Author Topic: This complicates things.  (Read 4114 times)

Offline Frank3k

  • Excession
  • Global Moderator
  • Formerly Frank2056. New upgrade!
    • My new webpage
This complicates things.
« on: January 25, 2023, 09:36:56 AM »
A couple of weeks ago, I saw this funny cartoon in the humor section. The name of the artist and his website had been cropped out, but I did a reverse image search and found it:


"Excavation Surprise" by Ryan Mason

It's a great visual joke and I immediately thought of ways of building the scene. At first, I thought of making it in 1/35, but that would have made for a pretty large diorama. I remembered that I had the Hasegawa 1/72 Aircraft Weapons Loading Set so I started the rather crappy tractor. I modified it with a scratchbuilt dozer blade and some questionable mechanics for the blade mechanism, but close enough:



Some more mods later (moving the headlights, for instance):





The saucer is one of the bulkheads from a Monogram 1/48 B-29. I vacuformed a copy and flipped it upside down for the bottom half. I don't remember where the bubble canopy came from, but it's getting replaced as well - it's just here to get an idea for the layout



The two figures are from another Hasegawa set, suitably modified. The T. Rex came from a skeleton scan by the Smithsonian. I scaled it to roughly 1/72. I'll have to reprint it (it's in ABS) or bite the bullet and warm up my printing area or swap the resin in the printer with one that can print at lower temps. Neither sounds like fun.



I'll cut the styrofoam to allow the skeleton and saucer to fit. The weathering on the tractor will be fixed as well. This is mostly pigments and they're easy to move around.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2023, 09:42:51 AM by Frank3k »

Offline finsrin

  • The Dr Frankenstein of the modelling world...when not hiding from SBA
  • Finds part glues it on, finds part glues it on....
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2023, 10:32:17 AM »
Most excellent.   :smiley:  Do continue.

Offline ChernayaAkula

  • Was left standing in front when everyone else took one step back...
  • Global Moderator
  • Putting the "pro" in procrastination since...?
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2023, 02:25:30 PM »
That's brilliant!  :smiley: ;D

Man, I have to get a 3D printer.

I've always wanted to do this one:

Cheers,
Moritz

"The appropriate response to reality is to go insane!"

Offline Buzzbomb

  • Low Concentration Span, oft wanders betwixt projects
  • Accurate Scale representations of fictional stuff
    • Club and my stuff site
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2023, 04:42:37 PM »
Inspiration is everywhere. :smiley:

Offline Story

  • Nicht mein Zirkus, nicht meine Affen...
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2023, 08:55:03 PM »

Offline LemonJello

  • MARPAT Master
  • Member number 100...WooHoo!!!
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2023, 09:25:00 PM »
Awesome!

Offline Ramba

  • Newly Joined - Welcome me!
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2023, 11:41:19 PM »
Very interesting project and looking good so far.

Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
  • Whiffing Demi-God!
    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2023, 01:49:08 AM »
 :smiley:
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Dr. YoKai

  • Was in High School when mastadons roamed the plains...
  • A notorious curmudgeon who is partial to...hemp!
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2023, 04:43:24 AM »
Way cool, Frank.

Offline Frank3k

  • Excession
  • Global Moderator
  • Formerly Frank2056. New upgrade!
    • My new webpage
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2023, 09:15:42 AM »
Thanks, guys. I'm working on the terrain now, using a foam cutter.

Offline Frank3k

  • Excession
  • Global Moderator
  • Formerly Frank2056. New upgrade!
    • My new webpage
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2023, 10:42:35 AM »
It's taken a while, but I'm making progress on this diorama. I printed a couple of copies of the Smithsonian T.Rex on my resin printer... I forgot that this was an accurate model so many of the small bones were printed and lost either in the resin or in the forest of supports I needed to add to print this model. Not a big deal, since most of it would be hidden.

I buried the T.Rex and saucer in some acrylic spackle, then painted the result, added some rocks, clean kitty litter (which was rock sized in 1/72) and some sand from the Kelso Sand Dunes.

This is what I have so far:



You can see the dead alien's arm through the cracked bubble. Earth bacteria can't eat the flesh, so it just dried out and fossilized.

It's hard to see the T.Rex skeleton - I've since dry brushed it with a lighter color to bring out the bones. Here's a slightly better view:



I'm working on the two figures and some extra equipment right now.


Offline Ramba

  • Newly Joined - Welcome me!
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2023, 11:10:26 AM »
Looks great!

Offline The Rat

  • 70 years old, doesn't feel a day over 90.
  • Maybe I should take up the bagpipes.
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #12 on: March 12, 2023, 12:15:57 PM »
This is epic!
"Man, if you gotta ask, you ain't never gonna know!" - Louis Armstrong, when asked "What is jazz?"

Offline finsrin

  • The Dr Frankenstein of the modelling world...when not hiding from SBA
  • Finds part glues it on, finds part glues it on....
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #13 on: March 12, 2023, 12:37:05 PM »
Excellent from the 'dirt' on up.  :-*

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
  • "Define 'interesting'?"
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #14 on: March 12, 2023, 01:43:59 PM »
 :D :D :smiley:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Buzzbomb

  • Low Concentration Span, oft wanders betwixt projects
  • Accurate Scale representations of fictional stuff
    • Club and my stuff site
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #15 on: March 12, 2023, 07:29:29 PM »
Excellent

Offline Frank3k

  • Excession
  • Global Moderator
  • Formerly Frank2056. New upgrade!
    • My new webpage
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #16 on: March 13, 2023, 01:37:23 AM »
Thanks, everyone! It's always 20% of a project that takes 80% of the time. In this case, the two figures and the shovels. That's what I'll try to finish today.

Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
  • Whiffing Demi-God!
    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #17 on: March 13, 2023, 02:35:44 AM »
 :smiley:
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Online Jeffry Fontaine

  • Unaffiliated Independent Subversive...and the last person to go for a trip on a Mexicana dH Comet 4
  • Global Moderator
  • His stash is able to be seen from space...
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #18 on: March 13, 2023, 05:08:16 AM »
Another great looking project!  :smiley:
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline LemonJello

  • MARPAT Master
  • Member number 100...WooHoo!!!
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #19 on: March 13, 2023, 05:33:18 AM »
This is an all-around genius concept and execution.

Offline Frank3k

  • Excession
  • Global Moderator
  • Formerly Frank2056. New upgrade!
    • My new webpage
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #20 on: March 13, 2023, 08:35:23 AM »
Almost done. Just needs some touch up and a nameplate:



Closeup of the T.Rex, saucer and alien.



With the original artwork:


Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
  • "Define 'interesting'?"
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #21 on: March 13, 2023, 10:14:37 AM »
 ;D :smiley: :smiley:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
  • Whiffing Demi-God!
    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #22 on: March 14, 2023, 01:58:59 AM »
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Story

  • Nicht mein Zirkus, nicht meine Affen...
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #23 on: March 14, 2023, 02:29:19 AM »
Where do these works of art wind up after you're finished?

Offline Frank3k

  • Excession
  • Global Moderator
  • Formerly Frank2056. New upgrade!
    • My new webpage
Re: This complicates things.
« Reply #24 on: March 14, 2023, 03:05:48 AM »
Thanks, guys. I contacted Ryan and I'll send this to him as soon as it's finished (and photographed).