ACI Toys: 1/6 ARAGORN (Improved Production Copy updated!)

[Neko]

I'm a big Asmus supporter. I have all their LOTR products so far, and I want them to succeed because I love LOTR, and I appreciate Asmus showing goodwill and communicate with us on this forum.
In spite of this, I've been irritated by the amount of custom work needed to make Gandalf and Nazgul/steed look acceptable, and the lack of detail and poor materials used on these last two. Irritaded also by the fact that we had no concrete news on their Aragorn for months and months... (in favor of the Hobbit line, that I'm not interested in)

On the other hand, we have the ACI Aragorn, that I never really cared about during the building process because of the bad photos, ugly rooted hair, and the will to continue to buy Asmus products.
However, the in hand pictures of ACI Aragorn were really great, but I didn't preorder, waiting for Asmus news... The last pics of Asmus Aragorn headscuplt made me change my mind. I went like "ok, they won't do something better in any way that the ACI one"... so I bought a 400$ ACI Aragorn on ebay.

Good news, It arrived at home this morning, and let me tell you, I swear I don't regret the 400$. This figure is absolutely fantastic in every aspect. The headsculpt is amazing, the paintwork on the face is great, the wrinkles on the forehead doesn't show that much, and the details on the cloths and accessories are outstanding. Except for the hair you have to trim a little bit, and the beard that didn't pleased me, I don't see any flaw.

I won't post a lot of pictures of this figure because there are a lot on this thread that perfectly show it, but I would like to show you the way I went with the head. (Trimmed the hair -added some water but no gel- , and totally repainted the beard)

Asmus if you read me, I hope your next figures will be as great as this one.

 

[Jokes & Bats]

The beard and the hair look spot on. Incredible work. I actually did a 'wo' out loud.

 

[Remy]

I have to agree, Great great job Neko!!!
You nailed the hair and the beard. Wow!!!

How did you do the beard? Did you use acrylic paint or penciled it on?

 

[Bucky Underbelly]

That is the best haircut I've seen him get thus far! Great work!

EDIT: You also seem to have gotten one that isn't looking too far upwards. There seems to be a bit of variation in the eye placement on these.

Congrats!

 

[epitaph04]

Holy ****, Neko...can I send you my Aragorn? I need it to look just like yours.

 

[nathan.never]

So, is he still available anywhere at retail or close to retail prices (Europe preferably)? This new pictures swayed me, it just seems too late now...

 

[Neko]

Thanks !!
Remy, your work on it is stunning also. For the beard I used old games workshop acrylic paints. With a few mixture, I managed to find a flesh tone that matched. Then I repainted the beard. I'm no good painter, but I like to have very liquid paints so I add a lot of water in my mixture, so the paint is liquid like milk. Then I paint by layers, with transparency.





Closer pictures of the beard. This sculpt is beautiful, I find the expression changes a little bit depending on the light. The first picture makes me think about strider, and the second one rather the two towers... Don't know why !





And more pics of the haircut. Epitaph, I'm sure you can do as well, maybe even better !

 

[marker2037]

Wow man, that beard repaint and hair trim is spot on

 

[Remy]

Thanks !!
Remy, your work on it is stunning also. For the beard I used old games workshop acrylic paints. With a few mixture, I managed to find a flesh tone that matched. Then I repainted the beard. I'm no good painter, but I like to have very liquid paints so I add a lot of water in my mixture, so the paint is liquid like milk. Then I paint by layers, with transparency.

View attachment 171766

View attachment 171767

Closer pictures of the beard. This sculpt is beautiful, I find the expression changes a little bit depending on the light. The first picture makes me think about strider, and the second one rather the two towers... Don't know why !

View attachment 171769

View attachment 171770

And more pics of the haircut. Epitaph, I'm sure you can do as well, maybe even better !

View attachment 171771

View attachment 171772

Very cool. Thank you very much for the tips on the beard.
I figured it was acrylic paint, but you did such an excellent job making it look like stubbles, that's why I wondered if it was maybe pencilled or something,
cause its too good! lol. Most of the time, beard areas just looks shaded. But yours look like individual stubbles.
You're too modest, cause its an excellent excellent job.

Thanks also for the compliment. I am very happy with the 2nd effort styling the hair. The first one kept bugging me cause he didnt look rugged enough.
But I have to agree with what others have said, yours is the best haircut I've seen. You nailed it.
ACI should have hired you.
Would have saved a lot of us from getting a heart attack trying to cut his hair.

 

[diegohdm]

Fantastic job Neko, i will mod mine like yours.

 

[hoodonit00]

From the start I didn't like the sculpt. Loved everything else but the sculpt. After seeing all these pics I wish I could kick the ever livin **** out of myself for not getting this. I won't pay the after market prices for this but good on all of you who got it.

 

[Kyle71090]

Regular version and ex just posted to eBay from a hong kong dealer, ready to ship. I picked up the ex, but the reg is still posted and only a few bucks more than release price

 

[Invictus Sol]

BBTS had better not pull any funny business. I'm getting a little tired of some of these companies playing fast and loose with preorders that start climbing in the secondary, although fortunately have not had that happen with BBTS which is why I buy from them. Still waiting for them to get Tyrion as well.

I think the LE Ringwraith is safe @ $290.00 should anyone cancel their order but I don't know about Aragorn. I remember when I collected Marvel Universe 3.75" (and I scolded myself then that they were too expensive ), BBTS would totally jack-up the price of coveted figures that they had left in stock or that they managed to source. Don't know that they could resist tacking on another $100.00+ on Aragorn, given the prices on e.Bay.

 

[emeraldknight]

Love the hair cut and the beard looks spot on...
Great Job Neko, Can't wait to get mine

 

[diegohdm]

My special Ed. arrived

 

[hoodonit00]

Is it just me or is the bow awful short?

 

[emeraldknight]

Congrats diegohdm!

Man, the wait is killing me...

 

[SurlyJ]

I should have the special edition tomorrow!!!!!

 

[Jokes & Bats]

Is it just me or is the bow awful short?

It's not overly massive in the film

 

[diegohdm]

Congrats diegohdm!

Man, the wait is killing me...

thanks emeraldknight !

i really liked it, ACI Toys made a great job here