New BSG 32nd scale deck crew

[19narvik40]

Quite some time ago I posted about having five figures I bought the 5 masters and 4 molds of deck crew figures for the new BSG series. I had the cast the figures from the four molds to make new masters as all the masters are damaged to varying degrees.I had to tackle the tackle the fifth and most damaged master as his was the missing mold.

I just wanted too share some of the work I have done on them. I know nothing about sculpting figures so I got some help from a friend, Tom Sime who did a few changes on one figure and told me to go for it. I am not by any means finished but I'm getting there.

This first chap wasn't too bad off although Tom changed the direction of his arm to show a different profile. The one in the middle is after a quick clean up and even quicker paint job.


The next figure is a female I think was meant to represent Sgt at Arms Hadrian.

Anyway, Tom redid the belt loops and tried to make her body a little more proportional. He also redid the side pants pockets as well as the back pocket flaps. I have added a bit more to the pocket straps on the shirt and still need to redo the cuffs, also with similar straps to the pocket. I want to replace her head and hands as well but I so far really suck at sculpting faces and have not found s kit one to do the trick. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


This next fellow is the worst of the bunch. I have given him a new head, feet, left hand and soon whole right arm. I am thinking of trying to work out him carrying a refeuling hose over his right shoulder.


The first crouching figure figure I have affectionately named Fonzie, I think you can see why. Anyway, he is in need of a new head sized better to his body. I think I was able to save his hands. I did have to shorten his left leg as it would have been about six inched longer than the right if he ever stood up.


The next crouching figure is the damaged master I spoke of above. Like all the other masters, the sculpting material has shrunken on the wire skeleton frame and splits of varying sizes have opened up. On this figure his left shoulder was broken and crumbling as was his right shoulder but to a lesser degree. Both elbows, both knees, left foot and hip had also split. I used Games Workshop Green Stuff to repair the damaged areas and I tried to make the detail on the figure sharper as well.


i also want to share my plan for the pilot. The idea is to have Starbuck in the cockpit of her Viper Mk II while the deck crew finish working on it. I want to cast the helmet in clear resin, paint it up so it show a clear face plate and mount it on the fuselage just ahead of the cockpit opening. I am using the head of the

Lydia Litvyak figure from the master Box set #3201, Famous pilots of WW2.
​

It is my hope to have these figures finished soon so I can make new molds and offer them up for sale. I also hope to better my sculpting skills so that I can create new figures and and poses. The first one I want to try is adapting the third figure to be on a creeper under the Viper. I plan to use the one offered by Hobbyworx on Shapeways,

https://www.shapeways.com/product/X...ory-bsg-trs?li=shop-results&optionId=58824152

along with most of his other products for my hanger diorama. This is a concept shot,


Please feel free to comment or make suggestions, I welcome any and all help.

 

[blakeh1]

I'd love to get that diorama set

 

[rbeach84]

Looks good! One thought to throw at you; when a pilot is sitting in the cockpit with ground crew working about, they would keep their arms up on the cockpit sill as a reminder to not touch anything which might cause external movements or activation that could injure the crew. Then you might have Starbucks head turned and a hand deflected to indicate she is talking to one of the crew (via intercom since her helmet is one...)

One other comment on the diorama composition. The late Shep Paine pointed out how a diorama that is not 'parallel' to the sides automatically appears more animated. A simple principle that can also be used to 'direct' the viewer's scan through use of any 'funnel' space (triangular areas) to emphasis the primary key elements of the diorama "story" as the eye naturally starts with the wide part of the space before moving to the tighter space. So, for example, if the pilot & groundcrew interaction is the main focus, then you would attempt to place that into the 'wide space' OR have 'pointing' elements there aimed at the key element (sometimes a pointing element is as simple as a figure 'looking' at the key story element..)

In any case, best of luck with the sculpting!

Regards, Robert

 

[19narvik40]

Robert,

Thank you for the excellent advice. Depending on how well I can correct and manipulate the deck crew will determine what I do with the pilot. I had in mind to put one of the crouching figures on top of the boarding ladder speaking with the pilot in which case I will have to turn her head and preposition her arms. If not then I had planned to have her going over her instruments in the cockpit while the deck crew worked on the Viper. I have no shortage of ideas, just limited skill to pull them off.

Part of the diorama is meant to incorporate a Mk VII being towed out side the bay having just landed. With new photoetch from greenstrqawberry, I can now do it with the canopy open or closed. and of course with news that the Moebius Raptor kit is close to release, the ideas get even more involved.

Of course the Missus is very interested just where it is I plan to display this marvel, haven't worked that one out yet. One problem is that it just keeps getting bigger.

Looks good! One thought to throw at you; when a pilot is sitting in the cockpit with ground crew working about, they would keep their arms up on the cockpit sill as a reminder to not touch anything which might cause external movements or activation that could injure the crew. Then you might have Starbucks head turned and a hand deflected to indicate she is talking to one of the crew (via intercom since her helmet is one...)

One other comment on the diorama composition. The late Shep Paine pointed out how a diorama that is not 'parallel' to the sides automatically appears more animated. A simple principle that can also be used to 'direct' the viewer's scan through use of any 'funnel' space (triangular areas) to emphasis the primary key elements of the diorama "story" as the eye naturally starts with the wide part of the space before moving to the tighter space. So, for example, if the pilot & groundcrew interaction is the main focus, then you would attempt to place that into the 'wide space' OR have 'pointing' elements there aimed at the key element (sometimes a pointing element is as simple as a figure 'looking' at the key story element..)

In any case, best of luck with the sculpting!

Regards, Robert