Infinity

Wow. Now there's a girl who knows how to put on a show... I like it!

I just had a thought on this. It's inevitable that people will compare the Dragonlance movie to Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy that just redefined what fantasy movies should be. Sometimes I find myself wondering how Weis and Hickman could even consider allowing their stories to be transformed into such a lower medium as a potentially disappointing Saturday Morning cartoon. However, looking back at said lofty LOTR, I see that it's history in film is not without its disappointing and easily forgotten periods. Does Ralph Bakshi ring a bell? Now, I know there are folks around who swear by Tolkein and LOTR and would NEVER think of ripping on anything that had either of those names attached to it. I, however, am not one of those people. I thought the old Bakshi cartoon movie of LOTR sucked. I hated it right from the beginning, as did many of my friends (not including the loyal-to-a-fault Tolkein fans). However, it occurred to me that the story of LOTR had to make a journey through film, as odd as that sounds, until its real time came. Peter Jackson crowned that legacy, in my opinion, while the Dragonlance story is really just starting out--it's just a newborn in that scheme of things. If the DL story's good enough to endure, then it'll make it through the Saturday Morning cartoon time of its life (which seems to be a necessary step) and make glorious landfall someday on the Island of Epic Film. There will be some other Peter Jackson there, hopefully, to see it through. So, since Ralph Bakshi's not doing this one (he's not, right?), I'll pay my money to take my boys to it and give it a shot. Infinity

I love this figure, and I think your paint job does it justice. I don't mind the flame, and I think your color scheme is pretty cool. Nice job. Infinity

Thanks, Frank. Some intriguing titles to watch for. It could be that my pocketbook will be floating by the end of this year... --Infinity

While I enjoyed the first three novels, I felt in the first two that I was reading a very well-written journal or log of someone's Dungeons and Dragons adventures. In "Autumn Twilight" you could almost hear the dice rolling in the background. They were still well-written, though, and so I picked up the next three (the "Twins" series) and they were awesome! The Raistlin/Fistandantilus paradox still gives me the chills, and Raistlin is at the top of my list of interesting fictional heroes (with Edmund Dantes, the Count of Monte Cristo). I'd think that whoever they cast to play Elric of Melnibone would probably be a good start for casting Raistlin (just switch the facial make-up from white to gold, swap the sword for a staff, and throw on a heavy black robe...). Infinity

Chariots. Nefsokar chariots. I was glancing through Casketworks #20, and I was impressed with the number of Neksokar models Reaper has now, especially the mounted and cavalry types. They are tied with the Crusaders at 8 mounted figures. That's fantastic! They just need at least a couple of chariots--one living, and the other undead. Chariots. Nefsokar chariots. --Infinity

Honestly, I think if I had given much thought to it, I would have ended up selfishly depressed at the poor materials I worked with. I made the mushroom houses with the things I had at hand (Michaels craft store is 35 minutes away, and the nearest hobby shop is 40). My presentation is by no means the best way of doing things. I'm actually expecting a few folks here to be laughing in pity at this, my feeble work. Your suggestion is a very good one. Any ball that could be cut in half and carved to fit a more natural, irregular shape could be used. A 3" diameter would make a cool mini-mushroom house, although these babies I made are 12" diameters. Infinity

I like the color scheme you've chosen. I've never seen this particular demon prince character colored this way, and I like it. I agree that a few brighter highlights on head, shoulders, arms, and belly will only make him look better. Very cool. Infinity

Awright, after begging like an annoying little kid in the Sophie Trophy thread, I thought I'd just come and add my wish here. I'll forego the annoying begging, though. How about a Sophie boxed set?! I'm talking about a $35 or $39 jobber that's Cinder-sized. Infinity

A year ago my neighbor's little girl came over into my yard and begged for two full minutes for me to allow her to jump on our trampoline ("pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease...!"). I swore then and there I would never beg anyone for anything in such a groveling, humiliating, annoying manner. Then I saw this sculpt this morning, and I realized it is very much beyond my grasp, and I knew that the only way I could communicate my wishes to obtain one was by futile pleading. So, ahem, start the clock... Please make the Sophie Trophy available for purchase! Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!... Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!... Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!... Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!... Annoyed yet?! I think she looks fabulous, with a lot of free-hand space and potential for incredibly detailed highlights and... well, a lot of good, wholesome painting fun. The negative space on the inside of the wings is very striking, and the base is cool. Yeah, she's great. And, having already made a fool of myself and now trying to return to a semblance of rational behavior, I think she's quite a reward for the awesome painters at the Con to get something that just can't be had any other way. However, I agree that a slightly smaller version in pewter (bigger than 72 MM Sophie 1406, though--more like 100 mm) would be a quick sale on my part. (pleasepleaseplease...) Infinity

Hah! THIS has got to be the worst combined case of both "hairy back" and static electricity I've seen. Seriously, though, a little pronounced layering on the buckle won't lose the link to the subtle blue in the eyes. As far as the stripes go, I think the solid light patches of skin are a strength here, juxtaposed with the textures and contrast in the hair and armor, though I agree about the muscles needing a shade more definition. Maybe you'll just have to do another and put stripes on it, now that you've got this scheme down so well... Infinity

Well, there is this guy, Dark Heaven Legends 2709. Maybe instead of sculpting from the ground up you could do a very simple conversion on something like Biff, here, and post the results in the Conversions thread... Infinity

I really, really like these. I'd like to see closer shots of them. I love how the purple goes to gray when I try and take the whole piece in. It's like a subtle "impressionist color theory" in 3-D. Very impressive. Can we get a close-up shot of the smaller three, and another view of the big guy (head-on, maybe)? Dang, I love werewolf-types. They say, "I'm MEAN" so very well... Infinity

It's an interesting take on an erotically charged sculpt. I agree with Enchantra that defining the shadows a bit more and pushing the highlights might make it even "cooler" (no pun intended). And, what about making the grass on the base look dead, frozen, or just "frosted"? On the other hand, maybe she's intruding on warmer territory and her presence just hasn't iced it all yet. Now that I look again, though, the green on the blade does seem to match some of the grass, and sort of ties the piece together. I keep trying to think of what I would have said if THIS chick had shown up in "Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe"... Kids: Dad, she's the villain. You can't root for her. Infinity: Woo-... er,... ah... woo. ahem Infinity

I requested a War Mammoth in the "Minis We'd Like to See" Thread (here), but looking at all of MasterTickles' awesome stuff got me thinking last night. My relationship with sculpture is a little one-sided--I give it the love and attention it craves, but get very little return for it... So, I pulled out the old, drying bit of Sculpey and experimented a bit with it just to see if there's any potential there. Here's what I came up with in all it's baked, tusk-less glory. He's about 65 mm tall, and not really flashy, but with some finely sculpted tusks (wood, maybe?) and some good paint, I'm thinking he could be passable for a normal mammoth. Now, for a truly cool "War Mammoth," I'm afraid the Reaper genie is going to have to "poof!" a real one into existence. Infinity