lifesize Gremlin

Aztek Dummy

Aztek Dummy

Well-Known Member
I'm hoping this is the correct forum for this build because after all it would be studio scale if it is lifesize.

Picked this up at Wonderfest. I know it's a recast of the kaiyodo, but since the chances of me ever being able to get an original are next to none....well, you work with what you get.

It didn't have the mohawk, which is just as well as i wouldn't have used it anyway. this is going to be built as a generic gremlin.

The first thing to do (after reading as much as I coud from fellow builders) was to fashion an internal skeleton from threaded rod and PVC plumbing pipes to support the weight of the beast in an effort to reduce deforming and slumping.

some generous soaking in boiling water to reshape the parts into something that would come close to matching up and constuction began.

There are some real bad joints in the hip, so i just decided to make it work from a structural POV and I would sculpt new hip joints to cover the framework. Canon? Hell no, but i'd rather have a non-canon gremlin that would stand upright than a canon gremlin that would keep falling over. Besides, whos to say there aren't more species of gremlins out there that have hips exactly like this one?

in these pics you can see some of the framework poking out. The shoulders still need to be trimmed to size, but you can get a good idea of the final beastie. I figure there was no point in painting this until I was sure it could be built the way i wanted

Enjoy
 
I like the idea for your inner frame. My gremlin has lost his shape over the years and has fallen apart. I may give this a try with mine and see if I can bring him back to life.

I can't wait to see how yours turns out. keep us posted.
 
the gremlin looks good already!, For 1.1 scale of creatures, such as for example the gremlin mostly have a pvc skeleton. Wich is just an create option. Cant wait to see it when its finished.
 
Damn, I miss my Gremlin. The poor dude drooped so badly, I gave him away years ago. I wish I could've got a frame in before his poor posture took a toll.

Good preventative measures at work, here. :thumbsup

-Rylo
 
weekend update:

Here is the current state of the Gremlin. I was impatient to see some color on the little guy. I don't consider this anymore than a colored primer coat, just to rough in some tones. there is a ton of painting to be done

you can see how the hip joints are getting worked in, there is still some refinement to do and the second pic shows beginning work on the shoulder joints. Spray insulation is a neat tool, but it gets everywhere and sticks to skin like nobody's business! I spent a lot of the weekend just trying to clean it off of my hands.

I'm real happy with the new pose . There was no way I was going to keep the "Vitruvian Gremlin" pose it originally had. the final Gremin will be standing on a wooden base behind a furry Mogwai figure I purchased last year, so I wanted the arms to be positioned in a little more threatening manner

Enjoy
 
Great workon the kit. I've seen a kit like this for sale by revengemonst.com and they are also selling them on ebay. Is the quality particularly bad? I'm new to the replica scene so wasn't sure what the issues are relating to recasts?

Cheers

Alan
 
with recasts there are two issues. physical and ethical.

I can rationalize the ethical pretty easily. If the original maker has decided to stop making the kit completely (whether that is a commercial company or garage business) or if the original company is no longer in business, then it is easier for me to justify making the purchase. If the recaster is just trying to rip off or undercut the original maker on something that is still being made then thats a completely different issue. To the best of my understanding, the kaiodo gremlin is no longer offered by the original company.

the second is quality. Most times, a recaster will skimp on materials or instructions/packaging in order to put out a cheaper product. the parts won't be cast with as much care as the original maker, so you get get sloppy parts. Again, my research on the gremlin was that the original was cast in resin, but this kit is made of Vinyl, which due to it's size, has had a history of deforming over time because of the sheer weight of the parts. The hollow vinyl parts needed to be soaked in hot/boiling water and reshaped so that the mating surfaces could line up better. I don't know if the original resin parts needed that much help or not.

Lastly, the pose itself was way too "spread eagle" for my tastes. And that would have been true on the resin original as well. In that regard, the vinyl might have been easier to modify.

I hope I answered your question
 
Actually, the Kaiyodo kit was vinyl too. You can tell the originals because they are a beige color, while most recasts are white. My original kit had some pretty wonky parts (like any vinyl kit) but it wasn't nearly as bad as yours.
 
No, it didn't have an armature or anything. I guess most people fill the legs with something, at least. The guy who built mine connected the arms together across the chest on the inside but he didn't add anything else for support. I've had it a few years and it's holding up okay so far!

The original kit did come with instructions, a Xerox of a note from Rick Baker, and a picture of the real puppet to use as a paint guide.
 
Thanks for the info. It sounds like a bit of grey area when kits are no longer produced legitimately. I might give this one a shot!


Aztek Dummy said:
with recasts there are two issues. physical and ethical.

I can rationalize the ethical pretty easily. If the original maker has decided to stop making the kit completely (whether that is a commercial company or garage business) or if the original company is no longer in business, then it is easier for me to justify making the purchase. If the recaster is just trying to rip off or undercut the original maker on something that is still being made then thats a completely different issue. To the best of my understanding, the kaiodo gremlin is no longer offered by the original company.

the second is quality. Most times, a recaster will skimp on materials or instructions/packaging in order to put out a cheaper product. the parts won't be cast with as much care as the original maker, so you get get sloppy parts. Again, my research on the gremlin was that the original was cast in resin, but this kit is made of Vinyl, which due to it's size, has had a history of deforming over time because of the sheer weight of the parts. The hollow vinyl parts needed to be soaked in hot/boiling water and reshaped so that the mating surfaces could line up better. I don't know if the original resin parts needed that much help or not.

Lastly, the pose itself was way too "spread eagle" for my tastes. And that would have been true on the resin original as well. In that regard, the vinyl might have been easier to modify.

I hope I answered your question
Click to expand...
 
mbmcfarland said:
Actually, the Kaiyodo kit was vinyl too. You can tell the originals because they are a beige color, while most recasts are white. My original kit had some pretty wonky parts (like any vinyl kit) but it wasn't nearly as bad as yours.
Click to expand...

I've got an original and a recast which is cast in grey vinyl with resin spikes. Guess I was lucky because the recast is a very good copy of the original!:)
 
weekend update.

here's a couple pictures from this this weekend's painting.

I need some serious Visine to get the red out of these eyes :)
 
Looking good Sir!, anyone who has'nt seen one of these beasties close up would be amazed at the detail in the sculpt. Good idea with supporting yours using pipes, I used threaded metal bar as an armature for mine, then filled it with expanding foam. I then bolted it down and pinned the toes to the base, a few yrs later and it's still in the same position (Thank God!).
 
Hi,
Iam looking for any photos of any original gremlin airbrushed the same as the original in the movie. Ihave a kaiyodo and iam having it re airbrushed by an excellent artist in Blackburn, Lancashire. Hopefully done in the style of the steve wang original. Thanks in advance

David.
 
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