KING GRODD!

I am a HUGE fan of Gorilla Grodd! Kong might have him beat in sheer size and brawn—as well as a certain je ne sais quoi with the ladies; but Grodd is a hyper-intelligent, telepathic gorilla with the power to control the minds of others. The “Caesar of Gorillas” PLUS, if I might. His main anta- gonist is The Flash, though he has crossed paths with the JLA, individually and collectively, any number of times.

When I saw the pilot episode of The Flash, it left a huge grin on my face: as Dr. Wells is giving Barry a tour of S.T.A.R. Labs, they pass a battered cage with a slightly less-battered sign (more at vanity plate!) with but one word: GRODD. Yep, none other! The cage’s former occupant is con- firmed in an Ep. 5 closing flashback scene that takes place 5-years prior. The show’s producers have leaked that Grodd will make a substantial appearance this season. . .

In spite of pre-dating (1959) the Planet of the Apes—book (1963) and film (1968)!—Grodd is one of the most under-represented, mainstream, fictional great apes in “our” world! And I am hard- pressed to explain the reason/s why!! So I decided two years ago to start developing a Grodd project; and I am delighted to report that said project is, however tentatively, underway!

The project will be a bust/half figure? of Grodd (The New 52) converted from Moebius' The Mighty Kogar in their "Monsters of the Movies" series. This affectionate, authorized tribute to the great Bob Burns and his "man in a gorilla suit" alter-egos is sculpted by Jeff Yagher in 1/12th scale. This is a fun, quick, snap-together polystyrene kit comprised of 22 pieces. As with most kits of its ilk, it will take some effort to make it more than it was intended to be.

To date, I have snipped the pieces from their sprues, and dry assembled the corresponding pairs. I have also sorted out the relevant pieces, and bisected the main body at an oblique angle origi- nating in the mid-lumbar region.

More to follow!

FOLLOW-UP. . . All the sub-assemblies have been permanently assembled (read: glued toge- ther), save for the heads. The kit provides you with three heads: Kogar, Tracy, and Bob Burns. I am concerned with but the first two: I am uncertain of which one to use. Kogar has too much of 
a mask feel to it, while Tracy's is an excellent, if basic, study of a gorilla's head--I am obviously leaning towards Tracy's. Regardless of which one I use, there will be sculptural modifications in- volved, hence why the heads remain dry-assembled. UPDATE: Heads permanently assembled.

FOLLOW-UP (2). . . As is my wont, all sub-assemblies--save for the left forearm--have been filled with PUR. And I have decided to rework the Kogar head somewhat before making a decision as to which I will use. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain America--STRIKE Stealth Suit - Painting (IVbis) -The Shield

The shield has been stripped, and re-primed with Tamiya Fine Surface Primer (L)-Lt. Grey. My goal is to have the lacquers applied--and cured!--by next weekend.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain America--STRIKE Stealth Suit - Painting (IV) -The Shield. . . FAIL!

With the weekend fast drawing to a close, I wanted to get one more thing done before calling it a day. As there really wasn't much time to dive into anything too involved, I decided to get Cap's shield off the work bench and on to the painting hutch. . .

To this end, I applied 2-3 light coats of Rustoleum Painter's Touch® Ultra Cover 2x Primer-Black. Some of you might wonder why I decided on using a black primer. In spite of it being all the rage, it is not an application I endorse. In this case, however, it is the right call as the primer will serve double duty as primer and undercoat: the lacquers can now be applied directly to the primed sur- faces of the shield.

More to follow. . . 

26.01.2015 - The shield has been lacquered--G-S Mr. Metal, of course! The face of the shield was lacquered with a 50:50 mix of Stainless Steel and Chrome; while the back of the shield was lac- quered with pure Stainless Steel. This creates a subtle tonal difference under normal lighting that will be enhanced as the back of the shield will be largely in shadow once mounted.

I will tackle the shield fittings next, along with the white star and the central dk. "blue" roundel. Once that is done, the shield will be permanently attached, and the concentric anodized pale blue roundels painted in-situ.

27.01.2015 - It was one of those days at work. . . so I needed to do something--hopefully, con- structive. After thinking about it virtually every spare moment I had to day, I decided to mask the shield save for the center roundel--with star, and prime this white. It actually came out surpris- ingly well--no bleed-through whatsoever, and unmasking was relatively uneventful. I then painted the center roundel with a 50:50 mix of Reaper's Midnight Blue and UM Blue. As of this writing, I am unsure whether this will serve a mere undercoat, or if I will even things up and use it as a basecoat. More to follow. . . 

29.01.2015 - It looks like Cap is going to challenge me even this well-into the proceedings. . .  I started painting the inner lt. blue anodized ring when I noticed that the metallic lacquer was 'lift- ing'. This is a new one on me! I pressed-on thinking--hoping!--that it was merely the uppermost layer of paint that had yet to cure, but it was soon apparent that I had worked my way down to the primer!! For some reason, the G-S Mr. Metal had failed to bond with the Rustoleum primer. So. . . into the stripper it went! 

The one rule I blatantly violated was that of immiscible layers: I painted a lacquer on a lacquer, rather than a lacquer over an acrylic. Duly noted. Round 2 will 100% "old school": lt. grey primer under a buffed, flat black acrylic undercoat under 2-3 coats of G-S Mr. Metal, with a minimum of 48 hrs. set-up between each step/coat. I'm just glad/relieved I decided to scrub Cap as an entry: a rather painful reminder that this late in the game, it is Mr. Murphy that is calling the shots!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Judge Death - Painting (X): Wrapping-up, pt. 3

I will be the first to admit that this is rather embarrassing: Judge Death, who is no more than 2-3 short sessions away from being a fait accompli, has been patiently awaiting the execution of sentence for over 5(!) months! This is certainly not justiccccce!

The first coat (oils) on the helmet should be done by eod today. DONE! Once that is done, all that remains are the dismembered digits of the elbow pads, and final detailing/outlining/finishing.

Stay tuned!

UPDATE 26.01.2015. . . The helmet issssss DONE!

UPDATE 08.02.2015. . . The right elbow pad issssss DONE!

UPDATE 09.02.2015. . . The left elbow pad issssss DONE! With final detailing/outlining/finishing all that remains to be done, thissss figure isss judged completed!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Harrenhal - Prepwork III: Working the seams

There are no two ways about it: filling seams and re-"surfacing" (read: texturing) the filled areas is the most time-consuming and arduous aspect of this project. Do it right, and you'll be question- ing your sanity soon into the process. Do it wrong. . . and you will have a rather sizeable--and glaring!-- reminder of your own ineptitude/impatience/what have you for as long as you own the finished piece!

And so it has begun! I am undertaking this step in time-manageable chunks to not only preserve what little of my questionable sanity I might have left, but to ensure that the putty (MS) remains at the right consistency throughout the session. To this end, the right half of the dragon is now done. . . 

More to follow. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Notable Acquisitions January 2015

And picking up right where we left off (and coincidentally in the same vein as last year). . .

KITS
NutsPlanet "Mother of Dragons" (1/10th scale bust, Hyun-ji Kim)

Harrenhal - Prepwork II: The Wings

The right and left wings has been pegged and fitted. The former is a bit of a handful as the distal/ aft portion of the wing root was severely off-center ("levered" demolding). Nothing to fret over, as a few minutes under the hair-dryer and some digital manipulation restored everything as it should be. . . maybe better!

Going forward, at the forefront of planning will be whether to mount the wings permanently, finish- ing and re-texturing the seams, before or after painting. While I am not averse to the latter, there will be some minor re-sculpting involved to effectively mask the seams, and this will impact the final finish on the dragon. . .

Fortunately, still down the road some. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain America--STRIKE Stealth Suit - Painting (III) - Oils, pt.2a

The head's fleshtones (i.e., the face, etc.) are now done! And, IMHO, one of the best faces I have ever painted! 

One down. . . 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain America--STRIKE Stealth Suit - Not happenin'. . .

This afternoon, I made an annotated list of the items remaining to be done on Cap. This is par for the course with me to make sure I don't forget/oversee anything, as well as provide me with cap- sule notes, etc. for any given item. 

There are 20+ items on the list. There are 26 days before "opening night", including three week- ends. In my book, that simply does not add up, especially dealing with the scale and medium of the figure, drying allotments--and yes, work. Could it be done? Even with work, it could be done. But why? I guess the real question is, "Should it be done?" And the answer to that is a definite no! Why jeopardize all the research, work, etc. simply to have yet one more piece on the display table? No show that I've ever been to is worth that!

And so, as of this writing, I will very reluctantly concede to time. Another week-to-ten days, and I wouldn't be writing this. But it is what it is. In the meantime, I will continue working on--and enjoy- ing!--Cap. And as soon as it is completed, it will be my pleasure to share my work with you. 

Now. . . if Mother Nature throws in a couple of snow days in the next four weeks. . . 

Just by way of  FOLLOW-UP, the blue is matte-ing down beautifully!!! It looks every bit as I had hoped it would, which makes the decision not to complete him for the show all the more vexing. By the same token, it amply vindicates the decision. . . HASTE MAKES WASTE!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Daenerys Targaryen (Bust) - Prepwork II

In anticipation of the forthcoming build-out of the torso, I have just finished roughing-in the one- piece leather spaudler she wore on her left shoulder. This will be a removable piece until the underlying harness (leather) and fabric have been sculpted.

UPDATE 21.01.2015. . . The spaudler is about 60% 70% 85% completed, and it has been pegged to the [left] arm.  

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain America--STRIKE Stealth Suit - Painting (III) - Oils, pt.1

IT. . . HAS. . . BEGUN. . .

With less than 4 weeks to go, I will be the first to admit that getting Cap done in time for opening night registration is less than a sure thing. So why start it? Well. . . 1) if I don't paint him now, he would more than likely never get painted; and 2) the three-day weekend gives me a significant ad- vantage: if I can get the blue of the suit done to my satisfaction, then there is a very good chance that the smaller bits can get done an hour here, an hour there. We'll see. . .

To this end. . .

12.01.2015 - Irises blocked-in. 
17.01.2015 - Legs (blue) done. The colours used to achieve my mix are as follows: 1:1 mix of Cerulean Blue (Liquitex) + Ivory Black + a touch of Winsor Blue + a touch of Neutral Gray (Li- quitex) [the latter two to taste]. For those using acrylics, I would recommend Reaper's Midnight Blue as your base. Finally, be sure you set aside a good 4-5 hr. block of time to paint the blue portions of the legs. And as with most dark blues, be prepared to revisit your hard work to punch up the highlights, the deep shadows, and the outlining once dry.
18.01.2015 - The Stealth suit (blue portions) is now done! I would set aside 3-4 hrs. for the upper body.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Harrenhal - Prepwork

Another day under the weather, so if I can't paint, I might as well get something done. . . ! Some- thing that is as p***ed-off as I feel. . .

As I mentioned in my review, while the surface detail of the castings is excellent, fit leaves much to be desired. When one considers the extent of interactivity between disparate--in every sense!-- components, it might all work satisfactorily at first; but sooner or later mold degradation, distor- tion, etc. will demand a fair amount of resculpting.  .  .

I have yet to see a sbs on how to best tackle this beast--in fact, I've seen relatively few finished pieces! A dozen, more or less?? So this is either a collector's keepsake. . . or the usual sop backfires on the miniaturist when it comes time to integrate dragon and groundwork, and the project gets rather unceremoniously shelved.

The dragon is now completely assembled save for the right foreleg and the wings. And the main section of the tower is permanently attached to the groundwork. Thus the two main elements of the vignette--focal and structural--are now "locked in". The interface of the tower wall section molded en suite with the dragon and the main tower has been reworked with MS to provide a [near-]seamless join--I will now have to grind/scribe/distress the masonry.

A few observations before closing. . .

• I would say that if any miniature required an assembly guide, Cang would be a strong contender. But, as alluded to above, any assembly guide is only as good as the quali- ty/finish of the castings. 
• I don't agree with the breakdown of the dragon: the left foot should not have been cast en suite with the tower wall! Had it been cast separately (preferably; or as part of the leg), then the location of the foot, which is in any case irrelevant, would have been self-realized.
• The mating surfaces are nowhere clean enough; and in my sample, the contact sur- faces are invariably somewhat concave which reduces the strength of the join.

That being said, basic assembly and prep took less than 2 days. I would say there are a good 6-8 weeks of assembly (wings), re-texturing, and clean-up before I can even begin to think about the painting: that is certainly not an inordinate amount of time given the magnitude of the project. I have spent a significantly longer period of time prepping kits that were nowhere-near as ambi- tious--or impressive! But this will be a concern for the waning days of Winter. . .      

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Alas Harrenhal. . .

At the Atlanta Show in 2012, I picked-up Cang the Implacable for my lady from the good folk at Cool Mini or Not. This 10th Anniversary Commemorative Sculpture was designed and sculpted by Pedro Fernández [Ramos], one of the premier miniatures sculptors in the world.

The kit is cast in 20 pieces:

• Dragon: 12 pcs.- resin
• Groundwork: 3 pcs.- resin (integral components of the kit)
• Dragonrider: 5 pcs. - white metal (optional) 

The casting quality overall is VG/VG+; however, fit is problematic and assembly--well, let's just say that this kit is for VERY experienced miniaturists. It will challenge you at every turn and exhaust your modelling back of tricks--pacing and patience are key! That being said, the fact remains that, afaic, this offering sets the bar for dragons in miniature--to a height I don't see many attempting, much less managing, to reach!

So much for the star of this 2015 project. My lady loves dragons, and I wanted to get her the best dragon in miniature on the market--which I obviously did. However, the complexity of this kit is beyond her current skillset and experience levels--hell, it's pushing my limits! And while I am no great lover of dragon miniatures as a rule, it should come as no surprise that I am definitely taken with House Targaryen in GRR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.

To make a long story short, my lady has been gracious enough to let me tackle this beast!  So... in about four weeks--maybe sooner, the fun will begin in earnest!!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Daenerys Targaryen (Bust) - Prepwork I

True to my word, the bust is on the workbench. . . As of this writing, I have:

• Cleaned Drogon; permanently attached tail to body. Drogon is too "husky"/heavy and will require some very judicious thinning. Primary target: the tail; which will probably require lengthening as well.
• Cleaned and tentatively dry-fitted the hair fall--additional tweaking will be required.
• Cleaned the head.
• Cleaned the torso. Removed the "sleeves"/shoulder wings of the dress--this is the first step of the conversion; and began reducing the bodice.

The pieces fit quite well, though some tweaking and/or minor filling will be in order. To date, none of the latter. The castings are perfect, and the resin is an absolute joy to work--responding equal- ly well to burr, blade, and sandpaper! KUDOS to NutsPlanet!!

More to follow. . .

• 13.01.2015 - Reduction of the tail has begun--so far so good! [nb: ~80% done--and it makes all the difference in the world!] Left foot has been fitted, pegged, and tentative- ly attached. The feet will not be permanently attached until the build-out of the torso is complete.
• 14.01.2015 - Reduction of the tail is effectively done. Detailing, texturing, etc. await, but the worst is over--including lengthening the tail by approx. 13mm! This was done by pegging a block of resin to the truncated end of the tail and carving down in situ. 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

"Across The Red Waste. . . "

"Mother of Dragons" was awaiting me this afternoon. Thanks are in order to Chuck/The Red Lancers for the excellent service! Hardly surprising, but nonetheless VERY appreciated!!

"Mother of Dragons" is the fourth 1/10th scale bust of a Game of Thrones' subject released by NutsPlanet. Sculpted by Hyun-Ji Kim, the breakdown of the 11-piece kit is as follows:

• Daenerys: head, torso, the fall of hair, and the "claw"(?) pendant. 
• Drogon: body, wings (x2), feet (x2) and the tail.

The 11th piece is the standard NP display riser/pedestal--which I will in all probability discard-- along with the "claw" pendant.

The casting, packaging, etc. is everything we have come to expect from the NutsPlanet team: SUPERB!

In spite of what others have said, there are no options when it comes to painting the dragon. Only one of the siblings ever "rode" on Dany's shoulders, and that was Drogon. Period.

My reservations about the concept of this bust have been clearly stated here. As presented, I cannot recommend this bust. That being said, it is the ideal base for virtually any iteration of the last Targaryen claimant to the Iron Throne. . . and she will be on the bench before the day is over!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea

Last November, NutsPlanet released their third and fourth Game of Thrones' offerings in their line of busts: "Mother of Dragons" and "Hand the Imp". At the time, I was not particularly taken with either of these pieces, considering them a significant decline in the excellence manifest in the first two; but after a lengthy and enlightening discussion with a dear colleague (thanks Rich!), I have reconsidered my position re: the "Mother of Dragons", and she is now on order and en route!

THEN: When I first saw this bust, it simply did not look like Emilia Clarke in the role of Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen. Secondly, Dany is depicted wearing a relatively rich and fine blue dress. . . yet Drogon is still small enough to ride her shoulder! What?!! Look, if you pretend to base a figure on a character from a visual medium, at least evince some familiarity with the source of your inspiration! There are two incontrovertible visual timeline markers in the evolution
of Daenerys as a character--and a person: her couture and the relative size of the babies.

NOW: Point #1: Painting Emilia Clarke's sculptural likeness is a true challenge! And to make matters worse, the quality of the painting is not a primary consideration. Myeong-ha Hwang's rendition of the boxart is superb(!); BUT, IMHO, it does not capture the likeness of Emilia Clarke in the role. Rich pointed out to me those areas that he thought could use tweaking, and combin- ing those with the areas that I had identified as weak, and then doing an overlay of the actress's face with the casting of the head, I discovered that the bare likeness was pretty darn close! It is the painting that will make or break any rendition.

Point #2: This one, unfortunately, is a potential deal-breaker. The end user has but two options: 1) Leave Drogon off, and do a simple bust of a very attractive young woman in nice threads; OR, coordinate Dany's costume with Drogon's age/size. And that is precisely what I intend to do! My rendition of this bust will depict Dany as the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea during her trek across The Red Waste. . .

Hands-on review to follow upon receipt. . . !

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain America--STRIKE Stealth Suit - Painting (II) - UC'ing, pt.1

Paints and brushes. . . ASSEMBLE!

07.01.2015 - Black portions of boots and gaiters done.
08.01.2015 - Blue portions of pants done (1:1 Reaper Ultramarine Blue and Twilight Blue, toned down with flat black to taste).
09.01.2015 - Blue portions of "jacket" done. More than likely, this will be the extent of uc'ing of the body at this point. By next weekend, the oils will be flowin'. . . 
10.01.2015 - Head primed and flesh areas uc'ed.
11.01.2015 - Carbon-fibre panels of helmet, and mock-turtle collar done.   

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain Rogers Stealth Suit - Groundwork II

As I mentioned during the Prepwork phase of this project, I have consciously opted for an under- based presentation with Cap. My intention is to depict him on the [rear] cargo ramp of a Quinjet just prior to insertion. To this end, the figure's "footprint" will be but 3" x 3".

This evening I cut a 3" x 3" x .125" piece of white polystyrene, and commenced final sizing and finishing. . . 

More to follow. . .  

UPDATE 07.01.2015. . . The polystyrene "base" has been sized, fitted, and tapped. It will pro- bably be permanently affixed to the display pedestal by the weekend. 11.01.2015 DONE! All enhancements, mods, etc. will be done subsequently in situ. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Andrea's "Dragon Lady" -- Reflections II

In a word. . . WOW!

You have all heard me quip countless times that "the devil is in the details". . . Little did I know... 

"The Mother of Dragons" is now effectively done, but she will occupy a place of honour on the painting hutch for at least another week. Why? Simply, because "the devil is in the details"!

This is a very simple figure. The most challenging aspect to some--from all indications--would be simply painting the naked body of the main subject. Unless one has fewer than a dozen or so human figures under one's belt, a nude body should be anything but daunting! However, it will be up to you to make it believable. . . I mean, this is what we do, isn't it? I dunno. . . maybe not??

My approach to this figure has been dictated by a scene lasting decidedly less than 5 minutes at the closing of the final episode of Season 1 of Game of Thrones (Ep. 10: Fire and Blood). I don't believe I could ever tire of watching this scene. In a word, powerful! But I digress. . . A critical part of successfully pulling-off this vignette is exhaustive research. If you haven't seen it, or you don't have HBO, etc., worry not: everything you need is at your fingertips on the Web. I'm sure if the painter of the marketing sample had spent a little more time doing his/her research, he/she, to say nothing of Andrea, would have been spared the vitriol that this figure has generated. I can only hope that the vocal "few" are not indicative of the prevailing sentiment re: this figure.

My goal with this piece was to capture that on-screen moment in all its glory in scale. I was less concerned with painting technique and precise application; and more concerned with painting effect. Every application of paint was a critical means to the ultimate end. . . if it wasn't, it was wiped/brushed off, and I would reassess. And reapply. . . mostly within the hour; but sometimes the following day--or longer! 

And let's not talk about touch-ups! Let me just say that they are ongoing as I write. As always, the vision must be realized! From Emilia Clarke's likeness, to Drogon's blotchy and striped hatch- ling colouration, to the lay-out of the remains of the pyre, all are critical elements that will hope- fully yield a synergistic jackpot!

I am not there yet, but I am getting closer. Weathering in earnest should begin by the weekend-- and I cannot wait! 

I have been lucky of late in that every figure I have worked on has been an absolute joy! Challeng- ing, stimulating, thought-provoking. . . the hobby, the practical aspect of the hobby, has more than lived up to its promise--and my expectations!--in the last 2 or so years. But I guess it's not really about the figure, is it? You will get out of it whatever you are willing to put into it. 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Wildling Raider -- Project Notes/TD List

• Discard shield and reposition left hand. In the books, Wildlings did use shields but these are described as wickerwork items covered in leather. In the series, Wildlings do not carry shields. Being that this rendition is a conflation of the two sources, I could have very easily incorporated the shield, but . . . Instead, I will reposition the left hand and have it holding the seax.
• Rework left hand.
• Scratchbuild a seax.
• Relocate the seax scabbard.
• Enhance left forearm.
• Reduce the length of the main belt.
• Add leather/fur items as deemed necessary.
• Reduce height of groundwork by 4-5mm.

Items in grey are ip.; items in red are done.

I will add to the TDL when warranted as the project unfolds. I don't believe there are too many--if any!--mods remaining to be listed, but you never know.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Looking ahead in 2015. . .

. . . Or not. . . 

Traditionally, I have posted a list of projects scheduled to-be-completed for the upcoming Show in February; and a slate of potential projects that I intended to tackle during the course of the modelling year. 

This year, I have decided to fly (paint?) by the seat of my pants; i.e., no "flight plan"! Part of this is due to the vicissitudes of work; but a not insignificant reason is the nature of the hobby in 2015: I am simply not enjoying what it has become in this day and age. 

I still enjoy the creative process, and I cherish the time I spend at the bench, whether it is spent generating dust and shavings, or slinging paint. But for the first time, there is a real sense of disenfranchisement, to say nothing of a disquieting and pervasive banality. Addio fraternità!

We'll see how the year unfolds. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Wildling Raider - Prepwork

By way of preface, let me just say that "prepwork" is minimal. The worst part so far has been
1) finding the seamlines; and 2) carefully removing the "in" blocks. The latter has already been completed.

I have also built-out (MS) the areas under the feet in the hollowed-out (KUDOS! Why waste--and charge for!--resin that will neither be used nor seen!!) groundwork.

Stay tuned!

FOLLOW-UP. . . The figure has been pegged; the groundwork tapped; and the subject--or at least half of it. . . from the waist down--has been transferred to its working base. The groundwork will more than likely be modified to some extent, if only to give it a better "fit" to whatever base I decide upon.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

"Mother of Dragons" - Painting: Final Wrap-up

When I last left you, Drogon's two smaller siblings had been permanently attached to Daenerys-- with but a few touch-ups to be done on the areas requiring filling post-attachment; and Drogon's ventral surfaces painted. That leaves us with the completion of Drogon and Rhaegal, and the home stretch to cohesive unity and completion. 

01.01.2015 - Drogon permanently attached.

03.01.2015 - Viserion is now completed, as are most of the touch-ups on Dany. While there remain 1-2 weeks of additional work (Drogon and Rhaegal, and final weathering), the piece is effectively done. My next posting will be images of the finished piece.
04.01.2015 - Drogon and Rhaegal are completed.

 “When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -

Oscar Koveleski, August 2003