And for those of you with an axe to grind. . .

Götterdämmerung! Das Phantom. . .

The hat trick is a fait accompli!

In other words, the Great White Ape is [all but] done, and I am relieved to say that the raging simian is just about off my back!!

All that remains to be done, aside from the usual final once-over, is to paint the club. This is a bit of a headscratcher, if only because the options are limitless! I might take a day or so to ponder the possibilities. . .

Which will leave me about 48 hrs to review, photograph, and box the "terrible trio". . .

¡La última vez!

White Ape of Barsoom - Painting (4): Groundwork (II)

Once the bust of Herr Schmidt was completed, the evening has been largely dedicated to Barsoomian flora. The dominant species in the Barsoomian dead sea bottoms--and elsewhere--is the ubiquitous yellow moss/lichen.

I have applied the moss covering using Woodland Scenics products-- it is now drying. Unfortunately, I will not be able to return to the groundwork until Sunday, when I will hopefully have sufficient time to airbrush it, permanently attach the figure, and leave me but a few hours remaining to correct, tweak, and enhance.

Two down. . .

Just completed the Red Skull bust! As with ALVH, still the pre-Show final once-over to be done in just about a week's time. . .

One down, two to go. . .

Save for some remaining outlining and the final once-over, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is DONE!

Best call it a night. . .

Red Skull (Bust)-Painting (11): Wrapping-up 2...

The modelling on this project has officially concluded! The cigarette holder has been primed, undercoated, and mounted!! All that now remains is lacquering the holder, touching-up the flesh of the affected fingers, and painting the cigarette.

Almost there!

UPDATE - 09.02.2012. . . The holder has been lacquered and the cigarette u/c'ed.

White Ape of Barsoom - Painting (4): Groundwork (I)

Work has been unseasonably and atypically brutal for the last three days with no respite in sight. Phase 5 was finally continued today, with the basic colours and the first layers of pigments applied and sealed. This is a multi-layered, multi-media groundwork that will hopefully effectively re-create the Barsoomian landscape around the dead sea bottoms.

Very close. . .

Red Skull (Bust)-Painting (10): Wrapping-up . . .

The RK has been painted and permanently attached. The usual tweaks remain--outlining, shading, etc., but the most difficult of the "accessories" is now a fait accompli.

NEXT: The cigarette holder. . .

White Ape of Barsoom - Painting (3): Intermezzo

Phase 3--Glazing--is just about done. As I mentioned in my last posting, this will continue right until the very end to optimize the lighting and depth of the sculpture.

Phase 4--Head and Hair--was continued today. The head, save the eyes, is just about done; and Phase 1 (Oils) of the mouth/teeth was completed as well.

Phase 5--Groundwork and Accessories--was initiated today. This will be the toughest of the painting segments of this project. The modelling of the groundwork was finished today. Undercoating will hopefully be completed this week--I can then focus on the actual painting and "build-ups" over the weekend.

It's gonna be close. . .

ALVH-Painting - Wrapping-up: Groundwork, etc.

The "groundwork" is now fully u/c'ed, and is now ready for finishing: to this end, the slats are all but done.

With the main "flooring" essentially done, I decided to transfer the figure to its permanent display base. There will be some touch-ups required on the flooring, but otherwise it has come together nicely.

The axe head is lacquered, and the axe has been permanently mounted. Save for the stovepipe hat--the vampire's, not Abe's, assembly of the vignette has been completed. Movin' right along. . .

FOLLOW-UP. . . Just finished the painting of the hat, and it is now in the oven. If ready-to-attach once it comes out, then this project can be deemed completed. Still loads of things to do, and at least 4-5 hrs. worth of integrating touch-ups and tweaks, but for my purposes the vignette is DONE!

Red Skull (Bust)-Painting: Assembly

Managed to clear-out a little space on an all-too crowded bench with the permanent attachment of the namesake to the torso.

If I can complete the shirt-cuff tonight, this piece might be in the books by the end of the weekend!

Stay tuned!

FOLLOW-UP. . . The shirt-cuff has been completed and the forearm has been permanently attached. Save for the cigarette holder and the RK, the bust is DONE!

Red Skull (Bust)-Painting (9): Home stretch-2 ...

The collar patches and the ribbon of the EKII have been completed, as has the Eichenlaubs of the RK. All that remains to be done are the RK and the cigarette holder. Assembly will be well underway by the weekend. . . !