Creature from the Black Lagoon

[nickc]

Firstly I would like to make a confession. This kit is a recast, which was purchased a few years back in a moment of weakness and it wasn't until recently that I inspected it closely. It was then that I discovered it had badly molded feet and a few other issues. So I decided to find a way to salvage it and get it completed once and for all.

With that said, I have attached a few pictures of it and hopefully you can forgive me.

Nick

 

[Zombie_61]

These days I wouldn't knowingly buy a recast kit, but I'm sure I have a few in my stash that were obtained when I first started getting into resin kits twenty-something years ago and didn't know recast kits existed. The way I see it, I've already spent the money so I might as well do what I can with them.

That being said, I like what you've done with this. The "pond scum" and "murkiness" of the base compliment the figure without immediately drawing attention away from it (which is how it should be with figure kits in my opinion), and I like your color choices. Simple, but effective. Nice work!

 

[nickc]

Thanks Zombie_61 for your comments.

 

[rbeach84]

Provenance aside, very nice display, Nickc! Perfectly understated...

R/ Robert

 

[robn1]

Great solution to the feet problem, and a very appropriate looking base.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Love the base and coloring and your solution to the miscast pieces problem. Any info on how you created the base?

 

[nickc]

Thanks rbeach84, robn1 & Too Much Garlic for the kind words.

Too Much Garlic , with respect to the base. All the visible surfaces are 1/8 thick cardboard impregnated with epoxy glue, with a wood core to support the model. Once glued together, I used spot filler to fix any minor gaps etc. The 'swamp weeds' were made using laundry dryer sheets soaked in epoxy glue and scraped it with a blade to separate the fibers to create the look of vegetation. Once dried it was glued on and then given a coat of primer. The outside of the base was painted to simulate a wood grain, the inside painted a murky brown, with some greens etc. Finally the outside was sprayed with a matt and the 'water' was several layers of gloss polyurethane varnish.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[rbeach84]

Good explanation! Makes me consider the possibilities for dryer lint besides using as fire place tender...

It always amazes me how many different ways water can be effectively modeled, from Shep Paine's open-ocean crash of a Midway TBD Devastator to Bill Kluge's 1/350 Yamato at-anchor depiction. But this is a first for using cardboard!

R/ Robert

 

[nickc]

Good explanation! Makes me consider the possibilities for dryer lint besides using as fire place tender...

Just to clarify, not dryer lint but dryer sheets, the ones put in the dryer to reduce static, scent etc. They have to be fully 'used' ones, so all the scent & chemicals etc. are removed.

I might have to experiment with lint

Thanks.

 

[MAKE BELIEVE]

Recast or not this is a very good work. Great paint job and great idea for the base and the swamp weeds.
Congrats

 

[rbeach84]

Just to clarify, not dryer lint but dryer sheets, the ones put in the dryer to reduce static, scent etc. They have to be fully 'used' ones, so all the scent & chemicals etc. are removed.

I might have to experiment with lint

Thanks.

I understood but thinking of you 'teasing' out the dryer sheet into fibers made me think of - well - fibers! The dryer lint itself of course varies in composition, from pretty homogeneous to a mixture of fibers and 'micro-litter'.

Strange the materials that can be useful for modeling. I have a friend who once used the material (as in his beard) from his electric shaver as a paint additive when depicting a heavily rusted surface. It looked great, providing for a rough and 'flaky' looking effect. I suspect that it might not work so well with acrylic paint (because of the shaver oil contamination) but should be fine in enamels like he used.

One of the best all around groundwork materials is Durham's Rock-Hard Water Putty. It is cheap, easy to mix and does indeed set up hard. It is more durable than plaster but otherwise performs in a very similar fashion.

Regards, Robert

 

[nickc]

I will have to track down the water putty and give it a try, thanks for the link.

 

[rbeach84]

Check a local hardware store... I checked out the website and they know modelers use it.

R/ Robert