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

Hptm. Walther Karjus--Painting II: Metallics

The cybernetic right forearm has been base-coated with G-S Mr. Metal lacquers and buffed-out... 

That's the easy part. Now comes the more challenging aspect of any metallic exercise--especial- ly given the relatively small scale in question.

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

Hptm. Walther Karjus--Painting I: UCing and Metallic Prep

Just finished UCing the uniform of Herr Karjus. . .

As with the first figure of the Red Skull that I did, it is times like this make me appreciate "fantasy"/alternate reality figures more than I can say: while I believe my interpretation of Feldgrau is more than acceptable, I certainly don't want to engage in a tit-for-tat with a self- proclaimed Farbexperte. . . Life is too damn short. . .

I also UCed all the blacks: collar, leggings. . . and the cybernetic prosthetic forearm. As I will finish the latter in lacquers, this will be completed before I continue with the undercoating.

Movin' right along. . .

UPDATE 04.04.17--The figure, save for the woolen lining of the coat and the fur collar, is now UCed!  

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

Hptm. Walther Karjus--Painting: Intro

"The Iron Fist" is now primed, and has been transferred to the painting bench. Undercoating should begin within the next 48 hrs. . . 

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

The Lion - Prepwork: Intermezzo (cont.)

Very little to add save that the head has been fitted to the torso: it is now a secure, positive join; and the paws have undergone preliminary fitting and reduction. 

Insofar as the face is concerned, the nose required additional attention (ongoing); and the hair has been roughed-in on the left half of the face/head.

More to follow. . .

FOLLOW-UP. . . Facial hair on the right side of the face has been roughed-in.

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

The Lion - Prepwork: Intermezzo

I can't decide whether "slow" or "rough" would better describe the last fortnight or so. Since we are right around the corner from the sheer madness that is an end-of-quarter at work, I'll stick with the latter and try to get things back on track. . . 

Full restoration will not take place before next weekend for obvious reasons, but I am trying to get things situated for when the moment arrives. To this end, today I worked a bit on "The Lion".

Final structuring, and surface finishing was begun on the face. There are still a few more putty sessions ahead of me, but I like what I see so far. 

The major advance is that the cowl has been permanently attached to the pelt, and the unit has been fitted to the torso. And I am very pleased!

 

I will continue work on the face/head over the next few sessions. Once the hair has been added, I will be able to permanently attached the head to the torso. 

 

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

The Lion - Prepwork II: The Face/Head

With the leftover putty used to fill-in the underside of the torso and complete the basic form of the cuirass, I began to work on the face.

The first thing to be done is remove the superfluous elements of the Imperial helmet: namely the neck and ear guards. You don't have to be particularly "careful" as the helmeted portion of the head will not be visible on the finished piece. That being said, dry fit the lion cowl often to make sure there are no surprises later on. . .     

I do not know to what extent the face will be visible/exposed. The "new" helmet has a very cool bevor that I would like to include; however, I don't know if it is the right call given the scale, etc. Currently I am leaning to leaving the face exposed. . .

The preliminary enhancements to the stock face are filling-in the attachments points for the cheek-pieces, and enhancing the brow and cheekbones--DONE! This will probably be followed by enhancing the upper and lower lip/chin DONE! and adding the facial hair.

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

The Lion - Prepwork I: The Cuirass (2)

As it turns out, as of this writing, the foundation layer will be all that is required for the basic cuirass.

This evening, I:

1. Began shaping the breast of the cuirass (coarse grinding with burr).
2. Finished applying the foundation layer of MS to the back.
3. Reduced the arms by grinding down the pteruges and roughly shaping the arms before permanently attaching both arms to the torso. 

So far, I am very pleased. . .

UPDATE 16.03.17--The cuirass--back and breast--is now roughed-in and shaped, ready for the detailing and fine finishig. . . 
 
“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

THE END

I regret to inform you that due to reasons beyond my control, AMF will cease to be an ongoing concern.

Yesterday, I noticed that I began to "lose" images that heretofore had been fine. While not all images have been impacted, a significant number of my latest uploads are now broken links. There is a reason for this--obviously; however, I have neither the time nor the inclination to ferret out the root cause/s of a problem not of my doing.

This site was a pleasurable self-indulgence; but it is time to move on. Blogs are now largely passé, and I am not now, nor will I ever be, a supporter of so-called "social media"--especially as the adaptations to mobile platforms have compromised the utility and functionality of sites such as this.

So, I thank you for your support and your indulgence. I hope that the site has proven to be of some use over the years. While the future is ever The Riddler's sigil, rest assured that I will continue modelling miniatures until it is time to call it a life. . .

PS - I have managed to "fix" a few of the broken links. Whether these are permanent fixes, I haven't a clue; but for now, the disruption has been reigned-in somewhat. . .

PPS - Please read the Comments for an update of the situation. . . THANK YOU!

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