Thank you! The scale and detail on the engine look perfect, but I want to give it a repaint before using it. It's too simple and flat as is, but I think with some solid painting and weathering it'll look incredible.
skywalkersaga wrote: ReverendSpooky wrote:
Thank you so much!!! When the end of civilization comes, cats really will inherit the earth.
A terrifying prospect, indeed. XD
I already live in service of 2 small furry overlords. My life probably wouldn't change much.
skywalkersaga wrote: ReverendSpooky wrote:And I'm so glad you like everything! I agree, there can be a real tackiness to some of TBL's marketing, but to me, these bodies have been such a game changer in the hobby. If you haven't picked one up yet, give one a try. There's an extra natural quality to the articulation that's hard to put in to words, but after playing with one, the way it emulates the body is incredible. These's a subtle movement to how the shoulders and hips can move, and you can just get such natural and lifelike poses. Even f I were completely covering it it, I'd still want to use it for any figure I'm doing. And being able to nail those poses makes playing with these bodies so incredibly fun.
You're absolutely right! They are indeed a game changer, for me as well. I finally picked one up last month -- the s25b, as I desperately needed it for a more petite character in a shoulder-revealing outfit. I was really skeptical, mainly about the overly large bust size, etc., but once I had it in hand I could understand the potential and the appeal a lot more. And while I do find the, er, bust issue rather irksome, the pose-ability of it is indeed incredible, especially compared to many other bodies I've been attempting to use. I liked it so much in fact, I picked up another of the same make straight away, for a different version of the same character. Once I can afford to, I'll be picking up a couple more for another character as well. I probably won't be able to venture into the 'regular' taller bodies too much yet as nearly all the female figures I'm working on are quite short, but I'm very tempted! Speaking of which, do you mind me asking which tbleague bodies all your figures in the above pics are on? Others with more experience might be able to tell just by looking, but I'm still trying to learn.
I do think that, ideally, one would have bodies like this for every figure, even the more clothed ones. For my purposes though, at this point, it would not only be too costly, but also would not work with every single character, since there are not yet bodies in the right shapes and sizes for them, etc. Or, to do it properly would be a ton of extra work, such as with that potential Anakin figure and his mech arm that I was asking about a little while back. ;p
I still think adding that arm to an M32 or M33 body would be pretty easy to do, not to mention a fun project. And it would look AWESOME.
The thing is, while all a bit taller than old jointed bodies, I think the Phicen bodies scale pretty well with each other. Saint Crow is on an M32, which is the leanest, most wiry looking build. Funny enough, it was advertised as the perfect "Bruce Lee" body type, but actually might be the tallest regular body (not counting the new super tall bodies). Marrow is on the S16A, which is the average height (She's shorter than Saint Crow) thinner body, with narrower hips and shoulders and a smaller bust size, and pale. Kit is on a S17B, which is the same body but in "Suntan" (TBL's more common color). These are probably my 3 favorite bodies they've put out.
skywalkersaga wrote: ReverendSpooky wrote:And REALLY happy that moment between Kit & Crow worked. I played around with it a lot before I got something that looked natural, so it's a HUGE relief to hear it comes through.
It's WONDERFUL. But then I'm sucker for those kinds of interactions. In fact, one of the main reasons I got into collecting action figures in general was so that I could have a chance for my various favourite fictional 'ships', both platonic and romantic, to have happy and loving moments together in miniature form. But to my consternation, I have found that a lot of figures and dolls out there are simply NOT articulated enough or in the right way to even accomplish a simple embrace. So that is another benefit of more naturally poseable bodies -- that you can have them interact with each other much more closely like that. : )
Re: your diorama -- I had also wanted to mention something about the bike, but since I am not very knowledgeable about such things, my comment was just going to be a very fangirly 'omg, that is so freaking awesome!!' and also ' I LOVE THAT CHAINSAW!!!!'
I fully agree, and actually having characters able to interact is a necessity. It's another area the TBL bodies really excel (damn, they should be giving me kickbacks the way I promote for them) and I love being able to do scenes with multiple characters. I want to be able to portray those relationships, and convey them through their body language. Although I have some villains to introduce soon too, so we'll also see how well then can portray some good old fashion violence.
AS for the chainsaw, it's one of my favorite accessories I've made. The best part is that it winds up and the chain actually rotates!!! Here's a good shot of Saint Crow swinging it around:
Ephiane wrote: Amazing ! Hard to say what´s the best detail. I think it´s the garage itself. The figures and poses are fantastic as ever. That is the next level of Dio Building. Not only two walls for a Background. The high ceiling turns the Dio into a complete Building. The craftsman Breakfast is so funny
You can open the garage door and place a picture behind. Not directly, with a little distance. So we can see the world outside
Years ago i enlarge Background Photos in a copy shop. Easy way is now to download Post apocalyptic Wallpapers on a USB Stick and use it on the TV Screen with the dio / figure in front of.
Thank you Ephiane! I'm loving the term "craftsman breakfast" too, and it perfectly sums it up. In the wasteland (or if you're lazy) sometimes you get creative with your cooking. I was thinking about showing what's beyond the open garage door too, and I have a friend who has a ton of success using a monitor for a backdrop. The garage is HUGE (4 feet wide) so getting it postitioned in front of a moniter could be tricky. That said, getting the lighting right on a printed background that far back in the dio can be tricky too, where as the glow of the monitor might actually be helpful. I'll have to do some experimenting.
blackpool wrote:Absolutely stunning!!! I already told you on instagram but that diorama is such a masterpiece, so many gorgeous details it hurts lol! I love how every part seems to have lived a century of repairs, wars, and history, I can smell dust, old patina, and engine oil!
Seriously amazing, the windows, the furniture, and the story telling and pictures are just outstanding as well, the characters fit perfectly, there is a perfect osmose like in Dorgmal's works!
Crazy!
Thank you so much man. Appreciated, here and on Instagram. After the conversation here on how buildings decay, I knew I had to make it look like it had been through a bit. Not to mention, I have a big love for old industrial spaces like this, so I was really aiming to get that feel. Thrilled when I hear that it comes through.
GubernatorFan wrote:Ephiane, I also loved the "craftsman breakfast" bit in particular. But you might be right, what really ties all this together and really sells the intended look is the diorama itself. Speaking of which, photos projected on a TV screen might be a problem because of possible reflection (depending on the use of light). Printed backgrounds might still be preferable. Unless you have another trick up your sleeve.
The light the screen gives off actually compensates a bit for the reflection, But I think you're totally right about how you light it making all the difference. Either way, getting a monitor behind it, or lighting a printed backdrop both have their plusses and minuses. But it really is worth exploring, and is a photo I now really want to take.
ravrohan wrote:That's really amazing! The set is so detailed I can't imagine how long that took. The figure posing is natural looking and really helps me see what these bodies can do. I was being to easy on them I see now.
Thanks for the effort and sharing this with us
Than you Ravrohan! Yeah, I'm still amazed what you can get out of the Phicen figures. They're actually surprisingly durable too, and worth pushing to those extreme poses for a shot. I don't usually leave them displayed too dramatically, since I hear that leaving them stretched or crunched is what takes it's toll, but they can definitely handle a bit of a beating when you're handling them.
Ephiane wrote: GubernatorFan wrote:Ephiane, I also loved the "craftsman breakfast" bit in particular. But you might be right, what really ties all this together and really sells the intended look is the diorama itself. Speaking of which, photos projected on a TV screen might be a problem because of possible reflection (depending on the use of light). Printed backgrounds might still be preferable. Unless you have another trick up your sleeve.
OK....not the best ones. But i did it in some minutes. My Tv is like all my stuff Old and not the best Quality. But i think it works...
Just to look will it work or not, and sorry for to place my Pics in the Thread of another Friend here.
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Both REALLY fun shots! I think the glow from the monitor actually adds to the lighting in these a bit. I keep saying I need to experiment more with either printed or on-screen backgrounds, especially as if I want to do something really big and impossible to produce otherwise. But then I start building something and just can't stop...
GubernatorFan wrote:I see. It does work, as long as you're careful about the light. And I am sure the good Reverend does not mind (and if he does, I apologize for being the instigator) but I bet this will give him additional ideas, too. The reality of his diorama still makes it all the more impressive in my book.
Hell yes! It really does make we want to try for some more insane backgrounds. I actually paid for a full online course (it's all videos, so I can get to it when I get to it) on digitally combining images and backgrounds. It's like 40 hours of lessons, and I'm sure will require some practice, so I've been putting off delving into it. But there are a ton of amazing weird and decaying industrial buildings in my area I'd love to photograph myself and then combine with figures.
While you can definitely get some great results digitally or with backdrops, for me, nothing beats an actual dio. At the end of the day, I think they're the most fun, simply because they're an actual space you can set things up and play around, and physically interact with.