That's right! Finally, I'm starting on Conan.

As I said, I'm beginning with the base and treasure chest. Here's the base with some coins and treasure molded in and the resin treasure chest. Also, you'll see my initial sketches for the chest and my plans as they become finalized.

The chest is a box without 90-degree angles. Close inspection shows the line marking the separation of the lid from the rest connects at three corners, but not at the fourth. The trim details, handles, hinges, and lock make no sense, unless I go the extra mile and assume it's a magical chest and that's the reason everything is so screwed up about it. Thus a new one in the works.

I've ground off the treasure with a cutting wheel and carving burr chucked in a Dremel tool.

Update:

This is after the first layer of DAP patching plaster. I'll sand this tomorrow and hit is with another leveling coat. Then a thin layer of styrene and decking.

Marc - Thumbs up!

Quick update on Conan: I've decided to start with the base. There's a large treasure chest that is my first project. I've drawn plans and will make a new one out of basswood and oak veneer. Also, grinding with a Dremel too and resin dust. Images to come ... Have my son's Christmas program tonight, so those might have to wait until Friday.

Thanks guys.  yeah that's some crazy hair she's got going there.  Pretty effective when hanging down  but freaky when I flip her for some sanding.

Marc, nice work on the seams.  Likely the hair is what is creating the bride look.  On the plus side, she's passed out, so you don't have to paint her eyes - or is she feigning while squinting at her captor and his fish eyes - lol.

regards,

Jack

Hey Marc, nice work there so far. The actress was Julie Adams - so I guess I can say you just went from the Abrams to the Adams!!!

And yes she does have a bit of a 'Bride' thing going there in the last photo!

I figured I better get another update in here before this rolls off of page 2.

La chica is ready for primer.   Again I totally revaluate the comments about flash and fit. When joining the arms the cross section of the mating surfaces was off a bit making for a lot of filing and filling to get the contours right.  When you turn her the other way around she sure looks like the bride of Frankenstein.

I figured I better get another update in here before this rolls off of page 2.

La chica is ready for primer.   Again I totally revaluate the comments about flash and fit. When joining the arms the cross section of the mating surfaces was off a bit making for a lot of filing and filling to get the contours right.  When you turn her the other way around she sure looks like the bride of Frankenstein.

Good read Jack.  Thanks for the link.  I am cutting the number of colors by at least half by using every other shade.

And so it begins.  The completion of the Abrams has made way for the start of the Moebius 1/8 scale Creature From The Black.  There is a little bit of flash around the fingers and toes... claws?... but none that looks like it will be problematic. Surface detail/texture I believe is as good as it has to be on something like this.  I don't see any benefit of the bumps in his skin being crisper than they are.  The one exception I would say would be the thickness of the fins at the edges.  It's not unlike an over thick trailing edge of some aircraft models.  If you've ever built an Eduard P-39 you know exactly what I mean.  Some time with a round micro file should help with that.

 I've started with the young lady and have not been to concerned with some fit issues.  The huge guide pins inside are best cut out so the seams can be aligned and glued.  There will be some filling and filing to get everything smoothly contoured.  I already filed one leg seam and will likely get by without any putty so it looks like it should go OK.  The seams that runs down the sides of the creature are another story.  The same working will need to be done but the bumps lost in the process will need to be replaced.  Gotta figure that bit out still. 

Now thats cool. Love this build, thanks.

jibber

Tim, we need more pics of the Nautilus, March is a looong way off.

OK, one more, and that's it. The March issue will be on newsstands Feb. 4. The review, along with a bunch of pics, will be available on the website to subscribers in January.

Now, to rev up my Dremel tool and start laying waste ... I mean, modifying Conan's base.

hi Marc, here's the link about painting gold, it was back on page 7:

http://surfacefragments.blogspot.ca/2012/10/how-old-masters-created-look-of-gold-in.html

... but yea, all I'm saying is since you are working in 3D, natural lighting will help create and add to the grey tones you lay down on your model, or that's my thinking anyways. 

Myself, I've never done a grey tone (or monochromatic) model, but have done a few canvas paintings.  

It was a while ago, but I don't recall premixing 11 shades, but certainly a few.  Much of the shading was achieved by mixing directly on the canvas.  I suppose it's a technique thing.

regards,

Jack

Tim, we need more pics of the Nautilus, March is a looong way off.

you will have the benefit of natural lighting and darkness playing on the surface

Benefit?  I look at it more as another thing to consider and if I don't I'll screw it up  Don't worry... I'm not really that negative   I didn;t see that gold link.  Sounds like food for thought.  How far back is it?

Hey guys.  Nice work being shown here.  Tim - I'm not a big fan of seafood, but hey...yours looks great!  Marc - cool idea with the B&W.  I saw someone build a Battle of Britain Hurricane in a vignette that way, and it looked very neat.

Crossing my fingers to be able to get at Zorro, but I have a WnW Pfalz D.III that has to get done first.

Marc, that will be interesting approach for the Lagoon creature.

Remember too, because of the large scale these figures are, you will have the benefit of natural lighting and darkness playing on the surface of the figure.

Also to consider, recall the gold painting technique I had linked earlier.  It's finding was that the method of less shades was more successful than utilizing  numerous ones - but maybe the analogy doesn't hold here?    I also think less number of values will lend better to having detail pop - though if you are looking to have only certain parts of the figure with high contrast that can be an area specific thing... just my 2 cents.

regards,

Jack

I have seen an armor diorama that was all gray scale and it was breathtaking. I wish i remembered where so I could try to contact the guy.  When I was taking photography classes at OSU... such a longtime ago film speed was ASA not ISO... we were learning the Zone System developed by Ansel Adams.  he divided the scale from white to black into 11 segment "zones" It was an exposure/development system meant to best captures this sale in a photo.  My plan is to buy/mix all these zones and get as many as I can on the model.

And as stated... if it sucks... paint over it.  It was be like a very complex preshade

Marc, I like the idea! I too have no idea how well it would work out but it is a neat idea. I guess if you don't like it you can always paint over it.

Hey Wing Nut, now that would be cool!  I'm sure it will be a challenge, but wow, what a build!  I look forward to what ever you do with it!

Eagle90

Nice work all around guys.  I am just days away from finishing the looong Abrams build.  Then it on to the creature.  I am toying with the idea of a little twist.  Since that movie was in B&W I am thinking of  doing a monochromatic version as if it were a scene for the flick.  I suspect it will be much more difficult that what i am thinking since you can't trow in a little "color" for something pop.

Thanks everyone!  

Gamera: I think I will shave off a little and see if that helps,  If not, looks like putty time!

Jack: Thanks!  So, some putty, then after drying and some sanding, scribe a seam!  I think in the long run that will be the solution.  Hopefully I can get to it tonight after work.

Tim:  WOW!  Great build!  It absolutely rocks!  I remember watching the Disney movie as a kid.  That build does it justice my friend!

Eagle90

Jack and Gamera - Thanks for the compliments. As for the giant squid, I did some research on squids and came up with an image I liked, printed it out and taped it to the wall next to the spray booth. Then I just started painting.

As for the colorized one in the Disney movie, I remember it being gray ... and this would seem to bear that out.

True anecdote: I had to learn to sing "Whale of a Tale" when I was 10. I come from a musical family and Mom thought it would be cute. Unfortunately, I was not drunk, nor did I have a seal named Esmeralda. 

Jack: Cool, I've never thought of using lead foil like that.

Eagle: Yeah, if you trim the attachment tab a little his arm might slip in a little better. It's not too big a seam in any case.

Tim: Awesome! Really beautiful job on a classic SF/fantasy craft.

Eagle - I  see what you mean now.  That seam is on the deep side, and I don't think sanding the arm will help - it's tapered shape will have diminishing returns if you take more away.

Easiest solution would be to attach permanently now, and then add putty all around.  Use a fingertip to smooth out while still wet, this will minimize the amount of sanding afterwards.  Once it's all cleaned up, you can scribe in  a finer seam if you like.

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Tim - that is one fine build of the Nautilus, and I love that squid as part of the base.  I think I was in like grade six when I saw the movie and was in b/w.  Does the colorized version have the squid in red, or is that  part of your creative influence?

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Alrighty, got the 'green stuff' on order.  For lead foil, is there anything else out there other than the sheet that Verlinden offers?

regards,

Jack

Hi guys,

I received special dispensation to show you what I've been working on and keeping me from Conan. 

You'll be able to see more pics of it and read a review in the March issue.

With that out of the way, this week, FINALLY, Conan. You don't know how relieved I am.

Eagle - NICE! Without seeing more of the join, I'm not sure what I can advise for minimizing the seam there. However, it doesn't look too bad from your pic. I love how the trousers and torso have come along, and those boots are definitely regulation shine.

Jack - The lead foil is definitely the way to go on that one. As I said in a previous post, I love Green Stuff. Two-parts, mix with your finger, easily shaped and sculpted using just a little water. Sets up hard within 24 hours and can be sanded.

Thank you Jack!  Not sure about the seams.  I see what you are saying, but think it might be a bit much.  What do you think?  Maybe I could sand off more from the arms where it joins.  Maybe that will let it sit in there better.

Eagle, I like the lay of colours you have on the uniform and boots of Scotty.

 As for the possible seams around the shoulders once you attach the arms, I would leave as is to represent the actual cloth seams where the shirt is hemmed together.  Or are there really huge gaps appearing?

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Begun working on the gloves for Red Sonja.  After creating a pattern on paper,  I first tried transferring it to some .010 sheet plastic.  It looked  too stiff around the forearm, not a good representation of leather. 

So next up was lead foil, which I think is much better.  I will have to order some type of epoxy putty to be able to sculpt a few wrinkles around the wrist area - or at least try, as this is first time trying such a conversion.

regards,

Jack

Thanks Gamera!  The face is still my biggest challenge to come!

Eagle90

Eagle, Scotty looks pretty darn good to me so far!

Hey everyone,

Great stuff you guys are going here!  I sure appreciate all the help everyone is offering with my first figure build.  I have made some progress.  The first pic is of Scotty's "Hip Surgery"!  Had to do a little manipulation to get things somewhat lined up.  It is still off just a little in the back, but let's just say Scotty has had a hard day in engineering and his shirt is a little untucked. 

Second is the torso and legs glued together.  Like I said, shirt just slightly untucked.  Third pic is of the second coats of flesh on the hands and face.  Will be attaching the arms soon and then filling the gaps there at the shoulders.  Last will be doing the head.  Have been reading up on doing that and watching some videos.  That will be a challenge!  Thanks for looking and any advice on gap filling around the shoulders will be much appreciated. 

Eagle90

marc, you and me both. I am itching to get started on darth, but my He 111 is taking an age.

Checking in and WOW... 2 completions and all that progress on the WIPs.  Nice work kids.  I also looked at the end date.  I better get the rear in gear and finish the M1 before it turns into a perpetual motion kinda thing and just never gets done.