06 October 2012

KATŌ Yoshiaki -- a reappraisal

The Yoshiaki master sculpt is essentially fine as is: there are a few spots that need some touching-up and even fewer undercuts that could be cleaner and sharper, but otherwise good-to-go.

However, the shikoro was absent from the kit, and that precipitated a mad scramble! Would I have to resculpt a brand new shikoro? Did I have an adaptable shikoro that I could cannibalize from one of the archive kits?? Being that this shikoro was sculpted specifically for this helmet, I thought it highly unlikely, but anything to avoid having to sculpt a unique shikoro from scratch for a second time!

Well, as it turns out much ado about nothing, as Jim was gracious enough to contact me immediately and affirm that it was a simple oversight on his part: I should have the shikoro by this time next week!

BUT. . . part of the mad scramble entailed poring over the references once again, to see if any of the shikoro that I did have could be suitably modified. And it was then that I came across a few images that I did not have available at the time of original sculpt.. .

Bottom line, while the mods to the kabuto will be minimal , the re-release of KATŌ Yoshiaki will depict an accurized helmet. Even though I have already painted this piece twice, third time is the charm, and I am very much looking forward to painting what will be a near-definitive rendition of this spectacular kabuto. I say "near" because I have never seen this kabuto (or anything similar) in person, and it continues to reveal mysteries once thought solved.

I will hopefully have the reworked master en route to Steve within the fortnight.

UPDATE - 18.10.2012. . . By way of update, I have just received the erstwhile-missing shikoro. Given the proximity to month-end and the demands of work, the completion of the required work will be delayed somewhat. I am still hopeful that it might be en route by month's end, but realistically I have informed Steve that it will be on its way by the week of the 11th.

BACK TO THE BENCH!!!

No comments:

Post a Comment