Your Indiana Jones Displays - Lets see 'em
- Thread starter Dave Ward
- Start date
This is what happens when your idol wakes up and isn't in a good mood.....
Bottom line is don't believe Etsy listings that make claims they can't cash. It was good for a laugh, at least (and only $39).
Reminds me of that woman that said she could repair the damaged picture of *****....and drew a child's picture of ***** over the ancient valuable painting.
VonMagnum
Sr Member
Truth be told, I've been unhappy with all the idols with open eyes. Exactly none look like the one in the movie to my eyes, not even the most expensive ones. The one in the picture looked better than this. Clearly, some cheap Chinese one going around or something since I saw multiple sellers with the exact same pictures. I guess I'll stick with my eyes closed gold version.
You could make a set of eyes that would go OVER the gold eyes and do better than that Etsy piece. But what, if you can name it, is missing from the expensive idols? Sometimes knowing the exact problem will lead to a solution.
VonMagnum
Sr Member
It's hard to say for certain as I'm no sculptor, but the eyes never seem to look right (partly not the same ones, partly the set lighting?). The "aging" process on the ones I've seen never looks anything like the movie version (which honestly looks more like soap residue/dirty than "aging" (seeing as gold doesn't ever degrade over thousands of years even), etc.
I'm not saying there's anything technically wrong with the better reproductions (might be exact same shape), just that the end results still look very different to my eyes. Again, blame lighting or whatever you like, but I'm not going to spend a fortune on something that doesn't look like the one in the movie. One of the most regarded ones looks almost "happy" to my eyes compared to the movie one that looks like agony (birth) by comparison. I suck at even basic drawing so it's not easy to point out the issue (most seem to like to go with "lighting" but if it's lighting, then one should be able to light a snapshot that looks similar and I have yet to see one that does with the eyes open).
I'd love to have a creepy open eye version sitting on the shelf (I've seen a prototype robot version that can move the eyes; that was neat particularly if could detect motion and look towards the movement), but if it doesn't look the same as the movie, it just doesn't interest me.
I did a couple of Photoshop mockups substituting real eyes on my own stunt idol and THAT looked creepy like what I'm looking for. Of course, it could be one of those open eye idols would look better on the dark shelf than in bright lighting, but that's a pretty expensive proposition just for a test. You can tell how much the idol's appearance changes just by the candle/dark lighting versus overhead + flash. It almost looks like a different idol regardless of the eyes.
Creepy "real eyes" Photoshop mockups from otherwise real older shelf pictures:
Thanks. Yes, it's partially the lighting. But, also the finish. The bright lights make it look different, because it makes it look SHINY-er. And the idol in the movie is NOT shiny like this. The dim lights look better, because the shine is knocked off, not because it is actually more accurate.
There is a current idol being offered here, that is less shiny by intent. And that helps a lot. Everyone was happy with shiny, until it was pointed out that shiny is not accurate. So, yes, artistically accurate isn't as important for you, because it needs that "LOOK" to be accurate more than the sculpt.
I bought the $79 idol. And hit it with steel wool. That knocked down the shine, but made it not as accurate in the color. I have some Gold tone finish that can be added to brass. It is made by JAX. I am going to try and add the gold tone back into the idol, now that the shine is off and try and get a more accurate look. I'll post before and after pics once I do this. I'll post them in the "$79 idol" thread.
Lightning
Master Member
My idol is the bank that came out around Crystal Skull. I brush painted it with liquid gold leaf, so it's not super glossy. Looks just fine on the shelf. I'm aware the sculpt isn't decended from screen used. I recently moved to a new house, so all the Indy stuff is packed up. I'll have an all new display for the thread once everything gets set up again.
VonMagnum
Sr Member
I believe the idol is shiny, but it's "dirty" for lack of a better word. I'd hesitate to do permanent damage to one (I'd be curious to see a photo of yours after the steel wool). To me, It always looked more like dried soap residue or something similar (carnuba wax that isn't buffed?) to my eyes in the movie. In any case, I didn't like the "aged" versions I've seen. They're not shiny, but they're also not "dirty" looking. They're just "matte". The cheap $79 one looks exactly the right color in darker lighting (so I assume in bright lighting it's more that yellow colored gold than a deeper shade.
Yes, I believe I have the so-called $79 idol too, but it was closer to $99 when I bought it. It's amazing looking for the price. I did think about trying out my wax/soap theory on it (as it can be wiped off), but that still won't give it realistic looking open eyes.
Anyway, if you look at the stunt idol in the upper left corner, it looks pretty darn "shiny" to my eyes. It does look a bit like a bad plating job (imperfections). It has black dots for eyes (not sure if they just markered those on or they're indented and painted). The same idol in the cave looks less shiny, but still has shiny points on it (hence my carnuba wax /soap residue notion). It's certainly not "matte" in any case. It's at least somewhere in-between.
The eyes aren't symmetrical (probably due to the ability to move them) and they almost look like a slight layer of haze on them too (cataracts? LOL). The finish here looks like unpolished gold or roughed up. Maybe steel wool could achieve that? I've never tried. But that could be residue on it too, which might explain why the stunt idol is pretty shiny looking by the time it's held and stored in his jacket or bag or whatever he had it in (wiped off?). Given all the inconsistencies between the stunt idol (hell they had two very different Staff of Ra medallions and thought no one would notice, apparently), I suppose one should go with the look they like best. I get the impression the relatively cheap one looks believable on my bookshelf so I've been pretty happy with it, but I have to admit if I could get a creepy eyes open version that looks even like my mockups in the post above, I'd probably swap it out.
Umm....that's why I put the [CLICK THIS LINK] in the previous message, so you could see my steel wool idol.
Here's a new pic of my idol with Your pic you just posted.
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VonMagnum
Sr Member
Sorry must have slinked over it when I saw $79 idol and didn't think about it being modified afterwards. Been a busy week. My mom had a stroke and it's been hectic and now my fridge isn't working right (probably ice between air shaft from freezer to fridge). Looking at this from an hour away.
Yes, it looks better than any other example I've seen. Somehow, I have the feeling mine would just come out scratched up looking if I tried it.
The eye thing is another matter, though. I'll just have to be happy with eyes closed for now.
Sorry must have slinked over it when I saw $79 idol and didn't think about it being modified afterwards. Been a busy week. My mom had a stroke and it's been hectic and now my fridge isn't working right (probably ice between air shaft from freezer to fridge). Looking at this from an hour away.
Yes, it looks better than any other example I've seen. Somehow, I have the feeling mine would just come out scratched up looking if I tried it.
Yes, there are some scratches that are so small that they can't be seen with the naked eye, but are barely visible in one of the pics I posted. I rechecked my steel wool and found out that I used 000. [and NOT merely 0 as I had posted] As far as I know, this could be the finest mesh they sell.
The Jax gold finish actually seems to have filled in/covered up the scratches. As far as anyone else that might follow these instructions, I went over each section of the surface of the idol VERY LIGHTLY maybe 5 swipes with the wool. The color changes and the mirror surface goes away.....but I did see that if I went over each part more than 4 or 5 times, that it would wear totally through the gold finish. So, yes, there is some risk.
It is still SHINY, in a sense that it reflects, but not the MIRROR FINISH of the default $79 idol.
I think much of the rest is the coating on the idol. Dust/fake dust. And that the background things seen in that closeup picture of the idol with eyes on the pedestal are a brownish color. Because the modified idol still reflects, I think the orangey cast is the reflection of the stage-lights on set and the brown surroundings and is intentional. And therefore possibly duplicatable.
VonMagnum
Sr Member
I like it. That's pretty close for the finish. In fact, I think it's the closest finish I've ever seen to the original. In fact, yours is a bit dirtier looking, but it really looks like it's been in a cave for a few decades.
I'm wondering if they dirtied up the original with some modeling "FX" method. I'm guessing after Harrison Ford had the thing in his jacket or against his shirt or whatever some of the dirt/whatever came off and that's why it's a bit shinier in that first shot above (last shot it's seen).
What do you think about the black dots for eyes on the stunt idol? Just a marker/paint thing or were they indented as I've seen some idols use? It's not easy to tell. I could marker a black circle (that could be removed again if needed), but I don't want it to look too hokey.
I like it. That's pretty close for the finish. In fact, I think it's the closest finish I've ever seen to the original. In fact, yours is a bit dirtier looking, but it really looks like it's been in a cave for a few decades.
I'm wondering if they dirtied up the original with some modeling "FX" method. I'm guessing after Harrison Ford had the thing in his jacket or against his shirt or whatever some of the dirt/whatever came off and that's why it's a bit shinier in that first shot above (last shot it's seen).
What do you think about the black dots for eyes on the stunt idol? Just a marker/paint thing or were they indented as I've seen some idols use? It's not easy to tell. I could marker a black circle (that could be removed again if needed), but I don't want it to look too hokey.
Yes, I just used outside dirt. They would have used a fine powder from the prop department for the dust. But I think the dust and lighting are the key to that shot.
The black dots are weird.
Okay, I figured out the black dots.
You may have to zoom OUT, but the eye is ROUND. And there is an indent in the middle that is black.
In this pic, you can see the edge of the eye is a SPHERE, and the pointed end of the eye is indented between the eyelids and the sphere eye. That means that all these idols that have a solid mass between the top eyelid and the bottom eyelid are Wrong.
The second pic is of the eye from the statue of DAVID. Complete with indented center of the eye.
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VonMagnum
Sr Member
I prefer to think of it as eyes closed rather than "wrong"
Actually, I don't care for the black dot effect that much. It just seemed to be a cheap and dirty substitute for the open eyes version. I don't think they thought about HD paused closeups when they made it. Unfortunately, I'd still prefer the black "indent" as it were to the wrong eye size and depth (let alone fake looking pupils) and lets face it, most doll eyes look fake or they'd be extra creepy like that Anabelle doll from The Conjuring.
Actually, I don't care for the black dot effect that much. It just seemed to be a cheap and dirty substitute for the open eyes version. I don't think they thought about HD paused closeups when they made it. Unfortunately, I'd still prefer the black "indent" as it were to the wrong eye size and depth (let alone fake looking pupils) and lets face it, most doll eyes look fake or they'd be extra creepy like that Anabelle doll from The Conjuring.
agent5
Sr Member
Jintosh, I believe they eye does have a pupil shape but that the dark circle in the middle is only a reflection. I've seen idols with the pupil shape but no indents in the eyes. I think the center of the eye is capturing/reflecting whatever is behind the camera.
On top of that, none of the screen used idols we've seen so far have the indents.
On top of that, none of the screen used idols we've seen so far have the indents.
I had actually asked if it could be a reflection, but then edited it out after looking at the shots in post #969.
Check every shot from all those different angles, and then give me your opinion. In every shot, from every angle, it APPEARS that the black dot is in the center of the eye, and that there are no other black circle reflections on the idol. I'm not totally convinced, but being curved, the eyes should have some reflection (if it was that) other than in the center of the eye each time.
And I've seen a replica with the indented center eye. I found a pic of it on Google images.
So, someone assumed it was indented. (right or wrong)
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