat the flesh areas in a dark redish brown enamel. I let that dry and then start working up the various tones. I work in oils and blend the various shades as I go. Good luck mate, I'm sure you'll get there.

Gamera, Sadako is world class mate! The effect with the lighting is awesome. Have you considered putting it in a simple shadow box? Honestly mate, you have nailed it.

Cheers,

Dodgy

Gamera

Phoenix: Thanks, feeling a LOT better now. Hopefully I'm moving out of this. Did you get the customer repainted from where you had to strip the figure?

Unfortunately he hasn't made it past primer.  I've been rather focused on the Destroid and haven't touched the figures in a couple of weeks.  I think I need to finish up the bartender first to free up some mental cycles to think about the human.

Yeah I know what you mean. Got a few things I want to finish up before the end of the year and then lose half a week due to feeling like something the cat drug in.  

Gamera,

Luckily I didn't have the DD.  Things are wearing off now, so looks like I'm on the rebound.  The sucky thing is that I lost a weekend, and it's back to work on Monday.  

Yuck, I hope you feel better too G!

Not sure if it's the same thing. I had horrible diarrhea and my head felt like a church bell Quasimodo was swinging from. No sinsus, throat, or body aches. 

Frankly a healthy day at work is better than a sick day at home- at least for me, your mileage may vary. 

Crossing my fingers you're feeling better soon! And put sticky notes on your shoes with a 'L' on one and 'R' on the other if you have to!!! 

Gamera,

I think I took your cold!  I was feeling off since last Thursday, and it turned into a full-blown body ache, stomach ache, congested lungs, sore throat, and headache.

I should have known something was up when I went to a jobsite wearing the wrong shoe on each foot!  I was wondering why my feet hurt, but didn't look down until I was rounding the corner heading back to my office.  Now, how did I even fit my shoes that way I will never know.

I hate getting sick before the weekend.  I slept all day on Saturday.  I wanted to work on a model, but was too wiped out.  I tested myself for COVID, but it was negative.

Now you watch, I'll feel better on Monday.

Phoenix: Thanks, feeling a LOT better now. Hopefully I'm moving out of this. Did you get the customer repainted from where you had to strip the figure?  

And thanks guys, ya'll are too kind. Guess I'm my own worst critic, the more I look at the TV screen the better it does look. Our IPMS meeting is this Thur so I'm going to take her with me, I like to have something horror related in October- I brought the Kappa last year, and see what they think. 

Dodgy: A little more clean-up and I hope I'll be done here. 

Gamera, sorry you've been feeling off.  Hope you get over whatever it is quickly.

I second Real G's response!  The screen looks amazing with or without the room lights turned down.  She looks like she's actually coming out of a TV.  Fantastic work!

OMG Gamera, that TV screen looks PERFECT!! 

Hello guys, sorry been a little under the weather but I pulled out Sadako this evening and got a little more done. 

John: Yeah, most Hollywood horror movies don't really scare me anymore. Too much gore and jump scares. As you say Asian movies are just creepy though! I loaned my copy of the Korean horror film 'The Wailing' to a friend and he really liked it. Very disturbing movie. I'm not totally sure I understand the ending but it's just creepy as hell...

Phoenix: Thanks, the tatami mats aren't perfect, about a third or so undersize from what Real G told me but I wanted to get the thing done so I just went ahead with what I had. I can always pull them up later if I want to redo them. 

G: My friend I think you said something about the lights before. Or someone did. Anyway I found these really neat tiny flickering LEDs each slightly smaller than a grain of rice. I kinda wish they put out a little more light. I'm not sure I should have painted the screen of the TV or not since they looked good before but after painting I have to dim the lights a little to get them to show well. 

Anyway Sadako-kun complete: 

The whole shebang with the screen lit: 

With the lights dimmed: 

I wish I could capture some the flickering action but I'm not sure how post it. My phone's camera will capture video footage but I'm sure how to put it up. 

Gamera,

Is it possible to Dremel out the TV and place a bright, flickering LED inside, to create backlighting?  That would look absolutely nuts!

Gamera, Sadako is coming along great.  Have you had any luck with the tatami mats?

Such a scary movie.  Looking awesome!

The thing I like about eastern horror films is that things don't work out.  Western films always have closure.  In the ring, you would figure once they found her sekeleton in the well and put her to rest that her spirit would move on.  NOPE just evil!  So fun.  Curious though how many eastern horror films involve children and water...  Great stuff

Real G

Gamera,

Sadako is looking all creepy, perfect for a Halloween completion!

And remember, a stanadard tatami mat is approximately 3'x6'.

 

Thanks! I printed out the dollhouse mats today on the work printer. They're about a third too small though. I can probably put them in MS Paint or something like that to scale them up. 

Gamera,

Sadako is looking all creepy, perfect for a Halloween completion!

And remember, a stanadard tatami mat is approximately 3'x6'.

Phoenix: Yeah, you can say that again- painting skin is a pain. Looking forward to seeing how the human partner comes out after you get him repainted. 

I got some more work done on Sadako. I hope (and the operative word here is HOPE) I'll have her done by Halloween. I still need to do the white highlights on the robe and the TV base is still in grey primer. 

I've got some printer downloads for tatami mats to try to get a little closer to the movie scene here...

Dodgy

There is definitely a significant improvement in the beard Phoenix, but I've got to say that if I walked into a bar and this guy was serving, I'd be out of there faster than a Greyhound chasing a cat! He is one devilish looking dude. Great work mate, you're doing a brilliant job.

Dodgy

 

Real G

Yeah that barkeep looks awfully shifty!  Especially in the second photo - he looks like he found "the good stuff" under the counter and has already taken the liberty of having some himself!

Gamera

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd trust the little dude either. 

I'm afraid he'd slip something in there and then be all innocent 'Really, that was poison to hewmons? I had no idea...'

 

It's hard to express how gratifying it is to hear how the little guy has sparked the imagination!

He does appear to be a barkeep of dubious morals.  Perhaps, he might add a little something special to the drink of a particularly well heeled customer.  That it might ease the efforts of certain partners of ill repute, as they relieve said customer of the burden of their valuables. For a percentage of course. 

I certainly hope the magic remains as he moves to completion.  His human partner had to be taken back to plastic after an unfortunate series of events left him looking more like a cousin of the Toxic Avenger.

Painting skin is hard.

Yeah that barkeep looks awfully shifty!  Especially in the second photo - he looks like he found "the good stuff" under the counter and has already taken the liberty of having some himself!

Gamera

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd trust the little dude either. 

I'm afraid he'd slip something in there and then be all innocent 'Really, that was poison to hewmons? I had no idea...'

 

Yup!

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd trust the little dude either. 

I'm afraid he'd slip something in there and then be all innocent 'Really, that was poison to hewmons? I had no idea...'

There is definitely a significant improvement in the beard Phoenix, but I've got to say that if I walked into a bar and this guy was serving, I'd be out of there faster than a Greyhound chasing a cat! He is one devilish looking dude. Great work mate, you're doing a brilliant job.

Dodgy

Looks great to me Phoenix! I love the wicked smile!!! 

Looking forward to seeing how the poured drink goes. 

Dodgy

Phoenix, I'm loving the bar tender! What is it about the beard you don't like? If it's the representation of a beard, have you thought about working it with a hot needle? Sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs, but a needle, blunt end first, is pushed into a cork, and then you can heat the other end to work on refining beards and hair.

Thanks Dodgy!

I did not know about that trick with the needle.  That is worth giving a try.  Adding it to my book of tips!  While I do think the beard is lacking in physical texture, my comment was more about the coloration of the beard.  I've continued to play with it as I put him together.

Hopefully the two images will post side by side so it's easier to see the differences in coloration.  I drybrushed a couple layers of different colors onto it.  Final dry brush is a metallic copper, which suprisingly didn't leave a metallic sheen to his beard.  I think it's made it look a bit more natural.

The fourth arm won't be attached till I finish up the wine bottle.  I want to print a label for it and have it pouring.

To mimic beverage pouring I stretched a bit of sprue that I'll attach and finish shaping to hopefully help create the illusion. This was my first try at stretching sprue.  It was surprisingly challenging to do.

This guy is slow going for me.  Spend a lot of time thinking about how to do the next step.  Not as comfortable with building figures and because of it, tend to over think everything.