Pteras of the Helic Republic

[Will Vale]

Hi folks,

 

This started off as a quick project, and building the model itself only took a couple of weeks really, but then I made a base which sort of spiralled, and then hit a decision point and stuck on it for about a year. But now it's all done

 

 

(It's a bit goofy in pics, it's hard to find a really good angle that shows the whole model.)

 

It's a Kotobukiya kit of the Zoids Pteras, which I've modified a bit - mainly leaving things off and cutting down the legs quite a bit. Stupidly I cut the legs down so it looked better in-flight, and then made it a base to stand on. Ah well.

 

 

The back view is more coherent in a way, because the wings look better from there. But the details have come out well. The figure is an Italeri gladiator with some modifications, and the goat started off as a Hornby farm animal in soft vinyl and has had new horns added from wire and CA.

 

I also quite enjoyed painting all the characters on the prayer flags. I was trying to get the feel of some of the amazing Japanese diorama builders like Naoto WildRiver Arakawa, where the machines always have humanising elements to give scale and context, and also a lot of wires and cables

 

I did a Photoshop composite too but the lighting is a bit flat - I shot a different image with careful key lighting but the focus was off when I downloaded it, and I didn't have any more cloudy light. I like the framing of this one a lot but a rim light or something would give it a bit more life:

 

 

Thanks to everyone who chimed in with suggestions and comments on the WIP thread, it was really helpful!

 

Now maybe I should finish another abandoned project??

Cheers,

 

Will

[Hunter Rose]

It looks amazing will! It's a real feast for the eyes, lots of cool details 

[Will Vale]

4 hours ago, Hunter Rose said:

It looks amazing will! It's a real feast for the eyes, lots of cool details 

Thanks! They were the things I dithered over longest but I think it was good to add them.

 

Will

[Andy Moore]

It looks spectacular Will. As much as I love the Pteras, my favourite part is definitely the ground work and rock spire (and Boris, of course).

 

Andy

[Pete in Lincs]

Brilliant end result, Will.

Worth the wait.

[Will Vale]

On ‎12‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 3:11 AM, AndyRM101 said:

my favourite part is definitely the ground work and rock spire (and Boris, of course).

Thanks Andy, I think that was probably the most fun to do as well. It may help that I was working from a prototype rather than working from an idea? With the Pteras it was more about applying known techniques to the model bits, and I suspect that doesn't make for as convincing a result as trying to replicate some form of reality?

 

I probably need to find more reference material for sci-fi model finishes.

 

On ‎12‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 7:54 AM, Pete in Lincs said:

Worth the wait.

Thanks! I think so too. I should do more diorama stuff I think but I find it hard to keep the motivation up once something feels like it's done.

At least with this one it was pretty much compulsory as it wouldn't stand up otherwise

 

W