Upgrading a Hasbro Rancor EU version

Sym-Cha · Jun 15, 2013

I've always loved the Rancor from Return of the Jedi ... ever since I saw it some thirty years ago. So yesterday I decided to start working on my recently purchased Hasbro Rancor EU ... minus it's Felucian rider ...

. . . to upgrade it with sharper details and a more screen-accurate paintjob ... this is my work-shop ... where the magic happens ...

. . . and posing with the Rancor Keeper ...

. . . you can clearly see that I already sharpened his teeth with magic sculpt and sandpaper ...

. . . and finally ... recreating my favorite Rancor movie-shot ... alas with the unfortunate Gamorrean Guard ...

© Chaim Murzan Photography 2013

To be continued . . .

-Chaim

trnswrp10 · Jun 15, 2013

Cool! I'm looking forward to more of this mod. I have all four versions of the Rancor toy. This one is number four. I love toy mods.

ahoudini · Jun 15, 2013

I'll be watching with interest for tips on finishing the vinyl model kit.

Sym-Cha · Jun 17, 2013

@ trnswrp10 well this is my only Hasbro version, and I need to make the bracelet or find it loose on ebay of the other more screen-accurate Rancor with the moveable fingers ... but somehow I hated that only one hand had moveable fingers otherwise I would have chosen that one to purchase.

@ ahoudini ... well the vinyl model kit ... is indeed also in my possession ... yet still in it's original sealed box ... it's quite another material to work with though ... so I thought let's start with this one first ...

-Chaim

Forsaken · Jun 17, 2013

The Rancor another iconic creature design.

Al

Sym-Cha · Jun 18, 2013

@ Forsaken ... hear, hear

It's a bit to hot for me ... to be working with Magic Sculpt now... so bare with me ... okay?

-Chaim

Sym-Cha · Jun 21, 2013

Today ... I took a step back ... and looked at pictures of the Rancor

. . . and of the one Rancor just in front of me ... and there was something off ... I've always been good at spot the 10 differences between two of almost the same drawings ... yet I just could not lay my finger on it ... and that's when it hit me ... the fingers are one bone to short on this hasbro version thus making the nails appear extra long ... so all I had to do is remove some of the plastic around the nails in order to be able to recreate another finger bone ... before changing the shape of the finger-nails ...by the way all the removed plastic you see on the left will be re-used again as bumps and lumps on the body ... with some magic sculpt added ... just so you know for those folks, like me, who are keen into recycling as much stuff as possible ... even when upgrading a Rancor ... so here you see what I removed ... oh yeah and I clipped some bits off of his thumb nails too ... now they are much sharper in appearance . . . so far so good ...

... next adding some magic ... sculpt!

To be continued . . .

-Chaim

Andymac84 · Jun 22, 2013

You have to add the rancors earring :-D

Sym-Cha · Jun 22, 2013

Indeed . . . the Rancor wears an earring in his left ear-lobe ... as do I ...

... however this Rancor Upgrade is quite far from being finished yet. Okay ... well instead of magic sculpt I decided to work on his nostrils instead ... eventhough you can't tell this from my above pictures there are 2 round holes in his nostrils for the reigns of the Falucian Rider as you see here in a picture from google :

So I ended up to file into the soft-plastic to make them more screen-accurate ... the Rancor could finally breath properly now ...

and here you can see I added some left-over finger bits to his outer jaws ... which were unnaturally flat ... now they look more organic ...

To be continued . . .

-Chaim

Sym-Cha · Dec 22, 2014

Finally once again I made some time to shoot some pictures of my recent upgrades since earlier this last summer the Rancor has been proclaimed to be the #1 of the top 10 monsters of all Star Wars movies.

As you can see I added the extra finger bones and some wrinkles in the skin with magic sculpt :

Here you can see some re-used plastic leftovers near his right ear to cover up the ugly seam between head and body I still need to add some more, though it will always be visible without compromising to the moveability of the toy head :

And last picture of this slow going upgrade ... is of the feet ... I started to add some additional mass :

© Chaim Murzan Photography 2014

. . . which still needs to be refined and become more like a blob as can be seen here on the original :

Which paints would be advised to paint over this toy Rancor ... and would also be available over here in the Netherlands?

To be continued . . .

Chaim

joberg · Dec 22, 2014

Thanks Chaim for the pics showing the Rancor standing on that table cloth of yours (my eyes are still adjusting to their surroundings:wacko) Pics on a neutral background helps determining what is what (rant over)

Good project indeed and eager to see that beast being transformed.

Sym-Cha · Dec 23, 2014

Ha, ha yeah I know ... I had considered adding the last pics in black and white ... but since I started this thread over more than a year ago with that table cloth :wacko I did not want to break 'continuity'

when this project reaches it's destination I'll definately add professional 'beauty' shots of the beast

Any suggestions on what kind of paint is best to use for an overhaul on these plastic toys? Should Revell model paint be good enough with a grey or brown base coat or acrylics?

Chaim

Laspector · Dec 23, 2014

What's with all the white paint on it? Did it come this way?

Sym-Cha · Dec 23, 2014

Yes it did. In the first picture of post #9 you can see this is originally the 'Expanded Universe' version of the Rancor not the ROTJ ... alas I don't know it's history ... and the paint is actually a pale blue not white

Chaim

Sym-Cha · Apr 11, 2015

So ... I've had some time, after working on Darth 'Ugly' ESB for so long ... to be doing some more work on my Rancor Upgrade :

Rancor%20-%20Upgrade%20-14_zpshjcxzthl.JPG

As you can see I made his toes a bit more blubber as seen on the original still need to add some more magic sculpt and details but it's looking good.

Then I finished his nails on the left claw ... so they blend in better with the added bone :

Rancor%20-%20Upgrade%20-15_zpsqbd0ltv0.JPG

Furthermore I also created menacing fangs by adding additional material onto his jaws :

Rancor%20-%20Upgrade%20-17_zpsnhhcrfcl.JPG

And last but not least for this round . . . yes I added his much anticipated real ear-ring :

Rancor%20-%20Upgrade%20-16_zpsatx83rem.JPG

So I guess that's it for now, I'll be working on this some more and return with pictures :

Rancor%20-%20Upgrade%20-13_zpsbolyt6wd.JPG

Sym-Cha · Apr 11, 2015

Due to the fact that Magic Sculpt is really easy to work with . . . even after it's fully hard . . . I was able to scrape and file more scratches and other organic lines in the feet thus getting a little closer to the original puppet :

Rancor%20-%20Upgrade%20-18_zpsahkti2rp.JPG

Phil Tippett with the original Rancor puppet :

To be continued . . .

Chaim

mugatu · Apr 11, 2015

Very cool, Chaim. You are really whipping this bad boy into shape!

Sym-Cha · Apr 11, 2015

Thanks mugatu ... it's lots of fun ... after dealing with Darth Vader for far to long

Chaim

mugatu · Apr 11, 2015

Well you are doing a fantastic job with it, that's for sure. I always wondered, in RotJ, that dangly slimy thing hanging down from between two of its teeth, is that old food or part of its tongue?

Sym-Cha · Apr 11, 2015

Well . . . do you mean the Rancor in this frame?

That's just heavy saliva dripping from his teeth :lol

Chaim

Upgrading a Hasbro Rancor EU version

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