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Tarkus from Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s 1970 album of the same name.


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This is one from a while ago but thought I would post it while doing some others.

Tarkus is one of my favourite albums ever and thought I would have a go at the creature. The problem was tracking down a suitable sized armadillo head. The body was always going to be an Airfix WW1 tank. I eventually found one in a toy shop of about the right size. So, head cut off, two barrels added from brass tube and stuck on. The shell was from Fimo modelling clay with scales stamped on. The “Tarkus” bones were also from Fimo. EMA for the domes and brass tube again for the barrels. Prepared a base using a drawing program and finished.

Good fun though the scales took a bit of time.

I considered doing some of the other creatures featured but they seemed a bit too complicated.

Cheers

David

The original album cover and interior.

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The model

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Brilliant. Great idea and splendid execution. That brings some memories flooding back  - although for some reason I've now got Greg Lake's 'I believe in Father Christmas' stuck in my head. 🙃

 

Great way to start the year.

Mark

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Congratulations on a fine piece of work ,why not have a go at some of the other creatures i think with a little imagination you could do it will keep an eye out for them well done.

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3 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

There's 'A Time and a Place' for art like this. And it's here and now. Fabulous concept and execution.

 

(See what I did there?) 

Many thanks for this and, err, yes but I cannot think of anything else appropriate!

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Simply great and very imaginative of you. Love it!!!   Must dust down nd play my old vinyl of it and the other ELP albums I have. Lucky enough to see them at Empire Pool Wembley around 1973/4 ish Splendid evening out. Got home about four in the morning!

 

EDIT: I always thought the web footed Lion with the human face and scorpion tail looked wild!

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2 hours ago, Paul J said:

Simply great and very imaginative of you. Love it!!!   Must dust down nd play my old vinyl of it and the other ELP albums I have. Lucky enough to see them at Empire Pool Wembley around 1973/4 ish Splendid evening out. Got home about four in the morning!

 

EDIT: I always thought the web footed Lion with the human face and scorpion tail looked wild!

Thanks for that. I'm jealous as never got to see them myself.

Btw, the man faced creature is a manticore which ELP named their record label after.

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  • 2 weeks later...

That is brilliant! It is so great to see my favourite tankadillo in 3D -- and the evil look in thiose beady little red eyes is just perfect.

 

That was one of my favourite album covers from the golden age of vinyl, back when having two or four (as in Tarkus) large (12 inch square?) panels to do things with gave rise to some amazing pieces of artwork. As you might suspect, my username was based on the album name, but I mis-spelt it 🙄 -- it'd been a long time since I had seen the record. Also, for some reason, I mis-remembered the side sponsons and guns as being large exhaust pipes from its engine, so I had this image of Tarkus as being an armed tankadillo with a huge blown Hemi engine...

 

But enough of that. I repeat that your model is brilliant and the base and name are equally excellent. If you want another "critter" for a diorama, the mechanical pteranadon/whatever looks to be the easiest, but simply recreating Tarkus is a delightful piece of work. Very well done.

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Hi @Tarkas 

Many thanks for the  compliments,  much appreciated.

Time does have quite an effect on the memory! Yes, it was nice to have the big album covers with great artwork. Roger Dean was a favourite with his Yes albums. Not the same anymore. 

Thanks again,

Cheers 

David

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The house where my friend lived, when I first heard the album, had a small room downstairs that he kept his music and small stereo in. Another friend painted some of the album artwork on the walls of the room. I well recall the large jet-powered pterodactyl.

 

 

Chris

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3 hours ago, dogsbody said:

The house where my friend lived, when I first heard the album, had a small room downstairs that he kept his music and small stereo in. Another friend painted some of the album artwork on the walls of the room. I well recall the large jet-powered pterodactyl.

 

 

Chris

I have to say it is starting to call to me!

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