Negan - Prepwork: Intermezzo III (cont.)

Not much to report, actually. By way of advancing to the finishing stages, I have reworked the bottom edge of the jacket, and all-but-completed the pistol belt. While the detailing has barely commenced, it is time to start the finishing phase of the respective articles of clothing:

• Right Leg
• Left Leg
• Right Boot
• Left Boot
• Jacket

Once I am satisfied with the overall finish, I can then begin to focus on the myriad of buckles, snaps, zippers, and stitched seams that will bring this figure to life. . .

Back to the bench!

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

Negan - Prepwork: Intermezzo III

This intermezzo has been dedicated to finalizing form--and detailing. To date, I have roughed-in 2 of the 6 buckles to be redone; added the passants; roughed-in all (4) lapels; and added the pistol belt. . .  

Until next time. . . 

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

Negan - Prepwork IIC: Lucille, pt. 3 - Barbed Wire!

I am going to give "Lucille" one more day to "relax" and settle into her new finish; but in the meantime, there is quite a bit of work to be done. . . 

As I indicated earlier, I settled for Hudson & Allen's barbed wire (HA9401). This is, quite simply, a SUPERB product! It is mixed-media: scale-thin 2-wire strands with interlaced "vinyl" barbs [As a sidebar note, the barbs are visually quite realistic--and safe. One could argue that, given time, a more realistic item could have been scratchbuilt, but my days of making mail quickly dispelled any such notion. . .  The bw is nicely finished in an earthy rust, which means that in most in- stances, it is ready to use right out of the package!

This is not one of those instances. Personally, I think the bw is depicted as a bit too clean on TWD. But, that is canon, and so it must be. So my first step after very gingerly unwinding a length of the wire, and straightening it out (which is when I discovered H&A used metal wire for the strands), was dropping it in the "bath" overnight. By this afternoon, the paint was easily removed with light scrubbing: the bw is now ready for application!

More to follow. . .  

UPDATE 14.04.17. . . "Lucille" is DONE!!! And I am very pleased! 

The whole process took less than 10 minutes--including unwrapping the wire a couple of times to tweak the flow of the coils! I will be the first to admit that the wire is slightly over-scaled; but, aes- thetically, it rocks! Especially once the blood, etc. is applied during final finishing. I may go back and trim some of the barbs ever-so-slightly to reduce the effective diameter of the barrel; but it is way too early to make that decision now.

BACK TO THE BENCH!!!

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

Negan - Prepwork VI: The Pants

With two out of three items of wear already "under the burr", it was time to throw the pants in the ring, as it were!

The pants are arguably the most poorly rendered of the three major articles of clothing. They are essentially featureless with virtually no volume to speak of. There is hardly any drapery, no flow of fabric--much less a hint of the underlying form. The pants require a total resculpt!

This afternoon, I roughed-in the enhanced volume, working carefully with what was provided as well as a half-dozen or so reference shots. With any luck at all, any putty-work going forward will be minor and a mere flow-refinement. . . 

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

Negan - Prepwork IIB: Lucille, pt. 2

With the bat done and fitted, it was time to "make" Lucille. . . 

First step: staining. Again, research--and your eyes!--will be the ultimate arbiters of what you achieve. I decided to stain and seal using W&N Liquin as the carrier sealant and a proprietary mix of Orange Ochre, Transparent Orange Oxide, and Transparent Earth Red. I did some pre- liminary shading along the knob with Van Dyke Brown, but the bulk of the shading--the real staining--will be done once the Liquitex glaze is good and hard. 

Given the porosity of birch, I will probably repeat this first step, using a lighter tint of the glaze to increase the sheen of the wood. [note 12.04.17: it took three applications of Liquin-based stain to achieve the tonal depth and sheen I wanted.]

So far. . . so great. . . !

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

Negan - Prepwork: Intermezzo II

Repositioning of the head has been finalized (nb: the head has not been permanently attached), and I have resculpted the scarf/neckwrap.

UPDATE 10.04.17 

• The fitting/position of Lucille has been finalized.  
• I've decided on Hudson & Allen barbed wire.
• The left arm has been permanently attached.

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

Negan - Prepwork V: The Jacket

With the work on the boots progressing, I decided to begin working on the jacket so as to ensure a balanced perspective of the work. . . 

If the devil is in the details, then this garment belongs in the Celestial coatroom! We've already discussed the proportional "charlie-foxtrot" that required the removal of a 3-4mm section between the nipple-line and the navel. Then we have what appear to be lightly-scribed, absolutely flat lapels; omitted(!) passants; soft, ill-defined belt loops. . . and the list goes on. 

Unfortunately for some, this garment will require relatively-extensive research. Veteran cosplayers have been unable to associate it with a given commercial item--that means searching the Web for images, and watching the relevant episodes from S7. . . repeatedly! I really don't understand the aversion to research. . . 

The first step is to reassemble the sectioned torso (see here). Then one proceeds as one best sees fit. For myself, I first refitted the "new" Lucille to the left shoulder, and then started carving in the details such as seams and the passant. Then I began to rough-out the left lapels. . . 

That's pretty much it -- for now. . . 

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

Negan - Prepwork IV: The Boots

There are three critical items that must be addressed if you decide to rework Eaglemoss's Negan:

• Lucille
• The jacket
• The boots

Lucille is already well underway, so I will refer you to that posting. That leaves me with the figure itself. Where to begin?. . . As is my wont, I usually start from the bottom, and work my way up. So the boots it is! 

The boots as provided are a joke! While the master costumers at TWD are not averse in the least to creating custom items for the cast, Negan's boots are essentially "off the shelf" items. I will not insult your intelligence by telling you the 'make and model' of the footwear--it takes but a few seconds to nail it down. . . 

So what is wrong with the boots as provided?  First and foremost, the shaft is too long. I strongly suspect that this was a primary contributor to the proportional nightmare we see. Along these lines, the overall proportions of the boots are shot! Secondly, no seam-work whatsoever is pre- sent. These are heavy-leather workboots, and given the scale, a constructional layering should be evident. Finally, as I already mentioned, one of the buckles was sheared off in the clean-up of the casting. What I didn't mention, is that both ankle straps and their buckles were entirely left- off!

I have already addressed the length of the shaft when rescaling the figure. What follows is essentially the resculpting of the boots. To date, I have roughly bulked-up the boots with MS. Now comes the fun part. . . 

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

Negan - Prepwork: Intermezzo

I am going to let Negan simmer for a few days to afford me a "fresh look" when the real work re- sumes; but not before roughly reassembling the figure and bulking-out some critical areas, parti- cularly the jacket and boots (nb: the figure is now curing in the oven). I also removed the head, which, as best I can tell, was indeed a separate piece. To date, I have tentatively re-positioned it.

Before closing, Eaglemoss has been very good about telling us upon which season and/or epi- sode their rendition is based. In this case, it is Negan's very brief introduction at the end of S6/ ep16 (the last 10 minutes or so), and the first half or so of S7/ep1.

Stay tuned!

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

Negan - Prepwork III: Rescaling the Figure, pt.2

First things first. . . If you decide that the figure needs to be rescaled/re-proportioned, select your scale (head-lengths) and stick to it! Scale your figure carefully and consistently. Do not overlook any section--or limb. . .

Secondly. . . As much as some of you hate this aspect of any project, the time has come for you to do your research. HINT: The proportions of the lower body will revolve around the boots. 

Proceed carefully. You do not have a lot of resin to play with down the lower legs! As the figure is not at all heavy, you can use large paper clips for pegs. I am going "mixed medium" this go round: 7/64" tin solder on the left leg [anchor limb], and a large paper clip on the right. 

The left leg is done. I ended-up removing 3-4mm of the boot shaft. I will probably leave the right leg for tomorrow. . . 

More to follow. . .  

FOLLOW-UP. . . And the right leg is now done! What is at once most satisfying--and most dis-  appointing!--is seeing what could have-been slowly begin to emerge before ones eyes. And the figure is now in scale--lengthwise--with Rick. . .!!! Finally, the figure has been mounted on it's workbase. . .

UPDATE 07.04.17-- The tin-solder peg was too large and inflexible given the diameter of the left leg. So I simply clipped it flush with the sole, and tapped a hole the length of the solder for a large paper-clip.  

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

Negan - Prepwork IIA: Lucille, pt. 1

For those of you who are not TWD fans, Negan is one bad hombre--especially if you consider his partner-in-crime, "Lucille". "Lucille" is something that would make a WWI British trench raider salivate uncontrollably: a 32" baseball bat whose business-end has been wrapped in barbed wire! Still with me?. . . 

Well, Eaglemoss decided to cast Lucille in high-tin white metal. Not a bad call. . . just--at least in my sample--appallingly executed! Badly cast, badly finished, with absolutely zero considera- tion for the shrinkage differential between the two mediums. 

Any reclamation of the figure sculpt (i.e., the project before you) would depend on whether or not I could scratchbuild/carve a satisfactory replacement for Lucille. She was THE potential deal breaker! So last night, I scaled-down Lucille, cut a 1.75" piece of 3/16" birch dowel, and started carving to see if it was doable as far as I was concerned. This afternoon I completed Phase I of the reduction. . . 

More to follow. . .

FOLLOW-UP. . . Phase II is now well underway--and I am delighted! Save for continuing the sur- face finishing, I will put Lucille aside until I decide how to go about the barbed wire. . . 

UPDATE 06.04.17-- Lucille is now essentially done! I'm not saying that I'm ready to move to Louisville and launch a new career, but I am VERY pleased! The barbed wire is next!!

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

Negan - Prepwork I: Rescaling the Figure, pt.1

Let the games begin!

Given the volume at work and the lengthy days, "fine" work will be relegated to the weekends. That leaves me 5 days (2-4 hrs/day) to get down and dirty. . . 

Which means a considerable amount of headway should be made in relatively short order on my latest reclamation project. And I began with "resizing the canvas". . . 

As I noted earlier, Negan is approximately 7mm too tall! He would dwarf any other figure in the series. And it's not so much that he is overscaled--his proportions are completely out of whack! The figure of Negan stands 8.5-9 heads tall!! Keeping in mind that most figures are done to 8 head proportions, while purists (guilty as charged!) prefer the 7.5 head proportions of a "normal" human being, this figure needs some serious reconfiguration!!!

I have already addressed the upper half of the body by removing a 3-4mm section of the mid- torso, the upper limit being the nipple-line (second head length. I removed a little more than re- quired on the lower section to allow for the seamless integration of the two sections when the time comes. The jacket zipper will be my medial longitudinal axis.

And that's it--for now. Next, rescaling the lower half by sectioning the boots. . .

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

Negan: The TDL

The TDL to date (in no particular order):

• Rescale the figure and adjust as needed (nb: the figure is ~7mm too tall).
• Reposition head and rework head/face as needed.
• Carve a scale replacement for Lucille (nb: the kit bat is ~6mm too short).
• Rework/resculpt boots, restoring all lost and/or omitted detail.
• Rework leather jacket, restoring all lost and/or omitted detail.
• Rework pants (rear pockets, etc.).
• Add gun belt and attendant details.  

Time to break out the cutting wheels. . . !

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

Negan and his BFF - Eaglemoss' TWD no. 26

Eaglemoss' Negan is a simple, barely adequately-sculpted figure. It is comprised of 6 total pie- ces: head, body, arms, Lucille (white metal), and base (note: I have not been able to separate the head from the torso, but all indications point to it being a separate piece). Also, please note that the figure is almost grotesquely out of scale!

AMF is not the place to find rationalizations making silk purses from offal--and this figure is offal (read: awful)! Any likeness to the subject and virtually all "layering" have been done with paint. With the paint off, the crude, to say nothing of cavalier, seam removal (e.g., the right boot buckle was removed entirely), and the soft, even bland and/or barely existent, detail is painfully obvious. 

So it appears I am back to where I was a little over a year ago with respect to Eaglemoss: I will no longer support this company. Ever since the first set of TWD figures was released in 2015-16, quality--sculptural and painting--has declined steadily: Negan is probably the nadir of the series to this point. I had high hopes for Negan, but it is no more than a somewhat adequate base piece upon which to fully develop the sculpture. And I fully intend to do just that as time and inclination permit. . .

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