Heating Up

As we roll into the summer, I've been keeping busy on projects, foremost on this crazy custom Mad Max apocalyptic War Rig project.  I've been working pretty obsessively, and couldn't be happier.

The base for my car is done along with some details:

It's a Maisto R/C Rock Crawler with 1:18 scale die cast Yat Ming 1956 Chevy Bel Air body.  At first, the body was way too heavy, since the original body was just a hollow plastic shell, and it would list to the side all the time.  When it turned, the wheels would catch on the fenders, and it was kind of a disaster.  At a friend's suggestion, I actually immobilized some of the supports with an aluminum rod and some hose clamps, and now it rips around with no problems.

Now is when it starts getting really fun, as I start really griming it up, and building on all the detail that will really make it look like it lives in that world.

I've also finished the first 4 members of my war clan. OK, maybe not finished, as I'm sure they'll acquire a few more weapons and details as this thing comes together.  But they're looking pretty ready to start some shit, so I'd call that done for now.

But that's not all!  I wasn't kidding about staying busy, and I've been knocking out a few small projects along the way.

I 've been wanting to update Cash for a while now, and have never been happy with his cybernetic hand.  So I recently grabbed a 3D printed fan-made Transformers hand off of shapeways, painted it up, and replaced my old one.  It's incredibly well designed and articulated, and a huge improvement over the original.  And while I was working on it, I took the opportunity to dirty up his arm and chainsaw sword, which was long overdue.

I might have a few more tweaks and updates, but I think he's almost ready for a new photo shoot, and huge updated and expanded gallery.

I've also been continuing painting and weathering my 3A mini Caesers.  When 3A toys did the presale for their most recent Darwin Rothchild figure, they offered bags of 20 miniature Caesar robots.  They're a 1/6 scale robot for a 1/6 scale figure, and about an inch or so tall.  Since I've been experimenting with different weathering powder techniques, they're great little projects.  Here is my latest, along with my previous 3.  The skull is done with a hand cut masking tape stencil and some spray paint.

Finally, I've been wanting to do some environments and backgrounds for 1/6 scale figures, and have been looking for weathered wood drawer organizers that would look good as shelves.  Finally found these at Homegoods the other day! 

I have tons of bits and pieces that I acquire for projects, and thought a lot of them would be better sitting on a display shelf and adding some atmosphere instead of in a box while they waited to get used.  I have more digging before they look a bit more full, but you get the idea.

I've also finished redoing Lisette.  New photos are shot, and as soon as I finish editing them, I should have her new gallery up.  So stay tuned!