Thursday 5 February 2009

Flash Gordon - Ice Giant

My latest Flash Gordon project an Ice Giant.

The miniature is a Ral Partha Giant with the base marked Ral Partha 1977. Research has further identified it as a Frost Giant ref; PR01 - 057. It was purchased via E-bay for £4.85 and stands 71mm tall.

Photo One - shows the miniature in its bare metal (paint removed) state.

Photo Two - Shows the miniature mounted on to a 50mm round base with groundwork built up from pieces of broken cork, DAS modelling clay and coarse sand. You can also see some of the extensive 'cleaning up' that was required on this model - there were considerable mould lines running down the left side of the body, through the beard and down the left leg. A similar line was found on the reverse. I have used a rotary 'Dremel type' tool to take off the main miss casting and 'green stuff' to remodel the damage.

Photo Three - the figure basecoated with Games Workshop Skull White spray paint and Vellejo Game Colour White.

Photo Four - shows the same miniature in the process of being painted by the master miniature painter Joe Videki. It was this work-in-progress shot that first made me aware of this miniature. I knew then that I just had to have one.

For anyone not familiar with Joe's work, please check out; http://www.geocities.com/jvideki/index.html

Tony

NOTE:
The metal figure I have is subtly different to the work-in-progress shot from Joe Videki. At first I thought it was just the camera angle, or even the fact that the painted miniature might have been modified, but on closer inspection there are a number of definite differences, for example - the left hand comes across the groin, the feet are bigger and behind one another and not side-by-side. Can any reader explain why this might be? Have I got a re-cast?

NOTE 2:
I have seen a Ral Partha UK catalogue entry, shown on the Lead Adventure Forum - showing this figure (rather than the one painted by Joe) but with the reference number ES57.

NOTE 3:
I have now started to paint the miniature - flesh and animal skin. I have noticed another poor miss-match, just below the right shoulder, at first I thought it a piece of beard or animal skin, but now think it is a very poor seam. I have cut it away with cutters and a scalpel and will be painting over soon.

4 comments:

BigLee said...

Nice paintjob and photo's. I think I may have one of these models lurking in the bottom of my model box.

Tony said...

Hi BigLee

Thanks for the comments - but the paint job featured is not by me but by Joe Videki.

If you do have one - can you check out if it is the same as the first photos or the final painted miniature?

Tony

BigLee said...

I dug through my model box and found it...only it's not the model your looking for (to paraphrase obi-wan). Its got a similar gangly look about it but it’s a completely different sculpt. The giant cooking pot for a helmet sort of gives it away.

Tony said...

To BigLee

Thanks for looking.

Tony